How To Install Fwupd on Fedora 42

Firmware updates play a critical role in maintaining system security, stability, and performance on Linux systems. On Fedora 42, fwupd provides a streamlined way to manage firmware updates for various hardware components, from UEFI BIOS to peripheral devices. This comprehensive guide walks you through installing and configuring fwupd on Fedora 42, troubleshooting common issues, and implementing best practices for firmware management.

Table of Contents

Understanding Firmware Updates in Linux

Firmware differs significantly from regular software updates. While software applications run on your operating system, firmware operates at a lower level, providing instructions that control the hardware functionality directly. Think of firmware as the bridge between your hardware and the operating system.

The need for firmware updates often stems from security vulnerabilities, compatibility improvements, or performance enhancements for hardware components. Before fwupd’s development, updating firmware on Linux systems was typically a cumbersome process requiring Windows installations or specialized tools from manufacturers.

Fwupd works in conjunction with the Linux Vendor Firmware Service (LVFS), a collaborative platform where hardware manufacturers upload redistributable firmware images. This partnership allows Linux users to update firmware for numerous devices from various vendors directly from their operating system.

On Fedora 42, fwupd integrates seamlessly with both command-line interfaces and graphical applications like GNOME Software, providing flexibility based on user preferences and technical requirements.

Prerequisites and System Compatibility

Before installing fwupd on Fedora 42, ensure your system meets the necessary requirements for optimal functionality.

Hardware Compatibility Check

Not all hardware supports firmware updates through fwupd. To determine if your specific devices are compatible with LVFS:

Identify your system model and components
Visit the LVFS website (fwupd.org) to check for your hardware in their database
Some manufacturers like Dell, Lenovo, and HP have extensive support, while others may have limited compatibility

System Requirements

For fwupd to function properly on Fedora 42, your system should have:

A stable internet connection for downloading firmware updates
Administrative (root) privileges for installation and updates
Sufficient storage space for firmware packages
For UEFI updates: a properly configured UEFI system with secure boot properly configured

Take note that while many devices can be detected by fwupd, not all of them can be updated through this service. Some hardware may require vendor-specific tools despite being visible in fwupd’s device listings.

Standard Installation Method via DNF

The most straightforward way to install fwupd on Fedora 42 is through the default package manager, DNF. This method ensures you get the version specifically optimized for Fedora’s ecosystem.

Step 1: Update Your System

Before installing any new package, ensure your system is up-to-date:

sudo dnf update

Step 2: Install Fwupd

Install the fwupd package using DNF:

sudo dnf install fwupd

This command installs the core fwupd daemon and command-line tools. The installation process automatically handles dependencies like libdbus, libssl, and libudev that fwupd requires to function properly.

Step 3: Verify the Installation

Confirm that fwupd installed correctly by checking its version:

fwupdmgr --version

Step 4: Start and Enable the Service

The fwupd service should start automatically when needed, but you can manually start and enable it:

sudo systemctl start fwupd.service
sudo systemctl enable fwupd.service

This ensures the fwupd daemon runs at startup and remains available for firmware management tasks.

Step 5: Initial Configuration

After installation, perform an initial metadata refresh to sync with the LVFS repository:

sudo fwupdmgr refresh

This downloads the latest firmware metadata, allowing fwupd to identify available updates for your hardware.

Alternative Installation Methods

While the standard DNF method works well for most users, Fedora 42 supports alternative installation approaches that might better suit specific requirements.

Installing via Snap

Snap packages provide an alternative installation method with automatic updates:

sudo dnf install snapd
sudo ln -s /var/lib/snapd/snap /snap
sudo snap install fwupd

The Snap version contains the complete fwupd stack but operates in a more confined environment compared to the native DNF installation.

Using Docker Containers

For development or testing purposes, you can use the official fwupd Docker container for Fedora:

docker pull ghcr.io/fwupd/fwupd/fwupd-fedora:latest

This method isolates fwupd from your system but may have limitations when accessing hardware directly.

Comparison of Installation Methods

Method	Advantages	Disadvantages
DNF	Native integration, full system access	Updates tied to system repositories
Snap	Automatic updates, containment	Potential permission limitations
Docker	Isolated environment, version control	Limited hardware access, more complex setup

Choose the installation method that best aligns with your system management approach and firmware update requirements.

Basic Fwupd Commands and Usage

Once fwupd is installed on your Fedora 42 system, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with its basic command structure to effectively manage firmware updates.

