[U-Boot] [PATCH 3/3] smc911x: do net reset the chip if no EEPROM is connected

[Mike Frysinger]

On Wednesday 08 April 2009 20:08:38 Daniel Mack wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 08, 2009 at 06:00:40PM -0400, Mike Frysinger wrote:
> > On Wednesday 08 April 2009 07:23:39 Daniel Mack wrote:
> > > On boards without EEPROMs, don't reset the chip on U-Boot's exit so
> > > that the MAC set by environment settings can be used by the OS later.
> >
> > that isnt how the MAC is passed to the OS ... this change is incorrect
> >
> > the OS must be able to get the MAC address regardless of the state of the
> > network controller
>
> Not if the MAC is stored in the volatile smc911x registers. Issuing a
> soft reset flushes these values - if U-Boot does that, the OS has no
> change getting them.

then either your u-boot or your OS is misconfigured and you need to fix that.  
as clearly stated in docs/README.enetaddr, the environment is the place where 
mac addresses live when there is no dedicated storage (like an eeprom).

ignoring that, the mac address doesnt magically get programmed.  if no network 
operation was initiated, then the part wouldnt have been programmed anyways, 
so you're still left with an OS that cant get itself functional.

> That's what I saw here and it is also stated in the datasheet.

sounds like the driver and hardware is operating correctly then
-mike
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