ASUS

[Chris]

By the way I have contacted ASUS about the problem, but no answer.
I would be only too willing to make a donation to the project if we can 
get this sorted out!

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	error message: flashrom
Date: 	Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:34:52 +0100
From: 	Chris 
To: 	[e-mail]

Hi,
Please help me, I get the message below when I try and flash the bios
with flashrom.

I have the new ROM file on my desktop waiting to install. It may have a
compatibility issue because although it is the correct one, it is for
motherboard ASUS P5L-VM-1394 and I have the P5L-VM-1394 (V-P5945G).
Which is why the built in system BIOS updater wouldn't work.

I also tried AFUDOS (didn't have motherboard DVD) and the proprietory
ASUS updater ((which runs in Windows partition)- same problem re: new
BIOS "compatibility").

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Chris Hudson

Calibrating delay loop... OK.
========================================================================
WARNING! You may be running flashrom on an unsupported laptop. We could
not detect this for sure because your vendor has not setup the SMBIOS
tables correctly. You can enforce execution by adding
'-p internal:laptop=force_I_want_a_brick' to the command line, but
please read the following warning if you are not sure.

Laptops, notebooks and netbooks are difficult to support and we
recommend to use the vendor flashing utility. The embedded controller
(EC) in these machines often interacts badly with flashing.
See http://www.flashrom.org/Laptops for details.

If flash is shared with the EC, erase is guaranteed to brick your laptop
and write may brick your laptop.
Read and probe may irritate your EC and cause fan failure, backlight
failure and sudden poweroff.
You have been warned.
========================================================================

[Idwer Vollering]

Hi, my comment(s) are inline:

2011/10/21 Chris
> By the way I have contacted ASUS about the problem, but no answer.
> I would be only too willing to make a donation to the project if we can get this sorted out!
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: error message: flashrom
> Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:34:52 +0100
> From: Chris 
> To: [e-mail]
>
> Hi,
> Please help me, I get the message below when I try and flash the bios
> with flashrom.
>
> I have the new ROM file on my desktop waiting to install. It may have a
> compatibility issue because although it is the correct one, it is for
> motherboard ASUS P5L-VM-1394 and I have the P5L-VM-1394 (V-P5945G).
> Which is why the built in system BIOS updater wouldn't work.
>
> I also tried AFUDOS (didn't have motherboard DVD) and the proprietory
> ASUS updater ((which runs in Windows partition)- same problem re: new
> BIOS "compatibility").
>
> Thanks in advance for any assistance!
>
> Chris Hudson
> Calibrating delay loop... OK.
>
> WARNING! You may be running flashrom on an unsupported laptop. We could
> not detect this for sure because your vendor has not setup the SMBIOS
> tables correctly.

This happens when a board's DMI table is incomplete, flashrom looks
for the chassis type in that table ("Desktop", for example, is a valid
type).

Unfortunately you haven't mentioned which version of flashrom you are
using, but when you use the latest code [1] you should be able to run
flashrom like this: flashrom -V -w <new_bios_file.extension> -p
internal:this_is_not_a_laptop

[1]: http://flashrom.org/Downloads
> You can enforce execution by adding
> '-p internal:laptop=force_I_want_a_brick' to the command line, but
> please read the following warning if you are not sure.
>
> Laptops, notebooks and netbooks are difficult to support and we
> recommend to use the vendor flashing utility. The embedded controller
> (EC) in these machines often interacts badly with flashing.
> See http://www.flashrom.org/Laptops for details.
>
> If flash is shared with the EC, erase is guaranteed to brick your laptop
> and write may brick your laptop.
> Read and probe may irritate your EC and cause fan failure, backlight
> failure and sudden poweroff.
> You have been warned.
> ========================================================================
>
> flashrom mailing list
> [e-mail]
> http://www.flashrom.org/mailman/listinfo/flashrom

[Stefan Tauner]

On Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:39:47 +0100
Chris  wrote:
> By the way I have contacted ASUS about the problem, but no answer.
> I would be only too willing to make a donation to the project if we can 
> get this sorted out!

hello!

i am not sure why, but we have not received your first mail. we had
some maintenance yesterday so...
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: 	error message: flashrom
> Date: 	Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:34:52 +0100
> From: 	Chris 
> To: 	[e-mail]
>
> Hi,
> Please help me, I get the message below when I try and flash the bios
> with flashrom.
>
> I have the new ROM file on my desktop waiting to install. It may have a
> compatibility issue because although it is the correct one, it is for
> motherboard ASUS P5L-VM-1394 and I have the P5L-VM-1394 (V-P5945G).
> Which is why the built in system BIOS updater wouldn't work.

