[flashrom] Flashrom and drive firmware update

[Carl-Daniel Hailfinger]

Hi Cirdec,

On 28.09.2010 12:15, Cirdec AREVIR wrote:
> Just a little question for the flashrom project : Could we expect  to use
> Flashrom for drive firmware update ? 

We could do this if we find docs or example code.


> Would that be a lot of work ? 

If the flashing method fits well with flashrom, it should be a few hours
of work. If the flashing model does not fit well with flashrom, it gets
a lot more complicated. flashrom absolutely requires the ability to read
the flash chip for verification. If that is not possible, flashrom just
won't work and it doesn't really make sense to write a flashrom driver
for the drive.


> Do we need NDAs data ?
>   

Example code can replace NDA documents, and if someone is willing to
reverse engineer the mechanism, that could work as well.


> The question come because I can not flash an OEM Sony-Optiarc Bluray drive
> with the official firmware release because OEM are encrypted : I understand
> better what OEM means now ... :-( .
>   

There is always the option of opening the BluRay drive and looking for
the flash chip, then reflashing it with one of the external programmers
supported by flashrom. Admittedly that is a bit more complicated than
simply running a command, but you don't have to care about reverse
engineering any interface that way.

Regards,
Carl-Daniel

-- 
http://www.hailfinger.org/