Curious about firmware files...super geeks please reply.

[tsbservice]

Generally speaking....

The larger firmware like Toshibas contain like the entire Operating System(OS).
Toshiba uses a modified Debian Linux based system and they are replacing the entire boot image when you do firmware.

The smaller firmware like Lexmark are only replacing the MFP's program portion of the system - the OS is onboard and/or locked.

There is the OS and then there is a program running on the OS that equals 'THE MFP'

One process replaces the entire OS and THE MFP program and the other only replaces THE MFP program and the core OS is left mostly untouched.

Having a locked or un-updated OS makes the firmware easy but also...your OS is never updated so if it's exploited - your boned.

Sounds perfectly reasonable.
I would prefer whole package all day long it tooks like 1-2 minutes on newest bizhubs to take almost 1 GB Firmware.
Those are FAST

[tsbservice]

I kid you not, I asked XEROX this exact question. I asked, "Why is this firmware almost a gig?" "Well you see, our machines can do everything! It can Scan, fax, copy, scan to folders, to e-mail's, that's why it's a large file" responded the Xerox Engineer Support.

Needless to say, I was flabbergasted. I swear, I didn't know what to say. To this day, I am shocked at that response, and it has become the inside joke of the company I work for.
The balls, the cojones on this guy, and he seemed genuine too.

He-he my little Brothers can do the same with 30-40MB firmware, wait... what this guy takes