doc/mini-howto.txt - pub/scm/linux/pcmcia/pcmciautils - Git at Google

 Linux Kernel 2.6 PCMCIA - mini-HOWTO
 ====================================

    Last update: 08 November 2005.

 Table of contents:

      * [1]Introduction
      * [2]Setup
           + [3]Determine the socket driver to use
           + [4]Resource database
           + [5]Dependencies
           + [6]Install pcmciautils
           + [7]The difficult cases: CIS overrides
      * [8]Usage


 1. Introduction
 ---------------

    So, you'd like to get PCMCIA working on Linux kernel 2.6.13-rc1 or
    later? This short document intends to help you doing so; for
    additional questions please search the web, especially the help forums
    of your distribution, or ask on the [9]Linux-PCMCIA mailinglist. Also,
    the help texts in the Linux kernel configuration for the PCMCIA
    subsystem might point you into the correct direction -- so please read
    them.


 2. Setup
 --------

    Fortunately, several distributions have already included up-to-date
    pcmciautils and PCMCIA support into their products. Therefore, you may
    be able to rely on your distribution to set up the system correctly.

   2.1. Determine the socket driver to use
   ---------------------------------------

    At first, you need to determine which PCMCIA socket driver you need to
    use. On most modern notebooks, this is yenta-socket. Else, check the
    kernel configuration menu for the appropriate driver.

    Then, make sure it is either built into the kernel, or it is loaded
    during bootup. Previously, this was oftern handled by the pcmcia-cs
    startup script. As you won't use this package any longer, you can't
    rely on it any more to load the socket driver!

   2.2. Resource database?
   -----------------------

    Then, you need to find out whether you need a resource database. This
    contains the ioport and iomem region which PCMCIA cards may use.
    Fortunately, less and less systems require setting such a database up.

    2.2.1. The lucky ones
    ---------------------

      Sockets which are governed by these drivers do not need a resource
      database:
        * hd64465
        * Au1x00
        * SA1100
        * SA1111
        * PXA2xx
        * M32R_PCC
        * M32R_CFC
        * VRC4171
        * VRC4173

    2.2.2. The unlucky ones
    -----------------------

      These sockets always need a resource database:
        * i82365
        * tcic

    2.2.3. The complicated ones
    ---------------------------

      For the remaining socket drivers,
        * yenta-socket
        * pd6729
        * i82092

      you need to investigate a bit further. However, if you think that this
      is too complicated for you, just try it out without a resource
      database. If it doesn't work, you can still add the resource database
      later on.

      First you need to know if the system is of the x86 or x86_64
      architecture. If you don't know what this means, check wheter you have
      an apple printed on the backside of your notebook -- then the answer
      is no, else it is most probably yes.


      2.2.3.1. x86 and x86_64 architectures
      -------------------------------------

        Now you need to determine the PCI bus the device is on: search for the
        device using the lspci command. Then you'll see a number like
        0000:02:03.0 in front of the device. If the second "block" (which is
        02 in this example), is zero, you need a resource database, if it is
        not zero, you do not need it.

      2.2.3.2. other architectures
      ----------------------------

        On other architectures (including ppc and ppc64) you do not need a
        resource database for such sockets.

   2.3. Dependencies
   -----------------

    If you do not need a resource database, you do not run
    a modular kernel and you are lucky, you might not need any userspace
    tools at all.

    If you use a modular kernel, you also need module-init-tools 3.2-pre4
    or later.

    In addition, you either need the basic hotplug scripts installed, or a
    working udev environment.


   2.4. Installing pcmciautils
   ---------------------------

    Get the latest revision of pcmciautils. Then, you need to configure
    it. Therefore, open the file "Makefile" with an editor of your choice,
    and modify it accordingly:

    If you do not need a resource database, modify the line which starts
    with STARTUP to read

 	STARTUP = false

    If you want to use udev instead of hotplug to manage the activation of
    pcmciautils, modify the line which starts with UDEV to read

 	UDEV = true

    Issue the famous make command next. Then, if you already had PCMCIA
    running well, make a backup copy of /etc/pcmcia/config.opts. Then
    issue make install.

    If you need a resource database, you should use the version of
    /etc/pcmcia/config.opts you had up and running before (so restore the
    backup copy you just made). Else you can try to use the version which
    is distributed within pcmciautils and installed by default; however
    you might need to modify it for the specific needs of the
    architecture, socket and system you are using.


