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--- vmwarebios [2006/06/26 03:06]
stockholm created
+++ vmwarebios [2009/03/13 06:10] (current)
mcb30
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-... waiting for the author of an e-mail to give publishing permission ...
+===== Using Etherboot inside the VMware BIOS =====
+The following mail has been posted on June 26, 2006 by Borg Number One in the EtherBoot mailing list.
+===== EtherBoot ROM in VMware and Bochs - The tutorial =====
+(updated on 07.07.2006)
+**Declarations**
+  * Expansion ROM / ExpansionROM , Extension ROM / ExtensionROM , Option ROM / OptionROM , Extension BIOS / ExtensionBIOS
+... describes a binary executable in a special format, which can be loaded and started by mainboard's System BIOS
+This binary executably is genereally stored in the (Flash)-EEPROM of a graphics card, network card, RAID controller and inside a modular System BIOS / module based BIOS.\\
+**Introduction**
+In the past and in the present, many people were/are interested in using EtherBoot for virtual machines, like VMware or Bochs:
+[[http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_id=11504279&forum_id=48022]]
+[[http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_id=11529915&forum_id=48022]]
+[[http://sourceforge.net/search/?ml_name=etherboot-discuss&type_of_search=mlists&group_id=4233&words=vmware]]
+[[http://sourceforge.net/search/?ml_name=etherboot-discuss&type_of_search=mlists&group_id=4233&words=bochs]]
+Using Virtual Machines is a really good and really fast way to test and improve EtherBoot (and other extension ROM projects).
+But in previous virtual machine related requests in the EtherBoot Mailing Lists, I could see that only time consuming methods are known.
+==== Already known general method: ====
+Currently, EtherBoot developers/testers who use VMware or Bochs, have to take a certain time to:
+  * put EtherBoot to a floppy disk / CD or into a flopy disk image / CD image
+  * store the CD image / floppy disk image to a file
+  * start Bochs/VMware and wait for the CD / floppy disk boot process
+But there are faster/alternative methods to use EtherBoot in VMware and Bochs.
+In the last years, I acquired many BIOS and Option ROM related skills with real hardware and VMware and I also figured out different hints/undocumented VMware switches which were not published anywhere before.
+Now, I will show you the methods to make EtherBoot testing/developing faster and easier:
+==== Alternative Methods: ====
+=== 1. Putting EtherBoot into the VMware BIOS ===
+VMware is currently the only PC emulator with a commercial modular BIOS which can be easily modified.\\
+Beside bochs, VMware is currently the best emulator for BIOS related developments, like building/testing user-made Option ROMs ideas/projects.
+\\
+( Inside the "Microsoft Virtual PC" executable you can find an AMIBIOS resource which can also be modified with AMIBIOS modification utilities.\\
+But there are huge restrictions:
+  * never try any Option ROM / Extension ROM experiments --> after the modification Microsoft's Virtual PC hangs while P.O.S.T.
+  * Virtual PC is generally just for Windows. )
+\\
+It is recommended to read the message threads below for an introduction:
+  * [[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=10817&start=0&tstart=0|VMWare BIOS Modification / translation]]
+  * [[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=28149&tstart=0|VMware BIOS modification - for Linux users]]
+After this, compile or download an EtherBoot ROM for the PCNET32 adapter (Vendor ID: 0x1022, DeviceID: 0x2000), because VMware emulates an AMD LANCE / PCNET adapter by default.
+After downloading/compiling the AMD LANCE / PCNET32 EtherBoot ROM, open the extracted VMware BIOS file with the Phoenix BIOS Editor and add the EtherBoot ROM as a new Option ROM.
+Next, save the modified BIOS file to a certain place and keep the path/filename in mind.
+The last step is to add following line:
+<file>bios440.filename = "path to the modified BIOS file/BIOS file name"</file>
+...to VMware's configuration file.
+=== 2. Using EtherBoot as replacement for VMware's build-in network boot ROMs ===
+VMware usually emulates an AMD LANCE network interface card. But with some non-official switches, VMware 5 is able to emulate three different network card types:
+  * AMD Am79C970A - PCnet LANCE PCI Ethernet Controller
+  * Intel E1000
+  * VMXNET - VMware PCI Ethernet Adapter
+In VMware, each emulated network card has its own emulated network Boot ROM. In this case the VMware developers decided to use the Intel PXE as network boot ROM code.
+So, when it is already possible to choose between three different emulated network cards, why not also getting the control of their emulated BOOTROM / BOOTROM content? :)
+And why not replacing the default (PXE) network boot ROM with EtherBoot? :)
+The answer is easy: nobody knew the undocumented network related switches in VMware's configuration file before.
