# coreboot-x230 pre-built [coreboot](https://www.coreboot.org/) images and documentation on how to flash them for the [Thinkpad X230](https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-x-series-laptops/thinkpad-x230) These images * include [SeaBIOS](https://seabios.org/SeaBIOS) as coreboot payload, for maximum compatibility. * are meant to be [flashed externally](#how-to-flash) (...top.rom release files) * ...full.rom release files are not functional entirely. Only the the top 4M are usable. * are compatible with Windows and Linux ## Latest build (config overview and version info) See our [releases](https://github.com/merge/coreboot-x230/releases) * Lenovo's proprietary VGA BIOS ROM is executed in "secure" mode ### coreboot * We simply take coreboot's current state in it's master branch at the time we build a release image. That's the preferred way to use coreboot. The git revision we use is always included in the release. ### Intel microcode * revision `1f` from 2018-03-12 (Intel package [20180312](https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27591) added by us; not yet in coreboot upstream) ### SeaBIOS * version [1.11.0](https://seabios.org/Releases#SeaBIOS_1.11.0) from 2017-11-10 (part of coreboot upstream) ## When do we do a release? Either when * There is a new SeaBIOS release, * There is a new Intel microcode release (included in coreboot AND affecting our CPU ID), * There is a coreboot issue that affects us, or * We change the config ## TL;DR Download a released image, connect your hardware SPI flasher to the "upper" 4MB chip in your X230, and do flashrom -p linux_spi:dev=/dev/spidev0.0,spispeed=128 -w x230_coreboot_seabios_example_top.rom where `linux_spi:` is the example of using your SPI pins of, for example, a Raspberry Pi. A [Bus Pirate](http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Bus_Pirate) with `buspirate_spi` or others connected to the host directly should be fine too. ## Flashing for the first time ### EC firmware (optional) Enter Lenovo's BIOS with __F1__ and check the embedded controller (EC) version to be __1.14__ and upgrade using [the latest bootable CD](https://support.lenovo.com/at/en/downloads/ds029188) if it isn't. The EC cannot be upgraded when coreboot is installed. (In case a newer version should ever be available (I doubt it), you could temporarily flash back your original Lenovo BIOS image) ### me_cleaner (optional) The Intel Management Engine resides on the 8MB chip. We don't need to touch it for coreboot-upgrades in the future, but while opening up the Thinkpad anyways, we can save it and run [ifdtool](https://github.com/coreboot/coreboot/tree/master/util/ifdtool) and [me_cleaner](https://github.com/corna/me_cleaner) on it: flashrom -p linux_spi:dev=/dev/spidev0.0,spispeed=128 -c "MX25L3206E/MX25L3208E" -r ifdmegbe.rom flashrom -p linux_spi:dev=/dev/spidev0.0,spispeed=128 -c "MX25L3206E/MX25L3208E" -r ifdmegbe2.rom diff ifdmegbe.rom ifdmegbe2.rom git clone https://github.com/corna/me_cleaner.git && cd me_cleaner ./me_cleaner.py -S -O ifdmegbe_meclean.rom ifdmegbe.rom ifdtool -u ifdmegbe_meclean.rom flashrom -p linux_spi:dev=/dev/spidev0.0,spispeed=128 -c "MX25L3206E/MX25L3208E" -w ifdmegbe_meclean.rom.new ### save the 4MB chip (internally, memory of the two chips is mapped together, the 8MB being the lower part, but we can essientially ignore that) For the first time, we have to save the original image, just like we did with the 8MB chip. It's important to keep this image somewhere safe: flashrom -p linux_spi:dev=/dev/spidev0.0,spispeed=128 -r top1.rom flashrom -p linux_spi:dev=/dev/spidev0.0,spispeed=128 -r top2.rom diff top1.rom top2.rom ## Flashing the coreboot / SeaBIOS image When __upgrading__ to a new version, for example when a new [SeaBIOS](https://seabios.org/Releases) version is available, only the "upper" 4MB chip has to be written. Download the latest release image we provide here and flash it: flashrom -p linux_spi:dev=/dev/spidev0.0,spispeed=128 -w x230_coreboot_seabios_example_top.rom ## How to flash We flash externally, using a "Pomona 5250 8-pin SOIC test clip". You'll find one easily. This is how the X230's SPI connection looks on both chips: Screen (furthest from you) __ MOSI 5 --| |-- 4 GND CLK 6 --| |-- 3 N/C N/C 7 --| |-- 2 MISO VCC 8 --|__|-- 1 CS Edge (closest to you) ### Example: Raspberry Pi 3 We run [Raspbian](https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/) and have the following setup * [Serial connection](https://elinux.org/RPi_Serial_Connection) using a "USB to Serial" UART Adapter and picocom or minicom * Yes, in this case you need a second PC connected to the RPi over UART * in the SD Cards's `/boot/config.txt` file `enable_uart=1` and `dtparam=spi=on` * [For flashrom](https://www.flashrom.org/RaspberryPi) we put `spi_bcm2835` and `spidev` in /etc/modules * [Connect to a wifi](https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/wireless/wireless-cli.md) or to network over ethernet to install `flashrom` * only use the ...top.rom release file * connect the Clip to the Raspberry Pi 3: Edge of pi (furthest from you) (UART) L GND TX RX CS E | | | | F +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ T | x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x | | x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x | E +----------------------------------^---^---^---^-------------------------------^--+ D | | | | | G 3.3V MOSIMISO| GND E (VCC) CLK Body of Pi (closest to you) Now you should be able to copy the image over to your Rasperry Pi and run the mentioned `flashrom` commands. One way to copy, is convertig it to ascii using `uuencode` (part of Debian's sharutils package) described below. This is a very direct, shady and slow way to copy file. Another way is of course using a USB Stick or scp :) (but you need even more hardware or a network). (convert) host$ uuencode coreboot.rom coreboot.rom.ascii > coreboot.rom.ascii (transfer) rpi$ cat > coreboot.rom.ascii host$ pv coreboot.rom.ascii > /dev/ttyUSBX (wait) rpi$ (CTRL-D) (convert back) rpi$ uudecode -o coreboot.rom coreboot.rom.ascii (verify) host$ sha1sum coreboot.rom rpi$ sha1sum coreboot.rom ### Example: internal NOT YET AVAILABLE HERE * make sure you have your backups * You have to have your 8MB chip flashed externally after `ifdtool -u ifdmegbe.rom` before this, once * according to the [flashrom manpage](https://manpages.debian.org/stretch/flashrom/flashrom.8.en.html) this is very dangerous! * very convenient - you don't need any additional hardware * here you'll use the ...full.rom release file * Boot Linux with the `iomem=relaxed` boot parameter (for example set in /etc/default/grub) * create the following file (named x230-layout.txt): 0x00000000:0x007fffff ifdmegbe 0x00800000:0x00bfffff bios `flashrom -p internal --layout x230-layout.txt --image bios -w x230_coreboot_seabios_example_full.rom` You may have to set `internal:laptop=force_I_want_a_brick,spispeed=128` or parts of it, or other settings... ## How we build Everything necessary to build coreboot is included in this project and building coreboot is not hard at all. Please refer to [coreboot's own documentation](https://www.coreboot.org/Build_HOWTO). When building, testing and doing a release here, we always try to upload our result to coreboot's [board status project](https://www.coreboot.org/Supported_Motherboards). ## Why does this work? On the X230, there are 2 physical "BIOS" chips. The "upper" 4MB one holds the actual bios we can generate using coreboot, and the "lower" 8MB one holds the rest that you can [modify yourself once](#flashing-for-the-first-time), if you like, but strictly speaking, you don't need to touch it at all. What's this "rest"? Mainly a tiny binary used by the Ethernet card and the Intel Management Engine. ## Alternatives * [Heads](https://github.com/osresearch/heads/releases) also releases pre-built flash images for the X230 - with __way__ more sophisticated functionality.