missing hdr for optiplex GX240

Hello,

hdr for optiplex GX240 is not in the repo.

# getSystemId
Libsmbios:    0.12.1
System ID:    0x010E
...
Product Name: OptiPlex GX240
BIOS Version: A05
Vendor:       Dell Computer Corporation
Is Dell:      1

hdr successfuly extracted from http://ftp.u
s.dell.com/bios/gx240a05.exe 
to GX240A05.HDR.

updateDellBios seems to work fine (not entirely sure,
because I did 
flash A05 over A05 from a remote session).

+,
	Fab
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I've updated the wiki.

Additionally, I've sent a note to one of the BIOS engineers
to try to get information on this file format. It looks
really close to something I can extract, but I need some
additional details.
--
Michael


-----Original Message-----
From: libsmbios-devel-bounceslists.us.dell.com on behalf
of Fabrice LORRAIN
Sent: Tue 8/21/2007 11:56 AM
To: libsmbios-devellists.us.dell.com
Subject: missing hdr for optiplex GX240
 
Hello,

hdr for optiplex GX240 is not in the repo.

# getSystemId
Libsmbios:    0.12.1
System ID:    0x010E
...
Product Name: OptiPlex GX240
BIOS Version: A05
Vendor:       Dell Computer Corporation
Is Dell:      1

hdr successfuly extracted from http://ftp.u
s.dell.com/bios/gx240a05.exe 
to GX240A05.HDR.

updateDellBios seems to work fine (not entirely sure,
because I did 
flash A05 over A05 from a remote session).

+,
	Fab
_______________________________________________
libsmbios-devel mailing list
libsmbios-devellists.us.dell.com
http://lists.us.dell.com/mailman/listinfo/libsmbios-dev
el

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el

On Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 06:56:08PM +0200, Fabrice LORRAIN
wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> hdr for optiplex GX240 is not in the repo.
> 
> # getSystemId
> Libsmbios:    0.12.1
> System ID:    0x010E
> ...
> Product Name: OptiPlex GX240
> BIOS Version: A05
> Vendor:       Dell Computer Corporation
> Is Dell:      1
> 
> hdr successfuly extracted from http://ftp.u
s.dell.com/bios/gx240a05.exe 
> to GX240A05.HDR.
> 
> updateDellBios seems to work fine (not entirely sure,
because I did 
> flash A05 over A05 from a remote session).

So, it turns out that something odd is happening.

My tools work with both of the GX systems you posted
recently. I am
trying to track down why BIOS updates are not posted,
though, because
manually running the tool works.

Answers soon, I hope.
--
Michael
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el

Ah, figured out the GX240 issue and posted an updated bug
list: http://linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php/Oss/Firmware_To
ols/bugs

Summary: there is a blacklist of systems to not extract
headers for. These systems are known to have broken RBU
implementations such that they sometimes brick the machine
when you try to use RBU.

SO: if you see a system that isnt extracted, but it is on
the list above, dont use RBU.
--
Michael

-----Original Message-----
From: libsmbios-devel-bounceslists.us.dell.com on behalf
of Michael E Brown
Sent: Tue 8/21/2007 6:11 PM
To: Fabrice LORRAIN
Cc: libsmbios-devellists.us.dell.com
Subject: Re: missing hdr for optiplex GX240
 
On Tue, Aug 21, 2007 at 06:56:08PM +0200, Fabrice LORRAIN
wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> hdr for optiplex GX240 is not in the repo.
> 
> # getSystemId
> Libsmbios:    0.12.1
> System ID:    0x010E
> ...
> Product Name: OptiPlex GX240
> BIOS Version: A05
> Vendor:       Dell Computer Corporation
> Is Dell:      1
> 
> hdr successfuly extracted from http://ftp.u
s.dell.com/bios/gx240a05.exe 
> to GX240A05.HDR.
> 
> updateDellBios seems to work fine (not entirely sure,
because I did 
> flash A05 over A05 from a remote session).

So, it turns out that something odd is happening.

My tools work with both of the GX systems you posted
recently. I am
trying to track down why BIOS updates are not posted,
though, because
manually running the tool works.

