Linux-Hardware Digest #635, Volume #13 Tue, 26 Sep 00 23:13:10 EDT
Contents:
CANON LBP-4i (Tajvidi)
Looking for printer/fax/copier (Darrin Crook)
Re: CANON LBP-4i (Michael Burian)
Re: annoying scsi resets in linux (Ken Luke)
Re: Belkin UPS model F6C525-SER & Linux (David Steuber)
sos! lpd is being a pain. (Debian User)
Red Hat 6.2 won't install, freezes on Adaptec 2940 controller. (Walter Francis)
Re: IBM T20/A20 ThkPd: mini-PCI Ethernet 100/10Mbps... supported?
([EMAIL PROTECTED])
Re: Cable modem with Linux (Marshall Blythe)
Re: Coolerless Linux-PC? (Christopher Browne)
3Dlabs Oxygen VX1-1600SW (the SGI card) (jones)
Re: Linux Mandrake 7.0 and VDO Card Intel 810e from Compaq Presario 7500C (tim)
Re: Advice needed on Linux on an Aptiva (Microchannel Architecture) ("David C.
McGarry")
Re: IRQ conflicts and PCI cards (Matt Koch)
Re: Yet Another SB PCI 128 Problem... (Matt Koch)
Re: PCI hardware problem/ netgear network card (Peter Bloomfield)
Re: CPUID and Athon T-Bird ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
Unable to mount CD (as root) (MH)
Re: CPUID and Athon T-Bird (David_C)
Re: Is Adaptec 19160 SCSI compatible? (David_C)
Re: Looking for printer/fax/copier ("Joseph C. Kopec")
Re: linux and crusoe (David_C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Tajvidi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: CANON LBP-4i
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 00:10:31 +0200
Hi!
I'm looking for a driver for my Canon LBP-4i printer
Somebody can help me?
Thanks.......
------------------------------
From: Darrin Crook <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Looking for printer/fax/copier
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 17:18:20 -0500
I am looking for a laser printer/fax/copier unit that I can use with
Linux. Has anyone had any luck finding one and getting it to work?
I looked at the HP LaserJet 3150 and there are no drivers for it. The
printer part is the only thing that needs to work with linux, the fax
and copier can work standalone.
Thanks
Darrin Crook
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
------------------------------
From: Michael Burian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: CANON LBP-4i
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 01:03:13 +0200
Tajvidi wrote:
>
> Hi!
> I'm looking for a driver for my Canon LBP-4i printer
>
> Somebody can help me?
> Thanks.......
maybe LaserjetII drivers might work,
hardware is quite similar IIRC
However make sure it's got enough memory
for printing a whole DIN A4 at a time ;-)
This wasn't the case with mine, so it has won a
free survival trip.
------------------------------
From: Ken Luke <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.periphs.scsi
Subject: Re: annoying scsi resets in linux
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 16:19:34 -0700
Did you try disabling autotermination on the Adaptec card ( Ctrl-A just
after the POST to bring up the Adaptec utils, IIRC...)
HTH
In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
(Esa Tikka) wrote:
> Hello people,
>
>here's a lenghty one, hope you have time to read it.
>
>A few months ago I asked in c.o.l.h for help with AHA-2940U2W and
>IBM AS400 0664N1H (wide, SCSI-2) and received many instructive answers
>(thanks for them).
>I kinda retired to make some further tests by replacing parts etc and it
>took
>more time than I had thought at the first place.
>
>After that it goes around again...
>
... deletia ...
>
>Though the Linux aic7xxx driver can't get this thing resetted, the Adaptec
>scsi bios makes it work right again at reboot (no matter did I make a hard
>reset or not).
>
>I'm quite lost with this one, at this point I'm pretty sure it's not
>the cable or the termination (I couldn't even get a cable shorter than
>this
>~1 meter long I already have, and I have tried with another cable), I
>tried
>with drive supplying or not supplying TERMPWR.
>The adapter and the drive were tested in another machine running NT4, no
>problems were seen.
>I have checked also the drive's specs for obscure requirements for time
>outs,
>cables, termination and temperatures, all in vain. I also have an extra
>power supply powering the drive ('just in case').
