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Wish: support BIOS output on alternate serial port #212

Closed jernejs closed 5 years ago

jernejs commented 5 years ago

Since COM1 may be used for other things, it would be nice if it was possible to redirect BIOS output to COM2 (instead of just having an option to completely disable BIOS output). Would this be possible (I wouldn't mind even if a separate BIOS version would need to be flashed that would have its output hardcoded to COM2 header).

pietrushnic commented 5 years ago

@miczyg1 isn't just configuration?

miczyg1 commented 5 years ago

@pietrushnic it may be configuration, but it is not simple as it sounds. SeaBIOS serial console configuration is a file in CBFS, so the firmware has to be already prebuilt to support COM2. Runtime configuration of that feature is a lot of trouble or rather will require bunch of custom modifications. IMO the best option would be to prepare build system to support COM2. Serial output in coreboot will still require digging into SuperIO code as well. However I will try to schedule it for v4.8.0.6.

pietrushnic commented 5 years ago

@jernejs unfortunately in light of above analysis the only way it can be addressed are:

  1. Gather a bigger audience to push the features or convince PC Engines that this is important features that firmware developers should spend time on
  2. Contribute patches
  3. Sponsor development directly or through the company you work in. Of course, if there is any business value in that feature.

I'm sorry, but those are the only options I can offer now. Maybe in future, we will get back to this topic, but cannot promise anything.

michaelsteinmann commented 5 years ago

Could you generate a binary with com2 for console output instead of com1? A customer of ours is asking for that too.

Am Di., 23. Okt. 2018 um 15:30 Uhr schrieb Piotr Król < notifications@github.com>:

@jernejs https://github.com/jernejs unfortunately in light of above analysis the only way it can be addressed are:

  1. Gather a bigger audience to push the features or convince PC Engines that this is important features that firmware developers should spend time on
  2. Contribute patches
  3. Sponsor development directly or through the company you work in. Of course, if there is any business value in that feature.

I'm sorry, but those are the only options I can offer now. Maybe in future, we will get back to this topic, but cannot promise anything.

— You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/pcengines/coreboot/issues/212#issuecomment-432246209, or mute the thread https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ARUmfwFbG-eulpHmLf7ZQJ3EnbzTeRAhks5unxnfgaJpZM4Xud1K .

miczyg1 commented 5 years ago

In this case I will prioritize implementing the feature, so it will be available in v4.8.0.6 release.

istamov commented 5 years ago

I can also support the request for such feature, in my case I would like COM1 to be used for connecting external UPS via nut-tools on pfSense (since most UPS devices have RS232 levels COM2 can't be used directly). I also don't mind having to use different BIOS binary for the COM2 output, and if we can help with something (testing/experimenting), please just say so. Thanks!

miczyg1 commented 5 years ago

@istamov change is already prepared. Will be available in v4.8.0.6 along with guide how to build the binary Yourself. I think we will distribute also the binaries with COM2 this time, because it is not yet ready for runtime configuration.

istamov commented 5 years ago

@miczyg1 Thanks, I already saw pull request https://github.com/pcengines/coreboot/pull/214 and am looking forward to test it, when it is merged in v4.8.0.6. Any chance to also backport it to the legacy v4.0.20 too? I find it quite stable so far but if it is too much of a hassle, this will be just one more reason to migrate to the mainline v4.8.

miczyg1 commented 5 years ago

@istamov yes, this is on our TODO list. v4.0.20 was already released, but will try to include it for v4.0.21.

miczyg1 commented 5 years ago

Support for COM2 output will be available for v4.0.21: https://github.com/pcengines/coreboot/pull/215

miczyg1 commented 5 years ago

apu2_com2_v4.0.21 apu2_com2_v4.8.0.6 apu3_com2_v4.0.21 apu3_com2_v4.8.0.6 apu4_com2_v4.0.21 apu4_com2_v4.8.0.6

These are binaries with console output redirection to COM2 in firmware. Please report any issues or suggestions, what can be improved. I already realize that it would be great to have it in runtime configuration.

