Acer Emachines EL1200
About
Two years ago, I bought for 200EUR (VAT incl.) an Acer EL1200 desktop (1GB RAM, 160GB disk) with a 15 inches LCD screen, a keyboard and a mouse. The desktop was sold at that price because it was shipped with Ubuntu preinstalled, thus not including the Microsoft tax. While I mainly use my laptop to work, I used this box once upon a time, notably to flash hundreds of USB keys for the OLPC project.
Now, I have decided to use this box as a media center and home server, I have upgraded it with a 1TB harddisk, and tried XBMC live on it. I have tried to install XBMC on it, but I hit an error with grub refusing to install on the disk.
Flashing a more recent BIOS with flashrom
root@el1200 /home/zoobab [2]# flashrom
flashrom v0.9.4-r1394 on Linux 3.0.0-14-generic (x86_64), built with libpci 3.1.7, GCC 4.6.1, little endian
flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org
Calibrating delay loop... OK.
Found chipset "NVIDIA MCP61".
This chipset is marked as untested. If you are using an up-to-date version
of flashrom please email a report to flashrom@flashrom.org including a
verbose (-V) log. Thank you!
Enabling flash write... This chipset is not really supported yet. Guesswork...
SPI on this chipset is WIP. Please report any success or failure by mailing us the verbose output to flashrom@flashrom.org, thanks!
Mapping NVIDIA MCP6x SPI at 0xfec80000, unaligned size 0x544.
Please send the output of "flashrom -V" to flashrom@flashrom.org with
your board name: flashrom -V as the subject to help us finish support for your
chipset. Thanks.
OK.
This chipset supports the following protocols: SPI.
Found Macronix flash chip "MX25L8005" (1024 kB, SPI) at physical address 0xfff00000.
No operations were specified.
Flashing a more recent BIOS with R01A2.BIN to see if this version supports more graphic cards:
root@sabayon /home/zoobab [8]# flashrom -w R01A2.BIN
flashrom v0.9.4-r1395 on Linux 3.1.0-sabayon (i686), built with libpci 3.1.7, GCC 4.6.2, little endian
flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org
Calibrating delay loop... OK.
Found chipset "NVIDIA MCP61".
This chipset is marked as untested. If you are using an up-to-date version
of flashrom please email a report to flashrom@flashrom.org including a
verbose (-V) log. Thank you!
Enabling flash write... This chipset is not really supported yet. Guesswork...
SPI on this chipset is WIP. Please report any success or failure by mailing us the verbose output to flashrom@flashrom.org, thanks!
Mapping NVIDIA MCP6x SPI at 0xfec80000, unaligned size 0x544.
Please send the output of "flashrom -V" to flashrom@flashrom.org with
your board name: flashrom -V as the subject to help us finish support for your
chipset. Thanks.
OK.
This chipset supports the following protocols: SPI.
Found Macronix flash chip "MX25L8005" (1024 kB, SPI) at physical address 0xfff00000.
Flash image seems to be a legacy BIOS. Disabling coreboot-related checks.
Reading old flash chip contents... done.
Erasing and writing flash chip... Erase/write done.
Verifying flash... VERIFIED.
root@sabayon /home/zoobab [9]# flashrom -r bios-v2.bin
flashrom v0.9.4-r1395 on Linux 3.1.0-sabayon (i686), built with libpci 3.1.7, GCC 4.6.2, little endian
flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org
Calibrating delay loop... OK.
Found chipset "NVIDIA MCP61".
This chipset is marked as untested. If you are using an up-to-date version
of flashrom please email a report to flashrom@flashrom.org including a
verbose (-V) log. Thank you!
Enabling flash write... This chipset is not really supported yet. Guesswork...
SPI on this chipset is WIP. Please report any success or failure by mailing us the verbose output to flashrom@flashrom.org, thanks!
Mapping NVIDIA MCP6x SPI at 0xfec80000, unaligned size 0x544.
Please send the output of "flashrom -V" to flashrom@flashrom.org with
your board name: flashrom -V as the subject to help us finish support for your
chipset. Thanks.
OK.
This chipset supports the following protocols: SPI.
Found Macronix flash chip "MX25L8005" (1024 kB, SPI) at physical address 0xfff00000.
