How do I upgrade my bios?

English Hardware
21

On 09/27/2011 05:46 AM, LewsTherinTelemon wrote:
> Dell makes BIOS updates for their servers available as a Linux binary

but, i do not think they so fully support their home market
desktops/laptops…

yes, most (maybe all) of their servers are certified for use with SLES/D
(and other enterprise systems) and they provide all expected support for
their use…but, it is an entirely different matter if you buy a
‘consumer’ machine with MS installed, and then add Linux yourself…

see, you buy it with MS and they supply bios fixes using MS, which means
(to them) no problem

but, buy a Dell laptop with SLED installed and . . .

–
DD
openSUSE®, the “German Automobiles” of operating systems

22

Yes, of course. The point I was making was that tools readily exist for flashing BIOS from Linux, and at least one vendor uses them on their enterprise products.

Obviously an Acer notebook from Your Local Retailer is not the same as an Enterprise server.

However, it would be nice if Acer (and Award, etc.) did the rather trivial work it would take to support flashing via Linux.

That’s all.

23

On 09/27/2011 01:06 PM, LewsTherinTelemon wrote:
>
> However, it would be nice if Acer (and Award, etc.) did the rather
> trivial work it would take to support flashing via Linux.

we agree completely…and, the sooner folks stop buying windows machines
and adding Linux, and instead buys Linux machines . . .

(yes, guilty–the one i’m typing on came with the dark side installed,
but my previous box came without any OS, and i installed 64 bit SuSE 9.2
on it.)

–
DD
openSUSE®, the “German Automobiles” of operating systems

24

Tested flashing utils:

  • flashrom (if your board is supported) flashrom
    or
  • your BIOS has the capability to flash itself from a vfat/fat16 partition
    otherwise:
  • FreeDOS FreeDOS | The FreeDOS Project and create a bootable CD/USB with the windows flashing utility

Note: Honor jdmcdaniel3’s checklist.

25

Actually Drahnr, that is for DOS only based flash utils - there are, in fact, ones out there which require Windows - not DOS, in which case you are pretty much screwed. (BartPE as was previously discussed, but it is a pain.)

26

I never stumbled across such one, but I must admit, since flashrom did work for my last 2 motherboards, I did not bother to try other options.
Thanks for correcting

27

I’m trying to upgrade the bios of an hp netbook. I have an HP Mini 110-1020LA.

28

One of the biggest reasons I went with Intel this time around is I found them to be very Linux friendly and they have a Linux utility to update your bios. Here is a link.
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=18317

29
WinFlash for HP NetBook System BIOS - Microsoft Windows-Based ►
2010-01-14 , Version:F.19, 1.1M(‏Previous versions available)‏](http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/previousVersions?softwareitem=ob-80313-1&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&os=228&product=3966058&sw_lang=)
This package contains the WinFlash Utility and a System BIOS image for the supported HP NetBook models and operating systems. The WinFlash Utility is used to locally flash the System BIOS (ROM) on …
More info
WinFlash for HP NetBook System BIOS - Microsoft Windows-Based ►
2009-06-04 , Version:F.06 F, 1006.54k(‏Previous versions available)‏](http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/previousVersions?softwareitem=ob-72182-1&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&os=228&product=3966058&sw_lang=)
This package contains the WinFlash Utility and a System BIOS image for the supported HP NetBook models and operating systems. The WinFlash Utility is used to locally flash the System BIOS (ROM) on …
More info

Here is what I found out on a BIOS update for the HP Mini 110-1020LA derhundchen and it appears you need to be using Windows XP to do the update.

Thank You,