Accessing Help Information

To see available commands and options:

fwupdmgr --help

Starting the Fwupd Service

The service typically starts automatically when needed, but you can manually control it:

sudo systemctl start fwupd.service

Listing Connected Devices

To see all devices that fwupd can detect:

fwupdmgr get-devices

This command provides detailed information about each device, including:

Device name and manufacturer
Current firmware version
Device ID and type
Update capability status

Understanding Command Output

The output from fwupd commands typically follows a structured format. For example, the get-devices command might show:

Dell XPS 13 9310 System Firmware
  DeviceId:             4d6e23d0b0627bd880cd3df40aa9aae84d9a3c69
  Guid:                 39e1ee3b-e9ee-3660-ab92-c439aae34f67
  Summary:              UEFI ESRT device
  Plugin:               uefi
  Flags:                updatable|registered|needs-reboot
  Version:              1.3.0
  VersionLowest:        1.0.0
  VersionBootloader:    1.3.0

Pay attention to the “Flags” field, which indicates whether a device can be updated through fwupd and any special requirements for updates.

Checking for Firmware Updates

Regular firmware updates are essential for system security and stability. Follow these steps to check for available updates on your Fedora 42 system.

Refreshing Metadata Repository

Before checking for updates, refresh the metadata to ensure you have the latest information:

sudo fwupdmgr refresh

This command downloads the current metadata from LVFS, which contains information about the latest available firmware versions.

Enabling Automatic Metadata Updates

For automatic metadata refreshes, enable the timer service:

sudo systemctl enable fwupd-refresh.timer
sudo systemctl start fwupd-refresh.timer

Checking Available Updates

To see if firmware updates are available for your devices:

sudo fwupdmgr get-updates

The output will list any devices with available updates, showing:

Current version
Available version
Release notes and changes
Security information if applicable

Understanding Update Information

Each update entry provides valuable information about the firmware release:

Dell XPS 13 9310 System Firmware has firmware updates:
  Version:              1.4.0
  Remote ID:            lvfs
  Summary:              System firmware for Dell XPS laptops
  License:              Proprietary
  Size:                 14.2 MB
  Urgency:              Critical
  Vendor:               Dell Inc.
  Created:              2023-10-15
  Description:          This update contains critical security fixes
                        and performance improvements.

Pay attention to the “Urgency” field, which indicates how important the update is (e.g., critical, high, medium, low).

Installing Firmware Updates via Command Line

The command line provides the most reliable and detailed method for installing firmware updates on Fedora 42. Follow these steps for a successful update process.

Before You Begin

Prior to initiating firmware updates, take these precautions:

Ensure your device is connected to reliable power (AC adapter for laptops)
Back up important data in case of update complications
Close all unnecessary applications
Ensure sufficient battery charge for portable devices (ideally 100%)

The Update Process

To install all available firmware updates:

sudo fwupdmgr update

This command performs several functions:

Downloads all available firmware updates
Verifies update integrity and signatures
Prepares the system for updates
Installs updates that can be applied immediately
Stages updates that require a reboot

Understanding Update Stages

The update process typically shows progress indicators for each stage:

Downloading firmware update for Dell XPS 13 9310 System Firmware...
Downloading... [*********************]
Decompressing... [*********************]
Authenticating... [*********************]
Preparing update... [*********************]
Updating... [*********************]

Handling Post-Update Reboots

Many firmware updates, especially UEFI/BIOS updates, require a system reboot to complete:

Update prepared for next reboot. Restart your system to apply the update.

When prompted, restart your system:

sudo reboot

During the reboot process, you may notice:

Your system taking longer than usual to start
A firmware update screen (separate from your operating system)
Progress indicators for the firmware installation

Verifying Update Success

After rebooting, confirm that the updates were applied successfully:

fwupdmgr get-devices

Check that the listed firmware versions match the expected updated versions.

GUI-Based Firmware Updates in Fedora 42

While command-line methods offer precise control, many users prefer graphical interfaces for firmware management. Fedora 42 provides several GUI options for updating firmware through fwupd.

