[LinuxBIOS] Use Linux MTD framework for SPI flash?

Jordan Crouse jordan.crouse at amd.com
Tue Jul 31 17:28:07 CEST 2007


On 27/07/07 01:43 +0200, Peter Stuge wrote:
> > If so, can somebody test? My machines either run too old kernels
> > (production router) or the chipset doesn't appear in the list.
> 
> ..there is only support for a few SPI masters in Linux.
> 
> An SPI driver for each chipset needs to be written before MTD
> can talk to the flash. The same code has to be written for
> flashrom anyway so it could just as well go to both places.

I think that the MTD is the right horse to bet on here - if anything,
it will enrich a larger community.  And, if flashrom understands
how to talk to the MTD interfaces, and somebody adds a SPI chip to the
kernel that we don't yet know about, we win for free.

> But, trouble comes if some of the chipsets aren't really generic
> SPI masters but rather specialized for SPI flash. I seem to remember
> reading some PDF (ICH7/8?) where the southbridge SPI interface wasn't
> completely generic. :\

Even if we only put the really generic SPI code into the MTD subsystem,
I think its a good thing.  The way I see it, flashrom should _want_ to
use the generic interfaces, and if it can't, it will go its own way like
it does now.  Even in the worst cases, that will mean less work and less
duplication.

Jordan

-- 
Jordan Crouse
Systems Software Development Engineer 
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.






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