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July 29th, 2008

Foxconn owns up to dodgy BIOS crippling Linux

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 11:23 am

Categories: Hardware, In the news, Linux

Tags: ASUS, Motherboard, Foxconn, BIOS, Linux, Corporate Governance, Operating Systems, Hardware, Components, Software

[UPDATE: The debug version on an updated BIOS is now available from Foxconn. Details here.] 

The other day I blogged about how the Foxconn G33M-S motherboard didn’t play nicely with Linux because it broke ACPI support. Well, as it turns out the problem isn’t a Foxconn one but it’s down to American Megatrends (AMI) having shipped a defective BIOS. Also, as it turns out, other boards are also affected.

Here’s the current state of play:

  • The issue has been reported to Ubuntu.
  • The buggy BIOS also allegedly affects the following motherboards:
     - MSI P965 Platinum
     - Asus P5K-E
     - Asus P5E WS
     - Asus P5E WS PRO
  • Foxconn say that an update will be released for the motherboard in the next few days.
  • No ETA for a fix from other vendors.
  • Nothing here points to any kind of conspiracy theory to lock Linux out of the game. The issue seems to be a bug, and this was made much worse than it needed to thanks to a poor tech support representative working for Foxconn. If tech support had logged the fault rather than argue that the board was Vista only, none of this would have been a problem as it would have been just another bug.

Thanks to Ryan for keeping me updated.

Adrian Kingsley-HughesAdrian is a technology journalist and author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology. He also runs a popular blog called The PC Doctor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations

Want to get in touch? Got a tip? Feel free to drop me a note! I ALWAYS respect anonymity. I'm also on Twitter (@the_pc_doc)

Right to Reply: Should any industry representatives wish to comment on any posts on Hardware 2.0, I will be happy to publish their reply verbatim on this blog.

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Related Discussions on TechRepublic

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  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 80 Talkback(s)
About the treatment from Foxconn  TheAlmightyCthulhu | 07/29/08
Well, at the very least, MS LIKES these kinds of problems, though, it  DonnieBoy | 07/31/08
Thanks for the clarification  trentreviso | 07/29/08
Sure it works.......  TheAlmightyCthulhu | 07/29/08
Ditto  Marcos El Malo | 07/29/08
So it becomes their tech support's fault?  LBiege | 07/29/08
Pass the buck  trentreviso | 07/29/08
they choose not to support the product for linux  code_Warrior | 07/29/08
Wrong!  SpikeyMike | 07/29/08
ACPI was co-authored by Microsoft ....  ShadeTree | 07/29/08
So? They are the sole authors of OOXML...  SpikeyMike | 07/30/08
Works fine with office.  ShadeTree | 07/30/08
He's referring...  AndyCee | 07/31/08
And Linux's ACPI is written by Intel.  Zogg | 07/30/08
What is your point?  ShadeTree | 07/30/08
One person??? Try learning how Linux is developed first!  Zogg | 07/30/08
Don't be obtuse!  ShadeTree | 07/30/08
Arrogant bluster, masking poor reading comprehension!  Zogg | 07/30/08
Let me simplify this so even you can understand.  ShadeTree | 07/30/08
Just calm down and learn to read.  Zogg | 07/31/08
Learn to read yourself!  ShadeTree | 07/31/08
Please stop spouting specious FUD.  Zogg | 07/31/08
Not simply a matter of "supporting Vista only"  trentreviso | 07/29/08
The real issue lies in the fact that linux ....  ShadeTree | 07/29/08
No, you are wrong.  TripleII | 07/29/08
A link to another open source ....  ShadeTree | 07/29/08
Furthermore ....  ShadeTree | 07/29/08
Intersting email from Bill Gates  deaf_e_kate | 07/30/08
ShadeTree is hilarious  daengbo | 07/30/08
What is even more hillarious ....  ShadeTree | 07/31/08
um...  /A\V/ | 07/31/08
And further, you probably know this.  TripleII | 07/29/08
I do know!  ShadeTree | 07/29/08
Sorry, I wasn't listening  AndyCee | 07/31/08
In this case the problem ....  ShadeTree | 07/31/08
Re: Pass the buck  TheAlmightyCthulhu | 07/29/08
So the solution is?  wolftalamasca | 07/30/08
RE: Foxconn owns up to dodgy BIOS crippling Linux  Loverock Davidson | 07/29/08
Here's your sign.  SpikeyMike | 07/29/08
Message has been deleted.  SpikeyMike | 07/30/08
ZDNet, STOP deleting messages. This is getting ridiculous.  DonnieBoy | 07/31/08
godo ?  Ole Rellik | 07/31/08
Sure, why not?  AndyCee | 07/31/08
RE: Foxconn owns up to dodgy BIOS crippling Linux  code_Warrior | 07/29/08
Looks like Adrian wants to be Dana  code_Warrior | 07/29/08
Facts not in evidence.  TripleII | 07/29/08
Absolutely not true!  ShadeTree | 07/29/08
Re: Absolutely not true  TheAlmightyCthulhu | 07/29/08
Reading Comprehension.  TripleII | 07/29/08
Maybe after you get some rest ...  ShadeTree | 07/30/08
He makes perfect sense - Your'e the one left holding the bag!  SpikeyMike | 07/30/08
ACPI did change!  ShadeTree | 07/30/08
The short answer to your complaint is  daengbo | 07/30/08
The even shorter answer is this.  ShadeTree | 07/31/08
Why isn't the table OS agnostic if its standard?  deaf_e_kate | 07/30/08
The tables report the OS to tell ....  ShadeTree | 07/30/08
NO! Any bugs in Linux's ACPI support will be fixed!  Zogg | 07/31/08
so...  whitetigersx | 08/04/08
See my reply below.  Zogg | 08/04/08
Are all MS advocates so illogical  suddenend | 07/30/08
The faulty logic is obvious.  ShadeTree | 07/31/08
Revisionist History???  robert.w.michaelson@... | 07/31/08
Your post is both of topic ....  ShadeTree | 07/31/08
your garbage is not evidence  code_Warrior | 07/29/08
You don't have to trust me.  TripleII | 07/29/08
Message has been deleted.  deaf_e_kate | 07/30/08
There are tables to show which OS ....  ShadeTree | 07/30/08
Message has been deleted.  bmerc | 07/30/08
Message has been deleted.  bmerc | 07/30/08
Job well done, Adrian!  pjotr123 | 07/29/08
Agreed, it's also good that we now know the culprit  T1Oracle | 07/29/08
The conspiracy is bigger than first thought  Richard Flude | 07/29/08
Sigh...  TtfnJohn | 07/30/08
Dodgy BIOS crippling Linux  djchandler | 07/30/08
Thanks Adrian  OldMarine | 07/30/08
Support rep.  gmureddu@... | 07/30/08
Not being experienced in ACPI...  AndyCee | 07/31/08
Normally the table is not ....  ShadeTree | 07/31/08
well...  whitetigersx | 08/04/08
The "stable target" you seek is called the ACPI specification.  Zogg | 08/04/08

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