Foxconn Releases Test BIOS Fixing Linux Crashes

Ryan1984 writes "Only a week after the bad press coverage regarding the Linux-related bugs in a number of motherboards released by Foxconn (which turned out to be the AMI BIOS that several board makers use), Foxconn is the first vendor out with a publicly released test patch that fixes the bulk of the problems, allowing kernel 2.6.26 to run well on the afflicted boards. The remaining issues appear to either be kernel bugs in builds earlier than 2.6.26, issues with the Intel chipset itself, or minor annoyances that Foxconn is still working to resolve. Foxconn representative Heart Zhang has posted on the Ubuntu forums (where the situation began), apologizing for the issues, thanking Foxconn customers and the community at-large for their feedback, and promising that Foxconn will take Linux support and testing seriously, going forward."

Comments

But...

[Enderandrew]

Will it run Linux?

Seriously, kudos to them for taking ownership and addressing this so quickly. I've seen some vendors ignore hardware issues if they hear the world Linux.

But I'm confused now!

[VirusEqualsVeryYes]

Wait, Slashdot told me that Foxconn was in the hole for Microsoft, purposely sabotaging Linux so Windows can live on! But now they're releasing a fix? That's not sabotage!

Help me out here, Slashdot!

Re:But I'm confused now!

[SanityInAnarchy]

Wait, Slashdot told me that Foxconn was in the hole for Microsoft, purposely sabotaging Linux so Windows can live on! But now they're releasing a fix?

Finish reading the summary:

(which turned out to be the AMI BIOS that several board makers use)

{"TinfoilHat":"
It looks like the AMI BIOS manufacturer is the one who's really purposely sabotaging Linux.
"} // I've had it with XML jokes -- this one's JSON.

liar!

[Anonymous Coward]

linux doesn;t have kernel bugs. It's open source.

Tin-foil hats

[Enderandrew]

This is very clever sabotage. Now Foxconn is trying to convince Linux users that we should rush out and buy from them.

Once we build all our rigs with Foxconn motherboards, they trigger the new dormant BIOS bug that destroys all Linux systems.

The only way to repair the BIOS at that point will be a patch that can only be installed from Microsoft BOB, and will come shipped in a shrink-wrapped CD case that can only be opened by throwing a chair at it.

Re:Tin-foil hats

[Missing_dc]

Sorry to reply to myself....

[ by the way, I prefer (Admantium)plate-steel helmets to tinfoil, they block more than radio waves... (Juggernaut is my mentor, Captains Britain and America look out!!)]

Re:Good sign

[Anonymous Coward]

and gave Foxconn a lot of reasons to believe that Linux users are crazy zealots.
-
You say that like it's a bad thing. :)

It's a wonderful thing. Who's going to support Linux better, the company that thinks Linux users will complain a little about lack of support, or the company that thinks Linux users will firebomb the CEO's house if they don't get support?

It's a Con!

[Anonymous Coward]

Those sneaky Foxes are just out to Con us all!

FreeDOS works.

[Anonymous Coward]

What are you worried about, MS changing the DOS API or something? ;-)

Re:Theyre fixing it

[Anonymous Coward]

Sounds like they did the right thing at first, actually. A lying OS claimed it was Windows when it wasn't, so a defective BIOS sent back defective values to the lying OS.

Maybe if the OS claimed it was GNU/Linux they would have returned the right table?

Re:To forgive or not?

[omnichad]

I say the same thing every time I leave McDonald's.