Linux Friendly Hardware Database ??

[Kam Leo]

On Jan 16, 2008 12:29 PM, Dave Stevens <geek at uniserve.com> wrote:
>
> On Wednesday 16 January 2008 01:16:01 am Michael A. Peters wrote:
> > Many moons ago I bough a Sony DVD burner.
> > It worked in Linux from day one - worked extremely well.
> >
> > I finally ran out of my supply of DVD-R and bought another 50 spindle.
> > It will not burn to them - first spitting out the disk and sucking back
> > in, and then failing when it comes to the burn.
> >
> > I googled the error and found that my drive is old enough that for the
> > new media types, I need to update the firmware on the drive. Went to get
> > the new firmware, and read the instructions. You can not update the
> > firmware from a DOS boot floppy, you update the firmware from within
> > Windows.
> >
> > That's a bit of a problem for me, I do not have windows, and this is NOT
> > the kind of task I would expect to work in wine (though I may be wrong,
> > I kind of doubt it would).
> >
> > So I'm on the hunt for a new DVD burner, but I'd like to find one that
> > allows firmware updating via boot floppy or bootable flash drive. I'm
> > having trouble finding one.
> >
> > Is there a hardware database of Linux friendly hardware that takes into
> > account things like firmware updates?
> > I hate having to replace hardware that otherwise functions perfectly,
> > but just needs new firmware.
>
> I sympathize. In the same situation I removed the CD burner and installed it
> temporarily in a Windows box, updated the firmware, and returned it working
> to the LInux computer.
>
> Dave

Lucky you!  If only manufacturers still offered DOS based firmware
upgrades. I have a DVD drive two years old for which no new firmware
will be forth coming and for which the firmware update program does
not work on any of my Windows boxes. The easiest solution seems to be
to purchase a new drive. Of course, I'll have to do it soon since IDE
is on its way out.