[gPXE] Trying to extend TG3 driver

[Nick Couchman]

> Just to clarify: UNDI is typically when a BIOS module (for 
> LAN-On-Motherboard NICs) or a NIC's ROM's code provides a NIC driver via 
> a standard API.  If your NIC currently has PXE code on its ROM, then 
> gPXE's UNDI driver should be able to use it.  Regardless of whether or 
> not gPXE uses the UNDI driver, gPXE itself then provides an UNDI 
> interface to further booted items.
> 
> For example, suppose you boot using the NIC's vendor-provided PXE stack 
> and chain-load undionly.kkpxe, then chain-load PXELINUX.  In this 
> instance, gPXE uses the vendor-provided UNDI internally, but PXELINUX 
> uses the UNDI provided by gPXE.

I'll try this...

> 
> Now suppose you do a fine job of porting the tg3 driver to the gPXE API, 
> then flash gPXE into your NIC's ROM.  Then suppose you boot PXELINUX via 
> gPXE.  In this instance, PXELINUX would use the UNDI provided by gPXE 
> (as in the last example), and gPXE would be using your driver internally.
> 
> If you are suggesting that there is an UNDI scenario that you've tried 
> which is not working, it would be great if you could pass along the 
> details here.  For example, some folks are not aware that gPXE's UNDI 
> driver cannot always find and use the NIC vendor-provided UNDI unless 
> gPXE is directly chain-loaded by that PXE stack.  As in:
> 
> Broadcom PXE -> undionly.kkpxe -- Should definitely work
> Floppy disk with SYSLINUX -> undionly.lkrn -- Doesn't necessarily work, 
> since the PXE stack might not be available as it was not used to boot from
> 

The scenario I was testing that was not working was PXE -> PXELINUX -> undi.lkrn.  This scenario works on many other network cards (for example, an Optiplex 755 with an Intel-based network interface), but didn't seem to work on this particular Broadcom model.

> As far building in UNDI support goes, that's already done with gPXE.  
> All you need is the driver for the NIC and gPXE provides UNDI; nothing 
> to code, there.
> 

Thanks for the explanation - I'll focus my efforts on getting tg3 re-written and submit that to the list when I finish that up.

-Nick



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