How to upgrade BIOS for a pure Linux machine?

I’m attempting to upgrade the BIOS in an ASUS 1005HA netbook. The netbook runs SuSE 11.3, and no other OS. All the BIOS utilities on from ASUS are Windows or DOS based. ASUS has a utility titled afudos that apparently flashes the programmable ROM. Running afudos using the dosemu utility suggests that one needs to create a DOS boot drive, execute afudos during a reboot with the new ROM image located on the drive.

How does one accomplish said task on a netbook without a floppy disc drive?
Do I create a bootable DOS USB flash drive that contains just afudos and the new bios flash rom upgrade? And if so, how does one do this?

As a side issue, it looks like all the major motherboard vendors do not support Linux. That is, all the motherboard drivers require Windows or DOS. Is there a Linux solution to this problem?

DOS based are not so difficult. Here is one method:
Boot DOS without Floppy - openSUSE
(edit : while is says applicable to openSUSE-10.3 and 11.0, it should work with 11.3. I simply have not tested this for a long time)

I don’t know any easy MS-Windows methods.

This solution is rather involved. I will get back to you on my progress.

I agree it is likely intimidating for a new user. For an average to advanced user it is basic. Good luck on your progress.

Note you are trying to generically run non-specified BIOS update program(s) [which change the firmware in the very core of your PC] which are also designed to run on a DIFFERENT operating system than Linux, where there signficant differences in operating systems. I would be suspicious of any solution that is too simple.

Here is a site that has bootable CD images of DOS. MS-DOS Bootable CD Images | Boot Disks
This is how I would do it.

  1. Download the 6.22 DOS image ad burn it to CD if you dont edit it as in next step.
  2. Open the ISO with AcetoneISO and add the files you need for the BIOS update or place the BIOS update files at the root of your HD.
  3. Boot the DOS CD and execute the files for the CD or from your HD.
    4 Reboot computer or do what it tells you to do.

If you need help with some DOS commands they are all over the net just do a quick search for them thats if you have never messed with DOS.

I updated an ‘unofficial’ copy of that wiki, which I in turn need to send to the wiki people: User : Oldcpu - migration of wiki for how to Boot DOS without Floppy - openSUSE

In particular the name/internet-location of the freedos image file has changed.

Are you sure the solution is this complicated?

I have an Asus Eee 900A and to update the BIOS all I have to do is place the image file, renamed to 900.ROM, on a FAT16-formatted USB stick.

The Eee 900A contains its own flashing utility which can search for this file and update the BIOS with it.

It might be possible that your Eee 1005HA implements a similar mechanism.

On 2010-12-14 20:36, neildarlow wrote:
>
> Are you sure the solution is this complicated?
>
> I have an Asus Eee 900A and to update the BIOS all I have to do is
> place the image file, renamed to 900.ROM, on a FAT16-formatted USB
> stick.

That’s because they have prepared the BIOS itself to do updates that way.
Others require you to boot the machine with msdos or windows, and then run
the bios update program.

It would be interesting to know how many machines use the system you
indicate, it is certainly easier. I suppose there must be an extra boot
option in the bios, or a bios config entry or something.


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)