Difference between revisions of "FAQ"

From coreboot
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(→‎Inside mainboard BIOS (re)flash: Those instructions were obsolete for several years.)
Line 198: Line 198:
==== Inside mainboard BIOS (re)flash ====
==== Inside mainboard BIOS (re)flash ====


Download the appropriate flash update utility. Build the romimage as explained above and use the flash update utility to update the BIOS. Be warned that not all update utilities allow you to load your own BIOS image. For example, Intel decided to disallow it for the MS440GX mainboard (probably after hearing about us!) Here are some mainboard specific directions:
Download the appropriate flash update utility. Build the coreboot image as explained above and use the flash update utility to update the BIOS. Be warned that not all update utilities allow you to load your own BIOS image. NOTE: Many vendor specific flash utilities refuse to write "foreign" BIOS images, such as coreboot.


===== General =====
Therefore we suggest that you use the universal flash utility called [http://www.flashrom.org/ flashrom] which was developed and improved by many coreboot developers.
coreboot v2 contains a flash utility called flashrom in the util/flashrom directory. (Old versions had "util/flash_and_burn/flash_rom" instead).


Example:
Example:
Line 223: Line 222:




If neither utility supports your chip, then you could either use the DOS [http://www.uniflash.org/ uniflash] utility, or use its source code, which is also available for download from the uniflash site (in Turbo Pascal 7) as a reference for adding support for your flash chip to "flash_rom".  Uniflash supports a lot of different flash chips, and chip interfaces. It has untested support for PCI expansion card flash BIOS, such as on RTL8139 Ethernet card (32pin DIL), which allows flashing on the NIC if manufacturer provides the circuitry.
Alternatively you could either use the DOS [http://www.uniflash.org/ uniflash] utility, or use its source code, which is also available for download from the uniflash site (in Turbo Pascal 7) as a reference for adding support for your flash chip to "flashrom".  Uniflash supports a lot of different flash chips, and chip interfaces. It has untested support for PCI expansion card flash BIOS, such as on RTL8139 Ethernet card (32pin DIL), which allows flashing on the NIC if manufacturer provides the circuitry.
 
Another tool which runs in linux is [http://sourceforge.net/projects/ctflasher/ flasher].
Another tool which runs in linux is [http://sourceforge.net/projects/ctflasher/ flasher].
===== SiS 630/950 M/Bs =====
Ollie Lho provided us with flash utilities for these boards under freebios/util/sis.
flash_on turns on the flash write enable. This needs to be run before loading the DoC drivers.
flash_rom allows you to use your SiS 630/950 M/Bs as a flash programmer. It currently supports JEDEC flash parts, AMD am29f040b models, MXIC MX29F002 models, and SST28SF040C models.
===== Intel L440GX =====
Get the System Update Package directly from Intel. mcopy the ten files created from running make phlash onto the Intel flash burner disk and use the update utility to burn the BIOS. To restore the original BIOS, set the recovery boot jumper on the motherboard, put the floppy in, and it will load and reflash the original BIOS.
How do I actually burn a flash ROM?
Buy your favorite flash burner (we use a Needham Electronics EMP 30). Use make floppy to create the romimage and copy it to a floppy. Then use the provided software to burn the flash.




Revision as of 15:20, 5 December 2009

Retrieved from "https://www.coreboot.org/index.php?title=FAQ&oldid=9170"