Three ways to flash an old ROM

About ROM's and ROM flashing

This section is only applicable to RaQ's with very old ROM's (usually RaQ3's). The Strongbolt installation CD will automatically update most ROM's to the required version.

Most personal computers contain a small amount of ROM that stores critical programs such as the program that boots the computer. In addition, ROMs are used extensively in calculators and peripheral devices such as laser printers, whose fonts are often stored in ROMs.

Cobalt RaQ's have a ROM inside them with the primary boot kernel and some utilities are kept. This software is like a PC's BIOS. The ROM in RAQ's is the main thing that makes them different from any other x86 machine.

In order to install Strongbolt OS on RAQ's we need to make sure that the right ROM version installed. The ROM version required is 2.10.3. The full details of this ROM can be found here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/cobalt-rom

There are a few methods to update the ROM, we shall discuss them below.

ROM Versions

There has been several versions of the Cobalt ROM over the years, they range from 2.3.0 to 2.10.3.

Most RaQ3's have a 2.3x version of the ROM. Some of these older ROMS can be problematic.
Most RaQ4's have a newer ROM. Most of these ROM versions are automatically updated by the Strongbolt Install CD.
We have never had any problems related to RAQ550 ROM's. These are updated automatically by the Strongbolt install CD.

Other method required could be Using Cobalt OS and using The Advanced Method.

Using the Strongbolt CD to update the ROM

We have built into the install disk some recovery tools in order to help rescue a system.
The recovery method can also be used to update the ROM (on a RaQ3/4 with ROM versions 2.3.34+). Do not attempt this with a RaQ550, it will damage it! RaQ550's will update automatically using the Strongbolt install CD

Please follow the following instructions in order to use the install disk as a recovery console.

1. Boot the recovery disk with the RaQ attached by a network cable. On the early ROM's (2.3.0 - 2.3.34) you will see that the LCD output does not change (see inllustration below).
   
   
   
   
2. Launch a terminal on the PC with the Strongbolt install disk booted. This is done by right clicking on the desktop area and choosing "XShells > Dark"
3. Type "sudo ssh -l root 192.168.0.254"
4. At the password prompt - type "admin"

Once logged into the system recovery console (as described above) the following commands are available to perform a manual ROM update:-

There are 3 rom types for RaQ 3/4's: Intel, AMD, and ST

For RaQ 3/4's with an Intel ROM:
flashtool -w /install/rom/cobalt-2.10.3-ext3-1M.rom

For RaQ 3/4's with an AMD or ST ROM:
flashtool550 -w /install/rom/cobalt-2.10.3-ext3-1M.rom

After performing any of the above methods, reboot using :
reboot

Using Cobalt OS to update the ROM

If you have a very early ROM (2.3.0) and you still have the Cobalt OS on the hard drive, you can easily update the ROM using the following commands. Do not attempt this with a RaQ550, it will damage it! RaQ550's will update automatically using the Strongbolt install CD

Power up the RaQ and gain ssh access to it.

If the ROM is an AMD/ST do:
wget http://www.osoffice.co.uk/linux/roms/flashtool-amd-st
or if the ROM is an INTEL do:
wget http://www.osoffice.co.uk/linux/roms/flashtool-intel

Which ever type of ROM you have, execute the followings commands:
wget http://www.osoffice.co.uk/linux/roms/cobalt-2.10.3-ext3-1M.rom

Use the following command to become root:
su

(it will prompt you for a password. The password is the same as the admin password).

if the ROM is an AMD or ST do:
chmod +x flashtool-amd-st && ./flashtool-amd-st -w cobalt-2.10.3-ext3-1M.rom

if it is an Intel do:
chmod +x flashtool-intel && ./flashtool-intel -w cobalt-2.10.3-ext3-1M.rom

the reboot using

reboot

Strongbolt ROM Flashing Advanced Method

If the install disk does not successfully flash the ROM to the required version, and you have a Null modem serial connection, the following method can be used in order to update the ROM to the required version.
Do not attempt this with a RaQ550, it will damage it! RaQ550's will update automatically using the Strongbolt install CD

The ROM can be updated through the serial port. This requires a Linux PC which allows
two processes (terminal sessions) to use the serial port at the same time.

Replace "cobalt-1M.rom" below with the filename of the ROM image you are
installing. And ttyS0 assume com1 if com2 ttyS1.

Get into the ROM Menu Mode

For 2.9.x ROM's >
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Cobalt:Main Menu> eeprom

Cobalt:EEPROM Menu> write_eeprom
Re-Initializing flash: done
EEPROM in bank 0 is 1024KB (AMD AM29F080B)
Loading ROM image from serial port...

now switch to another terminal session and
cat cobalt-1M.rom > /dev/ttyS0
the ROM will display a kbyte counter:

1024k done
Press any key to abort... 3 2 1
Erasing eeprom in bank 0: done
Writing eeprom in bank 0: 0x00100000:0x00100000 done
Verifying eeprom in bank 0: 0x00100000:0x00100000 done

Cobalt:EEPROM Menu> main

Cobalt:Main Menu> reboot
Rebooting - please wait............
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For 2.3.x ROM's
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Cobalt:Main Menu> boot

Cobalt:Boot Menu> dl_kernel
Loading Kernel: -

now switch to another terminal and
cat cobalt-1M.rom > /dev/ttyS0
the ROM will display a spinning char

Loading Kernel: done

Cobalt:Boot Menu> main

Cobalt:Main Menu> eeprom

Cobalt:EEPROM Menu> write_eeprom 0
Erasing eeprom in bank 0: done
Writing eeprom in bank 0: 0x00100000:0x00100000 done
Verifying eeprom in bank 0: 0x00100000:0x00100000 done

Cobalt:EEPROM Menu> main

Cobalt:Main Menu> reboot
Rebooting - please wait.............
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