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9494d1693b
- Researched 7 component categories for available firmware updates - NVMe SSD (PM9A1): update available GXA7401Q -> GXA7802Q - Motherboard BIOS F53 is current (no update needed) - SATA SSD 840 EVO, GPU GTX 1050 Ti: EOL, no updates - NIC/CPU microcode: managed via kernel/firmware packages - USB peripherals: no LVFS/fwupd support - Recommend installing fwupd for future firmware management
8.8 KiB
description, tags, last_updated
| description | tags | last_updated | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firmware/BIOS update research for all workstation components. Current vs latest versions, update methods, and risk assessment. |
|
2026-04-02 |
Firmware Update Research: mw-pfeddersheim-workstation
Date: 2026-04-02 Purpose: Research latest firmware/BIOS versions for all components and assess update needs.
Summary
| Component | Current Version | Latest Version | Update? | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motherboard BIOS | F53 (2025-10-28) | F53 | No | - |
| NVMe SSD (PM9A1) | GXA7401Q | GXA7802Q | Yes | Medium |
| SATA SSD (840 EVO) | EXT0BB6Q | EXT0BB6Q (EOL) | No | - |
| GPU VBIOS (GTX 1050 Ti) | 86.07.39.00.50 | 86.07.39.00.50 (EOL) | No | - |
| NIC (RTL8111) | rev 0c, r8168 driver | Kernel-integrated | Via kernel | Low |
| CPU Microcode | Kernel-integrated | Kernel-integrated | Via kernel | Low |
| USB Peripherals | Various | Various | No (no LVFS) | - |
Actionable updates: 1 (NVMe SSD firmware)
Detailed Findings
1. Motherboard BIOS: Gigabyte AX370M-DS3H-CF
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Current | F53, dated 2025-10-28 |
| Latest | F53 (no newer version found) |
| Source | Gigabyte Support |
Status: Up to date. F53 from October 2025 is the latest available. The AX370M-DS3H (rev 1.x) is an AM4 board from 2017 - F53 represents a remarkably long support timeline (8+ years). No further updates expected.
Update method (if future versions appear): Q-Flash (BIOS) or @BIOS (Windows/Linux utility).
2. NVMe SSD: Samsung PM9A1 (MZVL2512HCJQ-00B00)
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Current | GXA7401Q |
| Latest | GXA7802Q |
| Source | OVHCloud Firmware Guide |
Status: Update available. GXA7802Q is newer than GXA7401Q. Improves performance, stability, and security.
Update procedure (Linux, no Samsung Magician needed):
# 1. Install nvme-cli
sudo pacman -S nvme-cli
# 2. Verify current firmware
nvme list
# 3. Download firmware binary (OVHCloud mirror)
wget https://last-public-ovh-baremetal.snap.mirrors.ovh.us/hardware/PM9A1/GXA7802Q_Noformat.bin
# 4. Apply firmware (ensure NVMe is /dev/nvme0n1)
sudo nvme fw-download --fw=GXA7802Q_Noformat.bin /dev/nvme0n1
sudo nvme fw-activate --slot=0x1 --action=0x1 /dev/nvme0n1
# 5. Reboot to apply
sudo reboot
# 6. Verify after reboot
nvme list
Risk: Medium. NVMe firmware update can brick the drive if interrupted (power loss). Ensure UPS or stable power. The _Noformat variant preserves data.
Recommendation: Schedule during maintenance window. Backup critical data first.
3. SATA SSD: Samsung SSD 840 EVO 500GB
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Current | EXT0BB6Q |
| Latest | EXT0BB6Q (EOL - no updates since ~2015) |
| Source | Samsung Semiconductor Tools |
Status: No update available. The 840 EVO (released 2013) has reached end-of-life. EXT0BB6Q is the final firmware. No further updates will be released.
Note: This drive is 12+ years old. Consider monitoring health via smartctl and planning replacement if reliability degrades.
If update were needed: Samsung provides bootable ISO firmware utilities, but none exist beyond EXT0BB6Q for this model. Samsung Magician is Windows-only.
4. GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Current VBIOS | 86.07.39.00.50 |
| Latest VBIOS | 86.07.39.00.50 (EOL) |
| Current Driver | 575.64.05 |
| Latest Driver | ~580.81 (final for 10-series, end of 2025) |
| Source | NVIDIA Drivers |
Status: No VBIOS update available. NVIDIA ended Game Ready driver support for GTX 10-series at end of 2025. No VBIOS updates have been released.
