============================================================================= EXAR Multiport Device Driver Ver 1.00 Installation Guide for Linux Kernel 2.4.x (Tested with Redhat 7.1 and 8.0) Copyright (C) 2003, EXAR. ============================================================================= Content 1. Introduction 2. System Requirement 3. Installation 4. Utilities 5. Setserial 6. Troubleshooting ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Introduction The Multiport serial driver Ver. 3.0, supports following multiport boards. - XR17C158 & XR17D158 PCI Multiport (8 Channels) Boards - XR17C154, XR17L154 & XR17D154 PCI Multiport (4 Channels) Boards - XR17C152, XR17L152 & XR17D152 PCI Multiport (2 Channels) Boards This driver and installation procedure have been developed upon Linux Kernel 2.4.x and tested with Redhat versions 7.1 and 8.0. All the drivers and utilities are published in form of source code under GNU General Public License in this version. Please refer to GNU General Public License announcement in each source code file for more detail. This version of driver can be installed as Loadable Module (Module driver) or built-in into kernel (Static driver). You may refer to following installation procedure for suitable one. Before you install the driver, please refer to hardware installation procedure in the User's Manual. We assume the user should be familiar with following documents. - Serial-HOWTO - Kernel-HOWTO ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. System Requirement - Hardware platform: Intel x86 - Kernel version: 2.4.x - gcc version 2.72 or later - Maximum 4 boards can be installed in combination - This driver has only been tested with Redhat version 7.1 and 8.0 and it is strongly recommended that the user do a complete install of all components to ensure that this driver works correctly. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Installation 3.1 Hardware installation You may need to adjust IRQ usage in BIOS to avoid IRQ conflict with legacy ISA devices. 3.2 Driver files and device naming convention The driver file may be obtained from ftp, CD-ROM or floppy disk. The first step, anyway, is to copy driver file "xr17c15x.tgz" into specified directory. e.g. /exar. The execute commands as below. # cd /exar # tar xvf /dev/fd0 or # cd /exar # cp /mnt/cdrom/<driver directory>/xr17c15x.tar . # tar xvf xr17c15x.tar You may find all the driver and utilities files in /exar. Following installation procedure depends on the model you'd like to run the driver. If you prefer module driver, please refer to 3.3. If static driver is required, please refer to 3.4. Dialin and callout port ----------------------- This driver remains traditional serial device properties. There're two special file name for each serial port. One is dial-in port which is named "ttyMxx". For callout port, the naming convention is "cumxx". Device naming when multiple boards are installed ----------------------------------------------- Naming convention for each multiport board is pre-defined as below, assuming 2 XR17C158 boards, 1 XR17C154 board and 1 XR17C152 board. Board Num. Dial-in Port Callout port 1st board (158) ttyM0 - ttyM7 cum0 - cum7 2nd board (158) ttyM8 - ttyM15 cum8 - cum15 3rd board (154) ttyM16 - ttyM19 cum16 - cum19 4th board (152) ttyM24 - ttym25 cum24 - cum25 3.3 Module driver configuration Module driver is easiest way to install. If you prefer static driver installation, please skip this paragraph. 1. Find "Makefile" in /exar, then run # make install The driver files "xr17c15x.o" and utilities will be properly compiled and copied to system directories respectively. Then run # insmod xr17c15x to activate the moduler driver. You may run "lsmod" to check if "xr17c15x.o" is activated. 2. Create special files by executing "xrmknod". # cd /exar # /bin/sh ./xrmknod (or) # /bin/csh ./mknod_csh Default major numbers for dial-in device and callout device are 30, 35. xrmknod will delete any special files occuping the same device naming. 3. Up to now, you may manually execute "insmod xr17c15x" to activate this driver and run "rmmod xr17c15x" to remove it. However, it's better to have a boot time configuration to eliminate manual operation. Boot time configuration can be achieved by rc file. Run following commands for setting rc files. # cd /exar/ # cp ./rc.xr17c15x /etc/rc.d # cd /etc/rc.d Find "rc.serial". If "rc.serial" doesn't exist, create it by vi. Add "#!/bin/sh" at the top of the file. Add "/etc/rc.d/rc.xr17c15x" in last line. Change the permissions to these files by chmod 755 rc.serial chmod 755 rc.xr17c15x Next, open rc.local by vi and append following content. if [ -f /etc/rc.d/rc.serial ]; then sh /etc/rc.d/rc.serial fi 4. Reboot and check if xr17c15x.o has been activated, by issuing the "lsmod" command. 