what is fixed xe (g4) dma and usb hardware

[satiropan]

but, of course, I have other problems: no USB, whether built in or with NEC card,

It should work with USB1.x. Have you disabled USB2 EHCI driver?

I have done many tests now I don't remember all the sequence, but I have to add that I have desoldered the 3com lan chip because I have in mind to reball it (since it worked only if I pressed it on the board), in the while the a1g3se is working without, so this could be the usb problem now.
anyway, the NEC usb card doesn't work anymore, even if it's recognized and I have disabled the uhci driver (of course it's working flawlessly on a PC).
the onboard usb worked 'fine' only with 4.0, 4.1 and maybe 4.1.1
now, with updated 4.1.6. if I enable onboard usb and disable echi driver, the boot stops at splash screen, but, as I said, it could be due to the missing 3com chip....

[Hypex]

now, with updated 4.1.6. if I enable onboard usb and disable echi driver, the boot stops at splash screen, but, as I said, it could be due to the missing 3com chip....

I'm not sure what effect removing the 3Com chip will do. If anything it should remove IDE/network conflicts.

But I have seen an A1SE working with an NEC USB2 card. Both mouse, keyboard and flash drive. This was prior to Update 3 IIRC, or at least the update before the USB2 driver support. So the working set up is as follows. Disable all onboard USB. Disable EHCI driver. And only use USB devices with the NEC card. You could also just use devices through a USB1.x hub to prevent USB2 mode being used. As before, a powered hub is recommended. Though a low power device should be fine without it..

I don't know what effect disabling UHCI will do. That would force OHCI to only be used which would be okay for devices supporting it. But certainly USB2 needs disabling as hardware problems in the SE prevent it from working and usually end up locking up the hardware.

Also, best to not have any devices plugged in to the bus when booting

[satiropan]

thanx, I confirm, if onboard usb is active, ehci disactivated in kicklayout, no nec usb card on board, the a1g3se freezes on the splash screen.
oh, well, as I said, mine is 4.1.6 always updated.
months ago the nec usb card worked fine, but I had to deactivate the uhci driver, this has always been so, the ehci driver active and the onboard usb deactivated. like this everything plugged was working, in usb 2.0 mode.
as I said, now, with the same setting, the nec usb card doesn't work anymore, I have also a via usb card, no way (it worked partially at the time the nec usb was working, but some devices were not recognized, instead the nec card was fully working).
for the ide/lan conflict, I don't use any IDE drive, just sata.
I will make more test thou

[nzv58l]

thanx, I confirm, if onboard usb is active, ehci disactivated in kicklayout, no nec usb card on board, the a1g3se freezes on the splash screen.
oh, well, as I said, mine is 4.1.6 always updated.
months ago the nec usb card worked fine, but I had to deactivate the uhci driver, this has always been so, the ehci driver active and the onboard usb deactivated. like this everything plugged was working, in usb 2.0 mode.
as I said, now, with the same setting, the nec usb card doesn't work anymore, I have also a via usb card, no way (it worked partially at the time the nec usb was working, but some devices were not recognized, instead the nec card was fully working).
for the ide/lan conflict, I don't use any IDE drive, just sata.
I will make more test thou

I am currently having an issue where my A1 XE/g4 freezes at the splash screen. It does not execute the startup-sequence at all. I do have my USB turned on. No one mentioned the USB thing to me. However, if I create a swap drive partition or delete the swap drive partition it will boot one time and then never again. My suspician is that when the A1 goes looking to see if there is a swap partition that it gets hung up, now that you mention it on the USB looking for a swap partition. Just a guess, but I believe that you mentioned a certain point where USB no longer worked, and my bet is that it started when the code was added for swap.

[nzv58l]

Turning off USB made no difference to me, still freezes on after splash screen fades in.

[Christopher Follett]

Might sound stupid, but what if you add SET ECHO ON to the beginning of startup.
Maybe that will give you some clues as to where it hangs.

[nzv58l]

My problem had nothing to do with the usb, turns out it was that I had a floppy connected and it seems that the computer hung when the a1floppy.device.kmos driver was run and I am not sure if it is the driver, or when the system goes to look for the swap volume and does not know what to do when it gets to an empty floppy.

I believe that most people do not have a floppy installed on the A1XE so they did not encounter the same problem. I think the problem can be recreated by reseting the battery with the A1 unplugged from power, then connecting a floppy drive. Then try installing onto a blank formatted hard drive and I think the end reslult will be that you will not be able to get past the splash unless you either create or delete the swap partition. At that point it will only let you boot once. I have not heard of anyone trying this other than myself, but simply commenting out the a1floppy.device.kmod line int he kicklayout file does allow you to boot. I think it may be possible just to rename the a1floppy.device.kmod file to a1floppy.device and putting it into the Devs drawer will allow you to use it, but will also allow you to boot... I have yet to try it though.

I would like to know where the instructions are to make the mod yourself to regain the DMA function of the onboard IDE? Does anyone know where you find detailed instructions?