[LinuxBIOS] Fallback checking normal

[Stefan Reinauer]

* Thomas Ekstrand (AL/EAB) <thomas.ekstrand at ericsson.com> [070323 17:02]:
> I'm wondering wether the fallback ever checks the normal image to see if it is
> ok before jumping to it?

LinuxBIOSv3 will do this.

> If not, why?

The mechanism works in a real life check. A flag is set before the image
is jumped to, and that flag is cleared by the OS loader (or by the OS,
if you wish). Whenever the system is booted with the flag set, it uses
the fallback image instead of the normal image.

So this check does not only check for a correct checksum, but whether
the normal image was actually able to boot the OS. This makes this
feature not only usable for flash failures but also for developer
failures. ;-)

> How is LinuxBIOS support for:
> SMBIOS
> SMI

LinuxBIOS does "support" having those (ie. it does not prevent them) 
but does not implement any system management functionality, as it is not
needed (and even discouraged) to have them. What do you need them for?

> Vmware

Some people on this list have been working on vmware support. 
See the web archive.

Stefan

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