Folks, I've got a problem. I've got several dozen machines to update the
BIOS on. I could theoretically mount a floppy or CD and use the
manufacturer's update tools on a Windows floppy, but the machines don't
actually *HAVE* floppies or CD's. I'd love to do it over the network, but
loading the floppy image over the network doesn't allow successful BIOS
updates.

Has anyone gotten this working with USB drives, especailly USB drives and
floppy images I can configure from a Linux machine, since the network
doesn't have any Windows boxes on it? And does anyone have good toolsets for
reloading BIOS's or even just the CMOS settings of BIOS's, not ones that I
have to reverse-engineer all the configuration out of such as the LinuxBIOS
associated tools?

("Nico Kadel-Garcia" <nkadel@comcast.net>) scribbled:

> Folks, I've got a problem. I've got several dozen machines to update the
> BIOS on. I could theoretically mount a floppy or CD and use the
> manufacturer's update tools on a Windows floppy, but the machines don't
> actually *HAVE* floppies or CD's. I'd love to do it over the network, but
> loading the floppy image over the network doesn't allow successful BIOS
> updates.
>
> Has anyone gotten this working with USB drives, especailly USB drives and
> floppy images I can configure from a Linux machine, since the network
> doesn't have any Windows boxes on it? And does anyone have good toolsets for
> reloading BIOS's or even just the CMOS settings of BIOS's, not ones that I
> have to reverse-engineer all the configuration out of such as the LinuxBIOS
> associated tools?

???????
http://www.linuxsa.org.au/pipermail/...er/075117.html


--
<< http://michaeljtobler.homelinux.com (Beta Band, The - Dragon) >>
Our missions are peaceful -- not for conquest.
When we do battle, it is only because we have no choice.
- Kirk, "The Squire of Gothos", stardate 2124.5

(mjt <mjtobler@removethis_mail.ru>) scribbled:

> ("Nico Kadel-Garcia" <nkadel@comcast.net>) scribbled:
>
> > Folks, I've got a problem. I've got several dozen machines to update the
> > BIOS on. I could theoretically mount a floppy or CD and use the

[snip]
> ???????
> http://www.linuxsa.org.au/pipermail/...er/075117.html

.... also ....

More PXE Madness
So, being Windowless, I\u2019m trying to do another install,
but this time since I'll no longer have such reliable access
to another machine to act as a PXE server, I really want to
be able to boot off of CompactFlash.

I might be able to do it after a BIOS upgrade.

But, how to update the BIOS with no floppy drive and no
Windows installation? Again, PXE to the rescue! After a lot
of fruitless googling, I found this little gem:

http://www.zytor.com/pipermail/sysli...er/002721.html

So I've used a Windows box to make the floppies, then dd'ed
the images off, and dumped them down into /var/lib/tftpboot
where they belong, along with memdisk from /usr/lib/syslinux/memdisk.

The first update, to the ECP, went well, and I'm running
the BIOS update now. Fingers crossed\u2026

--
<< http://michaeljtobler.homelinux.com (Beta Band, The - Quiet) >>
Most rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who
can't talk for people who can't read. - Frank Zappa

"mjt" <mjtobler@removethis_mail.ru> wrote in message
news:20050308064306.2b53e84d@stimpy.linux.local...

> ???????
> http://www.linuxsa.org.au/pipermail/...er/075117.html

That page describes, in detail using a CD drive. These things don't *have*
CD drives. They do have USB, and they do have network, but using a floppy or
CD would invilve taking them out of the rack, opening them up, installing CD
drives, etc., etc. Not a good idea in a production environment.

[snip]
> ???????
> http://www.linuxsa.org.au/pipermail/...er/075117.html

This page describes PXE, but never actually tried it. I've done PXE boots
and tried it, but attempting to run the BIOS flashing tools from a PXE
loaded floppy image simply crashes the machine, even with a floppy image
that works on the one machine that actually is out of the rack and has a
floppy and CD drive (I've tried both).

I need an example of someone actually *doing* it. Network installation would
be good, but USB drive would work, too. A tool that could install the BIOS
on various modern motherboards from the Linux operating system would be
ideal, but I'm afraid that's not working except with LinuxBIOS enableed
motherboards or their ilk, and I don't have such a BIOS for these systems.