As a blind computer user, one of the most frustrating things is the inability for me to access the bios and tweak settings as necessary (boot order, things like that). I cannot use the bios setup utility available at boot time, because it runs before any accessibility software is running.
Is there any linux software (prefferably console-based), that would allow me to access the bios settings?

I know I can dump most of the information using biosdecode and dmidecode, but I haven't found anything that will allow me to edit/change the settings.

So far as I understand it, your BIOS is 'mounted' once the system is fully booted, and an OS is running. Therefore, it would not be possible, in my humble opinion, to do what you are talking about.

Dare I say it, can you ask someone to give you some help? It would probably be your easiest and quickest solution.

Sure I can ask for help, but sometimes when I am working late at night, there isn't anyone available to assist me.

Plus as an accessibility freak, I would like to be able to do this on my own. I realize that the changes I would make wouldn't take affect until the next reboot, but it seems like there should be some way to make changes.

My thought is if I have a linux livecd of some flavor, nad boot a pc but need to tweak some bios settings then I could do it from my livecd and reboot back into the regular o/s or back into my livecd to perform whatever work I need to do.

Ok, but BIOS stands for Basic Input Output System. Once the machine is in any OS, including a live CD, it is using the BIOS.

Another way of putting it: When you flash the BIOS, it generally runs as an executable file from windows, and actually turns the machine over to a state below the OS before the BIOS is rewritten!

As I understand it, you cannot change the BIOS from within any OS running on the machine.

DPenguin,

I understood your question to be how to change the settings in the BIOS rather than how to flash the BIOS, i.e. change the actual executable code. Am I correct? It sounds to me like irishbitte is talking about flashing the BIOS.

It does not matter what you want to do with your bios, adjust or update. Your bios is only accessible while your pc is not running an os, aka during the startup immediately after the power-on.

Yes, I'm afraid that Sjonnie is right. The ROM is 16-bit and Linux is a 32 (or 64) bit protected mode OS. It cannot run that code.... I *think*. I'm personally thinking that it would be an extremely (*extremely*) funky project to do, if anyone could manage it.

Although my reply seems right it is not 100% true. I wrote my reply early in the morning when knowledge is at a low level.

My other pc is an Asus Spresso barebone with Intel. The P4.... mobo offers an option called LiveUpdate.
LU is a program that runs under MS Windows and it updates the bios under a running os. It also offers the possibility to save your old bios before updating it.
After the update has succeeded you must reboot.

Maybe more mobo brands offer this capability, but I can't tell.
You might get more and/or better answers if you should go to a hardware-specific forum.
Asus has a forum for users where a large variety of problems is discussed and solved.
I do hope for you that the manufacturer of your motherboard has such a forum.

Sjonnie is correct regarding the P4 mobo, but most mobo's don't allow that type of functionality.

I know that Dpenquin is not trying to flash the BIOS, I was merely trying to illustrate the difficulty in changing BIOS settings from a live OS. I'm not thick ya know!

I'm not accusing anybody of being "thick." I just thought it possible a miscommunication had occurred. Down the road it is quite possible that I would have an interest in changing BIOS settings from a script and I've wondered myself if it was possible. Specifically I have a BIOS capable of turning on the computer at a preset time. I can imagine the usefulness of having the computer set its own alarm clock prior to shutting off. So I have a personal interest in this discussion.

EDIT: I appreciate DPenguin for cueing me into biosdecode and dmidecode even if they are not exactly what either of us wants.

Yeah, I know you weren't accusing me of being thick! I also have an interest in this discussion, because I have quite a few client machines where I have them dual booting windows and linux for this exact reason. Would be great if I could get rid of windows, and when buying new machines, buy without windows licences, or even build from scratch! So we all have an interest here!

DPenquin, here's an idea: What if you could run your 'real' computer in a VM, and have accessibility software on the 'host' OS read the BIOS settings in the 'guest' OS? I don't know that it will help you much, you're still not getting near the BIOS settings of the physical machine.