There is also a guide how to build the binaries manually: https://github.com/pcengines/apu2-documentation/blob/master/docs/serial_console.md

michaelsteinmann commented 5 years ago

Thanks Michał

Best regards, Michael Steinmann

Am Fr., 9. Nov. 2018 um 11:20 Uhr schrieb Michał Żygowski < notifications@github.com>:

apu2_com2_v4.0.21 https://cloud.3mdeb.com/index.php/s/ShUvqIZ2GFrwIOC/download apu2_com2_v4.8.0.6 https://cloud.3mdeb.com/index.php/s/ETVv4IEllzv1bLy/download apu3_com2_v4.0.21 https://cloud.3mdeb.com/index.php/s/5wY4z9pdOjVzstl/download apu3_com2_v4.8.0.6 https://cloud.3mdeb.com/index.php/s/SLzrYP8sJw1Tcea/download apu4_com2_v4.0.21 https://cloud.3mdeb.com/index.php/s/naCro8dKUe4pVEC/download apu4_com2_v4.8.0.6 https://cloud.3mdeb.com/index.php/s/wrmJQO9x97VH9Lv/download

These are binaries with console output redirection to COM2 in firmware. Please report any issues or suggestions, what can be improved. I already realize that it would be great to have it in runtime configuration.

There is also a guide how to build the binaries manually: https://github.com/pcengines/apu2-documentation/blob/master/docs/serial_console.md

— You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/pcengines/coreboot/issues/212#issuecomment-437315280, or mute the thread https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ARUmfw5gOuzTjP8GKUbYc3pihfd446Q0ks5utVbSgaJpZM4Xud1K .

istamov commented 5 years ago

@miczyg1, thank you! I have just flashed v4.0.21 on APU2C4 remotely, but unfortunately lost access to it and didn't have remote console attached. Will try to recover it today, test it over the weekend and will report back.

miczyg1 commented 5 years ago

@istamov of course, the console changed so there is no output on COM1 anymore (could be from OS only if console configured to ttyS0).

istamov commented 5 years ago

@miczyg1: Sorry, I meant that I lost access to the whole device (it is a test pfSense router) - when rebooted the lights (NIC indicators) are blinking, but the pfSense is unreachable, so will have to check on site what is going on (it is possible to be something pfSense-related).

istamov commented 5 years ago

@miczyg1: Under Ubuntu 16.04.3 it works just perfect - both BIOS and operating system terminal are working on COM2 and COM1 is "free" for another applications.

Under pfSense 2.4.4 it seems to hang at some point - the NIC LEDs are blinking, but the terminal is not responsive (please see below where it stops):

Welcome to pfSense 2.4.4-RELEASE...

Dump directory does not exist. Savecore not run. ...ELF ldconfig path: /lib /usr/lib /usr/lib/compat /usr/local/lib /usr/local/lib/ipsec /usr/local/lib/perl5/5.26/mach/CORE 32-bit compatibility ldconfig path: done. External config loader 1.0 is now starting... Launching the init system...Updating CPU Microcode... CPU: AMD GX-412TC SOC (998.16-MHz K8-class CPU) Origin="AuthenticAMD" Id=0x730f01 Family=0x16 Model=0x30 Stepping=1 Features=0x178bfbff<FPU,VME,DE,PSE,TSC,MSR,PAE,MCE,CX8,APIC,SEP,MTRR,PGE,MCA,CMOV,PAT,PSE36,CLFLUSH,MMX,FXSR,SSE,SSE2,HTT> Features2=0x3ed8220b<SSE3,PCLMULQDQ,MON,SSSE3,CX16,SSE4.1,SSE4.2,MOVBE,POPCNT,AESNI,XSAVE,OSXSAVE,AVX,F16C> AMD Features=0x2e500800<SYSCALL,NX,MMX+,FFXSR,Page1GB,RDTSCP,LM> AMD Features2=0x1d4037ff<LAHF,CMP,SVM,ExtAPIC,CR8,ABM,SSE4A,MAS,Prefetch,OSVW,IBS,SKINIT,WDT,Topology,PNXC,DBE,PTSC,PL2I> Structured Extended Features=0x8 XSAVE Features=0x1 SVM: NP,NRIP,AFlush,DAssist,NAsids=8 TSC: P-state invariant, performance statistics Done. ...... done. Initializing.................. done. Starting device manager (devd)...done. Loading configuration......done. Updating configuration...done. Checking config backups consistency.................................done. Setting up extended sysctls...done. padlock0: No ACE support. aesni0: <AES-CBC,AES-XTS,AES-GCM,AES-ICM> on motherboard amdtemp0: on hostb5 Setting timezone...done. Configuring loopback interface...done. Starting syslog...done. Starting Secure Shell Services...done. Setting up interfaces microcode...done. Configuring loopback interface...done. Creating wireless clone interfaces...done. Configuring LAGG interfaces...done. Configuring VLAN interfaces...done. Configuring QinQ interfaces...done. Configuring IPsec VTI interfaces...done. Configuring LAN interface...done. Configuring CARP settings...done. Syncing OpenVPN settings...done. Configuring firewall......done. Starting PFLOG...done. Setting up gateway monitors...done. Setting up static routes...done. Setting up DNSs... Starting DNS Resolver...done. Synchronizing user settings...done. Starting webConfigurator...done. Configuring CRON...done. Starting NTP time client...done. Configuring firewall......done. Configuring IPsec VPN... done Starting SNMP daemon... done. Generating RRD graphs...done. Starting syslog...done. Starting CRON... done. Starting package acme...done. Starting package bind...done. Starting package FRR...done. Starting package nut...done. Starting package OpenVPN Client Export Utility...done. Starting package Netgate Coreboot Upgrade...done. Starting /usr/local/etc/rc.d/named.sh...done. Starting /usr/local/etc/rc.d/shutdown.nut.sh...done. pfSense 2.4.4-RELEASE amd64 Thu Sep 20 09:03:12 EDT 2018 Bootup complete


