Port multiplier on Pogoplug series 4

[sambul13]

Uboot recognizes SATA port multiplier hooked to Cu-Box Marvell platform:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'U-Boot 2009.08-dirty (May 10 2012 - 02:57:11) Marvell version: 5.4.4 NQ
CuBox>> ide reset

Reset IDE:
Marvell Serial ATA Adapter
Integrated Sata device found
Port Multiplier found @ 0 0. Vendor: 197b ports: 2
[0 0 0]: Enable DMA mode (6)
Device 0 @ 0 0 0:
Model: WDC WD20EARS-19MVWB0 Firm: 51.0AB51 Ser#: WD-WCAZA4146802
Type: Hard Disk
Supports 48-bit addressing
Capacity: 1907729.0 MB = 1863.0 GB (-387938128 x 512)
[0 0 1]: Enable DMA mode (6)
Device 1 @ 0 0 1:
Model: WDC WD20EARS-19MVWB0 Firm: 51.0AB51 Ser#: WD-WCAZA4102474
Type: Hard Disk
Supports 48-bit addressing
Capacity: 1907729.0 MB = 1863.0 GB (-387938128 x 512)')

[bodhi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('sambul13', 'U')boot recognizes SATA port multiplier hooked to Cu-Box Marvell platform:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'U-Boot 2009.08-dirty (May 10 2012 - 02:57:11) Marvell version: 5.4.4 NQ
CuBox>> ide reset

Reset IDE:
Marvell Serial ATA Adapter
Integrated Sata device found
Port Multiplier found @ 0 0. Vendor: 197b ports: 2
[0 0 0]: Enable DMA mode (6)
Device 0 @ 0 0 0:
Model: WDC WD20EARS-19MVWB0 Firm: 51.0AB51 Ser#: WD-WCAZA4146802
Type: Hard Disk
Supports 48-bit addressing
Capacity: 1907729.0 MB = 1863.0 GB (-387938128 x 512)
[0 0 1]: Enable DMA mode (6)
Device 1 @ 0 0 1:
Model: WDC WD20EARS-19MVWB0 Firm: 51.0AB51 Ser#: WD-WCAZA4102474
Type: Hard Disk
Supports 48-bit addressing
Capacity: 1907729.0 MB = 1863.0 GB (-387938128 x 512)')

[sambul13]

It looks like Linux kernel from V2.6.* includes SATA drivers supporting port multipliers. While CuBox has a different Marvell CPU version than PPv4, it may be possible to look what is it different in Uboot version above that allows to boot the device from SATA multiplier, and may be integrate these changes into Uboot for PPv4 and other Pogo type devices supporting SATA?

I assume, "device specific" Uboot version is a standard Uboot bootloader used for all embedded class devices, with some tweaks in config accounting for device proc architecture and hardware configuration.

[WarheadsSE]

Yes, it's somewhat like you say where uboot is essentially the same, with per-board config changes, and the occasional Marvell patch.

I believe that the V4 should work just fine, however there may be something about that particular port multiplier that uboot, or the SoC doesn't like.

The V3 for example, has issues at the BOM level for using port multipliers @ boot.

[sambul13]

So, no specific changes to Uboot config or patches are generally needed to support SATA multipliers? This subject is important, because many current boards have just one USB and one SATA port.

[WarheadsSE]

I'll say it again.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('WarheadsSE', 'I') believe that the V4 should work just fine, however there may be something about that particular port multiplier that uboot, or the SoC doesn't like.