[LinuxBIOS] Error while saveing the original bios "No EEPROM/flash device found."

Stefan Reinauer stepan at coresystems.de
Mon May 28 20:42:11 CEST 2007


* ron minnich <rminnich at gmail.com> [070528 20:22]:
> Hi Dieter, your problem is indicative of one of several possible issues.
> 
> IIRC this part is one of those combined FWH/LPC parts. Can you verify
> this on a data sheet?
 
I have the very same problem on my 855/ICH4 based machine. I use a pmc4
as well, or the native SST49LF004B. Same game with both parts.

Either the ICH4 code is not working, or the mainboard has additional
protection. I don't think it is the flash part.

I read a very enlightening chapter in Darmawan's BIOS Ninjutsu book. It
describes how bios protection works these days.

The bios flasher puts a signature somewhere, then puts the system to S3
state. The system wakes up again, sees the signature and leaves the bios
unlocked. This way it is easily possible to set all parameters to lock
down and still flash the bios with the right program. 

Now, what do we do. I don't want to be a reenigne esrever, but rather
engineer straight forward solutions ;-)

Stefan

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