>
>The easiest option would be to get another drive, get it working and throw
>away this one (according to IBM it 'starts to degrade' after 5 years
>of service and it's manufactured around -94), but... a drive with 1.9 GB
>space
>is always tempting to keep around :)
>
>Please, if you think there's yet something to try, I'll try it.
------------------------------
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.admin,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.os.linux.misc
Subject: Re: Belkin UPS model F6C525-SER & Linux
From: David Steuber <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 23:22:01 GMT
Steve Wampler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
' Try http://www.exploits.org/nut
'
' Let me know if it works for you - I haven't had much luck with
' my FC6525 [with this or with the linux drivers supplied by
' belkin], but may have a cabling problem.
I found it, but haven't had a chance to build it yet. Other stuff
came up. Hopefully this week I will build it.
What is the nature of your problem?
I figure if I can't get it to work within the return period, I'll just
take the thing back and get a UPS that powerd works with.
--
David Steuber | Perl apprentice, Apache/mod_perl user, and
NRA Member | general Internet web wannabe.
ICQ# 91465842 (Using Micq 0.4.6 under Linux)
It's time to be free: http://www.harrybrowne2000.org
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Debian User)
Subject: sos! lpd is being a pain.
Date: 26 Sep 2000 23:26:48 GMT
Reply-To: Thread <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
After another hour and a half or so of messing with it,
i've come to this dead end: i tried -- lpr ~/.bashrc --
/var/log/lpr.log says nothing, but
/var/spool/lpd/hpdj_540-letter-auto-mono/log says:
apsfilter: unsupported filetype
ascii text from root
or missing filter !
or perhaps you have to type lpr -Pascii to print an ascii
file containing control characters or lpr -Praw to print
a file in your printers native language, when printing data
files (pcl3, pcl5, ...) ?!
... so i tried it:
lpr -Pascii ~/.bashrc
and the only trace i could find was in
/var/spool/lpd/hpdj_540-letter-ascii-mono/log, it says
/var/lib/apsfilter/filter/aps-hpdj_540-letter-ascii-mono:\
a2ps: command not found
/var/lib/apsfilter/filter/aps-hpdj_540-letter-ascii-mono
is, of course, a symlink:
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 34 Sep 26 18:47 /var/\
lib/apsfilter/filter/aps-hpdj_540-letter-ascii-mono -> /usr/\
share/apsfilter/bin/apsfilter
I had actually posted the wrong printcap by accident.
i just !cat'd /etc/printcap in vim, when the one
i'm talking about was actually over on the server.
The actual one is as follows:
ascii|lp1|hpdj_540-letter-ascii-mono|hpdj_540 ascii mono:\
:lp=/dev/lp0:\
:sd=/var/spool/lpd/hpdj_540-letter-ascii-mono:\
:lf=/var/spool/lpd/hpdj_540-letter-ascii-mono/log:\
:af=/var/spool/lpd/hpdj_540-letter-ascii-mono/acct:\
:if=/var/lib/apsfilter/filter/aps-hpdj_540-letter-ascii-mono:\
:mx#0:\
:sh:
#
lp|lp2|hpdj_540-letter-auto-mono|hpdj_540 auto mono:\
:lp=/dev/lp0:\
:sd=/var/spool/lpd/hpdj_540-letter-auto-mono:\
:lf=/var/spool/lpd/hpdj_540-letter-auto-mono/log:\
:af=/var/spool/lpd/hpdj_540-letter-auto-mono/acct:\
:if=/var/lib/apsfilter/filter/aps-hpdj_540-letter-auto-mono:\
:mx#0:\
:sh:
#
raw|lp3|hpdj_540-letter-raw|hpdj_540 auto raw:\
:lp=/dev/lp0:\
:sd=/var/spool/lpd/hpdj_540-raw:\
:lf=/var/spool/lpd/hpdj_540-raw/log:\
:af=/var/spool/lpd/hpdj_540-raw/acct:\
:if=/var/lib/apsfilter/filter/aps-hpdj_540-letter-raw:\
:mx#0:\
sh:
Thanks for any and all help.