this reads a bit like this
http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20090425024409002&board_id=1&...

maybe this is just an error in the flash programs or the image... i
cant find a barebone pc with the name V-P5945G... did the mainboard
come with a barebone pc from asus like this one
http://www.asus.com/Barebone_PC/V_Series_2530L/V2P5945G/
or did you buy the board alone?
> I also tried AFUDOS (didn't have motherboard DVD) and the proprietory
> ASUS updater ((which runs in Windows partition)- same problem re: new
> BIOS "compatibility").
>
> Thanks in advance for any assistance!

you did not mention which version of flashrom you were using, please
provide the full verbose log (flashrom -V).
> Calibrating delay loop... OK.
>
> WARNING! You may be running flashrom on an unsupported laptop. We could
> not detect this for sure because your vendor has not setup the SMBIOS
> tables correctly. You can enforce execution by adding
> '-p internal:laptop=force_I_want_a_brick' to the command line, but
> please read the following warning if you are not sure.
>
> Laptops, notebooks and netbooks are difficult to support and we
> recommend to use the vendor flashing utility. The embedded controller
> (EC) in these machines often interacts badly with flashing.
> See http://www.flashrom.org/Laptops for details.
>
> If flash is shared with the EC, erase is guaranteed to brick your laptop
> and write may brick your laptop.
> Read and probe may irritate your EC and cause fan failure, backlight
> failure and sudden poweroff.
> You have been warned.
> ========================================================================

obviously you are not using a laptop here, so there is no problem. just
use the additional parameter as described above please.

[mindzeebeez]

..so I just add

-p internal:laptop=force_I_want_a_brick

..after the normal command to install the new bios?

Just out of interest, how does the program find the new BIOS file (.ROM)?
It is currently on my desk top. Please, do I need to specify the file path, and if so please can you give me an example of this?

Chris Hudson BA(Hons.)

On 21 Oct, 2011,at 12:57 PM, Stefan Tauner  wrote:
> On Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:39:47 +0100
> Chris  wrote:
> > By the way I have contacted ASUS about the problem, but no answer.
> > I would be only too willing to make a donation to the project if we can
> > get this sorted out!
>
> hello!
>
> i am not sure why, but we have not received your first mail. we had
> some maintenance yesterday so...
> > -------- Original Message --------
> > Subject: error message: flashrom
> > Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:34:52 +0100
> > From: Chris 
> > To: [e-mail]
> >
> > Hi,
> > Please help me, I get the message below when I try and flash the bios
> > with flashrom.
> >
> > I have the new ROM file on my desktop waiting to install. It may have a
> > compatibility issue because although it is the correct one, it is for
> > motherboard ASUS P5L-VM-1394 and I have the P5L-VM-1394 (V-P5945G).
> > Which is why the built in system BIOS updater wouldn't work.
>
> this reads a bit like this
> http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20090425024409002&board_id=1&...
>
> maybe this is just an error in the flash programs or the image... i
> cant find a barebone pc with the name V-P5945G... did the mainboard
> come with a barebone pc from asus like this one
> http://www.asus.com/Barebone_PC/V_Series_2530L/V2P5945G/
> or did you buy the board alone?
> > I also tried AFUDOS (didn't have motherboard DVD) and the proprietory
> > ASUS updater ((which runs in Windows partition)- same problem re: new
> > BIOS "compatibility").
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any assistance!
>
> you did not mention which version of flashrom you were using, please
> provide the full verbose log (flashrom -V).
> > Calibrating delay loop... OK.
> >
> > WARNING! You may be running flashrom on an unsupported laptop. We could
> > not detect this for sure because your vendor has not setup the SMBIOS
> > tables correctly. You can enforce execution by adding
> > '-p internal:laptop=force_I_want_a_brick' to the command line, but
> > please read the following warning if you are not sure.
> >
> > Laptops, notebooks and netbooks are difficult to support and we
> > recommend to use the vendor flashing utility. The embedded controller
> > (EC) in these machines often interacts badly with flashing.
> > See http://www.flashrom.org/Laptops for details.
> >
> > If flash is shared with the EC, erase is guaranteed to brick your laptop
> > and write may brick your laptop.
> > Read and probe may irritate your EC and cause fan failure, backlight
> > failure and sudden poweroff.
> > You have been warned.
> > ========================================================================
>
> obviously you are not using a laptop here, so there is no problem. just
> use the additional parameter as described above please.