- Unsuccessful, BIOS v4.0.21, console on COM2 (comconsole_port="0x2F8" >> /boot/loader.conf.local)
System hangs at "pci0: <ACPI PCI bus> on pcib0" and needs a hard reboot.

/boot/kernel/kernel text=0x17bf9f0 data=0xb93c38+0x517b18 syms=[0x8+0x197280+0x8+0x197de9] /boot/entropy size=0x1000 /boot/kernel/zfs.ko size 0x381f00 at 0x2f9c000 loading required module 'opensolaris' /boot/kernel/opensolaris.ko size 0xa3a0 at 0x331e000 Booting... KDB: debugger backends: ddb KDB: current backend: ddb Copyright (c) 1992-2018 The FreeBSD Project. Copyright (c) 1979, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. FreeBSD is a registered trademark of The FreeBSD Foundation. FreeBSD 11.2-RELEASE-p3 #17 e6b497fa0a3(RELENG_2_4_4): Thu Sep 20 09:04:45 EDT 2018 root@buildbot3:/crossbuild/ce-244/obj/amd64/WvDslnYb/crossbuild/ce-244/pfSense/tmp/FreeBSD-src/sys/pfSense amd64 FreeBSD clang version 6.0.0 (tags/RELEASE_600/final 326565) (based on LLVM 6.0.0) VT(vga): resolution 640x480 CPU: AMD GX-412TC SOC (998.15-MHz K8-class CPU) Origin="AuthenticAMD" Id=0x730f01 Family=0x16 Model=0x30 Stepping=1 Features=0x178bfbff<FPU,VME,DE,PSE,TSC,MSR,PAE,MCE,CX8,APIC,SEP,MTRR,PGE,MCA,CMOV,PAT,PSE36,CLFLUSH,MMX,FXSR,SSE,SSE2,HTT> Features2=0x3ed8220b<SSE3,PCLMULQDQ,MON,SSSE3,CX16,SSE4.1,SSE4.2,MOVBE,POPCNT,AESNI,XSAVE,OSXSAVE,AVX,F16C> AMD Features=0x2e500800<SYSCALL,NX,MMX+,FFXSR,Page1GB,RDTSCP,LM> AMD Features2=0x1d4037ff<LAHF,CMP,SVM,ExtAPIC,CR8,ABM,SSE4A,MAS,Prefetch,OSVW,IBS,SKINIT,WDT,Topology,PNXC,DBE,PTSC,PL2I> Structured Extended Features=0x8 XSAVE Features=0x1 SVM: NP,NRIP,AFlush,DAssist,NAsids=8 TSC: P-state invariant, performance statistics real memory = 4815060992 (4592 MB) avail memory = 4067627008 (3879 MB) Event timer "LAPIC" quality 600 ACPI APIC Table: FreeBSD/SMP: Multiprocessor System Detected: 4 CPUs FreeBSD/SMP: 1 package(s) x 4 core(s) ioapic1: Changing APIC ID to 5 ioapic0 <Version 2.1> irqs 0-23 on motherboard ioapic1 <Version 2.1> irqs 24-55 on motherboard SMP: AP CPU #3 Launched! SMP: AP CPU #1 Launched! SMP: AP CPU #2 Launched! Timecounter "TSC" frequency 998147898 Hz quality 1000 ipw_bss: You need to read the LICENSE file in /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_ipw.LICENSE. ipw_bss: If you agree with the license, set legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1 in /boot/loader.conf. module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_bss_fw, 0xffffffff80680430, 0) error 1 random: entropy device external interface ipw_ibss: You need to read the LICENSE file in /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_ipw.LICENSE. ipw_ibss: If you agree with the license, set legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1 in /boot/loader.conf. module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_ibss_fw, 0xffffffff806804e0, 0) error 1 ipw_monitor: You need to read the LICENSE file in /usr/share/doc/legal/intel_ipw.LICENSE. ipw_monitor: If you agree with the license, set legal.intel_ipw.license_ack=1 in /boot/loader.conf. module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (ipw_monitor_fw, 0xffffffff80680590, 0) error 1 wlan: mac acl policy registered hn: tranparent VF mode, if_transmit will be used, instead of if_start kbd0 at kbdmux0 netmap: loaded module module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (vesa, 0xffffffff81209800, 0) error 19 nexus0 vtvga0: on motherboard cryptosoft0: on motherboard padlock0: No ACE support. acpi0: on motherboard acpi0: Power Button (fixed) cpu0: on acpi0 cpu1: on acpi0 cpu2: on acpi0 cpu3: on acpi0 atrtc0: port 0x70-0x71 irq 8 on acpi0 atrtc0: registered as a time-of-day clock, resolution 1.000000s Event timer "RTC" frequency 32768 Hz quality 0 attimer0: port 0x40-0x43 irq 0 on acpi0 Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0 Event timer "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 100 Timecounter "ACPI-safe" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 850 acpi_timer0: <32-bit timer at 3.579545MHz> port 0x818-0x81b on acpi0 hpet0: iomem 0xfed00000-0xfed003ff on acpi0 Timecounter "HPET" frequency 14318180 Hz quality 950 acpi_button0: on acpi0 pcib0: port 0xcf8-0xcff on acpi0 pci0: on pcib0

