Re: Linux and 3Com905B-TX-M

[Greg Beeley <Greg.Beeley@LightSys.org>]

Martin Klingler wrote:

> I followed the list for the last few days and I think this is the right place
> for my problem.
> I am just installing a Linux-cluster with 8 diskless knots. I have started
> with a 3Com905B-TX which works just fine together with Etherboot. But now this
> card is not longer available and Etherboot can not deal with the 905B-TX-M
> which seem to be a 905C. This type has a fixed Bootrom on the card.
> My momentary solution is to boot the kernel from a floppy with the help of
> loadlin. This is Ok so far but not very smart.
> Maybe there is anybody in this list with a solution or suggestion how to
> overcome this thing.

The ROM is soldered on the board?  Interesting....  The 905-B-TX-M I don't
think is a 905c.  It is a "managed" version of the 905b-TX-NM which the 
driver was originally written for, and so it has things like wake-on-lan
support (if your motherboard support it).

What you will need to do is program the flash ROM onboard the card.  To do
this, use a little utility that John Finlay wrote early to mid 1999 called
"romutil".  It runs under Linux, so you will need to either boot from 
etherboot floppy or from a vanilla installation-type floppy diskette.  Use
the .rom file output by etherboot/src-32.

Ken, perhaps you can include this utility in the standard distribution and
add a note to the main readme about it.  This utility has only been shown to
work correctly with Linux, but I've never tried it myself; nevertheless I do
know several people for whom this has worked quite well.  I'll send the
utility as a separate email to you, Martin, and to you, Ken.

John, if you're still on this list, perhaps you have an updated version?

Greg.

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Greg.Beeley@LightSys.org        LightSys - Redeeming Technology...
http://www.LightSys.org                    For God's Kingdom.
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