It is hard to report a bug....

[Sven Anders]

Hi,

first I want to thank you for your great work. I would like to use
flashrom, to try coreboot.

But I have trouble to use flashrom with a "Dell Optiplex" mainboard:

-- snip --

flashrom -r flash-file
flashrom v0.9.2-r1141 on Linux 2.6.32-5-amd64 (x86_64), built with
libpci 3.1.7, GCC 4.4.5 20100728 (prerelease), little endian
flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org

Calibrating delay loop... OK.
No coreboot table found.
Found chipset "Intel ICH8/ICH8R", enabling flash write... tried to set
0xdc to 0x3 on ICH8/ICH8R failed (WARNING ONLY)
WARNING: SPI Configuration Lockdown activated.
FAILED!
This chipset supports the following protocols: FWH,SPI.
Found chip "Spansion S25FL008A" (1024 KB, SPI) at physical address
0xfff00000.
ich_spi_send_command: Internal command size error for opcode 0xab, got
writecnt=4, want =1
Reading flash... Read operation failed!
FAILED.

-- snap --

I have used the flashrom version from debian squeeze. So I thought: "I
should use a newer version" . But when I try to download it from:

http://www.flashrom.org/Downloads

I have got a page with an error: "Status Code: 404"

So I try to open a bug on:
http://www.flashrom.org/trac/flashrom/newticket

I have spend realy time to put in the right text, but when I pressed
"Create Ticket" the Web Page said somethink like, it would be junk and
will be discarded, so I have done this work for nothing.

So I hope, someone will fix this 3 reported bugs:

* Problem with flashrom on a Dell Optiplex
* Not working download link.
* Not working Issue Tracker (if it should not be used by users, the link
to report bugs should be hidden for them)

Best Regards
Sven Anders

[Stefan Tauner]

On Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:36:41 +0200
Sven Anders  wrote:
> Hi,
>
> first I want to thank you for your great work. I would like to use
> flashrom, to try coreboot.
>
> But I have trouble to use flashrom with a "Dell Optiplex" mainboard:
>
> -- snip --
>
> flashrom -r flash-file
> flashrom v0.9.2-r1141 on Linux 2.6.32-5-amd64 (x86_64), built with
> libpci 3.1.7, GCC 4.4.5 20100728 (prerelease), little endian
> flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org
>
> Calibrating delay loop... OK.
> No coreboot table found.
> Found chipset "Intel ICH8/ICH8R", enabling flash write... tried to set
> 0xdc to 0x3 on ICH8/ICH8R failed (WARNING ONLY)
> WARNING: SPI Configuration Lockdown activated.
> FAILED!
> This chipset supports the following protocols: FWH,SPI.
> Found chip "Spansion S25FL008A" (1024 KB, SPI) at physical address
> 0xfff00000.
> ich_spi_send_command: Internal command size error for opcode 0xab, got
> writecnt=4, want =1
> Reading flash... Read operation failed!
> FAILED.
>
> -- snap --
>
> I have used the flashrom version from debian squeeze. So I thought: "I
> should use a newer version" .

good idea, because 0.9.2 is ancient. ;)
you may not be able to succeed with the current developers version
either, but i would really like to see a (verbose i.e. with parameter
-V) log of an read attempt with it. i am currently working on better
support for intel chipsets.
> But when I try to download it from:
>
> http://www.flashrom.org/Downloads
>
> I have got a page with an error: "Status Code: 404"

thanks for reporting that. the downloads page works fine, it is the
link to the (previously updated) coreboot server that no longer works.
> So I try to open a bug on:
> http://www.flashrom.org/trac/flashrom/newticket
>
> I have spend realy time to put in the right text, but when I pressed
> "Create Ticket" the Web Page said somethink like, it would be junk and
> will be discarded, so I have done this work for nothing.

when i go there it clearly states "New tickets you submit will be
routed for moderation. If you have an account, please log in first."
so it may not be discarded but in the moderation queue. i dont have
access to it, but in that case it will be dealt with.

[SPAM?] Re: It is hard to report a bug....

[Stefan Tauner]

On Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:26:07 +0200
Stefan Tauner  wrote:
> > But when I try to download it from:
> >
> > http://www.flashrom.org/Downloads
> >
> > I have got a page with an error: "Status Code: 404"
>
> thanks for reporting that. the downloads page works fine, it is the
> link to the (previously updated) coreboot server that no longer works.

thanks to stefan reinauer we now have our own subdomain for
flashrom-related downloads at http://download.flashrom.org/
i have updated the wiki accordingly ("Downloads" page only).

[Sven Anders]

Am 17.06.2011 16:26, schrieb Stefan Tauner:
> > I have used the flashrom version from debian squeeze. So I thought: "I
> > should use a newer version" .
>
> good idea, because 0.9.2 is ancient. ;)
> you may not be able to succeed with the current developers version
> either, but i would really like to see a (verbose i.e. with parameter
> -V) log of an read attempt with it. i am currently working on better
> support for intel chipsets.

