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New Phoenix BIOS will run Linux apps when Windows fails

By Tim Conneally, BetaNews

February 13, 2008, 2:01 PM

California-based Phoenix Technologies has announced its plan to develop an embedded Linux-based bypass system that will allow users to run some productivity applications even if the main OS has failed.

Linux is already gaining some ground as an embedded operating system. So now Phoenix, which made its name as the core provider of BIOS for PCs, is working with several partners to leverage embedded Linux as a bypass operating system.

The basic concept is that an embedded Linux OS will accompany the core system firmware or BIOS, allowing instant-on applications to be run from it at any time.

This means regardless of the status of Windows -- before, during and after it boots up or shuts down, if it has crashed or if maintenance is being performed -- some software will be allowed to run, including Web browsers and tools that can read files and documents on the hard drive.

The system will be built upon Phoenix's HyperCore virtualization platform, and the company expects to offer SupportSoft's remote management tools as a part of the package. By running support software alongside Windows, it could allow maintenance to be done to a system from an "outside perspective," eliminating the need in certain instances to actually be on site (like for OS reinstalls, for example.)

"We have the opportunity to be able to provide remote maintenance services even when Windows is down and run diagnostic programs while the user continues uninterrupted," said Josh Pickus, CEO of SupportSoft.

Phoenix is currently working with software and hardware vendors to build the platform and its associated applications. Currently, they plan to offer the following: e-mail functions, Web browsing, a media player, IP soft phones, the remote system maintenance and repair functions mentioned earlier, and embedded security.

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By mitcoes

edited Feb 16, 2008 - 8:13 AM

With some bookmarks online and some office online even openoffice in the linux system. It can be a windows killer.
Becouse, of course windows will fail, and users will know linux is better and safer and not as hard to use as IT business deciders want to think

Score: 0

By cricri_pingouin

posted Feb 14, 2008 - 4:50 AM

Nice idea! But I wonder if it's going to lead to a higher price of the BIOS (and thus motherboards). In which case, I wouldn't be interested: most people will likely never need to access it, and even if I needed something like this, I can always boot a Knoppix CD or DSL from a USB drive.
So still a neat idea, but I don't think it's worth the effort considering how many times it will prove useful. And before people say that it will be used often since it says "if (Windows) has crashed", well I run XP 24/7, and last time it crashed was... I can't actually remember if it actually ever crashed. If it did, it was years ago.

Score: 0

By Hall9000

posted Feb 13, 2008 - 11:26 PM

I'll go for it if it runs the Little Green Desktop. :P

Score: 0

By mcbit

edited Feb 13, 2008 - 4:10 PM

The idea is actually very attractive. Many devices are already running on Linux (e.g. routers) and the concept opens up many possibilities. For example, the BIOS OS can actually implement a hardware abstraction layer meaning that depending on the BIOS settings, primary OS (Windows) may not see a network card, a sound card or any other on-board device as a device, but it will rather see it as a service that the OS can communicate with using standardized communication protocols. No more driver hell! Furthermore, BIOS OS can run firewall and other daemons adding a "hardware" firewall at almost no additional cost. Mind you, you may need a dedicated on-board processor to avoid BIOS OS interfering with the primary OS, but it doesn't have to be very powerful, and should not affect the price too much.
My biggest concern is the vulnerability of this concept, though. Does it mean that a virus or a hacker can initiate a system restore operation or launch remote execution calls? Can you imagine what can happen if a virus infects the BIOS OS and spreads across the Internet? Do you remember the Chernobyl virus that fried quite a few motherboards around 2000? I've seen a few of them myself.
But, I will not jump to conclusions, and will wait until motherboards with the BIOS OS appear on the market....

Score: 0

By DeadFly

posted Feb 13, 2008 - 3:52 PM

Like frankwick said, this already exists on most servers for management and recovery purposes. If this made it into mainstream home PCs though it could make it easy to turn on check your email, movie times, etc and not have to wait for Windows or a full Linux distro to load. Maybe people won't leave their computers on all day and night (like me) so it's always ready when they need it.

Score: 0

By TIM

posted Feb 13, 2008 - 6:28 PM

While this particular product isn't fully available yet, it's meant to be scalable, so the regular home PC will be able to use it just as readily as the server.

Score: 0

By phenomnaruto

posted Feb 13, 2008 - 2:10 PM

unless it plans on making the OS fail on purpose i really doubt this will get any use at all .... unless the user is either using XP or pours coffee into thier computer ... which would destroy the mobo and then they're screwed anyway

Score: 0

By Niro

posted Feb 13, 2008 - 2:25 PM

Really? So you're saying if one of our Windows (or whatever OS) servers crashes over the weekend (or whenever), being able to connect to the machine remotely using Linux in the bios is useless? Oh well...

Score: 0

By frankwick

posted Feb 13, 2008 - 3:27 PM

IBM RSA does now.
Compaq Insight Manager does this now.
Etc...

Score: 0

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