Ubuntu
linux package

  1. Bug #1734147
  2. Comment #160

Comment 160 for bug 1734147

Revision history for this message
Paul Sladen (sladen) wrote : Re: Ubuntu 17.10 corrupting BIOS - many LENOVO laptops models

FWIW, the Intel-SPI Readme contains:

  https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/master/Documentation/mtd/intel-spi.txt

  "makes it possible to read and write the SPI serial flash, if certain protection bits are not set and locked."

  "… If it finds any of them set, the whole MTD device is made read-only to prevent partial overwrites."

Corresponding code is in:

  https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/8afda8b26d01ee26a60ef2f0284a7f01a5ed96f8/drivers/mtd/spi-nor/intel-spi.c

From a casual read, the "Disable #SMI generation" code (once using the hardware sequencer, and once using the software sequencer) stands out, because there is no reverse action and is one-way.

This code is within the 'intel_spi_init()' routine, and if it is the cause, might explain which the problem shows up merely by loading the module, when _init() is called.