Software > Firmware
What does it take to support a new CPU?
adaptl:
I'm just wondering what I should know about modifying the firmware to support a new CPU :D
Here is my situation: I've been trying to upgrade my firmware to the newest version, but it won't IPL on anything past System Package v2.00 :'( . I've got a weird Talos II lite development board for a discount back in 2018 that I think uses a different DD2.1 stepping CPU (02AA883) :o . So I managed to pick up two CPUs off of ebay with the number 02CY230 8)
If anyone wants, I'll send you the other 02CY230 in the mail for free if you're interested in working on the firmware with it (I've only got a single-socket board anyways) ;D
I found this post which discusses altering the firmware with a 02CY231:
--- Quote from: cy384 on October 06, 2022, 08:44:59 pm ---tl;dr I bought an unsupported CPU, which was mostly ok, and I tweaked some firmware to make it work properly...
--- End quote ---
I figured I'd try to get a newer version of linux on the PNOR to get petitboot running on amdgpu, cause right now I've got no output even after adding firmware to BOOTKERNFW. I'll also probably try to adjust the fan curves to be quieter and undervolt if possible :P
adaptl:
Oh, I should mention my card is a RX6600 (Navi23, dimgrey_cavefish) ::)
bobpaul:
I'm currently going through this process, too, except I'm hoping to get the 02AA883 working slightly better. Mine boots fine on the latest firmware, but it doesn't load the WOF table.
Have you tried booting the 02CY230 yet?
adaptl:
--- Quote from: bobpaul on February 25, 2025, 08:17:42 pm ---Have you tried booting the 02CY230 yet?
--- End quote ---
I've tried booting it on several firmware versions with the 20CY230 but it just doesn't IPL or give me any info from the PNOR serial interface or from the BMC.
The 02AA883 boots with anything except the latest firmware, and on the second-latest firmware (v2.00) it complains about not having WOF tables in the PNOR serial's dmesg. If I ever get around to building the firmware or making WOF tables I'll keep you updated. I might try to set up some sort of archive for a lot of this talos repo stuff just in case it all becomes abandonware. Currently it's not building because it fails to fetch repositories from bitbake, dead links I suppose.
I haven't upgraded the FPGA with the PNOR/BMC flash so that may be causing it, looking at FPGA changes there are some minor things related to Talos II lite. I've got a flash programmer here I just dont want to brick the FPGA.
bobpaul:
--- Quote from: adaptl on February 25, 2025, 10:01:53 pm ---
I've tried booting it on several firmware versions with the 20CY230 but it just doesn't IPL or give me any info from the PNOR serial interface or from the BMC.
--- End quote ---
When you say it doesn't IPL, does absolutely nothing come up on the console, or do you at least get some output from Hostboot?
There are a 4 WOF csv files meant for 16core SFORZA over on https://github.com/open-power/WOF-Tables which aren't included in Raptor's PNOR, but if you're not getting any Hostboot output at all, I think it's more than just missing WOF tables. But I can build a PNOR that simply includes all of the 16core WOF tables.
--- Quote from: adaptl on February 25, 2025, 10:01:53 pm ---The 02AA883 boots with anything except the latest firmware, and on the second-latest firmware (v2.00) it complains about not having WOF tables in the PNOR serial's dmesg.
--- End quote ---
Try using the PNOR from v2.00 and upgrading the BMC to v2.10. My guess is the BMC firmware is unrelated to your issue.
I don't think we're quit there yet, but here's the diff between v2.00 and v2.10 pnor. There's changes to talos_config and a talos_defconfig that we'd probably want to start with.
--- Quote from: adaptl on February 25, 2025, 10:01:53 pm --- I might try to set up some sort of archive for a lot of this talos repo stuff just in case it all becomes abandonware. Currently it's not building because it fails to fetch repositories from bitbake, dead links I suppose.
--- End quote ---
Easiest way to do this is clone the repo and fix any broken URLs and get it building. After it's built, commit any changes you made (hopefully only be URLs) and then save your bitbake download cache. If bitbake sees a file in the download cache that matches a download, it does checksum verify and if the checksum is good it doesn't try to fetch from the URL. This unfortunately means project developers often don't notice when a dependency URL has changed until a new dev joins the team and tries a fresh checkout.
--- Quote from: adaptl on February 25, 2025, 10:01:53 pm ---I haven't upgraded the FPGA with the PNOR/BMC flash so that may be causing it, looking at FPGA changes there are some minor things related to Talos II lite. I've got a flash programmer here I just dont want to brick the FPGA.
--- End quote ---
Check your motherboard revision. If it's HW rev1.00 then don't upgrade past FPGA v1.07. If it's HW rev 1.01 then definitely upgrade it but don't downgrade it.
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