Re: ASDG EB920 with no MAC Address PROM

[Lance Tagliapietra <lancetag%Luminet.net@localhost>]

On Sun, Dec 19, 2004 at 12:27:50AM +0000, John Schuncke wrote:
> Lance Tagliapietra wrote:
> 
> >John,
> >
> >I was under the impression that NetBSD supported the ASDG ethernet
> >card. I have a couple of these cards, and the one with the PROM
> >did work correctly with NetBSD.  
> > 
> >
> "support": yes, it basically works, if you can resolve interrupt issues 
> and find a way to provide a MAC address. I'm personally hopeful.
> 
> >The PROM is a 32x8-bit 74S288.  I found these listed in the Jameco
> >catalog.
> > 
> >
> True, at about $7 apiece. I'm thinking about buying one, I haven't a 
> compatible programmer, and they aren't cheap. (Cheapest I can find is > 
> $300 US.)

I bought one of those $7 proms.  I have access to an S4 Dataman 
programmer at work on the assumption that it can program those.
I have not checked the docs for the programmer yet, but hope to
this between the holidays as it should be a bit quieter then.

As I recall, it should also be able to read out the contents of
a prom.

I'll report back after Christmas about this.

> 
> >I have not pulled the programmed prom I have to determine how the
> >ethernet address is encoded to program a prom for my other card,
> >so I am also interested if you get this problem solved.
> > 
> >
> I'd be darn curious myself. Looking at the relevant chunk of 
> /usr/src/sys/arch/amiga/dev/if_ed.c, it seems that the device driver 
> reads 6 consecutive bytes from the bottom of the PROM. (If I'm 
> understanding the address offset #define statements correctly.) I'm 
> halfway tempted to whack up an emulator board and play with addressing 
> and formatting. I'd certainly be cheaper than buying a programmer and a 
> fistful of PROMS for trial-and-error. (An emulator would make 
> trial-and-error cheaper, anyways.)
> 
> >Note that this card was not completely supported during the install.  It
> >seems that its interrupt may be left on an unhandled.  I had to install
> >with the card plugged in, but not connected to my LAN, or the install
> >would lock up.  It took me a few weeks of trial and error before I
> >determined what the problem was.
> > 
> >
> I've read reports of unhandled interrupts trashing the system during 
> install. More importantly, though, I believe you have to jumper the 
> board for interrupt 2. The (often hardwired) default is int 6, which 
> apparently can interfere with disk and serial handling. Also, I think 
> the kernel is hardcoded for interrupt 2. I had to rework the circuit 
> board of my EB920, replacing the hardwire jumper for int 6 with a real 
> jumper pin block and a jumper (selected to int 2). I didn't have any 
> problems with the NIC during my setup. YMMV.

I'll have to check my board.  AmigaDos wants to see that board at
interrupt 6, as that is where their drivers are looking for it, if
I remember.  AmigaDos is still needed to get it initially loaded.

> 
> >--Lance
> >Lance Tagliapietra <lancetag%luminet.net@localhost>
> > 
> >
> -- 
> 
> John L. Schuncke, Jr.   <jlschuncke%cox.net@localhost>
> Bithead, nethopper, computer archaeologist
> -- I'm into SOFTWARE! -- Zippy the Programmer --
>