HOWTO: Update the BIOS/MICOM using DOS

[voria]

I've finally managed to do a complete BIOS/MICOM update by using only an USB key bootable in DOS.
From now on we can perform the update (or even the downgrade) with no need to wait for an official DOS updater from Samsung (if it's ever released).

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The update process is risky and it can brick your NC10.
Make sure your NC10 will not shut down accidentally during the update process and, more generally, make sure you know what you are doing!

First of all we need to create an USB key bootable in DOS.

Download the image from the link below, extract the .img file from the archive, open a terminal and use the command

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sudo dd if=usbdos.img of=/dev/sdX

where '/dev/sdX' is the USB key identifier to use.

NOTE: the above command will wipe out any previous content of the USB key. If needed, make a backup.

Now you have the bootable USB key, the next step is to copy on it the needed files required to perform the update.
Unplug then replug the USB key in order to detect and mount the new DOS partition on it.

Download the bios version you need from the links below. Every zip file contains the following files in order to perform a complete update:

****B.WPH - The BIOS image.
****M.BIN - The MICOM image.
phlash16.exe - The utility needed to flash the BIOS image.
up104.exe - The utility needed to flash the MICOM image.
UPBIOS.bat - A convenient batch script which will automatically update the BIOS.
UPMICOM.bat - A convenient batch script which will automatically update the MICOM.

Copy all of the above files on the USB key, then unmount it: the USB key is now ready to be used.

Boot your NC10 with the USB key inserted, you will get a DOS prompt.

Use the following command to update the BIOS:

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UPBIOS

When the operation is completed you will get a confirmation message and a long beep. Press any key to exit, you will get back the DOS prompt.

Now use the following command to update the MICOM:

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UPMICOM

The update process will last for few seconds, then the NC10 will automatically shut down: you are done.

Remove the USB key and restart the NC10. Press F2 to enter the BIOS and reconfigure it.

Bootable USB DOS image: usbdos.zip
Available NC10 BIOS versions: 02CA - 03CA - 04CA - 05CA - 07CA - 09CA - 10CA - 11CA

[voria]

Added 03CA and 05CA to the list of available versions.

[NSCX2005]

Hi Voria,

just to let you know that version 11CA is available for the NC10.

All the best

NSCX2005

[okon3]

he knows, but with DOS update he doesen't need flashrom files anymore.
But the 11CA seems to be corrupted

[NSCX2005]

oh ok, I didn't know.

NSCX2005

[voria]

The extracted BIOS image from official samsung updater 11CA has a wrong size and can't be flashed using the DOS tool (it hangs during the flash process, while checking new image checksum).
Other BIOS version's images are precisely 2MB in size, while this version is not, like the final bytes are truncated.
However, the official updater performs the update with no problems at all, so it has not been a mistake from Samsung.
I think it's a change made on purpose and intentionally.

[voria]

I've finally managed to create needed files to perform a BIOS update to version 11CA. Main post updated.

I can confirm that the bios 11CA finally fixes all the problems with backlight control.
On karmic (and generally, when KMS is enabled) there is no need anymore to install 'nc10-backlight' package from my repository.
Also, backlight now can be set to max even when the 'Brightness Mode Control' option is set to 'Auto' in the BIOS menu.

[NSCX2005]

Hi Voria,

Could you tell me what changes have been made in 11CA update?

Does it allow booting off SD Card?

Cheers

NSCX2005

[voria]

As far as I know, the only noticeable improvement is the backlight one.
All the rest seems unchanged.

[pacco]

Thank you for this comprehensive HOWTO. In between the two steps of calling

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UPBIOS

and

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UPMICOM

I have had to reboot my NC10. Otherwise, I've gotten a checksum-error. After reboot, setup of the BIOS, boot into UBUNTU, shutdown and then booting into DOS again, the

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UPMICOM

started successfully.

[denisjhon]

hi there...

I've updated my samsung n110 bios from 040D to 060D but my micom remained unchanged. Now my bios version is 060D and micom version is 040D. Is that ok? Do I need to update my micom to the 060D version? If so, how do I do that?

[darkod]

I also have a Win7 installation. In that case is it safer/better to upgrade from Windows using the EXE from www.samsung.co.uk?

Generally I try to avoid updating BIOS especially on laptops/netbooks unless there is a real problem to solve. At the moment I am wondering if the brightness up/down buttons solution is worth the risk... It's nice to have the buttons working but... Of course I am talking about the buttons and brightness in Ubuntu, in Win7 they are working as it is.

Mine came with 07CA and that's what I am running right now.

[voria]

If you don't want to update the BIOS, you can install the 'nc10-backlight' package from my repo (only for karmic), which enables backlight control with BIOSes that don't support it.

[darkod]

Thanks for the quick reply. I don't know if we are talking about the same thing.

I recently installed Netbook Remix 9.10 and noticed that the brightness up/down (Fn + arrow up/down) do not work. I can not control the brightness of the NC10 like that in Ubuntu. After finding your forum I added your repository and installed nc10-scripts. That fixed the wi-fi button (Fn + F9) but brightness up/down still not working. In a reply to my post in that topic someone said that unless I upgrade to 11CA the brightness buttons will not work. Not by defaults anyway, maybe I can do something with directly mapping them, etc.

So that is my dilemma. Is the "risk" of BIOS upgrade worth just for brightness up/down. Especially since I bought my NC10 abroad (not available here) and not even sure how and who would service it under warranty. Plus the fact they can void warranty for BIOS upgrade gone wrong even if the file was from their website.

[voria]

Yes, we are talking about the same thing.

The are two ways to fix the backlight problem.

The first one is to update the BIOS to version 11CA.

The second one is for users that cannot or don't want update the BIOS to the latest version.
Just install the 'nc10-backlight' package from my repo: it contains an additional kernel module which enables the backlight control. Make sure to reboot your NC10 after installing the package in order to get it running.