------------------------------
From: Walter Francis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Red Hat 6.2 won't install, freezes on Adaptec 2940 controller.
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 19:15:13 -0400
I have had Red Hat on my systems for almost two years, starting with 5.2
and now with 6.2ish.
My dad is a big computer-tinkering guy, and is trying to install Red Hat
6.2 on an Athelon 700 with three or four SCSI disks, an IDE drive or
two, not sure what graphics card, mobo, etc.. but he's using an adaptec
2940 u2w controller, and every time I go through the install process it
freezes loading the AIC7xxx driver.
If I boot into expert mode, I see that it stops when it's trying to scan
the bus. So I suspect that is the problem.
I downloaded the latest 6.2 install diskette, but it didn't seem to help
any. He will be installing it on a SCSI drive, so I'm not sure what to
do.
Any suggestions?
--
Walter Francis
http://theblackmoor.net Powered by Red Hat Linux 6.x
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: IBM T20/A20 ThkPd: mini-PCI Ethernet 100/10Mbps... supported?
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 02:02:47 +0200
On Sun, 27 Aug 2000 02:27:19 GMT, John Hovell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
>Hello all...
>
>I am wondering if anyone has had experience or luck getting the on-board
>mini-PCI Ethernet/56k modem combo cards to work on Linux.
>
>They are supposedly the Intel Pro 100 chipset (made by 3com (!?))... I
>don't get it but this is what the product info says.
>
>Anyways, I was wondering if anyone knows of drivers for Linux. I
>haven't bought the system yet, but am definitely considering it. The
>sell the same system with Caldera Open Linux eDesktop 2.4... and with
>the PCI card as an option... I just don't know if that's a mistake on
>the web site.
>
>I am still looking for a part #, but they are either sold as under IBM,
>3com, or "Intel chipset"... but all the _exact_ same card or so I am
>told.
>
>Also, I don't know if the 56K modem is hardware or a Winmodem, but it's
>gotta be hardware if they support it under NT 4.0, right??
>
>Any help, pointers to info would be much appreciated... BTW, to be sure
>its mini-pci -- on board not Cardbus or PCMCIA or anything else like
>that.
John,
I am actually using a T20 with the mini-PCI Ethernet adapter running
Suse 7.0 Prof. I just installed Suse and Ethernet worked.
The card is an Intel Ethernet (Express ?) Pro 100).
BTW, I had to fiddle with XFree configuration, but I have now
1024x768x32 running on the TFT
Michael
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Marshall Blythe)
Subject: Re: Cable modem with Linux
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 00:05:48 GMT
>I recently got cable modem from ROADRUNNER through TIME WARNER. What
>should I do in Linux (Redhat 6.2) to use it? In Windows 98, I have setup the
>servers as LAN rather than dial-up.
I'm using Roadrunner with RH 6.2- no problems. See the Cable Modem HOWTO:
http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/Cable-Modem/isps.html#AEN154
--
Marshall Blythe
---> remove 'devnull' from my email address to reply <---
______________________________________________________________________________
------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Christopher Browne)
Subject: Re: Coolerless Linux-PC?
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 00:21:11 GMT
In our last episode (25 Sep 2000 14:23:33 GMT),
the artist formerly known as Mike Frisch said:
>On Mon, 25 Sep 2000 06:57:13 GMT, Th. Seifert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>I would like to build a coolerless linux-pc which can run as a dvd-
>>player and can play mp3s as a soundstation.
>>Is there such a project out there or does someone know which hardware
>>fits best for this purpose?
>
>Why build it yourself when you can buy something pre-built for
>cheap? Check out the following link:
>
>http://www.zdnet.com/enterprise/stories/main/0,10228,2631490,00.html
Our LUG recently had Matthew R. Pavlovich, one of the prime movers of
the LIVID project, as a speaker, talking about a combination of
technical and legal matters surrounding the project.
He indicated that playing DVDs is pretty CPU-intensive, unless you
have graphics hardware that takes on the rendering load. He showed a
chunk of "The Matrix" on a laptop with about a P533.
