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-rw-r--r--Documentation/dell_rbu.txt81
1 files changed, 56 insertions, 25 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/dell_rbu.txt b/Documentation/dell_rbu.txt
index d262e22bddec..0fdb6aa2704c 100644
--- a/Documentation/dell_rbu.txt
+++ b/Documentation/dell_rbu.txt
@@ -1,18 +1,30 @@
1Purpose: 1=============================================================
2Demonstrate the usage of the new open sourced rbu (Remote BIOS Update) driver 2Usage of the new open sourced rbu (Remote BIOS Update) driver
3=============================================================
4
5Purpose
6=======
7
8Document demonstrating the use of the Dell Remote BIOS Update driver.
3for updating BIOS images on Dell servers and desktops. 9for updating BIOS images on Dell servers and desktops.
4 10
5Scope: 11Scope
12=====
13
6This document discusses the functionality of the rbu driver only. 14This document discusses the functionality of the rbu driver only.
7It does not cover the support needed from applications to enable the BIOS to 15It does not cover the support needed from applications to enable the BIOS to
8update itself with the image downloaded in to the memory. 16update itself with the image downloaded in to the memory.
9 17
10Overview: 18Overview
19========
20
11This driver works with Dell OpenManage or Dell Update Packages for updating 21This driver works with Dell OpenManage or Dell Update Packages for updating
12the BIOS on Dell servers (starting from servers sold since 1999), desktops 22the BIOS on Dell servers (starting from servers sold since 1999), desktops
13and notebooks (starting from those sold in 2005). 23and notebooks (starting from those sold in 2005).
24
14Please go to http://support.dell.com register and you can find info on 25Please go to http://support.dell.com register and you can find info on
15OpenManage and Dell Update packages (DUP). 26OpenManage and Dell Update packages (DUP).
27
16Libsmbios can also be used to update BIOS on Dell systems go to 28Libsmbios can also be used to update BIOS on Dell systems go to
17http://linux.dell.com/libsmbios/ for details. 29http://linux.dell.com/libsmbios/ for details.
18 30
@@ -22,6 +34,7 @@ of physical pages having the BIOS image. In case of packetized the app
22using the driver breaks the image in to packets of fixed sizes and the driver 34using the driver breaks the image in to packets of fixed sizes and the driver
23would place each packet in contiguous physical memory. The driver also 35would place each packet in contiguous physical memory. The driver also
24maintains a link list of packets for reading them back. 36maintains a link list of packets for reading them back.
37
25If the dell_rbu driver is unloaded all the allocated memory is freed. 38If the dell_rbu driver is unloaded all the allocated memory is freed.
26 39
27The rbu driver needs to have an application (as mentioned above)which will 40The rbu driver needs to have an application (as mentioned above)which will
@@ -30,28 +43,33 @@ inform the BIOS to enable the update in the next system reboot.
30The user should not unload the rbu driver after downloading the BIOS image 43The user should not unload the rbu driver after downloading the BIOS image
31or updating. 44or updating.
32 45
33The driver load creates the following directories under the /sys file system. 46The driver load creates the following directories under the /sys file system::
34/sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/loading 47
35/sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/data 48 /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/loading
36/sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/image_type 49 /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/data
37/sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/data 50 /sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/image_type
38/sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/packet_size 51 /sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/data
52 /sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/packet_size
39 53
40The driver supports two types of update mechanism; monolithic and packetized. 54The driver supports two types of update mechanism; monolithic and packetized.
41These update mechanism depends upon the BIOS currently running on the system. 55These update mechanism depends upon the BIOS currently running on the system.
42Most of the Dell systems support a monolithic update where the BIOS image is 56Most of the Dell systems support a monolithic update where the BIOS image is
43copied to a single contiguous block of physical memory. 57copied to a single contiguous block of physical memory.
58
44In case of packet mechanism the single memory can be broken in smaller chunks 59In case of packet mechanism the single memory can be broken in smaller chunks
45of contiguous memory and the BIOS image is scattered in these packets. 60of contiguous memory and the BIOS image is scattered in these packets.
