From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Wed, 1 Aug 2001 18:38:20 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Wed, 1 Aug 2001 18:38:10 -0400 Received: from ns.suse.de ([213.95.15.193]:37394 "HELO Cantor.suse.de") by vger.kernel.org with SMTP id ; Wed, 1 Aug 2001 18:37:53 -0400 Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 00:37:47 +0200 From: Stefan Reinauer To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: [ANNOUNCE] /dev/bios 0.3.1 released Message-ID: <20010802003747.A7850@suse.de> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.3.16i X-OS: Linux 2.4.7 ia64 Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Dear hackers, weren't you ever frustrated about the fact that updating your hardware's flash firmware needs proprietary closed source software installed? There's a solution to this problem: a kernel driver for different kinds of (Flash)BIOSs that are available in today's x86 or Alpha AXP hardware. It's /dev/bios - and the latest version 0.3.1 was released recently. There are well known BIOSs for * System BIOS (resides at 0xe0000) * graphics hardware (e.g. VGA-adapters at 0xc0000) * SCSI host adapters * networking interfaces with 'BOOT ROM' * ... While in former times these BIOSs were implemented by using ROM or EPROM (both can't be updated without opening your computer) today's PC hardware is normally delivered with so called FLASH ROMs. These can simply be updated by software. This driver has the approach to make Linux read and write flash roms. What's new in 0.3.1? * compiles and works with Linux kernel 2.4 * rewrote flash chip probing * always use ioremap now * flash chips above 128k should work transparent * Support for newer VIA chipsets Devbios can be downloaded from http://www.freiburg.linux.de/~stepan/bios/ Please be sure to READ the README ;-) As long as you load the module without special parameters, it's in readonly mode and can't mess up your system, so please don't hesitate to try it out and mail me any test results Best regards, Stefan Reinauer, -- OpenBIOS - free your system.