Libreboot release information

Documentation for this release can be found at index.html.

GnuPG public key (signing key)

pub 4096R/656F212E 2014-07-04 Libreboot Releases (signing key) <releases@libreboot.org>
Fingerprint=C923 4BA3 200C F688 9CC0 764D 6E97 D575 656F 212E

Download the key: libreboot.asc.

Import the key as follows:
$ gpg --import < libreboot.asc

You should also be able to find it on a key server. Note: the above key is not for email. It is only for verifying the release archives.

You can verify the downloaded archives as follows:
$ gpg --verify libreboot_src.tar.xz.sig
$ gpg --verify libreboot_bin.tar.xz.sig

Old Releases

Releases are now named from the date of release.

See archive_old.html for older libreboot releases.

See critical tasks and non-critical tasks.

Release 20150208

Release date: February 8th, 2015.

Binaries (right-click save as, or use wget)

Source code (right-click save as, or use wget)

Installation instructions can be found at install/index.html#flashrom. Building instructions (for source code) can be found at git/index.html#build.

Machines supported in this release:

Lenovo ThinkPad X60/X60s
- You can also remove the motherboard from an X61/X61s and replace it with an X60/X60s motherboard. An X60 Tablet motherboard will also fit inside an X60/X60s.
Lenovo ThinkPad X60 Tablet (1024x768 and 1400x1050) with digitizer support
- See hcl/index.html#supported_x60t_list for list of supported LCD panels
- It is unknown whether an X61 Tablet can have it's mainboard replaced with an X60 Tablet motherboard.
Lenovo ThinkPad T60 (Intel GPU) (there are issuesinstall/x200_external.html; see below):
- See notes below for exceptions, and hcl/index.html#supported_t60_list for known working LCD panels.
- It is unknown whether a T61 can have it's mainboard replaced with a T60 motherboard.
- See future/index.html#t60_cpu_microcode.
- T60P (and T60 laptops with ATI GPU) will likely never be supported: hcl/index.html#t60_ati_intel
Lenovo ThinkPad X200
- X200S and X200 Tablet are also supported, conditionally; see hcl/x200.html#x200s
- ME/AMT: libreboot removes this, permanently. hcl/gm45_remove_me.html
Lenovo ThinkPad R400
- ME/AMT: libreboot removes this, permanently. hcl/gm45_remove_me.html
Apple MacBook1,1 (MA255LL/A, MA254LL/A, MA472LL/A)
- See hcl/index.html#macbook11.
Apple MacBook2,1 (MA699LL/A, MA701LL/A, MB061LL/A, MA700LL/A, MB063LL/A, MB062LL/A)
- See hcl/index.html#macbook21.

Revisions for r20150208 (relative to r20150126)

This is a maintenance release (polishing) based on r20150126. Users who installed r20150126 don't really need to update to this release.

buildrom-withgrub: use gnulove.jpg background on 16:10 laptops (MacBook2,1 and X200)
build-release: include grub-background script in libreboot_bin
grub-background (new): lets user change GRUB background image
grub-assemble: Add link to original utility.
buildrom-withgrub: Put background.jpg in CBFS, not GRUB memdisk
grub-assemble: merge scripts into a single script gen.sh
Documentation: implement theme, drastically improve readability
docs/hcl/index.html: update list of compatible T60 LCD panels
docs/index.html: more clarification of libreboot's stated purpose.
build-release: include the commitid file in the release archives
docs/index.html: Further emphasize the GNU/Linux requirement.
lenovobios_firstflash: fix BASH errors
lenovobios_secondflash: fix BASH errors
docs/install/x200_external.html: Tell user to switch MAC address.
docs/git/index.html: Add to the list of x86_64 compatible hosts.
docs/install/index.html: Remove old (obsolete) information.
docs/git/index.html: Say that the build dependencies are for src (and not nedeed for libreboot_bin)
build: re-factor the descriptor/gbe generating loop for GM45/ICH9M
X60, X60S and X60 Tablet now the same ROM images.
Add QEMU (q35/ich9) support to libreboot.
Add QEMU (i440fx/piix4) support to libreboot
docs/index.html: Re-write the description of what libreboot is.
docs/release.html: Add notes about how to use GPG.
build-release: delete the commitid file from release archives
build-release: create file named commitid after build-release

Revisions for r20150126 (relative to r20150124)

This is a bug fix release based on r20150124. It contains a few small changes:

grub.cfg: hardcode the list of partitions to search (speeds up booting considerably. GRUB regexp isn't very well optimized)
Docs (x200.html hcl): Remove incorrect information
Documentation (bbb_setup.html): Fix typos
build-release: delete ich9fdgbe_{4m,8m}.bin files from ich9gen
- These were accidentically included in the r20150124 release. They are generated from ich9gen so it's ok, but they don't need to be in the archive.
Documentation (grub_cbfs.html): Looping in libreboot_grub.cfg (Add notes about it if the user copied from grub.cfg in CBFS.)
Documentation: refer to Guix as GNU Guix System Distribution or GNU GSD per advice from the Guix project.