GNOME Software Center

The default Software application in Fedora’s GNOME desktop provides integrated firmware update capabilities:

Open the GNOME Software application
Navigate to the “Updates” tab
Look for firmware updates in the list
Click on the update to view details
Click “Download” to retrieve the update
Follow on-screen prompts to install the firmware

GNOME Firmware Utility

For a dedicated firmware management interface, install the GNOME Firmware application:

sudo dnf install gnome-firmware

This specialized application provides:

A comprehensive view of all devices with firmware
Detailed firmware information
Update functionality
Historical firmware version information

KDE Discover (for KDE Plasma Users)

If you’re using KDE Plasma on Fedora 42:

Open Discover
Go to the “Updates” section
Firmware updates will appear alongside software updates
Select and install firmware updates as needed

Understanding GUI Limitations

While graphical interfaces are convenient, they may have some limitations:

Less detailed error reporting compared to command-line tools
Occasional issues with update buttons not responding, as reported by some Fedora 42 users
Limited troubleshooting capabilities

If you encounter issues with the GUI tools, falling back to command-line methods often resolves the problems.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Even with a mature system like fwupd on Fedora 42, users may encounter various issues during firmware updates. Here are solutions to common problems.

Unresponsive Download Buttons in GNOME Software

Several Fedora 42 users have reported that the download buttons for firmware updates in GNOME Software don’t respond when clicked:

Solution: Use the command-line method instead:

sudo fwupdmgr update

This bypasses the GUI entirely and often resolves the issue without further intervention.

AC Power Requirement Errors

Firmware updates typically require AC power connection, especially for laptops:

Solution: Connect your laptop to AC power before attempting updates. If using a desktop, ensure stable power (consider a UPS if power fluctuations are common in your area).

Read-only File System Errors

Some users encounter errors related to read-only file systems during updates:

Failed to create '/home/EFI/fedora/fw': Read-only file system

Solutions:

Check if your ESP (EFI System Partition) is correctly mounted
Verify that fwupd has appropriate permissions
Check for filesystem issues with:
```
sudo fsck /boot/efi
```
For persistent issues, try updating after a clean reboot.

UDisks2 Interface Errors

Errors related to UDisks2 interface missing can prevent proper ESP mounting:

FuPluginUefiCapsule failed to mount ESP: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.UnknownMethod: No such interface "org.freedesktop.UDisks2.Filesystem"

Solution: Ensure udisks2 is properly installed and running:

sudo dnf install udisks2
sudo systemctl restart udisks2

Failed Verification or Authentication

Sometimes updates fail due to verification issues:

Solutions:

Refresh metadata and try again:

sudo fwupdmgr refresh --force
sudo fwupdmgr update

Check your system time is accurate (authentication can fail if your clock is significantly off)
Verify network connectivity to LVFS servers

Recovery from Failed Updates

If a firmware update fails mid-process:

Do not panic or force shutdown
For laptops: keep the AC power connected
If the system is unresponsive, wait at least 10 minutes before any action
Follow hardware vendor recovery procedures if available
Some devices have built-in rollback mechanisms for failed updates

Advanced Usage Scenarios

Beyond basic updates, fwupd offers advanced capabilities for specialized firmware management scenarios on Fedora 42.

Downgrading Firmware

Sometimes newer firmware introduces issues, requiring a rollback to a previous version:

fwupdmgr get-releases DEVICE_ID
sudo fwupdmgr downgrade DEVICE_ID

Replace DEVICE_ID with the actual device identifier from fwupdmgr get-devices output. Note that not all devices support downgrading firmware.

Scheduling Automatic Updates

For systems requiring automated maintenance:

Create a systemd timer for periodic checks:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/fwupd-auto-update.timer

Add timer configuration:

[Unit]
Description=Weekly firmware update check

[Timer]
OnCalendar=Mon *-*-* 02:00:00
Persistent=true

[Install]
WantedBy=timers.target

Create the service file:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/fwupd-auto-update.service

Add service configuration:

[Unit]
Description=Automatic firmware update service
After=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=oneshot
ExecStart=/usr/bin/fwupdmgr refresh
ExecStart=/usr/bin/fwupdmgr update -y

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable the timer:

sudo systemctl enable --now fwupd-auto-update.timer

Working with Specific Device Types

Different device categories may require special handling:

For Thunderbolt devices:
```
fwupdmgr get-devices | grep -A 15 Thunderbolt
```
Updates often require authorization in Thunderbolt security settings
For NVMe storage:
```
sudo fwupdmgr get-devices | grep -A 15 NVMe
```
Updates may require temporary disabling of secure boot
For network interfaces:
Ensure the interface isn’t in active use during updates

Security Considerations for Sensitive Environments

In high-security environments:

Verify update signatures:
```
fwupdmgr verify DEVICE_ID
```
Consider implementing A/B partitioning for critical firmware to enable failsafe rollbacks
Document all firmware changes in your security management system
Test firmware updates on non-production systems before deploying widely

Dell-Specific Firmware Updates

Dell hardware receives excellent support in the fwupd ecosystem, but some Dell-specific aspects require special attention on Fedora 42.

