Flashrom is a universal flash programming utility for ROM/flash chips (e.g. in DIP or PLCC packaging). It also has support for SPI chips. . The tool can be used to flash BIOS/firmware images for example -- be it proprietary BIOS images or coreboot (previously known as LinuxBIOS) images. . It can also be used to read the current existing BIOS/firmware from a flash chip.
