Nick: RobAtHome
E-mail: openbsd@openbsd.hu
Board: NEO Z100-0db 
Contents: 
Hi guys,

I tried to update the BIOS on my Minix Z100-0db device so that I can
boot a Linux UEFI from the NVME disk. Pls. see below:

1. As per
https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/guide-updating-bios-uefi-using-gnu-linux-no-windows-needed.6905
   I downloaded the newest image for Minix:AD0J0181.bin  
   (well download zip, decompress)
2. I booted the device from an archlinux install USB and copied the 
   new image there so I can access it
3. I installed flashrom to the arch install OS (pacman -S flashrom), 
   the version is 1.5.1-1, compiled Dec 20 2024
4. I made a backup of the current version:  flashrom -p internal -c
   "Opaque flash chip" -r my_backup_bios_AD0J0161.bin
... so far so good ..
5. I attempted to upload the new binary:  flashrom -p internal -c 
   "Opaque flash chip" -w my_backup_bios_AD0J0161.bin

issue follows:

Opened /dev/mtd0 successfully
Found programmer flash chip "Opaque flash chip"
linux_mtd_wp_read_cfg: ioctl Operation not supported
Failed to unlock flash status reg with wp support.
Reading old flash chip contents... done.
Updating flash chip contents... linux_mtd_erase: MEMERASE ioctl call
returned -, error: Input/output error
Erase/write done from 0 to ffffff
Write Failed!Uh oh. Erase/write failed. Checking if anything has
changed.
Reading current flash chip contents... done.
Apparently at least some data has changed.
Your flash chip is in an unknown state.
Get help ...

Pls. note the file I uploaded shows a consecutive run, when the -w did not 
change the flash anymore. The original run actually changed things, so 
random state is correct .. :-/

Retried with -f, which in turn again changed something, but same
outcome.
I did not try to put back the original image so far, it would probably
give me the same

The device is still on sitting in the arch install shell, I increased 
the install disk size and added a few packages to help with the
possible fix, since I believe if I would try to reboot, the device 
would be lost, and I would likely have to replace it.

======= debug file output for second run =================
$ cat flashrom-w.1.debug 
flashrom v1.5.1 (git:v1.5.1) on Linux 6.10.7-arch1-1 (x86_64)
flashrom was built with GCC 14.2.1 20240910, little endian
Command line (9 args): flashrom -f --programmer internal -c Opaque flash chip -w /mnt/Z/AD0J0181.bin -o /mnt/flashrom-w.1.debug
Initializing internal programmer
get_mtd_info: device_name: "0000:00:1f.5", is_writeable: 1, numeraseregions: 0, total_size: 16777216, erasesize: 4096
Opened /dev/mtd0 successfully
The following protocols are supported: Programmer-specific.
Probing for Programmer Opaque flash chip, 0 kB: Added layout entry 00000000 - 00ffffff named complete flash
Found Programmer flash chip "Opaque flash chip" (16384 kB, Programmer-specific) on internal.
Flash image seems to be a legacy BIOS. Disabling coreboot-related checks.
linux_mtd_wp_read_cfg: ioctl: Operation not supported
Failed to unlock flash status reg with wp support.
Reading old flash chip contents... read_flash:  region (00000000..0xffffff) is readable, reading range (00000000..0xffffff).
done.
Updating flash chip contents... erase_write:  region (00000000..0xffffff) is writable, erasing range (00000000..0xffffff).
linux_mtd_erase: MEMERASE ioctl call returned -1, error: Input/output error
Erase/write done from 0 to ffffff
Write Failed!Uh oh. Erase/write failed. Checking if anything has changed.
Reading current flash chip contents... read_flash:  region (00000000..0xffffff) is readable, reading range (00000000..0xffffff).
done.
Good, writing to the flash chip apparently didn't do anything.
This means we have to add special support for your board, programmer or flash
chip. Please report this to the mailing list at flashrom@flashrom.org or on
IRC (see https://www.flashrom.org/Contact for details), thanks!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You may now reboot or simply leave the machine running.
=========================================================

I am a long time linux user, can try any workaround or optionally 
even allow ssh access to the device.
Can someone please give me some hints about where to go from here.

Appeciate your time,
Robert