[Idwer Vollering]

2011/10/21 mindzeebeez :
> ...so I just add
>
> -p internal:laptop=force_I_want_a_brick
>
> ...after the normal command to install the new bios?

If you are using the stable/release version: yes, if you are using a
build based on subversion code you can use "-p
internal:this_is_not_a_laptop".
> Just out of interest, how does the program find the new BIOS file (.ROM)?
> It is currently on my desk top. Please, do I need to specify the file path,
> and if so please can you give me an example of this?

That is not necessary when the flashrom binary is in a directory in
PATH - if the flashrom binary is in PATH, just run "flashrom -Vw
<filename.rom>" in the directory where the .rom file resides/is
unpacked.
> Chris Hudson BA(Hons.)
>
> On 21 Oct, 2011,at 12:57 PM, Stefan Tauner
>  wrote:
>
> On Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:39:47 +0100
> Chris  wrote:
> > By the way I have contacted ASUS about the problem, but no answer.
> > I would be only too willing to make a donation to the project if we can
> > get this sorted out!
>
> hello!
>
> i am not sure why, but we have not received your first mail. we had
> some maintenance yesterday so...
> > -------- Original Message --------
> > Subject: error message: flashrom
> > Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:34:52 +0100
> > From: Chris 
> > To: [e-mail]
> >
> > Hi,
> > Please help me, I get the message below when I try and flash the bios
> > with flashrom.
> >
> > I have the new ROM file on my desktop waiting to install. It may have a
> > compatibility issue because although it is the correct one, it is for
> > motherboard ASUS P5L-VM-1394 and I have the P5L-VM-1394 (V-P5945G).
> > Which is why the built in system BIOS updater wouldn't work.
>
> this reads a bit like this
> http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20090425024409002&board_id=1&...
>
> maybe this is just an error in the flash programs or the image... i
> cant find a barebone pc with the name V-P5945G... did the mainboard
> come with a barebone pc from asus like this one
> http://www.asus.com/Barebone_PC/V_Series_2530L/V2P5945G/
> or did you buy the board alone?
> > I also tried AFUDOS (didn't have motherboard DVD) and the proprietory
> > ASUS updater ((which runs in Windows partition)- same problem re: new
> > BIOS "compatibility").
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any assistance!
>
> you did not mention which version of flashrom you were using, please
> provide the full verbose log (flashrom -V).
> > Calibrating delay loop... OK.
> >
> > WARNING! You may be running flashrom on an unsupported laptop. We could
> > not detect this for sure because your vendor has not setup the SMBIOS
> > tables correctly. You can enforce execution by adding
> > '-p internal:laptop=force_I_want_a_brick' to the command line, but
> > please read the following warning if you are not sure.
> >
> > Laptops, notebooks and netbooks are difficult to support and we
> > recommend to use the vendor flashing utility. The embedded controller
> > (EC) in these machines often interacts badly with flashing.
> > See http://www.flashrom.org/Laptops for details.
> >
> > If flash is shared with the EC, erase is guaranteed to brick your laptop
> > and write may brick your laptop.
> > Read and probe may irritate your EC and cause fan failure, backlight
> > failure and sudden poweroff.
> > You have been warned.
> > ========================================================================
>
> obviously you are not using a laptop here, so there is no problem. just
> use the additional parameter as described above please.
>
> flashrom mailing list
> [e-mail]
> http://www.flashrom.org/mailman/listinfo/flashrom

[Chris]

