Fwupd 2.0.20: A Significant Update for Linux Firmware

Richard Hughes, the developer behind fwupd, has released version 2.0.20 of this open-source Linux firmware update utility. This twentieth maintenance update to the fwupd 2.0 series brings several key enhancements and bug fixes to improve the overall firmware update experience on Linux systems.

Key Features and Improvements

Fwupd 2.0.20 introduces support for upgrading the firmware on various devices, including the HP Engage One G2 Advanced Hub, PixArt PJP274 found in the Framework laptop, and several new Jabra GNP devices. Additionally, it allows for changing the AMD UMA carveout size and warns users if they are using the blocked-firmware functionality.

Furthermore, this release speeds up the calculation of the cab checksum by about 21 percent and adds support for verifying the uncompressed size when decompressing CAB files. It also disables the UEFI plugins on 32-bit x86 systems and adds support for honoring polkit authentication for the emulation tag when modifying a device.

Bug Fixes and Optimizations

This update fixes several bugs, including a CCGX DMC regression that occurred when installing firmware on the HP G5 dock, a harmless heap OOB read in the AMD Kria SOM EEPROM parser, a potential fastboot string over-read, and a regression causing MBIM QDU firmware updates to fail.

Notably, fwupd 2.0.20 no longer hangs when parsing an invalid USB descriptor and no longer returns an error if the fastboot property isn’t provided. These changes contribute to a more stable and efficient firmware update process.

Conclusion and Call to Action

In conclusion, fwupd 2.0.20 is a significant update that enhances the Linux firmware update experience. With its new features, bug fixes, and optimizations, it is a must-have for anyone looking to keep their Linux system’s firmware up to date.

For more details about the changes included in fwupd 2.0.20, you can check out the release notes on the project’s GitHub page. You can download fwupd 2.0.20 as a source tarball from the same location if you prefer compiling it from sources. However, it is recommended that you install fwupd from the stable software repositories of your GNU/Linux distribution for a seamless experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is fwupd, and what does it do? Fwupd is an open-source Linux firmware update utility that allows users to update the firmware of their devices.
2. What devices are supported by fwupd 2.0.20? Fwupd 2.0.20 adds support for the HP Engage One G2 Advanced Hub, PixArt PJP274, and several new Jabra GNP devices, among others.
3. How do I install fwupd 2.0.20? It is recommended that you install fwupd from the stable software repositories of your GNU/Linux distribution.
4. What are the key features of fwupd 2.0.20? Fwupd 2.0.20 introduces several key features, including support for new devices, improved performance, and bug fixes.
5. Is fwupd 2.0.20 compatible with my Linux distribution? Fwupd 2.0.20 is designed to be compatible with most Linux distributions, but it is always a good idea to check the release notes and your distribution’s documentation for specific information.