Driver note: Driver 575.64.05 may be close to or past the final supported version. Check mhwd or pacman for the latest NVIDIA 10-series driver available in Manjaro.
Update method (drivers only): sudo pacman -Syu nvidia or via Manjaro Hardware Detection (mhwd).
5. NIC: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 (rev 0c)
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Current Driver | r8168 (proprietary) |
| Kernel Module | r8168, r8169 (alternative) |
| Firmware | rtl_nic/rtl8168h-2.fw (linux-firmware) |
| Source | linux-firmware.git (kernel.org) |
Status: Managed via kernel/firmware packages. No standalone firmware update needed. The NIC firmware blob is part of linux-firmware package.
Update method: Keep linux-firmware package updated via normal pacman -Syu.
Note: Currently using r8168 (Realtek proprietary driver). The in-kernel r8169 driver also supports this chip and may be preferable for simpler maintenance. Both are loaded as kernel modules.
6. CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (Zen+ / Pinnacle Ridge)
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Microcode | Kernel-integrated (ucode_amd.bin) |
| AGESA | Applied via BIOS (F53 includes latest for this board) |
| Source | linux-firmware.git, kernel.org |
Status: Managed via kernel/BIOS. AMD CPU microcode updates are delivered through:
- BIOS/UEFI (AGESA updates) - already at F53 (latest)
- Linux kernel (early microcode loading) - updated via
linux-firmwarepackage
Verify current microcode: dmesg | grep microcode after boot.
Update method: Keep kernel and linux-firmware packages updated.
7. USB Peripherals
| Device | USB ID | Firmware Update? | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jabra SPEAK 510 | 0b0e:0422 | Maybe | Jabra Xpress (Linux) |
| Genesys Logic microSD Reader | 05e3:0727 | No | N/A |
| Pixart Imaging Mouse | 093a:2510 | No | N/A |
| Microdia Terra HD1080PC Camera | 0c45:636b | No | N/A |
| CHERRY Mechanical Keyboard | 046a:00b0 | No | N/A |
Status: No LVFS/fwupd support for any of these devices.
Jabra SPEAK 510: Jabra Xpress (v49.0.1.2, Dec 2025) is available for Linux. Could check for firmware updates if audio issues exist. Download from Jabra Support.
All others: No firmware update mechanisms available. These are simple HID/USB devices with no user-serviceable firmware.
fwupd Status
fwupd is not installed on this workstation.
Recommendation: Install fwupd for future firmware management via LVFS (Linux Vendor Firmware Service).
sudo pacman -S fwupd
sudo systemctl enable --now fwupd
fwupdmgr refresh
fwupdmgr get-devices
fwupdmgr get-updates
fwupd can manage UEFI firmware, some SSD firmware, and select USB devices through LVFS.
Recommended Action Plan
Immediate (Low Risk)
| # | Action | Command |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Install fwupd | sudo pacman -S fwupd |
| 2 | Update linux-firmware | sudo pacman -Syu linux-firmware |
| 3 | Check NVIDIA driver version | pacman -Q nvidia |
Scheduled (Medium Risk - Requires Maintenance Window)
| # | Action | Risk | Downtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Update NVMe firmware to GXA7802Q | Medium (power loss risk) | ~5 min + reboot |
No Action Needed
| Component | Reason |
|---|---|
| Motherboard BIOS | Already at latest (F53) |
| SATA SSD | EOL, no updates available |
| GPU VBIOS | EOL, no updates available |
| CPU Microcode | Managed via kernel/firmware |
| NIC Firmware | Managed via kernel/firmware |
| USB Peripherals | No update mechanisms |
Risk Assessment
NVMe Firmware Update (GXA7401Q -> GXA7802Q)
| Risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Power loss during update = bricked drive | Use UPS, verify battery backup |
| Data corruption | Backup critical data first |
| Incompatibility | Verify model match (MZVL2512HCJQ-00B00) |
General Considerations
- Production workstation: All firmware updates should be scheduled during non-critical hours.
- Rollback: BIOS has dual-BIOS; NVMe/SATA have no rollback mechanism.
- Testing: After any firmware update, run
smartctl -aandnvme smart-logto verify health.