[Soekris] Hot insert CF card?

[Chris Babcock]

Erik Cummings wrote:
> I have a bunch of 4511 boards (BIOS 1.28) that I want to install and  
> build.
> 
> I have configured DHCP, PXE, SystemImager, and autoinstall scripts to  
> do all the wonderful things I need done - it works great.
> 
> HOWEVER:
> 	- With a CF card inserted, even if it's brand new and has no boot  
> partition, the BIOS will not bypass CF and netboot (boot order is CF  
> first, THEN net).
> 
> 	- I am trying not to change the boot order, and trying not to have to  
> serial console in.  I'd love to be able to take these as they arrive,  
> insert CF cards, plug them into my flash-builder network, they net- 
> boot and away things go - with the NEXT boot being from CF since it  
> has a valid boot partition.
> 
> The only solution I can seem to come up with is hot-inserting the CF -  
> but that doesn't work - or at least i don't know how to make it work.
> 
> Is it possible to get Linux (2.6 kernel) to recognize a CF that was  
> inserted AFTER the BIOS boot process on a 4511 ?
> 

That's an interesting problem.  Most ATA (non-sata) systems can't do 
hot-swapping, and I would suspect that the Soekris systems are the same 
way...

However, does anybody know if it's possible to change BIOS settings from 
inside a running OS on the Soekris?  I've seen it done on some boards, 
and if it can be done on a Soekris, you could adjust your setup/load 
sequence to change firmware settings as needed from your load scripts 
with any necessary reboots.

-Chris