DiskOnChip Kernel Panic
A message that is not in the archive (sent off-list or not yet received): [email protected]
Quoted 3 lines · [email protected] said:
I have a version of the 2.2.14 LRP kernel with DOC support that I had
to make for a client. I won't distribute it because M-Systems will not release source for the driver, because of a ridiculous reason.
Just to confirm/clarify:
I have stable read-only support for the DiskOnChip 2000, with GPL source, in the current MTD code.
I also have write support, which I've been bashing on and can't find any serious problems. There have been some bugs reported, but I haven't been able to reproduce them.
If you format the device with my own nftl_format program, it seems to be reliable. However, I want it to get more widespread testing before I release it properly and claim it's stable - and I have some performance issues to sort out too. I know what needs to be done, but I'm extremely busy on other stuff at the moment.
Quoted 2 lines
When they release source, I'll start including full DoC support in the LRP kernel and the base system.
I don't know why they don't just release their source - but I have complete documentation on the device and the NFTL format, and that's good enough for me. All I need now is the time to get the code completed. And I expect that to happen within 4-5 weeks, barring unforeseen developments at this end.
For reference, here's an approximation of my MTD / DiskOnChip-related TODO list.
- 1. Get Linus to take the MTD code into 2.3.42^H3 "drivers that dont affect infrastructure are never too late"
- 2. Add readonly DiskOnChip support to Grub. We can already load Grub from a DiskOnChip, but under Grub can then load the kernel off the DiskOnChip, that's a bit pointless.
- 3. Improve performance of the NFTL code. Fix SMP issues while I'm at it.
- 4. Fix handling of media errors and power loss in NFTL. I suspect this is the cause of most of the existing 'bugs'
- 5. Add DiskOnChip Millennium support.
- 6. Redo the FTL code, starting again from David Hinds' ftl_cs.c
- 7. Add an MTD driver for PCMCIA memory cards.
Of these, #5 is the only one that can't easily be done without access to the documentation. Even #3 and #4 should be obvious enough - the code makes the NFTL format plain enough to get it right.
Likewise #2 - readonly NFTL support is fairly trivial to do.
#1 is in progress, but the more testing the code gets the better my chances are. Please test it and report your results to [email protected]
#6 and #7 are something anyone can do. I don't even have any NOR flash hardware to test it with.
As I said, I'm going to be very busy with other things until the end of the month - but there's nothing to stop anyone else helping out.
Contact me if you're serious about helping out - I can let you have an account on the CVS server, and possibly even access to the NFTL specs.
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dwmw2
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