| Flashrom enables BIOS flashing via Linux |
May 07, 2009
 Coreboot.org released an almost-final 0.90 version of open source BIOS flashing firmware it says was nine years in the making. Flashrom offers Linux and UNIX users a BIOS flashing mechanism they can call their own, with support for 150 flash-chip families and 75 chipsets, Coreboot.org says.
By its very nature, BIOS firmware is operating system-independent, since it loads before a computer's OS in order to identify, test, and initialize the device's processor, memory, graphics card, and peripherals. But, updating a BIOS to incorporate bug fixes and other improvements requires booting a computer into an operating system, then using the latter to run BIOS flashing software.
All too often, Linux users have been forced to update their BIOSes via MS-DOS boot disks loaded with DOS BIOS flashing utilities. But now, they no longer need suffer that indignity, thanks to a BIOS flasher that runs under Linux. According to Coreboot.org, Flashrom offers a command-line interface, can operate remotely through SSH, and can even re-flash multiple machines simultaneously.
Claimed by Coreboot to be faster than most vendor flash tools, Flashrom supports Linux, FreeBSD, DragonFly BSD, Solaris, Mac OS X, and other UNIX-like OSes. It's said that on some motherboards, the tool also enables hot-flashing, in which a BIOS chip is physically replaced while the system is running.
According to Coreboot, Flashrom features include:- Supports parallel, LPC, FWH, and SPI flash interfaces
- Supports more than 150 flash chip families and half a dozen variants per family
- Agnostic to flash chips, with support verified for DIP32, PLCC32, DIP8, SO8/SOIC8, TSOP32, TSOP40, and more
- Supports more than 75 chipsets, some with multiple flash controllers
- Mainboard enabling code offered for dozens of nonstandard mainboards
- No physical access needed; root access is sufficient
- No bootable floppy disk, bootable CD-ROM, or other media required
- Reflash remotely via SSH
- Reflashes ROM in a running system; no instant reboot needed
- Cross-flashing and hot-flashing possible on compatible systems
- Scriptable, enabling reflash of multiple identical machines simultaneously
Availability
Flashrom 0.90 is available now as a free download. More information may be found at Coreboot.org, here.
-- Eric Brown
Do you have comments on this story?
Talkback here
NOTE: Please post your comments regarding our articles using the above link. Be sure to use this article's title as the "Subject" in your posts. Before you create a new thread, please check to see if a discussion thread is already running on the article you plan to comment on. Thanks!
Related Stories:
(Click here for further information)
|
|
|
Approaching the Linux Desktop
The purpose of this paper is to help organizations evaluate the Linux desktop against their own enterprise needs and discover what benefits the Linux desktop might bring to their organizations.
Migrating To Linux: Application Challenges and Solutions
Several solutions exist to help organizations migrate in an orderly fashion from Windows to Linux desktops. This paper establishes the characteristics of an ideal cross-platform solution and reviews these alternatives in light of this ideal standard. The paper takes a closer look at the pros and cons of various solutions and outlines the business benefits that can be achieved.
Linux Advantages: Publicly Available Information on Linux Software
This paper offers a brief summary of readily-available Linux information to help businesses sort out this widely misunderstood operating system.
Top 5 Strategies for Managing Linux
Despite continuous evolution in the manageability of Linux, a 2006 survey cited manageability concerns as a top reason why organizations are hesitating to adopt Linux. Levanta believes Linux can be as manageable, if not more so, than other operating systems by following key strategies. These strategic recommendations were developed from experiences in numerous customer environments, both large and small.
Why Choose Novell for Linux?
This paper outlines the benefits of switching to the Linux platform and choosing Novell as a high-performance, enterprise solution.
Enterprise Linux Selection Guide
Considering moving your enterprise to the Linux operating system? Since there are so many similar versions, choosing the right one can be tough. This paper offers a clear process to help you make an informed decision and get the features, support, and cost that are right for your business and technical needs.
Overcoming Challenges in Managing Linux
Levanta has created a new administration model with innovative technology that breaks down the barriers to making the most of Linux systems. This paper will provide an in-depth look at the workings of Levanta’s product, the first Linux appliance of its kind.
SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 for Retail Businesses
Discover why major retailers have switched to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop in the back office. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 is a low-cost desktop that offers a complete set of productivity applications and interoperates seamlessly with the other Windows, Macintosh and UNIX desktops in your store.
Moving to a Linux Desktop
Migrating from Windows to Linux on the desktop can be a substantial undertaking because it has the potential for touching -- and perhaps disrupting -- every user in your organization. Unlike a data center (server and infrastructure) migration that is largely transparent to users, the cultural and administrative transitions and environment readiness required to support a Linux desktop migration are extensive.
Seven Good Reasons to Exchange Exchange
This paper describes seven compelling reasons why you should switch from Exchange to Scalix.
|
|
|
|
|
news feed