The AllWell boxes are Cyrix "233's", which is likely a bit on the
wimpy side for this purpose.
--
(concatenate 'string "cbbrowne" "@" "ntlug.org")
<http://www.ntlug.org/~cbbrowne/linux.html>
"Bureaucracies interpret communication as damage and route around it"
-- Jamie Zawinski
------------------------------
From: jones <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: 3Dlabs Oxygen VX1-1600SW (the SGI card)
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 01:22:43 +0100
hi
has anyone hard any luck geting this card to work ?
I see the that
"With DRI 1.0, all of the major architectural pieces necessary to
demonstrate id Software's Quake II on a geometry accelerated graphics card
(the 3Dlabs GLINT GMX 2000) were implemented"
and I wondered if 3Dlabs Oxygen VX1-1600SW (the SGI card) was the same
chipset permidia 3 ?
any news ?
regards
john jones
p.s. SGI had a BIG advert saying that the flatscreen worked in linux I am
Buying the SGI monitor anyway I just want a card that works and this is the
card they bundle
------------------------------
From: tim <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Linux Mandrake 7.0 and VDO Card Intel 810e from Compaq Presario 7500C
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 00:30:07 -0000
I don't have Susie and here in Thailand is took many days to download.!
I went to Intel.com as suggested and installed.
First I screwed up by using xf86config to config by looking for the card i810. It
was not there even after install the modified module: i810Gtt-0.2-4.src.rpm or
even the other program cam with the rpm:XFCom_i810-1.2-3.i386. But once
go back to read the released note carefully didn't mention about that at all.
Then just manually edit XF86Config then I can start see some resolution but
screen moving around like peep in the big picture.
Then go back to Mandrake try Chang X resolution in Drake Conf to make
some adjustment and finally Work Perfect.
Thank both of you and the linux communities
Tim Kul
DaveH wrote:
>
> tim wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > Anyone can help
> > How to make Linux work with Video Card Intel 810e the one came with
Compaq
> > Presario 7500C
> >
> > Now I use generic and it only display 16 colors 640x480
> >
> > or atleast get better resolution.
> >
> > Thank
> >
> > --
> > Posted via CNET Help.com
> > http://www.help.com/
>
> Tim,
>
> As long as you're running a 2.2.x kernel and Glibc 2.1 and XFree 3.3.6
> you probably want to go to
> http://support.intel.com/support/graphics/intel810/linuxsoftware.htm and
> download the linux drivers for the 810 chipset. I'm using the RPM
> (binary) versions on an Asus CUSL2 (815e chipset) and they work pretty
> well.
>
> --
> Cheers DaveH
--
Posted via CNET Help.com
http://www.help.com/
------------------------------
From: "David C. McGarry" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: alt.comp.hardware.aptiva
Subject: Re: Advice needed on Linux on an Aptiva (Microchannel Architecture)
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 00:55:26 GMT
Richard is 100% correct - I worked for IBM when they stopped making MCA
Machines. Aptivas are 'not' MicroChannel.
"Richard" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:G7Rz5.8845$[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> Aptiva's are not microchannel machines. Aptivas have ISA and PCI busses.
>
>
------------------------------
From: Matt Koch <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: IRQ conflicts and PCI cards
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 00:52:04 GMT
Hi there:
Another option might be the PCIUTILS package, the
SETPCI utility of which supposedly allows you to set
IRQs and stuff. The LSPCI utility can then be used to
verify that. This comes standard with RedHat 6.0.
Matt Koch
On Thu, 21 Sep 2000, Andrey Vlasov wrote:
>Hi there,
>
>just go into BIOS and assign IRQ to one of PCI slot (Video or modem) and
>conflict solved.
>But please check that you do not use this IRQ before you will assign it.
>
>NOTE: Check that these PCI cards do not use same I/O ports.
>
>Andrey
>
>Rajesh Raman wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I'm running Linux Mandrake 7.1, and am having problems with an
>> IRQ conflict between the PCI modem and NVIDIA's graphics driver,
>> which both want IRQ 3. As a result, if I first dial-up and then try to
>> startx, the X server freezes, and if I startx and then try to dial-up,
>> the modem cannot "get terminal I/O params." (Yes, I can dial-up
>> outside X, xor run X just fine.)