On 10/21/2011 12:57 PM, Stefan Tauner wrote:
> On Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:39:47 +0100
> Chris  wrote:
> > By the way I have contacted ASUS about the problem, but no answer.
> > I would be only too willing to make a donation to the project if we can
> > get this sorted out!
>
> hello!
>
> i am not sure why, but we have not received your first mail. we had
> some maintenance yesterday so...
> > -------- Original Message --------
> > Subject: 	error message: flashrom
> > Date: 	Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:34:52 +0100
> > From: 	Chris
> > To: 	[e-mail]
> >
> > Hi,
> > Please help me, I get the message below when I try and flash the bios
> > with flashrom.
> >
> > I have the new ROM file on my desktop waiting to install. It may have a
> > compatibility issue because although it is the correct one, it is for
> > motherboard ASUS P5L-VM-1394 and I have the P5L-VM-1394 (V-P5945G).
> > Which is why the built in system BIOS updater wouldn't work.
>
> this reads a bit like this
> http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20090425024409002&board_id=1&...
>
> maybe this is just an error in the flash programs or the image... i
> cant find a barebone pc with the name V-P5945G... did the mainboard
> come with a barebone pc from asus like this one
> http://www.asus.com/Barebone_PC/V_Series_2530L/V2P5945G/
> or did you buy the board alone?
> > I also tried AFUDOS (didn't have motherboard DVD) and the proprietory
> > ASUS updater ((which runs in Windows partition)- same problem re: new
> > BIOS "compatibility").
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any assistance!
>
> you did not mention which version of flashrom you were using, please
> provide the full verbose log (flashrom -V).
> > Calibrating delay loop... OK.
> >
> > WARNING! You may be running flashrom on an unsupported laptop. We could
> > not detect this for sure because your vendor has not setup the SMBIOS
> > tables correctly. You can enforce execution by adding
> > '-p internal:laptop=force_I_want_a_brick' to the command line, but
> > please read the following warning if you are not sure.
> >
> > Laptops, notebooks and netbooks are difficult to support and we
> > recommend to use the vendor flashing utility. The embedded controller
> > (EC) in these machines often interacts badly with flashing.
> > See http://www.flashrom.org/Laptops for details.
> >
> > If flash is shared with the EC, erase is guaranteed to brick your laptop
> > and write may brick your laptop.
> > Read and probe may irritate your EC and cause fan failure, backlight
> > failure and sudden poweroff.
> > You have been warned.
> > ========================================================================
>
> obviously you are not using a laptop here, so there is no problem. just
> use the additional parameter as described above please.

Hi,
I have tried the flash process with the additional parameter now, and 
get the error output described below:

flashrom v0.9.4-r1394 on Linux 3.0.0-12-generic (i686), built with 
libpci 3.1.7, GCC 4.6.1, little endian
flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org

Calibrating delay loop... OS timer resolution is 1 usecs, 2188M loops 
per second, 10 myus = 11 us, 100 myus = 100 us, 1000 myus = 995 us, 
10000 myus = 9960 us, 4 myus = 4 us, OK.
Initializing internal programmer
No coreboot table found.
DMI string system-manufacturer: "System manufacturer"
DMI string system-product-name: "System Product Name"
DMI string system-version: "System Version"
DMI string baseboard-manufacturer: "ASUSTeK Computer INC."
DMI string baseboard-product-name: "P5L-VM 1394"
DMI string baseboard-version: "Rev 1.xx"
DMI string chassis-type: "<OUT OF SPEC>"
DMI chassis-type is not specific enough.
========================================================================
WARNING! You may be running flashrom on an unsupported laptop. We could
not detect this for sure because your vendor has not setup the SMBIOS
tables correctly. You can enforce execution by adding
'-p internal:laptop=force_I_want_a_brick' to the command line, but
please read the following warning if you are not sure.

Laptops, notebooks and netbooks are difficult to support and we
recommend to use the vendor flashing utility. The embedded controller
(EC) in these machines often interacts badly with flashing.
See http://www.flashrom.org/Laptops for details.

If flash is shared with the EC, erase is guaranteed to brick your laptop
and write may brick your laptop.
Read and probe may irritate your EC and cause fan failure, backlight
failure and sudden poweroff.
You have been warned.
========================================================================
Aborting.
> Please, the first reference to the Asus website is the correct one I was basing my query on:

http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20090425024409002&board_id=1&...

...but the second one showing the barebone is incorrect, I have a low 
profile chassis. Should I open her up and get the chassis number if this 
would help solve my problem? As I say I am more than willing to make a 
donation if I can get this sorted, I have been to the shop which sold me 
the computer and they couldn't sort it out.
   Problem started when I updated the wireless card driver and had to 
re-seat the driver card. Things got a bit technical and I now have the 
"Intel CPU U-Code loading error. Press f1 to continue"  kind of error 
message every time I boot up, so I thought flashing the BIOS to a more 
recent one would solve this annoyance.
Thanks again for your help here.
Chris