cgd@sibyte.com (Chris G. Demetriou) writes:
> What does your firmware say if you "cd /" then ".properties" (or
> similar -- get the properties for the root node)?

Actually, on further thought, this would be really good information;
it should tell us whether they had a custsom firmware done, or whether
it's just the 'normal' shark firmware.

Mark Hayter just stopped by my cube and reminded me about issues we
had with firmware ethernet properties.  At one point i went through
and had the FirmWorks folks fill in the correct values, and my
recollection was that the only issue with the ethernet properties was
the DMA channel.  However, that memory may not be correct.

If it is running the standard -- but old -- DEC firmware, then yes, it
should just be a matter of upgrading the firmware.


[ Thanks to Matt Green for the data collection that enabled me to
write the bits below...  Mmm, instant global communications. 8-]

If it looks like:

ok dev /
ok .properties
banner-name              DNARD Rev. 5
dma-ranges               08000000 00400000
clock-frequency          01fca055
architecture             DNA
model                    DEC,DNARD
#address-cells           00000001

(or similar but for "Rev. 4"), then you're probably in business, and
the stuff below can help you out.

To override the firmware's notion of whether or not it can program the
flash, enter the following commands:

	: lp ;
	patch lp ?programmable ((flash)

really, that's not a sequence of typos.  8-) (that defines an empty
function named "lp", and patches the call to "?programmable" in the
function "((flash)" to call "lp" instead.)


Also, the following hunk of code has saved my butt a few times:

: vi  drop h# 40 + " OBMD" comp abort" Not a firmware image" ;
patch vi verify-image flash-load-image

That makes the flash image update code verify that the image being
flashed is, in fact, an OpenFirmware image.  If your bootp/dhcp
returns a file name, the firmware will actually try to tftp and flash
that image, rather than the normal flash image name (rom.DNA, if i
recall correctly).  This can result in garbage being flashed to your
ROM.

I strongly suggest that you apply that patch code, and turn off your
TFTP server before trying to net-flash, and then 'tcpdump' to make
sure you're fetching the right image.  Then turn your TFTP server back
on and do it again.


Note: patches like these only survive until the next firmware reset.
The firmware can reset itself in ways that aren't entirely obvious, so
if you have any doubts i suggest you power cycle your box (or hit the
reset button if it has one), and then enter them in from scratch.



chris