   2.5. The difficult cases: CIS overrides
   ---------------------------------------

    If the PCMCIA card you use needs a "CIS" override (sort of a
    "firmware" override) to work correctly, get the proper file out of
    [10]pcmcia-cs or from other sources, rename it from ".dat" to ".cis"
    and store it into /lib/firmware/.


 3. Usage
 --------

   3.1. devices
   ------------

    Plug the cards in, watch them appear in /sys/bus/pcmcia/devices/, use
    them. Don't forget to unmount block devices before ejecting a PCMCIA
    card!

    If you relied on the startup scripts in /etc/pcmcia/*, you should
    switch to the generic hotplug scripts in one of its variants (hotplug,
    hotplug-ng, and so on) or to udev rules. Most distributions already
    include this capability; if not, you might need to adapt them slightly
    depending on your distribution and configuration. Also check the udev
    documentation, for example if you want to name interfaces differently
    from the kernel's default setting.

   3.2. pccardctl (replaces cardctl)
   ---------------------------------

    And what about the command cardctl you might be used to? It is
    replaced by several new ways to achieve the same aims; if you want to
    update pccardctl to handle them all, please send patches to the
    [11]Linux-PCMCIA mailinglist.

 	cardctl info            pccardctl info
 	cardctl ident           pccardctl ident
 	cardctl insert          pccardctl insert
 	cardctl eject           pccardctl eject
 	cardctl suspend         pccardctl suspend [>=2.6.15]
 	cardctl resume          pccardctl resume  [>=2.6.15]
 	cardctl suspend         echo -n "3" > /sys/class/pcmcia_socket/pcmcia_socket*/d
 	evice/power/state
 	cardctl resume          echo -n "0" > /sys/class/pcmcia_socket/pcmcia_socket*/d
 	evice/power/state
 	cardctl status          cat /sys/class/pcmcia/pcmcia_socket/*/*
 	cardctl config          cat /sys/bus/pcmcia/devices/*/*
 	cardctl scheme          -- not implemented, as incompatible to cardbus. Use
 	                           other utilities (udev, nameif, ...) to achieve
         	                   the same aims --
	Linux Kernel 2.6 PCMCIA - mini-HOWTO
	====================================

	Last update: 08 November 2005.

	Table of contents:

	* [1]Introduction
	* [2]Setup
	+ [3]Determine the socket driver to use
	+ [4]Resource database
	+ [5]Dependencies
	+ [6]Install pcmciautils
	+ [7]The difficult cases: CIS overrides
	* [8]Usage


	1. Introduction
	---------------

	So, you'd like to get PCMCIA working on Linux kernel 2.6.13-rc1 or
	later? This short document intends to help you doing so; for
	additional questions please search the web, especially the help forums
	of your distribution, or ask on the [9]Linux-PCMCIA mailinglist. Also,
	the help texts in the Linux kernel configuration for the PCMCIA
	subsystem might point you into the correct direction -- so please read
	them.


	2. Setup
	--------

	Fortunately, several distributions have already included up-to-date
	pcmciautils and PCMCIA support into their products. Therefore, you may
	be able to rely on your distribution to set up the system correctly.

	2.1. Determine the socket driver to use
	---------------------------------------

	At first, you need to determine which PCMCIA socket driver you need to
	use. On most modern notebooks, this is yenta-socket. Else, check the
	kernel configuration menu for the appropriate driver.

	Then, make sure it is either built into the kernel, or it is loaded
	during bootup. Previously, this was oftern handled by the pcmcia-cs
	startup script. As you won't use this package any longer, you can't
	rely on it any more to load the socket driver!

	2.2. Resource database?
	-----------------------

	Then, you need to find out whether you need a resource database. This
	contains the ioport and iomem region which PCMCIA cards may use.
	Fortunately, less and less systems require setting such a database up.