Reading flash... done.
root@sabayon /home/zoobab [10]# l
total 3080
-rw-r--r-- 1 zoobab zoobab 3519 Jan 2 02:48 2cards.txt
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1048576 Jan 2 14:35 bios-backup.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1048576 Jan 2 14:39 bios-v2.bin
drwxr-xr-x 2 zoobab zoobab 4096 Jan 2 00:58 Desktop
-rw-r--r-- 1 zoobab zoobab 1048576 Jan 2 13:48 R01A2.BIN
root@sabayon /home/zoobab [11]# md5sum bios-v2.bin
d3c0fcfc479047bf77f626143d49028e bios-v2.bin
root@sabayon /home/zoobab [12]# md5sum R01A2.BIN
d3c0fcfc479047bf77f626143d49028e R01A2.BIN
root@sabayon /home/zoobab [13]#
Lshw
el1200
description: Desktop Computer
product: EL1200 ()
vendor: eMachines
version: R01-A0
serial: 9VY2D7ZEF0842040CA3001
width: 64 bits
capabilities: smbios-2.5 dmi-2.5 vsyscall64 vsyscall32
configuration: administrator_password=disabled boot=normal chassis=desktop power-on_password=disabled uuid=00000000-0000-0000-0807-060504030201
*-core
description: Motherboard
product: WMCP61M
vendor: eMachines
physical id: 0
serial: 0000000000000000000000
*-firmware
description: BIOS
vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
physical id: 0
version: R01-A0L
date: 09/17/2008
size: 128KiB
capacity: 960KiB
capabilities: isa pci pnp apm upgrade shadowing cdboot bootselect socketedrom edd int13floppy360 int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int5printscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer int10video acpi usb ls120boot zipboot biosbootspecification netboot
*-cpu
description: CPU
product: AMD Athlon(tm) Processor LE-1600
vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
physical id: 3
bus info: cpu@0
version: AMD Athlon(tm) Processor LE-1600
slot: Socket AM2
size: 2200MHz
capacity: 2200MHz
width: 64 bits
clock: 201MHz
capabilities: x86-64 fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt rdtscp 3dnowext 3dnow up rep_good nopl extd_apicid pni cx16 lahf_lm svm extapic cr8_legacy cpufreq
configuration: cores=1 enabledcores=1 threads=1
*-cache:0
description: L1 cache
physical id: 8
slot: Internal Cache
size: 128KiB
capacity: 128KiB
capabilities: synchronous internal write-back
*-cache:1
description: L2 cache
physical id: 9
slot: External Cache
size: 1MiB
capacity: 1MiB
capabilities: synchronous internal write-back
*-memory:0
description: System Memory
physical id: 13
slot: System board or motherboard
size: 1GiB
*-bank:0
description: DIMM DDR2 2048 MHz (0.5 ns)
product: None
vendor: None
physical id: 0
serial: None
slot: A0
size: 1GiB
width: 64 bits
clock: 2048MHz (0.5ns)
*-bank:1
description: DIMM DDR2 2048 MHz (0.5 ns) [empty]
product: None
vendor: None
physical id: 1
serial: None
slot: A1
width: 64 bits
clock: 2048MHz (0.5ns)
*-memory:1 UNCLAIMED
description: RAM memory
product: MCP61 Memory Controller
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 4
bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz (15.2ns)
capabilities: ht bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
*-isa
description: ISA bridge
product: MCP61 LPC Bridge
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 1
bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: isa bus_master
configuration: latency=0
resources: ioport:800(size=256)
*-serial
description: SMBus
product: MCP61 SMBus
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 1.1
bus info: pci@0000:00:01.1
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: pm cap_list
configuration: driver=nForce2_smbus latency=0
resources: irq:10 ioport:fc00(size=64) ioport:1c00(size=64) ioport:f400(size=64)
*-memory:2 UNCLAIMED
description: RAM memory
product: MCP61 Memory Controller
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 1.2
bus info: pci@0000:00:01.2
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz (15.2ns)
configuration: latency=0
*-usb:0
description: USB Controller
product: MCP61 USB Controller
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
version: a3
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: pm ohci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: irq:21 memory:fe02f000-fe02ffff
*-usb:1
description: USB Controller
product: MCP61 USB Controller
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 2.1
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.1
version: a3
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: debug pm ehci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: irq:22 memory:fe02e000-fe02e0ff
*-pci:0
description: PCI bridge
product: MCP61 PCI bridge
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 100
bus info: pci@0000:00:04.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: pci ht subtractive_decode bus_master cap_list
resources: ioport:b000(size=4096) memory:fda00000-fdafffff memory:fdf00000-fdffffff
*-multimedia
description: Audio device
product: MCP61 High Definition Audio
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 5
bus info: pci@0000:00:05.0
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: pm msi ht bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=HDA Intel latency=0 maxlatency=5 mingnt=2
resources: irq:22 memory:fe024000-fe027fff
*-ide:0
description: IDE interface
product: MCP61 IDE
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 6
bus info: pci@0000:00:06.0
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ide pm bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pata_amd latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: irq:0 ioport:1f0(size=8) ioport:3f6 ioport:170(size=8) ioport:376 ioport:f000(size=16)
*-bridge
description: Ethernet interface
product: MCP61 Ethernet
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 7
bus info: pci@0000:00:07.0
logical name: eth0
version: a2
serial: 00:1d:72:aa:96:ba
size: 1000000000
capacity: 1000000000
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: bridge pm msi ht bus_master cap_list ethernet physical mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=forcedeth driverversion=0.64 duplex=full ip=10.20.30.105 latency=0 link=yes maxlatency=20 mingnt=1 multicast=yes port=MII speed=1Gbit/s
