Introduction

This plugin allows updating ATA/ATAPI storage hardware. Devices are enumerated from the block devices and if ID_ATA_DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE is supported they can be updated with appropriate firmware file.

Updating ATA devices is more dangerous than other hardware such as DFU or NVMe and should be tested carefully with the help of the drive vendor.

The device GUID is read from the trimmed model string.

Firmware Format

The daemon will decompress the cabinet archive and extract a firmware blob in an unspecified binary file format.

This plugin supports the following protocol ID:

• org.t13.ata

GUID Generation

These device use the Microsoft DeviceInstanceId values, e.g.

• IDE\VENDOR[40]REVISION[8]
• IDE\0VENDOR[40]

See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/install/identifiers-for-ide-devices for more details.

Update Behavior

The firmware is deployed when the device is in normal runtime mode, but it is only activated when the system is in the final shutdown stages. This is done to minimize the chance of data loss if the switch to the new firmware is not done correctly.

Vendor ID Security

No vendor ID is set as there is no vendor field in the IDENTIFY response.

Quirk Use

This plugin uses the following plugin-specific quirks:

AtaTransferBlocks

Blocks to transfer, or 0xffff for max

Since: 1.2.4

AtaTransferMode

The transfer mode, 0x3, 0x7 or 0xe

Since: 1.2.4

External Interface Access

This plugin requires the SG_IO ioctl interface.