Features/PC System Flash
This is a proposal for PC System Flash emulation for on QEMU/KVM.
Flash Hardware
Leverage the pre-existing CFI flash support in qemu/hw/pflash_cfi01.c. (Another option is to use qemu/hw/pflash_cfi02.c.)
Command line interface
Currently the -pflash parameter has no use with an x86 or x86-64 system. To enable PC system flash, this parameter would now be used on x86 & x86-64 systems.
The -bios and -pflash parameters would both now have a use with qemu/kvm:
| -bios used | -pflash used | Result |
|---|---|---|
| (no change) 'bios.bin' will be loaded as rom image.
No system flash is available. | ||
| (changing) -pflash parameter will be loaded as flash image just below 4GB.
'bios.bin' will be ignored. | ||
| (no change) -bios parameter will be loaded as rom image.
No system flash is available. | ||
| (changing) -bios parameter will be loaded as rom image just below 4GB.
-pflash parameter will be loaded as flash image just below the bios rom image. |
Known Issues
- KVM will not boot if -pflash is used and -bios is not used. KVM currently only functions with this support if code is not attempting to run from the emulated flash. This issue does not affect QEMU.