resources: irq:43 memory:fe02d000-fe02dfff ioport:ec00(size=8)
*-ide:1
description: IDE interface
product: MCP61 SATA Controller
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 8
bus info: pci@0000:00:08.0
logical name: scsi3
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ide pm msi ht bus_master cap_list emulated
configuration: driver=sata_nv latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: irq:23 ioport:9f0(size=8) ioport:bf0(size=4) ioport:970(size=8) ioport:b70(size=4) ioport:d800(size=16) memory:fe02c000-fe02cfff
*-disk
description: ATA Disk
product: ST31000528AS
vendor: Seagate
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@3:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sda
version: CC38
serial: 6VP3KJ95
size: 931GiB (1TB)
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=0008f483
*-volume:0
description: EXT4 volume
vendor: Linux
physical id: 1
bus info: scsi@3:0.0.0,1
logical name: /dev/sda1
logical name: /
version: 1.0
serial: a3e14c26-1282-4549-a4e9-e35a9dd0738a
size: 930GiB
capacity: 930GiB
capabilities: primary bootable journaled extended_attributes large_files huge_files dir_nlink recover extents ext4 ext2 initialized
configuration: created=2011-12-22 14:26:44 filesystem=ext4 lastmountpoint=/ modified=2011-12-22 14:35:00 mount.fstype=ext4 mount.options=rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,data=ordered mounted=2012-01-01 19:11:26 state=mounted
*-volume:1
description: Extended partition
physical id: 2
bus info: scsi@3:0.0.0,2
logical name: /dev/sda2
size: 765MiB
capacity: 765MiB
capabilities: primary extended partitioned partitioned:extended
*-logicalvolume
description: Linux swap / Solaris partition
physical id: 5
logical name: /dev/sda5
capacity: 765MiB
capabilities: nofs
*-ide:2
description: IDE interface
product: MCP61 SATA Controller
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 8.1
bus info: pci@0000:00:08.1
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ide pm msi ht bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=sata_nv latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: irq:23 ioport:9e0(size=8) ioport:be0(size=4) ioport:960(size=8) ioport:b60(size=4) ioport:c400(size=16) memory:fe02b000-fe02bfff
*-pci:1
description: PCI bridge
product: MCP61 PCI Express bridge
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 9
bus info: pci@0000:00:09.0
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pm msi ht pciexpress normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:40 ioport:a000(size=4096) memory:fde00000-fdefffff ioport:fdd00000(size=1048576)
*-pci:2
description: PCI bridge
product: MCP61 PCI Express bridge
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: b
bus info: pci@0000:00:0b.0
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pm msi ht pciexpress normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:41 ioport:9000(size=4096) memory:f9000000-faffffff ioport:d0000000(size=536870912)
*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: GT218 [ION]
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
version: a2
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
configuration: driver=nvidia latency=0
resources: irq:16 memory:f9000000-f9ffffff memory:d0000000-dfffffff memory:ee000000-efffffff ioport:9c00(size=128) memory:e0000000-e007ffff
*-multimedia
description: Audio device
product: High Definition Audio Controller
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 0.1
bus info: pci@0000:03:00.1
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=HDA Intel latency=0
resources: irq:16 memory:faffc000-faffffff
*-pci:3
description: PCI bridge
product: MCP61 PCI Express bridge
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: c
bus info: pci@0000:00:0c.0
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pm msi ht pciexpress normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:42 ioport:8000(size=4096) memory:fdc00000-fdcfffff ioport:fdb00000(size=1048576)
*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: C61 [GeForce 6150SE nForce 430]
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: d
bus info: pci@0000:00:0d.0
version: a2
width: 64 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: pm msi vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
configuration: driver=nvidia latency=0
resources: irq:21 memory:fc000000-fcffffff memory:c0000000-cfffffff memory:fb000000-fbffffff memory:40000000-4001ffff
*-pci:4
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration
vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
physical id: 101
bus info: pci@0000:00:18.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
*-pci:5
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
physical id: 102
bus info: pci@0000:00:18.1
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
*-pci:6
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller
vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
physical id: 103
bus info: pci@0000:00:18.2
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
*-pci:7
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control
vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
physical id: 104
bus info: pci@0000:00:18.3
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: driver=k8temp
resources: irq:0
*-scsi
physical id: a
bus info: usb@1:8
logical name: scsi6
capabilities: emulated scsi-host
configuration: driver=usb-storage
*-disk
description: SCSI Disk
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@6:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sdb
Links
- http://blog.kademar.org/2008/12/emachines-el1200-k-demar-certified/comment-page-1/#comments
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/armk/3424527151/
- http://mxdtr.com/boxer-61-mb-da061l-dao61l-motherboard-driver-drivers-audio-sound-lan-chipset-emachines/
- http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5279675&CatId=4926