46 61
47By default the driver uses monolithic memory for the update type. This can be 62By default the driver uses monolithic memory for the update type. This can be
48changed to packets during the driver load time by specifying the load 63changed to packets during the driver load time by specifying the load
49parameter image_type=packet. This can also be changed later as below 64parameter image_type=packet. This can also be changed later as below::
50echo packet > /sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/image_type 65
66 echo packet > /sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/image_type
51 67
52In packet update mode the packet size has to be given before any packets can 68In packet update mode the packet size has to be given before any packets can
53be downloaded. It is done as below 69be downloaded. It is done as below::
54echo XXXX > /sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/packet_size 70
71 echo XXXX > /sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/packet_size
72
55In the packet update mechanism, the user needs to create a new file having 73In the packet update mechanism, the user needs to create a new file having
56packets of data arranged back to back. It can be done as follows 74packets of data arranged back to back. It can be done as follows
57The user creates packets header, gets the chunk of the BIOS image and 75The user creates packets header, gets the chunk of the BIOS image and
@@ -60,41 +78,54 @@ added together should match the specified packet_size. This makes one
60packet, the user needs to create more such packets out of the entire BIOS 78packet, the user needs to create more such packets out of the entire BIOS
61image file and then arrange all these packets back to back in to one single 79image file and then arrange all these packets back to back in to one single
62file. 80file.
81
63This file is then copied to /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/data. 82This file is then copied to /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/data.
64Once this file gets to the driver, the driver extracts packet_size data from 83Once this file gets to the driver, the driver extracts packet_size data from
65the file and spreads it across the physical memory in contiguous packet_sized 84the file and spreads it across the physical memory in contiguous packet_sized
66space. 85space.
86
67This method makes sure that all the packets get to the driver in a single operation. 87This method makes sure that all the packets get to the driver in a single operation.
68 88
69In monolithic update the user simply get the BIOS image (.hdr file) and copies 89In monolithic update the user simply get the BIOS image (.hdr file) and copies
70to the data file as is without any change to the BIOS image itself. 90to the data file as is without any change to the BIOS image itself.
71 91
72Do the steps below to download the BIOS image. 92Do the steps below to download the BIOS image.
93
731) echo 1 > /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/loading 941) echo 1 > /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/loading
742) cp bios_image.hdr /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/data 952) cp bios_image.hdr /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/data
753) echo 0 > /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/loading 963) echo 0 > /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/loading
76 97
77The /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/ entries will remain till the following is 98The /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/ entries will remain till the following is
78done. 99done.
79echo -1 > /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/loading 100
101::
102
103 echo -1 > /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/loading
104
80Until this step is completed the driver cannot be unloaded. 105Until this step is completed the driver cannot be unloaded.
106
81Also echoing either mono, packet or init in to image_type will free up the 107Also echoing either mono, packet or init in to image_type will free up the
82memory allocated by the driver. 108memory allocated by the driver.
83 109
84If a user by accident executes steps 1 and 3 above without executing step 2; 110If a user by accident executes steps 1 and 3 above without executing step 2;
85it will make the /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/ entries disappear. 111it will make the /sys/class/firmware/dell_rbu/ entries disappear.
86The entries can be recreated by doing the following 112
87echo init > /sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/image_type 113The entries can be recreated by doing the following::
88NOTE: echoing init in image_type does not change it original value. 114
115 echo init > /sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/image_type
116
117.. note:: echoing init in image_type does not change it original value.
89 118
90Also the driver provides /sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/data readonly file to 119Also the driver provides /sys/devices/platform/dell_rbu/data readonly file to
91read back the image downloaded. 120read back the image downloaded.
92 121
93NOTE: 122.. note::
94This driver requires a patch for firmware_class.c which has the modified 123
95request_firmware_nowait function. 124 This driver requires a patch for firmware_class.c which has the modified
96Also after updating the BIOS image a user mode application needs to execute 125 request_firmware_nowait function.
97code which sends the BIOS update request to the BIOS. So on the next reboot 126
98the BIOS knows about the new image downloaded and it updates itself. 127 Also after updating the BIOS image a user mode application needs to execute
99Also don't unload the rbu driver if the image has to be updated. 128 code which sends the BIOS update request to the BIOS. So on the next reboot
129 the BIOS knows about the new image downloaded and it updates itself.
130 Also don't unload the rbu driver if the image has to be updated.
100 131