[GUIDE] Updating BIOS UEFI using GNU/Linux (NO Windows needed)

[vanfanel]

Hello there,

First of all, thanks to the excellent support that the Minix support team gave via E-Mail using support@minix.com.hk
Contact them if you need technical help. They seem to be very competent and usually answer on the same day. Many thanks to them!

Now, if you use Minix Z100-0DB with GNU/Linux only, there's a very easy way to update it's firmware (AKA BIOS) without having to use Windows.

-Download the BIOS update from this MEGA link, called "MINIX NEO Z100-0dB AD0J0181 20240308.zip" and decompress it:

>>>>>Z100-0DB BIOS update download link<<<<<

(Should the MEGA link go down, ask the support team on support@minix.com.hk)

-Open a terminal window.
-Install the GNU/Linux flashrom utility. Using Debian/Ubuntu it's as simple as:

sudo apt-get install flashrom

-Get a backup of your current BIOS flash contents, just in case something goes wrong:

flashrom --programmer internal -c "Opaque flash chip" -r bios_flash_backup.bin

-Flash the new BIOS using flashrom and the flashrom file included in this post's attachment, which is called AD0J0181.bin:

flashrom --programmer internal -c "Opaque flash chip" -w AD0J0181.bin

After the flashing process is complete, you can safely reboot the computer and enter the BIOS menu by repeatedly pressing DELETE to re-adjust the settings to your liking.
Here you have it: firmware updating without infesting your very nice Z100-0DB with Windows.

 

[notrui]

Hi.
Thank you for that.

I still think the best way to update the BIOS is to use a bootable USB device.

That way we don't need any OS, avoiding other problems.

I think MINIX should also provide that solution.

 

[vanfanel]

@notrui Indeed, they should provide a way to update without an OS. That is possible using UEFI shell interface, as I detailed here:

[GUIDE] Updating the computer firmware/BIOS UEFI (NO Windows needed)

Hello there, First of all, thanks to the excellent support that the Minix support team gave via E-Mail using support@minix.com.hk Contact them if you need technical help. They seem to be very competent and usually answer on the same day. Many thanks to them! This is how to update the computer...

theminixforum.com

However, the MINIX team should provide a ready-to-flash disk image that updates the BIOS. It's relatively easy because UEFI can autoexec commands on a script file at start. But that's their work

 

[2Fresh]

Did the update using Linux method (UEFI method did not work).
The update in fact downgrade the BIOS version from 2.22.1289 to 2.22.1287 - is it normal ?

 

[Villa]

Did the update using Linux method (UEFI method did not work).
The update in fact downgrade the BIOS version from 2.22.1289 to 2.22.1287 - is it normal ?

That's just the AMI Aptio Setup version. I don't know why that would change?
I didn't notice that before I updated the BIOS.

The BIOS version is:
Project Version AD0J0.181 R
Build Date and Time 03/01/2024 18:17:53

For me before the update:
Project Version AD0J0.151 R
Build Date and Time 11/23/2024 17:38:18