Answers soon, I hope.
--
Michael
_______________________________________________
libsmbios-devel mailing list
libsmbios-devellists.us.dell.com
http://lists.us.dell.com/mailman/listinfo/libsmbios-dev
el

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el

Michael_E_BrownDell.com a écrit :
> Ah, figured out the GX240 issue and posted an updated
bug list: http://linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php/Oss/Firmware_To
ols/bugs

Thanks for this list.

> Summary: there is a blacklist of systems to not extract
headers for. These systems are known to have broken RBU
implementations such that they sometimes brick the machine
when you try to use RBU.
> 
> SO: if you see a system that isnt extracted, but it is
on the list above, dont use RBU.

Optiplex GX110 and GX240 in there... Nice to know.

"These systems are known to have broken RBU
implementations" :
Is the RBU implementation link to the BIOS version ? ==> 
later BIOS = 
less chance to break ?


+,
	Fab
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el

Some of the systems fixed their RBU implementation in later
BIOS. Some did not. I dont have complete details on this,
and most of these systems are so old that the people who
have this info have moved on.

In general, later BIOS (on the system) == less chance to
break. But I cannot say 100%, as I'm not a BIOS guy, and
dont have the historical data on this.

Because I am being very conservative, I had just blacklisted
all the systems due to lack of this granular data. The
*very* *last* thing I want to do is brick somebody's system
with my tools. I would feel really bad and it would probably
leave a bad taste for future people doing searches and
stuff. So far, I have not bricked any customer systems (that
anybody has ever told me about), and I dont want to take any
chances. (I have, of course, bricked my systems on many
occasions. But I have access to people with JTAG programmers
and whatnot, so I dont worry too much about it.)
--
Michael


-----Original Message-----
From: Fabrice LORRAIN [mailto:Fabrice.Lorrainuniv-mlv.fr]
Sent: Wed 8/22/2007 5:36 PM
To: Brown, Michael E
Cc: libsmbios-devellists.us.dell.com
Subject: Re: missing hdr for optiplex GX240
 
Michael_E_BrownDell.com a écrit :
> Ah, figured out the GX240 issue and posted an updated
bug list: http://linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php/Oss/Firmware_To
ols/bugs

Thanks for this list.

> Summary: there is a blacklist of systems to not extract
headers for. These systems are known to have broken RBU
implementations such that they sometimes brick the machine
when you try to use RBU.
> 
> SO: if you see a system that isnt extracted, but it is
on the list above, dont use RBU.

Optiplex GX110 and GX240 in there... Nice to know.

"These systems are known to have broken RBU
implementations" :
Is the RBU implementation link to the BIOS version ? ==> 
later BIOS = 
less chance to break ?


+,
	Fab

_______________________________________________
libsmbios-devel mailing list
libsmbios-devellists.us.dell.com
http://lists.us.dell.com/mailman/listinfo/libsmbios-dev
el

Michael_E_BrownDell.com a écrit :
> Some of the systems fixed their RBU implementation in
later BIOS. Some did not. I dont have complete details on
this,
> and most of these systems are so old that the people
who have this info have moved on.
> 
> In general, later BIOS (on the system) == less chance
to break. But I cannot say 100%, as I'm not a BIOS guy,
> and dont have the historical data on this.

Thanks for the explanation.

 > most of these systems are so old
We are speaking of systems sold/built less than 9 years
ago... The 
meaning of old in our work is ... hmmm interresting .

> Because I am being very conservative, I had just
blacklisted all the systems due to lack of this granular
data.

Safe approch. Appreciated.

+

	Fab

PS : It's the second time that your MUA did play trick (=not
wrapping 
lines correctly) with mine (Iceove/Thunderbird). Did you
change it ?
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On Thu, Aug 23, 2007 at 09:29:47PM +0200, Fabrice LORRAIN
wrote:
> PS : It's the second time that your MUA did play trick
(=not wrapping 
> lines correctly) with mine (Iceove/Thunderbird). Did
you change it ?

I have mutt set up on a system that I *normally* use for all
my mailing
lists posts, but Outlook is the corporate standard email
client here.
Sometimes I use it on accident to reply to mailing list
posts. Sorry
about that.
--
Michael
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