Dell BIOS Update Considerations

Dell systems often have BIOS updates available through fwupd:

Check for Dell firmware updates:

fwupdmgr get-devices | grep -A 20 "Dell"

Dell BIOS updates may require specific conditions:
- AC power connection is mandatory
- Battery charge above 10% recommended
- Some models require BitLocker suspension if enabled
For Latitude series (like 3120 mentioned in user reports), watch for the specific TPM firmware update process which may require additional steps

TPM Firmware Update Process

Dell systems with TPM 2.0 may receive specialized firmware updates:

TPM updates are particularly sensitive and may require multiple reboots
If encountering TPM-related errors like:
```
FuPluginIntelMe failed to get public key using /fpf/OemCred: generic failure [0xb]
```
Try updating Intel Management Engine firmware first before TPM firmware
Some Dell models require a specific update sequence:
- BIOS update first
- Reboot
- TPM firmware update
- Final reboot

Dell-Specific Troubleshooting

For issues specific to Dell hardware:

If updates fail on Dell systems, check the Dell support site for any known issues with your specific model
For persistent issues with the Latitude series, use the Dell command line update utility (available in Dell’s Linux repositories) as an alternative
Some Dell firmware updates may not appear in fwupd if they require hardware validation that can only be performed by Dell’s proprietary tools

Additional Hardware Examples

While Dell systems were covered specifically, other hardware vendors have their own peculiarities when updating firmware through fwupd on Fedora 42.

Lenovo ThinkPad Firmware Updates

Lenovo ThinkPad laptops have extensive fwupd support:

ThinkPad firmware updates often include:
- UEFI/BIOS updates
- Embedded Controller firmware
- Trackpoint/Touchpad firmware
- Battery management firmware

Example update process for a ThinkPad T470:

Downloading 0.1.57 for 20HEA00JSG System Firmware...
Fetching firmware https://fwupd.org/downloads/204c396001fb80b62c57301a41e23ae555a8208f-Lenovo-ThinkPad-T470-SystemFirmware-1.57.cab
Downloading... [***********]
Updating
Decompressing... [***********]
Authenticating... [***********]
Restarting device... [***********]

ThinkPad updates often require multiple reboots to complete the full update sequence

HP Enterprise Hardware

HP servers and enterprise workstations present unique considerations:

HP iLO management firmware can often be updated through fwupd
HP firmware updates frequently use a modular approach, allowing updates to specific components:
- BIOS
- Network interface cards
- Storage controllers
- System management processors

Intel and AMD Component Updates

Beyond complete systems, individual components from Intel and AMD may receive updates:

Intel Management Engine and AMD PSP firmware
Graphics firmware for integrated and discrete GPUs
Network controller firmware

For these components, check specific firmware availability:

fwupdmgr get-devices | grep -E "Intel|AMD"

Best Practices for Firmware Management

Implementing sound firmware management practices ensures system stability and security on your Fedora 42 installation.

Regular Update Schedule

Establish a consistent firmware update cadence:

Check for firmware updates monthly for standard systems
Critical infrastructure may require more frequent checks
Consider automatic update notifications while keeping manual approval for installations

Pre-Update Preparations

Before applying firmware updates:

Back up critical data to external storage
Document current firmware versions for rollback reference
Review release notes for specific requirements or known issues
Schedule updates during maintenance windows for production systems

Testing Approach

For organizations with multiple systems:

Create a staged deployment approach:
- Test on non-critical systems first
- Expand to a pilot group
- Roll out to all systems after verification
In multi-boot environments, test firmware updates with all operating systems to ensure compatibility

Documentation and Change Management

Maintain comprehensive records of firmware changes:

Document all firmware updates in your system management database
Record update dates, versions, and any issues encountered
Maintain a repository of firmware packages for potential offline installations
Implement a verification process to confirm successful updates

Firmware Security Considerations

Enhance firmware security through proper practices:

Only install firmware from verified sources (LVFS, vendor sites)
Verify firmware signatures before installation
Implement boot verification where possible
Consider hardware with secure boot capabilities and firmware attestation

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Fwupd. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing Fwupd on Fedora 42 Linux system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official Fwupd website.

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