[LinuxBIOS] BIOS Saver RD1

[Ken Fuchs]

> On 08/03/2005 08:27 AM, Ken Fuchs wrote:

> > BTW, my flash burner is an older Enhanced Willem Universal 
> > Programmer.  I got mine for only $60 US over a year ago.  I've
> > seen it for less than $40 on eBay a few weeks ago.  The newest
> > model is going for about $50 US.  It does a LinuxBIOS flash in
> > about 5 minutes; not bad for a $60 burner.  However, it does
> > require changing DIP switches to match an image for each device it
> > can program.  Great for the amateur or professional with a small
> > budget.

Jeff Carr wrote:

> The webpage that is linked rom the linuxbios FAQ says that it 
> comes with a USB cable.

The USB cable is used to provide power only.  (I disconnect the USB
cable when inserting/removing a PLCC flash device, although the manual
doesn't mention this.  I just do it because it can't hurt and it might
be safer.)

The programmmer is controlled via a parallel port in EPP (Normal)
mode (This can checked/set in the COTS BIOS of most IBM PC
compatibles.)

> Are you able to control this device from Linux? 

The Enhanced Willem Universal Programmer comes with a CD containing a
MS Windows program that shows how the DIP switches should be set for
any supported device.  Of course, this program also erases, writes &
verifies BIOS image files among other things.

> It would be a big hassle for me since I don't have any windows
> machines.

I use MS Windows 2000 for the (Willem) EPROM3 software.

Here's a web page that suggests that there is a remote chance that
EPROM3 might run on Linux via Wine:

http://www.sdconsult.no/linux/wine-doc/hardware-trace.html

Has anyone tried to run EPROM3 on Linux via Wine?

The Willem CD Readme.txt mentions "win98/me", so it might be easier to
just borrow a MS Windows machine or get one free (many people are
giving away Pentium II and even lower MHz Pentium III machines).

Sincerely,

Ken Fuchs <kfuchs at winternet.com>