I'm looking for an x86_64 laptop to try Coreboot. I've looked through the archives [1,2] and the wiki [3]; it seems the most popular machines are x60s and t60.
However, these machines are shipped in different configurations [4,5]. This page [6] mentions Core Duo Mobile L2300, which has a 32-bit instruction set [7], so I'm not really interested. And this one [8] says about Core 2 Duo T7200 [9] and Core 2 Duo Mobile L7400 [10] (each has a 64-bit instruction set). Is there a configuration that doesn't require non-free [11] components? It's not clear from this page [12]. And this answer [13] is a bit confusing because it just mentions x60, not a particular configuration. Is there a need to worry about microcode or EC? Are there any plans regarding them? For example, even "the first fully free laptop" has freedom-related issues with EC [14].
Also, this processor [10] has so-called embedded options. I'm a bit concerned. I don't have any personal experience with such technologies, but these links [15--19] are scary. Could anyone elaborate? For instance, this page [16] says that one can remotely enable AMT even if it was disabled in BIOS. Can Coreboot permanently disable such "features"? Can it disable DRM [20]?
TL;DR: I'm looking for an x86_64 laptop that should work with Coreboot, shouldn't have nasty "features," shouldn't refuse to boot if I replace a component, and shouldn't require non-free software to run.
[1] http://www.coreboot.org/pipermail/coreboot/2013-June/076058.html [2] http://www.coreboot.org/pipermail/coreboot/2013-June/076070.html [3] http://www.coreboot.org/Laptop#Laptops_with_coreboot_Support [4] http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X60s [5] http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T60 [6] http://www.coreboot.org/Thinkpad_X60s [7] http://ark.intel.com/products/27228/Intel-Core-Duo-Processor-L2300-%282M-Cac... [8] http://www.coreboot.org/Supported_Motherboards#Laptops [9] http://ark.intel.com/products/27255/Intel-Core2-Duo-Processor-T7200-4M-Cache... [10] http://ark.intel.com/products/28026/Intel-Core2-Duo-Processor-L7400-4M-Cache... [11] https://gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw [12] http://www.coreboot.org/Thinkpad_X60s#proprietary_components_status [13] http://www.coreboot.org/pipermail/coreboot/2013-June/075948.html [14] http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:Hardware/Freest#Lemote_Yeeloong_8089_and_8... [15] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_vPro#Security_and_privacy_concerns [16] http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Security-Malware/Intel-AMT-backdoor-enabled-by-d... [17] http://linux.die.net/man/7/amt-howto [18] http://software.intel.com/sites/manageability/AMT_Implementation_and_Referen... [19] http://software.intel.com/sites/manageability/AMT_Implementation_and_Referen... [20] http://www.defectivebydesign.org/
On 12-07-13 12:35, Nikita Karetnikov wrote:
I'm looking for an x86_64 laptop to try Coreboot. I've looked through the archives [1,2] and the wiki [3]; it seems the most popular machines are x60s and t60.
Which (again) strikes me as ood, that intel laptops are the most recommended ones.
The last time I brought that up, someone said, the AMD offerings are very light. So I did a newegg query for all AMD cpu laptops and found the following targets:
Lenovo G585; AMD A1-1500 CPU for 299 USD. Some open box laptops with E2's and A6's, but lets ignore those. HP 2000-2b10NR; AMD A1-1200 CPU for 379 USD Asus F55U-NH21; AMD E2-1800 CPU for 389 USD HP Pavilion 14-b110us; AMD A4-4335M CPU; 399 USD Samsung ATIV Book2; AMD E2-2000 CPU for 399 USD.
So with less then 400 USD you can have a nice AMD based laptop, all have 4gb ram and AMD graphics. Not too bad imo. The big big downside with those is the screen resolution of course, 1366x768.
Upping the resolution requirement to atleast 1600x900, the price category quickly jumps 559 USD for a HP Pavilion 17-e010us; AMD A6-5350M.
Choice are available, now just someone to take the plunge and support them ;)
However, these machines are shipped in different configurations [4,5]. This page [6] mentions Core Duo Mobile L2300, which has a 32-bit instruction set [7], so I'm not really interested. And this one [8] says about Core 2 Duo T7200 [9] and Core 2 Duo Mobile L7400 [10] (each has a 64-bit instruction set). Is there a configuration that doesn't require non-free [11] components? It's not clear from this page [12]. And this answer [13] is a bit confusing because it just mentions x60, not a particular configuration. Is there a need to worry about microcode or EC? Are there any plans regarding them? For example, even "the first fully free laptop" has freedom-related issues with EC [14].
Also, this processor [10] has so-called embedded options. I'm a bit concerned. I don't have any personal experience with such technologies, but these links [15--19] are scary. Could anyone elaborate? For instance, this page [16] says that one can remotely enable AMT even if it was disabled in BIOS. Can Coreboot permanently disable such "features"? Can it disable DRM [20]?
TL;DR: I'm looking for an x86_64 laptop that should work with Coreboot, shouldn't have nasty "features," shouldn't refuse to boot if I replace a component, and shouldn't require non-free software to run.
[1] http://www.coreboot.org/pipermail/coreboot/2013-June/076058.html [2] http://www.coreboot.org/pipermail/coreboot/2013-June/076070.html [3] http://www.coreboot.org/Laptop#Laptops_with_coreboot_Support [4] http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X60s [5] http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T60 [6] http://www.coreboot.org/Thinkpad_X60s [7] http://ark.intel.com/products/27228/Intel-Core-Duo-Processor-L2300-%282M-Cac... [8] http://www.coreboot.org/Supported_Motherboards#Laptops [9] http://ark.intel.com/products/27255/Intel-Core2-Duo-Processor-T7200-4M-Cache... [10] http://ark.intel.com/products/28026/Intel-Core2-Duo-Processor-L7400-4M-Cache... [11] https://gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw [12] http://www.coreboot.org/Thinkpad_X60s#proprietary_components_status [13] http://www.coreboot.org/pipermail/coreboot/2013-June/075948.html [14] http://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:Hardware/Freest#Lemote_Yeeloong_8089_and_8... [15] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_vPro#Security_and_privacy_concerns [16] http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Security-Malware/Intel-AMT-backdoor-enabled-by-d... [17] http://linux.die.net/man/7/amt-howto [18] http://software.intel.com/sites/manageability/AMT_Implementation_and_Referen... [19] http://software.intel.com/sites/manageability/AMT_Implementation_and_Referen... [20] http://www.defectivebydesign.org/
It's kind of useless to point to a bunch of random laptops with a compatible chipset. It's never that simple. You don't know what the EC is or how to talk to it, and you don't have critical info you need to really make this work. So count on about a year of effort, potentially. What if there's a magic i2c mux down in there somewhere? What if there's some weird flash locking? And on and on, it's a long list.
If somebody wants a laptop with coreboot today, that has vendor support, get an acer c7 chromebook. If you can stand the keyboard, which you really want to test. But it's an incredible deal.
ron
-
Nikita Karetnikov -
Oliver Schinagl -
ron minnich