xref: /aosp_15_r20/external/flashrom/README.rst (revision 0d6140be3aa665ecc836e8907834fcd3e3b018fc)
1flashrom README
2===============
3
4flashrom is a utility for detecting, reading, writing, verifying and erasing
5flash chips. It is often used to flash BIOS/EFI/coreboot/firmware images
6in-system using a supported mainboard, but it also supports flashing of network
7cards (NICs), SATA controller cards, and other external devices which can
8program flash chips.
9
10It supports a wide range of flash chips (most commonly found in SOIC8, DIP8,
11SOIC16, WSON8, PLCC32, DIP32, TSOP32, and TSOP40 packages), which use various
12protocols such as LPC, FWH, parallel flash, or SPI.
13
14Do not use flashrom on laptops (yet)! The embedded controller (EC) present in
15many laptops might interact badly with any attempts to communicate with the
16flash chip and may brick your laptop.
17
18Please make a backup of your flash chip before writing to it.
19
20Please see the flashrom(8) manpage :doc:`classic_cli_manpage`.
21
22
23Building / installing / packaging
24---------------------------------
25
26flashrom is built with **meson**. TLDR:
27
28::
29
30    meson setup builddir
31    meson compile -C builddir
32    meson test -C builddir
33    meson install -C builddir
34
35For full detailed instructions, follow the information in
36:doc:`dev_guide/building_from_source`
37
38Contact
39-------
40
41The official flashrom website is:
42
43  https://www.flashrom.org/
44
45For available contact methods see :doc:`contact`
46