[OpenBIOS] A talk with Intel on the L440gx+

[Jeff Garzik]

"Ronald G. Minnich" wrote:
> 
> They are polite and unyielding. "We don't tell people how to do that,
> except under strict NDA, and we don't tell them anyway. You could hook up
> a tracer and watch what our BIOS does, but we frown on that".
> 
> As of now, I'm frowning on further use of Intel products ...
> 
> It's clear that there are hidden, undocumented registers in the PIIX4E
> that make FLASH update work. And Intel doesn't want its customers to know
> how they work. Which means Intel customers are stuck booting DOS to
> upgrade BIOSes. Oh, yeah, this also leaves FreeDOS in the cold: you guys
> have the same problem.
> 
> So, if we're going to figure this out, we need to find a virus that writes
> to the bios on an L440GX+, and then reverse engineer that. I doubt the
> virus writers would go after us.
> 
> The intel person did allow as how he thought upgrading devbios to work
> with an l440gx+ was a really great idea; he just made it clear that Intel
> was not willing to help.
> 
> fooey.

honestly, though, most vendors will be like this.  embracing open source
is a big deal, and it is tough enough to get intel to open their specs
and write a linux driver every now and then.

Just pester them until you get an EXE which will flash, if you don't
already have one, and then disassemble that eXE.

	Jeff




-- 
Jeff Garzik         | Only so many songs can be sung
Building 1024       | with two lips, two lungs, and
MandrakeSoft, Inc.  | one tongue.
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