Phoenix makes a compelling case for the Open Source BIOS

BIOS GIANT Phoenix, the company responsible for the pieces of code saved on flash memory and which initialize our computers and interfaces to the hardware at the low level -even before the OS loads, is giving us plenty of reasons to support the case of an open source BIOS.

It all started when I reviewed the Simpledrive Mini, a four gigabytes, USB 2.0 microdrive. The drive is capable of booting, if the system supports "USB 2.0 mass storage" devices. My Athlon 64 notebook was manufactured in early 2005 so that makes it about one year old. Yet, it wouldn't boot from USB 2.0 devices.

Booting from a USB microdrive. Phoenix touts that feature in their NoteBIOS...

These Gateway / eMachines notebook systems use Phoenix Bios and are based on an Arima K8 platform. The BIOS in these machines doesn't even show "USB ZIP", "USB Floppy" much less the generic "USB MASS STORAGE" option when configuring boot order. On the contrary, my Supermicro P4SCA which will soon be three years old, and uses AwardBIOS, a product of... what company? Yes, the same as Phoenix Bios, that is, Phoenix - and boots from it just fine. The AwardBIOS has no problem booting from the microdrive and in fact identifies itself as "Cornice" on the BIOS "boot-ordering" screen. On the contrary, in the Gateway notebook with Phoenix BIOS, even if the device is plugged-in before power up, it does not appear in the list of hard disks as happens on the Award BIOS.

After much pushing on my side, the nice and responsive folks at Gateway Computer gave me a BIOS update dated 09/2005 and which was newer than the one available on their web site. Updating the notebook with the new Bios worked just fine, and to my surprise this new bios added LAN booting support, which is very nice, but nothing about USB Mass-Storage. I have to wonder how the system is supposed to work with regards to BIOS updates... the web site lists an old version while the manufacturer has a new one with improved functionality but they also don't release it unless the customer complains?.

Gateway ships the notebook with "Phoenix BIOS"

Which apparently lacks USB Mass Storage support

Microdrive dead during boot

To add to the confusion, the Phoenix "NoteBIOS" web page at Phoenix reads:

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Advanced USB Boot: The Advanced USB Boot provides enumeration and configuration of an USB CD-ROM, Zip, and Hard Disk drive during POST that enables the ability to boot to DOS from an USB CD-ROM, Zip, or Hard Disk drive that is connected to a system either directly or through a hub(s). Additionally USB CD-ROM, Zip, or Hard Disk drive support enables the use of an USB CD-ROM, Zip, or Hard Disk drive while in a DOS environment. USB 2.0 "High-Speed" Boot: USB 2.0 "High-Speed" Boot provides enumeration and configuration of an USB CD-ROM, CD-ROM/RW, DVD, combination CD-ROM/RW - DVD, and Hard Disk drives during POST. It enables the ability to boot DOS from an USB mass storage device in "high-speed" mode when directly connected to USB 2.0 ROOT hub; when a "high-speed" USB 2.0 device is attached to an USB 2.0 external HUB, this device will be supported in USB 1.1 speed ( 12 Mbit/Sec). Additionally USB 2.0 "High-Speed" Boot support enables the use of one of the above stated USB devices while in a DOS environment.

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However, here I am, using a system manufactured by Arima, sold by Gateway, with BIOS from Phoenix, and despite having the latest BIOS offered by Gateway dated late 2005, I'm still unable to boot from USB 2.0 mass storage devices. In the Phoenix BIOS given by Gateway, there isn't even the option dubbed "USB Mass Storage" or "USB HD" on the boot-order page, just a meaningless "Removable Devices" entry -well, USB devices are removable, one could argue- that when selected has no effect on the plugged USB 2.0 microdrive.

The always nice folks at Gateway computer seem to have their hands tied this time. Their last reply on this subject, dated January 6, was: "we have someone at our ODM looking at the possibilities of giving support for USB boot devices. I will let you know what we find out.". I'm still waiting.

The 2003-manufactured Supermicro P4SCA, with AwardBIOS - Made also by Phoenix-
sees the Microdrive - and is able to boot from it just fine

Why does Phoenix offer not one but three different BIOS product lines? The Award BIOS, the NoteBIOS, and the plain "Phoenix Bios". They snapped Award a long, long time ago, if I remember right. Yet still, it seems PC builders can continue cranking out systems with reduced BIOS functionality, depending on the flavour chosen, and despite what the Phoenix web site says about their software features. And if there's a "NoteBIOS" which apparently is for notebooks, why do some notebook manufacturers ship the standard "Phoenix Bios" and not "NoteBIOS"?. INQuiring minds want to know.

Wouldn't all that BIOS "spaghetti code", in the hands of open source programmers, have produced a modular BIOS system by now without the "functionality black holes" -lack of USB 2.0 mass storage boot for instance- that Phoenix customers like Gateway must endure?.

One company, three BIOS flavours, and too many questions. Mad Geek's time!.

Of course I'm left with too many questions, and very little answers, because secrecy seems to be the name of the BIOS game. In fact, I asked them if extra BIOS functionality equals "extra licensing costs" for system builders. They wouldn't tell.

Questions? Phoenix has heard of them...

So I wrote a lengthy e-mail to a gentle company representative named Suzy. On it I asked:

• Phoenix is in the business of selling BIOS, why doesn´t the company offer end-users Bios updates directly, even if for a fee, to add extra functionality?. Why rely on third parties which -as was my experience with one of them- can't even answer e-mail properly, if at all?.
• After some casual observation, it seems that every notebook manufacturer chooses to distribute a different (always very dated) the version of the Phoenix "Winphlash" flash programming software. This, for example, includes versions dated 2002 and the most recent I found was version 1.5, offered by notebook manufacturer Eurocomm. Does Phoenix charge notebook and system builders to get access to newer versions of Winphlash?. Why not offer the Winphlash BIOS updater directly to end users through the phoenix.com site, so users always get the latest code with support for the newer flash memory chips out there?. I have heard of too many horror stories because manufacturing changes the flash chip and suddenly Winphlash is unable to flash it, the user has to go back to the DOS based flasher.
• What is the difference between Phoenix Bios 4.0 and Notebios 4.0?. Could it be possible that some manufacturers are shipping the "non-Notebios" version, on notebooks?.

Two months have passed, and I'm still awaiting for the answer of the Phoenix representative. Isn't it time for industry heavyweights, the motherboard designers, the notebook builders, HP, Dell, IBM, all the ones who until now have been paying Phoenix for the privilege to use their closed sauce code to get together and start funding an open source BIOS?. I think so. µ

See Also
LinuxBIOS
Campaign for a Free BIOS - Free Software Foundation
Stackable Open Source BIOS could cut proprietary stuff dead
Microsoft embraces BIOS vendor Phoenix
Intel releases open source for BIOS
Open source BIOS developed
Phoenix buys Award