3.4 Static driver configuration 1. Create link # cd /usr/src/linux/drivers/char # ln -s /exar/xr17c15x.c xr17c15x.c 2. Modify tty_io.c # cd /usr/src/linux/drivers/char/ # vi tty_io.c Find pty_init(), insert "exser_init()" as pty_init(); exser_init(); 3. Modify tty.h # cd /usr/src/linux/include/linux # vi tty.h Find extern int tty_init(void), insert "exser_init()" as extern int tty_init(void); extern int exser_init(void); 4. Modify Makefile # cd /usr/src/linux/drivers/char # vi Makefile Find L_OBJS := tty_io.o ...... random.o, add "xr17c15x.o" at last of this line as L_OBJS := tty_io.o ....... xr17c15x.o 6. Rebuild kernel The following are for Linux kernel rebuilding,for your reference only. For appropriate details, please refer to the Linux document. If 'lilo' utility is installed, please use 'make zlilo' to rebuild kernel. If 'lilo' is not installed, please follow the following steps. a. cd /usr/src/linux b. make clean /* take a few minutes */ c. make dep /* take a few minutes */ d. make bzImage /* take probably 10-20 minutes */ e. Backup original boot kernel. /* optional step */ f. cp /usr/src/linux/arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz g. Please make sure the boot kernel (vmlinuz) is in the correct position. If you use 'lilo' utility, you should check /etc/lilo.conf 'image' item specifiedd the path which is the 'vmlinuz' path, or you will load wrong (or old) boot kernel image (vmlinuz). h. chmod 400 /vmlinuz i. lilo j. rdev -R /vmlinuz 1 k. sync Note that if the result of "make zImage" is ERROR, then you have to go back to Linux configuration Setup. Type "make config" in directory /usr/src/linux or "setup". Since system include file, /usr/src/linux/include/linux/interrupt.h, is modified each time the EXAR driver is installed, kernel rebuilding is inevitable. And it takes about 10 to 20 minutes depends on the machine. 7. Make utility # cd /exar # make install 8. Make special file # cd /exar # sh ./xrmknod 9. Reboot 3.5 Custom configuration Although this driver already provides you default configuration, you still can change the device name and major number.The instruction to change these parameters are shown as below. Change Device name ------------------ If you'd like to use other device names instead of default naming convention, all you have to do is to modify the internal code within the shell script "xrmknod". First, you have to open "xrmknod" by vi. Locate each line contains "ttyM" and "cum" and change them to the device name you desired. "xrmknod" creates the device names you need next time executed. Change Major number ------------------- If major number 30 and 35 had been occupied, you may have to select 2 free major numbers for this driver. There are 3 steps to change major numbers. 1. Find free major numbers In /proc/devices, you may find all the major numbers occupied in the system. Please select 2 major numbers that are available. e.g. 40, 45. 2. Create special files Run /exar/xrmknod to create special files with specified major numbers. 3. Modify driver with new major number Run vi to open /exar/xr17c15x.c. Locate the line contains "EXSERMAJOR". Change the content as below. #define EXSERMAJOR 40 #define EXSERCUMAJOR 45 4. Run # make install in /exar. 3.6 Verify driver installation You may refer to /var/log/messages to check the latest status log reported by this driver whenever it's activated. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Setserial Supported Setserial parameters are listed as below. uart set UART type(16450-->disable FIFO, 16550A-->enable FIFO) close_delay set the amount of time(in 1/100 of a second) that DTR should be kept low while being closed. closing_wait set the amount of time(in 1/100 of a second) that the serial port should wait for data to be drained while being closed, before the receiver is disable. spd_hi Use 57.6kb when the application requests 38.4kb. spd_vhi Use 115.2kb when the application requests 38.4kb. spd_normal Use 38.4kb when the application requests 38.4kb. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Troubleshooting The boot time error mesages and solutions are stated as clearly as possible. If all the possible solutions fail, please contact our technical support team to get more help. Error msg: More than 4 Exar family boards found. Fifth board and after are ignored. Solution: To avoid this problem, please unplug fifth and after board, because Exar driver supports up to 4 boards. Error msg: Request_irq fail, IRQ(?) may be conflict with another device. Solution: Other PCI or ISA devices occupy the assigned IRQ. If you are not sure which device causes the situation,please check /proc/interrupts to find free IRQ and simply change another free IRQ for Exar board. Error msg: Board #: C1xx Series(base=xxx) interupt number invalid. Solution: Each port within the same multiport board shares the same IRQ. Please set one IRQ (IRQ doesn't equal to zero) for one Exar board. Error msg: Couldn't install EXAR serial driver! Solution: Load Exar driver fail, the major number may conflict with other devices. Please refer to previous section 3.5 to change a free major number for Exar driver. Error msg: Couldn't install EXAR serial family callout driver! Solution: Load Exar callout driver fail, the callout device major number may conflict with other devices. Please refer to previous section 3.5 to change a free callout device major number for Exar driver. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------Download Driver Pack
After your driver has been downloaded, follow these simple steps to install it.
Expand the archive file (if the download file is in zip or rar format).
If the expanded file has an .exe extension, double click it and follow the installation instructions.
Otherwise, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.
Find the device and model you want to update in the device list.
Double-click on it to open the Properties dialog box.
From the Properties dialog box, select the Driver tab.
Click the Update Driver button, then follow the instructions.
Very important: You must reboot your system to ensure that any driver updates have taken effect.
For more help, visit our Driver Support section for step-by-step videos on how to install drivers for every file type.