Changes for this release (latest changes first, earliest changes last)

Documentation: added information about how to boot Guix GNU/Linux.
grub.cfg: Added (usb0) and (usb0,*) to the list of devices in the Search for GRUB menuentry (this is needed for Guix GNU/Linux)
grub.cfg: Added (ahci1) to list of devices for ISOLINUX parser (CD/DVD) (this is needed for the X200 docking station).
grub.cfg: ISOLINUX parsing is now done on all USB partitions.
grub.cfg: Automatically switched to /boot/grub/libreboot_grub.cfg on a partition, if it exists.
libreboot_bin: added static ARM binaries for flashrom, cbfstool, ich9gen and ich9deblob (tested on beaglebone black).
Flashrom: removed redundant Macronix flashchip definitions (for X200 owners).
Flashrom: added whitelist for ThinkPad X200.
X200: fixed uneven backlight (at low levels)
ich9macchange (new script, uses ich9gen): for changing the default MAC address on X200 ROM images.
ich9gen: added capability to change the default MAC address (and update the checksum)
ich9deblob: added new utility ich9gen: this can generate a descriptor+gbe image without a factory.rom dump present.
Modified ich9deblob to use a struct for Gbe, documenting everything.
Massively updated the ich9deblob utility: re-factored everything completely.
Enabled cstates 1 and 2 on macbook21. This reduces idle heat / power consumption.
buildrom-withgrub: disabled creation of *txtmode*.rom for X200 (only framebuffer graphics work)
Updated SeaBIOS (again)
docs/install/index.html#flashrom_x200: improve instructions
Updated flashrom (again) - patches updated
Updated GRUB (again)
Updated coreboot (again)
build-release: not all files were copied to libreboot_src. fix that.
build-release: include cbmem (statically compiled) in libreboot_bin
Documentation (X200): added software-based flashing instructions
Documentation: remove all references to the bus pirate (replaced with BBB flashing tutorials)
New board: ThinkPad X200S and X200 Tablet support added to libreboot
build: automatically find board names (configs) to build for
New board: ThinkPad X200 support added to libreboot
coreboot-libre config (all boards): enable USB dongle log output (for BeagleBone Black)
cleandeps: actually clean grubinvaders
.gitignore: add powertop directory
cleandeps: clean i945-pwm utility
scripts (all): fix typos
Documentation: general cleanup.
builddeps-flashrom: reduce build commands to a single for loop
scripts (all): replace unnecessary rm -rf with rm -f
powertop.trisquel7: remove sudo (script already checks if the user is root)
docs/release.html: add lenovo g505s to the list of candidates
.gitignore: add libreboot_bin.tar.xz and libreboot_src.tar.xz
libreboot_bin.tar.xz: Include utils as statically linked binaries
- This means that the user does not have to install build dependency or build from source anymore.
deps-trisquel: Add binutils-source
powertop.trisquel7 (new): Setup powertop on trisquel 7
deps-trisquel,flash,lenovobios_firstflash,lenovobios_secondflash,macbook21_firstflash x60flashfrom5,powertop.trisquel6: check if user is root
deps-trisquel: Make GRUB build on in Trisquel 7 x86_64. (cross compile dependencies. fixes build error in GRUB)
deps-parabola (removed) Remove Parabola dependencies script. Will re-add later (properly tested)
grub.cfg: Add more path checks to isolinux parser (more ISOs should work now)
Update SeaBIOS
x60flashfrom5 (new), for X60 users upgrading from 5th/early release
Update flashrom
Update GRUB
Updated coreboot-libre
- i945: permanently set tft_brightness to 0xff (fixes bug on X60 where turning up brightness at max would make it loop back to low brightness)
getcb: Revert X60/T60 to legacy backlight controls
- The ACPI brightness patches were abandoned and obsolete.
grub.cfg: Only load initrd.img if it exists. Add rw to linux line (for ProteanOS)
build: Only generate the GRUB configurations once (re-use on all images)
Only build 2 GRUB payload executables, re-use on all boards.
resources/utilities/grub-assemble/gen.txtmode.sh: Use GNU BASH
resources/utilities/grub-assemble/gen.vesafb.sh: Use GNU BASH
scripts (error handling): Replace exit with exit 1 (make debugging easier)
Move most files in CBFS to GRUB memdisk, except grub.cfg and grubtest.cfg
docs/release.html Add DMP vortex86ex to list of candidates.
docs/release.html Add ThinkPad X201 to list of candidates.
New links added to docs/security/x60_security and docs/security/t60_security
lenovobios_secondflash: Warn if BUCTS is not present. (not a dealbreaker. Can just pull out nvram battery/coin).
lenovobios_firstflash: Fail if BUCTS fails. (anti-bricking precaution)
Removed obnoxious warnings from flashing scripts, improved documentation instead.
scripts (all): add proper error checking (fail fast, fail early. Do not continue if there are errors)
buildrom-withgrub: rename image to boardname_layout_romtype.rom
buildrom-withgrub: don't move cbfstool, execute directly
resources/utilities/grub-assemble: add French Dvorak (BEPO) keyboard layout.
Documentation: add docs/hardware/x60_keyboard.html (show how to replace keyboard on X60/X60T)
Documentation: major cleanup (better structure, easier to find things)
docs/release.html: Remove Acer CB5 from list of future candidates.
- Too many issues. Chromebooks are crippled (soldered RAM/storage/wifi) and have too many usability issues for the libreboot project.
docs/gnulinux/grub_cbfs.html Major cleanup. Usability improvements.
hocs/gnulinux/encrypted_trisquel.html: Fixed mistakes/typos. General improvements
flash (flashrom script): remove boardmismatch=force
- This was put there before for users upgrading from libreboot r5 to r6, but also allows the user to flash the wrong image. For example, the user could flash a T60 image on an X60, thus bricking the machine. It's almost certain that most people have upgraded by now, so remove this potentially dangerous option.
Documentation: update compatibility list for X60T LCD panels.
docs/release.html: add note about X60 Tablet board in X60/X60s
docs/howtos/grub_boot_installer.html: small corrections
docs/howtos/grub_boot_installer.html: improved readability, fixed html errors
Documentation (macbook21 related): clean up

