Linux stuff for Cobalt Microservers

Kernel patches 2.4.x

patch-2.4.x-20040411	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository HEAD as of 2004-04-11. A new and slightly more tasteful fix for the PIO IDE D-cache alias problem. Kernel support for initial RamDisk loaded by "CoLo" boot loader.
patch-2.4.24-cobalt	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository tag linux_2_4_24. Fix for D-cache alias problems when using PIO (IDE). Fixes for Tulip driver and a Galileo tweak to make network driver work correctly. Trimmed default configuration. Improves chances of booting with Cobalt's boot loader. Support for passing kernel command line from "CoLo" boot loader.

Kernel patches 2.6.x

patches-2.6.15-git-20060129.tar.gz	Patch against the linux-mips.org GIT repository HEAD as of 2006-01-29. Updated to latest GIT head. Tweak Tulip PCI handling (attempt to reduce hard lockups).
patch-2.6.12-rc2-2005-04-10.tar.gz	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository HEAD as of 2005-04-10. Updated to latest MIPS CVS. Added PCI retry interrupt handler. Fixed failed boot on Qube2700 - disabled promcon. 64-bit support still incomplete.
patches-2.6.12-rc1-20050403.tar.gz	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository HEAD as of 2005-04-03. Updated to latest MIPS CVS. 64-bit support still incomplete. Patches are now broken out. Complete patch is in file patch.diff.
patch-2.6.11-rc4-20050220	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository HEAD as of 2005-02-20. 64-bit support still incomplete. Temporary fix to generic initrd support. CoLo command line should contain something like rd_start=0x{initrd-start} rd_size=0x{initrd-size}
patch-2.6.10-20050206	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository HEAD as of 2005-02-06. 64-bit support removed pending some proper fixes.
patch-2.6.9-1	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository tag linux_2_6_9. Pressing ENTER & SELECT (simultaneously) on a halted machine now reboots it. More 64-bit fixes. 64-bit support is now working (just). Built with the default configuration from arch/mips/configs/cobalt_defconfig but with these additions :- CONFIG_MIPS64=y CONFIG_BUILD_ELF64=y CONFIG_MIPS32_COMPAT=y CONFIG_MIPS32_O32=y
patch-2.6.9	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository tag linux_2_6_9. Includes minor fixes to 64-bit support. 64-bit support is still broken.
patch-2.6.8.1	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository tag linux_2_6_8_1.
patch-2.6.7	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository tag linux_2_6_7. Dropped swap patch - no longer needed.
patch-2.6.x-20040518+1	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository HEAD as of 2004-05-18. Fixed interrupt routing for PCI slot (correctly this time).
patch-2.6.x-20040518	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository HEAD as of 2004-05-18. Fixed interrupt routing for PCI slot.
patch-2.6.x-20040417	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository HEAD as of 2004-04-17. A new and slightly more tasteful fix for the PIO IDE D-cache alias problem. Kernel support for initial RamDisk loaded by "CoLo" boot loader. Patch for swap problems introduced in 2.6.5.
patch-cobalt-linux_mips-2.6.3-20040222	Patch against the linux-mips.org CVS repository HEAD as of 2004-02-22. Initial fixes for 2.6.x kernels for Cobalts

Replacement boot loader - "CoLo"

I'm currently working on a new boot loader for the Microservers that overcomes some of the limitations in the original loader. It can boot from disk or over a network via TFTP or NFS and DHCP.

Please read the warnings in the documentation before erasing/over-programming the original Cobalt boot loader

• Can boot kernels from old and new revision EXT2/3 partitions (currently only primary partitions).
• Can boot large kernels (only limited by available memory). The original loader has problems with kernels over about 600KB compressed, a real problem for 2.6.x kernels.
• Can boot kernels over the network via TFTP or NFS and DHCP.
• Can be loaded by the original Cobalt boot loader rather than replacing it.

colo-1.22.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.22	colo-1.22.asc
CHANGES	"CoLo" boot loader change log

"CoLo" SVN Repository
colo-svn-repo-2007-10-28.tar.gz	SVN repository directory
colo-svn-repo-2007-10-28.dump.gz	SVN repository dump
colo-svn-repo-2007-10-28.SHA1	SHA1 hashes of repository archive files

"CoLo" Releases
colo-1.21.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.21	colo-1.21.asc
colo-1.20.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.20	colo-1.20.asc
colo-1.19.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.19	colo-1.19.asc
colo-1.18.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.18 *** DO NOT USE ***	colo-1.18.asc
colo-1.17.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.17 *** DO NOT USE ***	colo-1.17.asc
colo-1.16.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.16	colo-1.16.asc
colo-1.15.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.15	colo-1.15.asc
colo-1.14.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.14	colo-1.14.asc
colo-1.13.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.13	colo-1.13.asc
colo-1.12.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.12	colo-1.12.asc
colo-1.11.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.11	colo-1.11.asc
colo-1.10.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.10	colo-1.10.asc
colo-1.9.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.9	colo-1.9.asc
colo-1.8.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.8	colo-1.8.asc
colo-1.6.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.6	colo-1.6.asc
colo-1.5.tar.gz	"CoLo" boot loader version 1.5
release-1.4.tar.gz	Replacement boot loader version 1.4

Useful links

• Martin Michlmayr's Debian on Cobalt page.
  An up to date guide to installing Debian on a Qube/RaQ using the excellent new Debian installer.

• The linux-mips on Cobalt page.
  The linux-mips Wiki page on MIPs based Cobalts.

• Paul Martin's Debian on Qube2/RaQ2 HOWTO.
  Older information on using Debian on Cobalt MIPs.

• The NetBSD/Cobalt FAQ.

• Sun/Cobalt restore CD ISO images.

Contact

You can find me here