---
name: "pflash"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "opal-utils"
version: "6.2-1"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pflash"
---

# pflash(1)

manual page for Open-Power Flash tool

## NAME

pflash - manual page for Open-Power Flash tool

## SYNOPSIS

**pflash** \[*options*\] *commands*...

## DESCRIPTION

pflash is a tool to access the flash modules on such systems and update the OpenPower firmware.

### Options

- **-a** *address*, **--address**=*address*

  Specify the start address for erasing, reading or flashing

- **-s** *size*, **--size**=*size*

  Specify the size in bytes for erasing, reading or flashing

- **-P** *part\_name*, **--partition**=*part\_name*

  Specify the partition whose content is to be erased programmed or read. This is an alternative to **-a** and **-s** if both **-P** and **-s** are specified, the smallest of the two will be used

- **-f**, **--force**

  Don't ask for confirmation before erasing or flashing

- **-d**, **--dummy**

  Don't write to flash

- **-m**, **--mtd**

  Avoid accessing the flash directly if the BMC supports it. This will access the flash through the kernel MTD layer and not the flash directly

- **-b**, **--bmc**

  Target BMC flash instead of host flash. Note: This carries a high chance of bricking your BMC if you don't know what you're doing. Consider **--mtd** to be safe(r)

- **-F** *filename*, **--flash-file** *filename*

  *Target filename instead of actual flash.*

- **-S***,* **--side**

  *Side of the flash on which to operate, 0 (default) or 1*

- **-T***,* **--toc**

  *libffs TOC on which to operate, defaults to 0.* *leading 0x is required for interpretation of a hex value*

### *Commands:*

- **-4***,* **--enable-4B**

  *Switch the flash and controller to 4-bytes address* *mode (no confirmation needed).*

- **-3***,* **--disable-4B**

  *Switch the flash and controller to 3-bytes address* *mode (no confirmation needed).*

- **-r** *file,* **--read***=file*

  *Read flash content from address into file, use* **-s** *to specify the size to read (or it will use the source* *file size if used in conjunction with* **-p** *and* **-s** *is not* *specified). When using* **-r** *together with* **-e** *or* **-p***, the* *read will be performed first*

- **-E***,* **--erase-all**

  *Erase entire flash chip (Not supported on all chips/controllers)*

- **-e***,* **--erase**

  *Erase the specified region. If size or address are not* *specified, but '--program' is used, then the file* *size will be used (rounded to an erase block) and the* *address defaults to 0.*

- **-p** *file,* **--program***=file*

  *Will program the file to flash. If the address is not* *specified, it will use 0. If the size is not specified* *it will use the file size. Otherwise it will limit to* *the specified size (whatever is smaller). If used in* *conjunction with any erase command, the erase will* *take place first.*

- **-t***,* **--tune**

  *Just tune the flash controller & access size* *(Implicit for all other operations)*

- **-c** **--clear**

  *Used to ECC clear a partition of the flash* *Must be used in conjunction with* **-P***. Will erase the* *partition and then set all the ECC bits as they should be*

- **-i***,* **--info**

  *Display some information about the flash.*

- **-h***,* **--help**

  *This message.*