Critical tasks for future release

Make ich9gen/ich9deblob portable. They both rely extensively on bitfields, and they assume little-endian; for instance, mapping a little endian file directly to a struct, instead of serializing/deserializing. Re-factor both utilities and make them fully portable.
X60: ACPI PCC Probe Failed message on linux-libre 3.19 and higher. Fix it. Preliminary bug report (kernel, linux)
X200: only framebuffer graphics work. This is fine, since it's what most people use, but text-mode graphics initialization is currently broken, which means that memtest86+ will require serial output or ehci debugging.
Fix remaining incompatible LCD panels in native graphics on T60. See future/index.html#lcd_i945_incompatibility.
i945: fix VRAM size (currently 8MB. should be 64MB). See future/index.html#i945_vram_size.
Add proper GS45 raminit for enabling all X200S and X200 Tablets to work properly. See hcl/x200.html#x200s_raminit
Look into those machines:
- ThinkPad X201 - ME ignition is an issue. Watchdog for ME is an issue. Might be possible to disable watchdog in the flash descriptor (soft straps).
- T410S is supported but not yet merged. This uses the same chipset as the X201. http://review.coreboot.org/#/c/7975/ has the patch. This should be tested by someone and should ideally be merged in coreboot. pecg has one. help him.
- ThinkPad R400/R500/T400/T400S/T500: see hcl/x200.html#new_targets.
  - T400S might be GS45, and it might be using a wson-8 form factor for the flash chip.
- This page contains a list of basically every thinkpad that would ever be a candidate for libreboot: http://psref.lenovo.com/WithdrawnBook - take a look at this PDF.
- Lenovo G505S - might need video bios and microcode updates. These would have to be removed and/or replaced to be in libreboot https://github.com/alterapraxisptyltd/lenovo-g505s. It's AMD (not Intel) based on the same design as the HP Pavillion 1035DX. No ME/AMT to worry about! http://www.coreboot.org/User_talk:MrNuke/LTS_Candidates and http://www.coreboot.org/Board:hp/pavilion_m6_1035dx#Native_graphics_init
- F2A85-M and E350M1 (libreboot_*_headless.rom). Test openatom. SMU firmware is a problem. XHCI firmware is a problem.

Other tasks (non-critical, but still important)

Memtest86+ is currently broken in text-mode. investigate
Todo: modify memtest86+ to work with libpayload (coreboot framebuffer) and delete all the text-mode ROM images.
linux 3.18 broke acpi brightness on i945. Libreboot reverted to legacy brightness for now. Look into why it broke on 3.18 (do a git bisect).
Look at vortex86ex boards. See http://libreboot.org/vortex86ex.
Adapt linux-libre deblob scripts for use with coreboot. Libreboot is already deblobbed using its own script, but updating it is still a bit too manual. linux-libre's deblob scripts do an excellent job and (adapted) will make it much easier to maintain coreboot-libre.

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Copyright © 2014, 2015 Francis Rowe <info@gluglug.org.uk>
This document is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License and all future versions. A copy of the license can be found at license.txt.

This document is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See license.txt for more information.