>>
>> Since I don't have any ISA cards (in fact my motherboard doesn't
>> have any ISA slots), isapnp tools (pnpdump in particular) don't
>> give me any information to work with --- it just comes back with
>> "no boards found."
>>
>> I guess I could install a 2.3 series kernel and let honest-to-God pnp
>> take care of the mess. However, is there some other relatively easy
>> solution for this problem? A few pointers to the right tools would be
>> sufficient, but complete solutions are always welcome. :-)
>>
>> Thanks much!
>>
>> ++Rajesh
------------------------------
From: Matt Koch <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Yet Another SB PCI 128 Problem...
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 01:01:08 GMT
Hi there:
I have the same problem with an Ensoniq AudioPCI
ES1371. Its chip also reports 5880 on an "lspci -v".
Supposedly the "snd-card-ens1371" module from
ALSA works. You can find these at:
"http://www.alsa-project.org"
It seems to be very nice software, at least it compiles
like a charm on RedHat 6.0. Only, my card is not
even being recognized, so the software can't do its
magic in the first place. I am using an ASUS TP4XE
motherboard with a Pentium 133-S.
Anyway, on the above web-site, under "Mailing Lists",
"alsa-devel archive", you will find some discussion on
ES1371, which is what this CT5880 thing supposedly
really is.
Maybe that will help you. Good Luck.
Matt Koch
On Mon, 25 Sep 2000, Andi Wagner wrote:
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>>
>[...]
>
>> > So, what a chip is this 5880?? Which module
>> fits?
>>
>> Hi,
>> Sorry for not having any solution, but I have
>> exactly the same problem. So if you found out what
>> to do, please let me know.
>>
>> So long,
>> Martin
>>
>> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
>> Before you buy.
>
>
>hmm...seems like no one feels to give an answer. did you receive any
>hints?
>
>
> cya
>
> Andi
------------------------------
From: Peter Bloomfield <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Crossposted-To: comp.os.linux.networking
Subject: Re: PCI hardware problem/ netgear network card
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 09:01:32 -0400
Mandar wrote:
> Hi,
> I just got a new PIII 700 with ASUS P3v133 motherboard.
> Everything works fine thru windows.
>
> I have a netgear FA 311tx card. that uses tulip.o driver.
> when i run Donald's 'tulip-diag' I get an error msg saying that
> No valid IRQ has been assigned to the card and the driver has no way to
> change it.
> I also took a look at 'lspci -vv' This showed me that Pin1 connected to
> IRQ0.
> isn't PCI supposed assign its own IRQ's? and it works in windows.
>
> I have AwardBIOS so i tried assigning fixed IRQ's to that PCI slot,
> still i got the
> same problem. I have this PC in my dorm and i am really frustrated now.
> i need desperate help.
> regards,
> -Mandar
My FA311 uses the natsemi driver--don't recall if it's a ``tx''.
------------------------------
Subject: Re: CPUID and Athon T-Bird
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: 26 Sep 2000 22:08:51 -0400
Mike Oliver <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
> > Aside from that, you should be ok. Install 98 first on the 1st primary partition.
> > Convert it to FAT 32.
> No can do, at least unless I upgrade the NT to Win2K. WinNT 4.0's
> boot loader can't read a FAT32 partition.
Hmm. I thought NT with the latest service pack could. Maybe it can
read it, but not boot from it. Simple enough solution in either case:
make a relatively small boot partition and a large data one.
By the way, you sort of picked a nightmarish combination, in terms of
file systems. FAT32, NTFS, _and_ ext2; pick good partition sizes the
first time.
> Also, I heard someone say something that makes me think if your boot
> partition is FAT32 then you can't boot to exclusive DOS mode. Do
> you know if that's true?
It's not.
Maybe as of some older versions, but I've certainly done this. In
fact, I never even thought about it.
