Linux is Getting an Exciting New Firmware Feature
Intel is bringing a new driver to the 5.17 kernel that will make it possible to update firmware without a reboot.
When you upgrade your motherboard firmware (such as the BIOS or UEFI), you have to reboot your system. Thanks to a new patch from Intel, both BIOS and UEFI updates can be done without forcing a reboot.
How is this possible? Currently, an upgrade is done by uploading the firmware from within the operating system. The desktop or server is then rebooted, at which point the firmware is transferred to the motherboard and is flashed to either the BIOS or UEFI. However, there’s a new API specification, called Platform Firmware Runtime Update and Telemetry (PFRUT), which makes it possible to flash the firmware without the reboot. Intel has been working on PFRUT (previously dubbed Seamless Update) for quite a while now, in order to reduce downtime for servers. The idea is to enable such machines to reach that mythical 100% uptime.
The new driver, pfr_update, will be introduced in the Linux kernel 5.17 and is designed primarily for system firmware updates to patch critical bugs and security issues. This would make it possible for admins to patch firmware for critical issues, without having to suffer downtime.
One of the biggest surprises to come along with PFRUT, is that it will only be available for Linux (so Windows users need not apply).
You can read about the patch in this Kernel.org entry.
![](/var/linux_magazin/storage/images/media/linux-magazine-eng-us/images/linux_magazine_news/751876-1-eng-US/Linux_Magazine_News_medium.png)
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
![Learn More](https://www.linux-magazine.com/var/linux_magazin/storage/images/media/linux-magazine-eng-us/images/misc/learn-more/834592-1-eng-US/Learn-More_medium.png)
News
-
NVIDIA Released Driver for Upcoming NVIDIA 560 GPU for Linux
Not only has NVIDIA released the driver for its upcoming CPU series, it's the first release that defaults to using open-source GPU kernel modules.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 24.07 Released
If you’re into rolling release Linux distributions, OpenMandriva ROME has a new snapshot with a new kernel.
-
Kernel 6.10 Available for General Usage
Linus Torvalds has released the 6.10 kernel and it includes significant performance increases for Intel Core hybrid systems and more.
-
TUXEDO Computers Releases InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen9 Laptop
Sporting either AMD or Intel CPUs, the TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro 14 is an extremely compact, lightweight, sturdy powerhouse.
-
Google Extends Support for Linux Kernels Used for Android
Because the LTS Linux kernel releases are so important to Android, Google has decided to extend the support period beyond that offered by the kernel development team.
-
Linux Mint 22 Stable Delayed
If you're anxious about getting your hands on the stable release of Linux Mint 22, it looks as if you're going to have to wait a bit longer.
-
Nitrux 3.5.1 Available for Install
The latest version of the immutable, systemd-free distribution includes an updated kernel and NVIDIA driver.
-
Debian 12.6 Released with Plenty of Bug Fixes and Updates
The sixth update to Debian "Bookworm" is all about security mitigations and making adjustments for some "serious problems."
-
Canonical Offers 12-Year LTS for Open Source Docker Images
Canonical is expanding its LTS offering to reach beyond the DEB packages with a new distro-less Docker image.
-
Plasma Desktop 6.1 Released with Several Enhancements
If you're a fan of Plasma Desktop, you should be excited about this new point release.