Date: Wed, 03 Sep 1997 00:40:53 -0700 (PDT) From: Simon Shapiro <Shimon@i-connect.net> To: Steve Passe <smp@csn.net> Cc: mef@cs.washington.edu, FreeBSD-SMP@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Open Issues on P6DNH Message-ID: <XFMail.970903004053.Shimon@i-Connect.Net> In-Reply-To: <199709030647.AAA03305@Ilsa.StevesCafe.com>
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Hi Steve Passe; On 03-Sep-97 you wrote: ... > > Why does it work with NT? Probably, the NT driver does some sort of > > ``if > > board_id == p6dnh then reverse these pins. > > MP Config Table Header: > OEM ID: 'INTEL ' > Product ID: '440FX ' > > what board id, supermicro didn't even bother to replace the generic id > tags with something product specific, and I'm supposed to believe the > rest of the table? >From what I understood, SuperMicro does not even have source to the BIOS. It is at AMI. Between friends, AMI slapped the BIOS together, booted DOS, ran DOOM for 10 minutes and shipped it back. I worked for a certain computer manufacturer, who shall remain nameless, but this exactly how the supercomputer division tested the boards. Oh, to test if it REALLY works, we installed Linux on the machine. We risked being fired for doing so. > Even if they did, it all falls apart when you start to plug in bridged > PCI > cards. Knowing the motherboard make & model is of no help then. > Remember > a bridged PCI card is yet another PCI bus! I put your name on the list to be ``intelectually correct''. I think you know that, Steve :-) > --- > > Should we do that too? > > > > Being true to my heritage, I will anser a question with a question: > > > > Do we want to be right about it or do we want it to work? > > Both, in that order! The problem is that M$ doesn't even have to go out > and buy one of every board made, every manufacturer sends M$ as many as > M$ wants if they want the board qualified. So M$ can program around > these sorts of problems as they have the hardware to test. (actually I > dont > think M$ even messes with NT at that level, the OEM has to do the HAL > code > themselves if I remember correctly.) If I know it right, M$ never as much as smelled this board. Someone at the nameless company hacked the HAL layer. If M$ included the hack in their CD, all others are eternally grateful. > I don't have the luxury of access to 1 of everything, my ONLY defense is > to insist that the manufacturers adhere to the published standards. The only problem we have is that if you ``insist'' on anything they will all die loughing. If I call SuperMicro and say I am returning 200 boards and ask our corporate counsel to write them a polite letter, maybe they will react. I think a posting to a good newsgroup is very useful too. As I said, I will take care of this problem in a matter satisfactory to us all. Soon. --- Sincerely Yours, (Sent on 03-Sep-97, 00:12:59 by XF-Mail) Simon Shapiro Atlas Telecom Senior Architect 14355 SW Allen Blvd., Suite 130 Beaverton OR 97005 Shimon@i-Connect.Net Voice: 503.643.5559, Emergency: 503.799.2313
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