<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
<div class="moz-text-flowed" style="font-family: -moz-fixed;
font-size: 12px;" lang="x-western">Greetings
<br>
<br>
Following various recommendations on Lenovo G505s, I finally got
myself a A10-5750M with dedicated GPU. At least I think it has
dedicated graphics, due to the following output:
<br>
<br>
# inxi -G
<br>
<br>
Card-1: AMD Richland [Radeon HD 8650G]
<br>
Card-2: AMD Sun Pro [Radeon HD 8570A/8570M]
<br>
<br>
While waiting for some AliExpress deliveries, I'd like to ask a
few questions that worry me. I have never flashed anything, but
I'm used to Linux, the command line and soldering.
<br>
<br>
A)
<br>
According to <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Flashing_a_BIOS_chip_with_Bus_Pirate">http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Flashing_a_BIOS_chip_with_Bus_Pirate</a>
<br>
either a Bus Pirate or a CH341A programmer is needed for flashing
CoreBoot. LibreBoot folks can just take a Raspberry Pi (or better
a Beagle Bone Black) and a SOIC clip, while CoreBoot needs more
equipment. Why is that?
<br>
Somewhere it reads that the CH341A was faster than BusPirate. But
is it faster than a Raspi or BeagleBone?
<br>
Btw. Flashrom does in fact support RaspberryPi: <a
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.flashrom.org/RaspberryPi">https://www.flashrom.org/RaspberryPi</a>
<br>
<br>
The reason for asking is because I really don't want to brick
anything and/or destroy the G505s. And I don't know how to operate
a CH341A and feel that I'm not really in control of this whole
undertaking. Hence, I'm trying to keep things as clear and easy as
possible.
<br>
<br>
B)
<br>
The instructions on <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Flashing_a_BIOS_chip_with_Bus_Pirate#Flashing">http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Flashing_a_BIOS_chip_with_Bus_Pirate#Flashing</a>
suggest the following order of operations:
<br>
1) receive a flashrom help
<br>
2) erase a flash chip
<br>
3) read from a flash chip
<br>
4) write to a flash chip
<br>
5) verify a flash chip against the file
<br>
<br>
But should't the original content of the flash chip first got read
and saved before erasing it? Just in case anything goes wrong and
the original BIOS would be needed for some reason? So, step 2 and
3 are to be swapped, right?
<br>
<br>
C)
<br>
Which Coreboot version should I use? v4.6 or the newest v4.8.1 ? I
remember @Taiidan mentioning that he used v4.6 and somewhere else
it reads that there will be some major changes after v4.8. Should
I avoid it?
<br>
<br>
D)
<br>
About flashing KB9012: Is it advisable to flash it with Origami-EC
? Getting rid of serial numbers sounds nice. But is it save to do?
Or is there a risk of bricking the KB9012?
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://git.code.paulk.fr/gitweb/?p=origami-ec.git;a=summary">http://git.code.paulk.fr/gitweb/?p=origami-ec.git;a=summary</a>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Flashing_KB9012_with_Bus_Pirate">http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Flashing_KB9012_with_Bus_Pirate</a>
<br>
<br>
E)
<br>
This machine is going to be a Qubes workstation. Are there any
special Coreboot options for Qubes OS that one should be aware of?
<br>
<br>
Thank you! And thanks for all the work that the good folks from
dangerousprototypes have done and shared!
<br>
<br>
</div>
</body>
</html>