--
Eric McCoy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
------------------------------
From: MH <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Unable to mount CD (as root)
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 10:16:24 -0700
I am unable to mount my CD (as root). I get the following error
message:
mount: /dev/cdrom has wrong major or minor number
------------------------------
From: David_C <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: CPUID and Athon T-Bird
Date: 26 Sep 2000 22:46:52 -0400
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>>
>> Also, I heard someone say something that makes me think if your boot
>> partition is FAT32 then you can't boot to exclusive DOS mode. Do you
>> know if that's true?
>
> Maybe as of some older versions, but I've certainly done this. In
> fact, I never even thought about it.
What you can't do is view that partition if you boot MS-DOS (_not_ Win9x
in MS-DOS mode).
I had to do this recently to play an old game. My copy of Magic Carpet
spontaneously quits when run under Win9x, even in DOS mode, but works
great under MS-DOS 6.2. Fortunately, I have a Zip drive - which the
Iomega drivers mount as C: when I boot a DOS 6 floppy. So the game can
store its files and run.
-- David
------------------------------
From: David_C <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Is Adaptec 19160 SCSI compatible?
Date: 26 Sep 2000 22:49:21 -0400
SteveW <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>
> Compile the kernel with AIC7xxx support, SCSI disk/tape/cdrom support
> and enable tagged command queueing.
>
> Tagged command queueing speeds things up but isnt vital. Check kernel
> help and scsi documentation.
>
> Works on the 29160 which is based on the same series of controller.
Thanks. Adaptec's web site didn't say if this series of cards used the
aic7xxx chipset. I'm glad to hear that it does. I've been considering
spending a pile of cash on the 39160 card (so I can get two SCSI busses
with only one card.)
-- David
------------------------------
From: "Joseph C. Kopec" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: Looking for printer/fax/copier
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000 02:58:20 GMT
You may want to look into the Brother MFC (or is it MPC?) line of
multifunction devices. While I do not have experience with them
directly, I have had a very good experience with the Brother 1270N
networkable laser printer -- at $499 probably the cheapest such device
around. The machine and documentation was very Linux-friendly -- the
first chapter of the user's manual described getting the machine to work
under Unix. Good luck.
Darrin Crook wrote:
>
> I am looking for a laser printer/fax/copier unit that I can use with
> Linux. Has anyone had any luck finding one and getting it to work?
> I looked at the HP LaserJet 3150 and there are no drivers for it. The
> printer part is the only thing that needs to work with linux, the fax
> and copier can work standalone.
>
> Thanks
> Darrin Crook
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
------------------------------
From: David_C <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: linux and crusoe
Date: 26 Sep 2000 22:59:58 -0400
Kenneth R�rvik writes:
> Jean-Yves Simon wrote in
>>
>> Next week and next month, here in Japan, 2 notebooks using crusoe
>> chip will make their debut. I'd be interested to know how to install
>> linux on such machines. Will a distribution based on intel works as
>> is as I understand that crusoe is able to process directly intel
>> code?
>
> Yes - the crusoe chip "emulates" the Intel ix86 instructions and
> translates them to VLIW instructions, so the software layer can act as
> though it is talking to an ix86 chip.
That's the point of the chip. It would be pretty useless in PCs if you
had to recompile all your programs to work on it.
FWIW, RISC chips that emulate x86 processors are nothing new. AMD's K6,
K6-2, K6-3 and Athlon/Duron chips all do this. So do the Cyrix M-II and
M-III chips.
The big deal about Crusoe that makes it unique and interesting is:
- The underlying RISC instruction set is optimized for power consumption
instead of speed.
- The chip dynamically compiles x86 code into native code, instead of
interpreting it op-code by op-code.
- The code that does this dynamic compilation is not on-board, so it can
be field upgraded (probably via a flash-loader of some kind.) This
also means that it can (theoretically, anyway) be replaced with code
to emulate other kinds of processors.
None of this must necessarily impact software compatibility. A good
dynamic compiler can be just as compatible as the native processor.
(Case in point: MacOS - PowerPC-based Macintoshes dynamically compile
old 68K-based MacOS programs in order to run them. It works so well
that most users aren't even aware that this happens, even when it is
used to run old device drivers.)
-- David
------------------------------
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End of Linux-Hardware Digest
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