In the attachment you will find the output for the machine (0.9.3-r1324).
> > So I try to open a bug on:
> > http://www.flashrom.org/trac/flashrom/newticket
> >
> > I have spend realy time to put in the right text, but when I pressed
> > "Create Ticket" the Web Page said somethink like, it would be junk and
> > will be discarded, so I have done this work for nothing.
>
> when i go there it clearly states "New tickets you submit will be
> routed for moderation. If you have an account, please log in first."
> so it may not be discarded but in the moderation queue. i dont have
> access to it, but in that case it will be dealt with.

I have filled in a bug again, and wrote down the message:

-- snip --
Trac-Fehler

Submission rejected as potential spam

-- snap --
(Trac-Fehler is german for "Trac-Error")

That does not sound like it will be held for moderation.

I have also searched for a posibility to create a Trac account, but I
found  no register page. Please change the issue tracker, because I am
sure that you will loose many information from users, if they see such a
page.

Sven

[Paul Menzel]

Dear Sven,

Am Montag, den 20.06.2011, 08:29 +0200 schrieb Sven Anders:

[…]
> In the attachment you will find the output for the machine (0.9.3-r1324).

[…]
> flashrom v0.9.2-r1141 on Linux 2.6.32-5-amd64 (x86_64), built with libpci 3.1.7, GCC 4.4.5 20100728 (prerelease), little endian
> flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org

it looks like the log file you attached is from a run with the old
flashrom version.

Thanks,

Paul

[Stefan Tauner]

On Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:29:14 +0200
Sven Anders  wrote:
> Am 17.06.2011 16:26, schrieb Stefan Tauner:
> > > I have used the flashrom version from debian squeeze. So I thought: "I
> > > should use a newer version" .
> >
> > good idea, because 0.9.2 is ancient. ;)
> > you may not be able to succeed with the current developers version
> > either, but i would really like to see a (verbose i.e. with parameter
> > -V) log of an read attempt with it. i am currently working on better
> > support for intel chipsets.
>
> In the attachment you will find the output for the machine (0.9.3-r1324).

nope i wont ;)
if you did not uninstall the old version it is probably still in your
PATH and gets executed when you launch "flashrom". you need to either
remove the old version and change your PATH variable to contain the
path where the new binary is, or you execute flashrom directly
with ./flashrom.
> I have filled in a bug again, and wrote down the message:
>
> -- snip --
> Trac-Fehler
>
> Submission rejected as potential spam
>
> -- snap --
> (Trac-Fehler is german for "Trac-Error")
>
> That does not sound like it will be held for moderation.

nope, and it is different from what i got when i filed a report. i will
inform the admin of our trac. sorry for the time trac has stolen you.
> I have also searched for a posibility to create a Trac account, but I
> found  no register page. Please change the issue tracker, because I am
> sure that you will loose many information from users, if they see such a
> page.

jup, there is no registration possible afaics.

[Sven Anders]

Am 20.06.2011 12:47, schrieb Stefan Tauner:
> On Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:29:14 +0200
> Sven Anders  wrote:
> > Am 17.06.2011 16:26, schrieb Stefan Tauner:
> > > > I have used the flashrom version from debian squeeze. So I thought: "I
> > > > should use a newer version" .
> > >
> > > good idea, because 0.9.2 is ancient. ;)
> > > you may not be able to succeed with the current developers version
> > > either, but i would really like to see a (verbose i.e. with parameter
> > > -V) log of an read attempt with it. i am currently working on better
> > > support for intel chipsets.
> >
> > In the attachment you will find the output for the machine (0.9.3-r1324).
>
> nope i wont ;)
> if you did not uninstall the old version it is probably still in your
> PATH and gets executed when you launch "flashrom". you need to either
> remove the old version and change your PATH variable to contain the
> path where the new binary is, or you execute flashrom directly
> with ./flashrom.

you are right.

I did it again now with ./flashrom

Sven

[Stefan Tauner]

On Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:30:55 +0200
Sven Anders  wrote:
> I did it again now with ./flashrom

hello sven,

your board has a quite locked down configuration.
1. it does not allow us enabling bios writes without interacting with
  SMM.
2. it has locked down the spi configuration without providing valid
  flash descriptors and has set up a locked region in the first 4 kB of
  the bios address range. this prevents usfrom accessing this region. i
  am working on circumventing this. it might not be needed/helpful in
  this case (the data in that region could be unimportant) though.
3. because of (2) we are limited to a subset of SPI opcodes to use and
  the normal read command (0x03) is not allowed. i have not looked into
  it in detail, but there is probably an alternative for that, we just
  don't use it (yet).

to sum up this means that you should not expect to be able to use
flashrom to update the bios of that board soon. a verbose log of
executing the current developer source might help digging further, but
it won't change my previous statement at all. providing it nevertheless
would be appreciated though. :)
sorry for the bad news.

[Sven Anders]

Am 20.06.2011 16:04, schrieb Stefan Tauner:
> On Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:30:55 +0200
> to sum up this means that you should not expect to be able to use
> flashrom to update the bios of that board soon. a verbose log of
> executing the current developer source might help digging further, but
> it won't change my previous statement at all. providing it nevertheless
> would be appreciated though. :)
> sorry for the bad news.

Thank you for the clear words.

Sven