[U-Boot] Linux Kernel without Ethernet (missed MAC)

[Prafulla Wadaskar]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: u-boot-bounces at lists.denx.de 
> [mailto:u-boot-bounces at lists.denx.de] On Behalf Of Arno Steffen
> Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 3:14 PM
> To: u-boot at lists.denx.de
> Subject: [U-Boot] Linux Kernel without Ethernet (missed MAC)
> 
> Changing my OMAP EVM board to newest uboot 2009-11 I do have a problem
> with ethernet.
> Although the kernel could be loaded via tftp perfectly, the upcoming
> kernel complains about invalid MAC.
> 
> Kernel command line: mem=128M console=ttyS0,115200n8
> root=/dev/mtdblock8 rw rootfstype=jffs2 ip=dhcp

Hi Arno

I hope, when you are booting the kernel from media (i.e. NAND/Flash/Sata and not Ethernet) you are getting this problem.
u-boot does not perform peripheral h/w initialization by default, u-boot as well as kernel assumes h/w is doing this.

May be in your case, smc91x h/w does not do it on Power on by default.
When you do any network activity prior to kernel boot, device_init is invoked and the MAC address is set and your system works.

Possible Solution: add dummy network command like (ping x.x.x.x) in your auto boot sequence.

Regards..
Prafulla . .

> ...