+Well, after playing/testing with VMware, I could see that I also figured out sine new undocumented switches.
+Most of them were sent to [[http://sanbarrow.com/vmx.html|Sanbarrow]].
+But I could see that I also figured out some switches which are usefully for Option ROM / Extension ROM testing and usefully for EtherBoot development.
+Here are the results:
+First, download or compile EtherBoot ROM for one or all of following network cards:
+  * a)<file>e1000:e1000-82545em-copper -- [0x8086,0x100f]
+("Intel E1000", Vendor ID: 8086 , Device ID: 100F)</file>
+  * b)<file>pcnet32:pcnet32 -- [0x1022,0x2000]
+("AMD Am79C970A - PCnet LANCE PCI Ethernet Controller", Vendor ID:  1022 , Device ID: 2000 )</file>
+\\
+  * <file>( Hint: There is currently no: "c)", because EtherBoot sourcecode for the
+  VMXNET - VMware PCI Ethernet Adapter [Vendor ID:  15AD , Device ID: 0720] does not exist at the time. )</file>
+Second, open your VMware configuration file and add following lines:
+<file>
+ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
+ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
+e1000bios.filename = "path/etherboot-for-E1000"
+ethernet0.opromsize = 70144
+ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
+ethernet1.virtualDev = "vlance"
+nbios.filename = "path/etherboot-for-AMD-lanCE"
+</file>
+I spent nearly two hours to also prepare a [[http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/7897/etherbootinvmwaredx5.gif|decent animation]], which shows the described method. :)
+PS:
+VMware is also able to use/load larger Option ROMs (32KB and more) as network BootROM.
+I could successfully configure and use " ROMOS " (64KB) as VMware E1000 network BootROM replacement too.
+<file>( e1000bios.filename = "C:\BIOS\romospci.bin" )</file>
+=== 3. Putting EtherBoot into Bochs ===
+The PC emulator (x86 emulator): "Bochs" generally emulates a NE2000-compatible network card. Because Bochs is also able to use additional Option ROMs, you can simply use this feature for EtherBoot testing and development.
+After compiling or downloading a suitable EtherBoot ROM (for a NE2000-compatible Ethernet adapter), just add following line to a Bochs configuration file:
+<file>
+optromimage1: file=../etherboot.rom, address=0xd0000
+</file>
+Regarding to: "loading Option ROMs", the current Bochs releases use an emulated BIOS which is not squeamish like general and commercial (Award/AMI/Phoenix) BIOS code.
+This means that the Option ROM header (correct PCI vendor / Device ID / PCI class ID) will not be checked by Bochs' BIOS.\\
+So, Bochs can load and run any kind of ISA/PCI Option ROMs without changing / modifying the Option ROM header before.
+\\
+Used links in the article and further interesting links:
+  * a) EtherBoot inside emulators/VMs:
+    * [[http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_id=11504279&forum_id=48022]]
+    * [[http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_id=11529915&forum_id=48022]]
+    * [[http://sourceforge.net/search/?ml_name=etherboot-discuss&type_of_search=mlists&group_id=4233&words=vmware]]
+    * [[http://sourceforge.net/search/?ml_name=etherboot-discuss&type_of_search=mlists&group_id=4233&words=bochs]]
+  * b)
+    * EtherBoot Option ROM in VMware and further Option ROM related screenshots / animations
+[No longer available]
+  * c)
+    * [[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=10817&start=0&tstart=0|VMWare BIOS Modification / translation]]
+  * d)
+    * [[http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=28149&tstart=0|VMware BIOS modification - for Linux users]]
+  * e) Option ROM projects:
+    * [[[No longer available] --> "Already realized Option ROM ideas"]]
+  * f)
+    * [[http://rayer.ic.cz/romos/romose.htm|ROMOS]]
+This article was created to help users, who want to use EtherBoot in VMware and/or bochs.
+Furthermore it shows fast methods to test new added EtherBoot features with emulators / virtual machines.
+I decided to publish this article in the EtherBoot Mailing List, because this is the right place.
+The Etherboot Wiki author Anselm (username: "Stockholm") was allowed to add this article to the the EtherBoot Wiki.
+If you want to provide this article on other sites / in computer magazines, then get in contact with me before.
+Unauthorized publication on other sites, outside the EtherBoot Mailing List and/or in different print media is prohibited.
+If you have questions referring to EtherBoot Option ROMs or Option ROMs in general, then do not hesitate to ask your question here in the EtherBoot Mailing List.
+Borg Number One
+--BIOS Tool Collection--
+--BIOS modification and realtime desktop help service--
+[No longer available]
+--BIOS Logo Gallery--
+[No longer available]

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