whats the difference between .bin and .fw?

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learnhow2code

whats the difference between .bin and .fw?

#1 Post by learnhow2code »

other than the extensions, obviously.

for example:

./lib/firmware/dabusb/bitstream.bin
./lib/firmware/dabusb/firmware.fw

i know the .fw file may be needed to make this component work, but what is the .bin file for, generally speaking?

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Burn_IT
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#2 Post by Burn_IT »

The extension is a convention and is usually used to describe the format of the contents of the file, but in actual fact is totally optional.
Having said that I would imagine the the FW is meant to imply FirmWare which is probably a binary BIOS file.
"Just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush" - T Pratchett

learnhow2code

#3 Post by learnhow2code »

The extension is a convention and is usually used to describe the format of the contents of the file, but in actual fact is totally optional.
i know, but these days (especially wrt to puppy and its really excellent filetype integration with rox) there is only an increasing amount of attention paid to extensions in /linux.
Having said that I would imagine the the FW is meant to imply FirmWare which is probably a binary BIOS file.
oh yeah-- fw is firmware and ko is a kernel module (which may require a fw file additionally. there is a table on the debian wiki) but nowhere does it clarify the .bin files.

given how many there are, and their location, my guess is that .bin is just another way of saying .fw, which takes us right back to what you were saying about conventions.

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Burn_IT
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#4 Post by Burn_IT »

.bin has been around far far longer than .fw

.bin has generally been used for any compiled machine code file and that usually means that it is hardware specific.
"Just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush" - T Pratchett

learnhow2code

#5 Post by learnhow2code »

.bin has been around far far longer than .fw

.bin has generally been used for any compiled machine code file and that usually means that it is hardware specific.
ah! thank you, thats exactly what i was trying to figure out.

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