miczyg1 commented 5 years ago

@istamov I am not FreeBSD/pfSense expert, but I do not see any reason it shouldn't work with pfSense. Try setting COM2 port whenerver possible. The console ioport should be 0x2f8. Regarding the hang on pci0 string, we noticed it in v4.0.19. It seems like legacy build is not reproducible, because in v4.0.20 the issue disappeared automagically without any intervention from our side... As a workaround, plug a USB stick, and it will boot probably. Try building the firmware Yourself and flash it, i have added a guide how to build it with COM2.

istamov commented 5 years ago

@miczyg1: You are correct, when I plug in a USB stick it does boot (as described in this thread). I tried to build the firmware by myself and the result is the same - it does boot under Ubuntu but hangs on PCI initialisation under pfSense until USB stick is present. I will try to see if I can find any reason for that (but I doubt it, given the fact that you are much more experienced in coreboot/seaBIOS than me). For the moment Ubuntu works just fine and I believe BIOS/console on COM2 will be useful for other people too, so thank you very much, Michal!

istamov commented 5 years ago

Actually I just tried with another spare APU2C4 and updated it to pfSense 2.4.5-DEVELOPMENT (FreeBSD 11.2-RELEASE-p4) - and it boots without a USB stick attached! Did at least 8 consecutive reboots and all were successful 😃 So my guess is that the pci0 problem is caused by something in pfSense 2.4.4 (FreeBSD 11.2-RELEASE-p3) which is fixed in FreeBSD 11.2-RELEASE-p4. We will have to wait for the official 2.4.5 release (probably Q1 2019), but it seems to be working.

The only suggestion I can add you already know of - if there is a possibility to add runtime configuration of the console output redirection in the future releases, it would be great! But as it is at the moment is also very useful, so thank you once again!

miczyg1 commented 5 years ago

@istamov the problem with pfSense booting was related to EHCI0 controller. We have fixed the issue in v4.0.23: https://github.com/pcengines/coreboot/blob/coreboot-4.0.x/CHANGELOG.md#fixed

EHCI0 on apu2 is not routed to an external header on the PCB like it is done on apu3/4, thus we have permanently disabled EHCI0 for apu2 to avoid such issues in the future.

Regarding the COM2 console output, it has been implemented in runtime configuration since v4.0.22 and v4.8.0.7. The only issue is that memtest86+ works on COM1 (since it is compiled with hardcoded serial configuration). All limitations and how to build fully supported COM2 redirection is available here:

https://github.com/pcengines/apu2-documentation/blob/master/docs/serial_console.md

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