	2.2.1. The lucky ones
	---------------------

	Sockets which are governed by these drivers do not need a resource
	database:
	* hd64465
	* Au1x00
	* SA1100
	* SA1111
	* PXA2xx
	* M32R_PCC
	* M32R_CFC
	* VRC4171
	* VRC4173

	2.2.2. The unlucky ones
	-----------------------

	These sockets always need a resource database:
	* i82365
	* tcic

	2.2.3. The complicated ones
	---------------------------

	For the remaining socket drivers,
	* yenta-socket
	* pd6729
	* i82092

	you need to investigate a bit further. However, if you think that this
	is too complicated for you, just try it out without a resource
	database. If it doesn't work, you can still add the resource database
	later on.

	First you need to know if the system is of the x86 or x86_64
	architecture. If you don't know what this means, check wheter you have
	an apple printed on the backside of your notebook -- then the answer
	is no, else it is most probably yes.


	2.2.3.1. x86 and x86_64 architectures
	-------------------------------------

	Now you need to determine the PCI bus the device is on: search for the
	device using the lspci command. Then you'll see a number like
	0000:02:03.0 in front of the device. If the second "block" (which is
	02 in this example), is zero, you need a resource database, if it is
	not zero, you do not need it.

	2.2.3.2. other architectures
	----------------------------

	On other architectures (including ppc and ppc64) you do not need a
	resource database for such sockets.

	2.3. Dependencies
	-----------------

	If you do not need a resource database, you do not run
	a modular kernel and you are lucky, you might not need any userspace
	tools at all.

	If you use a modular kernel, you also need module-init-tools 3.2-pre4
	or later.

	In addition, you either need the basic hotplug scripts installed, or a
	working udev environment.


	2.4. Installing pcmciautils
	---------------------------

	Get the latest revision of pcmciautils. Then, you need to configure
	it. Therefore, open the file "Makefile" with an editor of your choice,
	and modify it accordingly:

	If you do not need a resource database, modify the line which starts
	with STARTUP to read

	STARTUP = false

	If you want to use udev instead of hotplug to manage the activation of
	pcmciautils, modify the line which starts with UDEV to read

	UDEV = true

	Issue the famous make command next. Then, if you already had PCMCIA
	running well, make a backup copy of /etc/pcmcia/config.opts. Then
	issue make install.

	If you need a resource database, you should use the version of
	/etc/pcmcia/config.opts you had up and running before (so restore the
	backup copy you just made). Else you can try to use the version which
	is distributed within pcmciautils and installed by default; however
	you might need to modify it for the specific needs of the
	architecture, socket and system you are using.


	2.5. The difficult cases: CIS overrides
	---------------------------------------

	If the PCMCIA card you use needs a "CIS" override (sort of a
	"firmware" override) to work correctly, get the proper file out of
	[10]pcmcia-cs or from other sources, rename it from ".dat" to ".cis"
	and store it into /lib/firmware/.


	3. Usage
	--------

	3.1. devices
	------------

	Plug the cards in, watch them appear in /sys/bus/pcmcia/devices/, use
	them. Don't forget to unmount block devices before ejecting a PCMCIA
	card!

	If you relied on the startup scripts in /etc/pcmcia/*, you should
	switch to the generic hotplug scripts in one of its variants (hotplug,
	hotplug-ng, and so on) or to udev rules. Most distributions already
	include this capability; if not, you might need to adapt them slightly
	depending on your distribution and configuration. Also check the udev
	documentation, for example if you want to name interfaces differently
	from the kernel's default setting.

	3.2. pccardctl (replaces cardctl)
	---------------------------------

	And what about the command cardctl you might be used to? It is
	replaced by several new ways to achieve the same aims; if you want to
	update pccardctl to handle them all, please send patches to the
	[11]Linux-PCMCIA mailinglist.

	cardctl info pccardctl info
	cardctl ident pccardctl ident
	cardctl insert pccardctl insert
	cardctl eject pccardctl eject
	cardctl suspend pccardctl suspend [>=2.6.15]
	cardctl resume pccardctl resume [>=2.6.15]
	cardctl suspend echo -n "3" > /sys/class/pcmcia_socket/pcmcia_socket*/d
	evice/power/state
	cardctl resume echo -n "0" > /sys/class/pcmcia_socket/pcmcia_socket*/d
	evice/power/state
	cardctl status cat /sys/class/pcmcia/pcmcia_socket//
	cardctl config cat /sys/bus/pcmcia/devices//
	cardctl scheme -- not implemented, as incompatible to cardbus. Use
	other utilities (udev, nameif, ...) to achieve
	the same aims --