eeprom(8) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, eeprom is the illumos /usr/sbin/eeprom. On x86 it edits a simulated EEPROM stored in /boot/solaris/bootenv.rc. The only counterpart in the bundle is NetBSD eeprom(8), which has extra -c, -i and -v flags that Solnix lacks. The bundle has no Linux, FreeBSD or OpenBSD page.
The manual pages
- Solnix: eeprom(8) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - NetBSD: eeprom(8) 11.0
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos eeprom at /usr/sbin/eeprom. No other variants are shipped. The page is published by pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man. Its text still refers to Solaris 10 and Solaris 11 releases and to SPARC systems.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| NetBSD | checksum handling | Solnix eeprom verifies the EEPROM checksums and complains if they are wrong, and has no option to change that. NetBSD adds -c to fix bad checksums and -i to ignore them with a warning. Both flags are quietly ignored on openprom systems.Source: Solnix eeprom(8) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD eeprom(8) -c, -i |
| NetBSD | -v option | NetBSD eeprom has -v, which makes setting a value verbose on openprom systems. The Solnix synopsis has only - and -f device. A script that passes -v to eeprom fails on Solnix.Source: NetBSD eeprom(8) -v and SPARC SYNOPSIS; Solnix eeprom(8) SYNOPSIS |
| NetBSD | default device | NetBSD -f device replaces the default /dev/eeprom, or /dev/openprom on openprom systems. The Solnix page says -f device sets the EEPROM device but names no default.Source: NetBSD eeprom(8) -f; Solnix eeprom(8) OPTIONS -f |
| NetBSD | x86 storage | On Solnix x86 the EEPROM is simulated by the file /boot/solaris/bootenv.rc in the platform boot area. The NetBSD page describes only EEPROM and openprom hardware and says the tool is installed only on supported platforms. Source: Solnix eeprom(8) DESCRIPTION, x86; NetBSD eeprom(8) DESCRIPTION |
| NetBSD | password protection | On Solnix SPARC, eeprom implements firmware password protection through security-mode, security-password and security-#badlogins. On Solnix x86 these properties can be set but have no special meaning. NetBSD lists password-protection fields as not yet supported. Source: Solnix eeprom(8) DESCRIPTION, SPARC and x86; NetBSD eeprom(8) BUGS |
| NetBSD | documented parameters | The Solnix page documents operands: acpi-user-options (x86), console, os_console, diag-device and segkpsize. These include a kernel-only console setting and a kernel pageable-memory size. The NetBSD page lists no individual fields and warns that fields are not well defined on openprom systems. Source: Solnix eeprom(8) OPERANDS; NetBSD eeprom(8) BUGS |
| NetBSD | reading from stdin | Both accept a lone - to take input from stdin. Solnix reads one parameter or parameter=value per line. NetBSD says commands are taken from stdin and displayed on stdout. Source: Solnix eeprom(8) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD eeprom(8) options list, - |
| NetBSD | platform scope | NetBSD gives separate synopses for Sun 3 and for SPARC, SPARC64, MACPPC and PREP. The Solnix page has one synopsis, with SPARC and x86 sections in the text. Source: NetBSD eeprom(8) SYNOPSIS sections; Solnix eeprom(8) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION |
Standards
- POSIX: eeprom is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Writing portable scripts
- Use only eeprom, eeprom parameter, eeprom parameter=value and
-fdevice in scripts.-c,-iand-vexist only in the NetBSD page, and parameter names differ between platforms. - Run eeprom as the super-user to change values, since both pages restrict modification to it. Both pages also say eeprom with no operand lists all values.
Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.