From: noemail@basdxcqvbe.com   
      
   On Mon, 12 Jul 2021 17:09:08 GMT   
   scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) wrote:   
      
   > Rod Pemberton  writes:   
   > >On Sat, 10 Jul 2021 16:07:57 GMT   
   > >scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) wrote:   
      
   > >> Updating the firmware image is very complex, and the firmware   
   > >> contains several security-related blobs (microcode updates,   
   > >> SMM mode code, etc) that one must husband carefully.   
   > >   
   > >It's only "complicated" if you're using the same device to update   
   > >it's own firmware.  If the chip is programmed off-board, it's not   
   > >difficult.   
   >   
   > When was the last time you created a firmware images for a mondern   
   > processor?   
      
   I never did.  I worked for an electronics manufacturer which did their   
   own embedded ROMs in house.  That was some decades ago.  They were   
   E2PROMs, and not for PCs.   
      
   > I'm not talking about the process to update the firmware storage   
   > device, I'm talking about the process to create and compile   
   > the firmware.   
   >   
   > We have a team of a dozen engineers working on ours.   
      
   Ok.  (Seems like overkill for x86 BIOS, but maybe not for UEFI ...? )   
      
   > FWIW, there are no systems anymore where the "chip" can be removed   
   > from the mainboard to be programmed by an external PROM programmer.   
      
   Well, this x86 motherboard, circa 2009, has dual-BIOS stored in two   
   small 8-pin surface mount DIPs.  I.e., snip them off, remove old pins,   
   clean up the board, replace with newly programmed chips, and solder on.   
   Just about anyone can do this at home with no special tools, but they   
   may need some experience.   
      
   As for what is required to build a new firmware image, I'm assuming   
   that Paul will start with some open source project like Coreboot   
   (formerly LinuxBIOS) with SeaBIOS.  Some motherboard manufacturers " ...   
   offer coreboot alongside their standard BIOS ..." according to   
   Wikipedia, which also lists a UEFI BIOS project, TianoCore, among   
   others.  In other words, if Paul acquires the correct hardware, the   
   work of programming both the hardware and non-hardware portions of the   
   BIOS or UEFI are done for him.  So, all he needs after that is some   
   programmable chips a chip (re)programmer, etc.  I'm sure the people who   
   work with these projects regularly have provided instructions on what   
   to do, where to buy, etc.   
      
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coreboot   
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaBIOS   
      
      
   --   
   The Chinese have such difficulty with English ...  The word is not   
   "reunification" but "revenge".   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)