2021-05-18 12:21:48 +00:00
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title: Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L desktop board
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...
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2022-11-19 16:09:02 +00:00
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<div class="specs">
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2022-11-19 15:08:30 +00:00
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<center>
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![GA-G41M-ES2L]()
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</center>
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| ***Specifications*** | |
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|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
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| **Manufacturer** | Gigabyte |
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| **Name** | GA-G41M-ES2L |
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| **Released** | 2009 |
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| **Chipset** | Intel G41 |
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| **CPU** | Intel Core 2 Extreme/Quad/Duo,
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Pentium Extreme/D/4 Extreme/4/Celeron |
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| **Graphics** | Integrated |
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| **Display** | None. |
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| **Memory** | Up to 16GB |
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| **Architecture** | x86_64 |
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| **Original boot firmware** | AWARD BIOS |
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| **Intel ME/AMD PSP** | Present. Can be disabled |
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| **Flash chip** | 2x8Mbit |
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```
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W+: Works without blobs;
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N: Doesn't work;
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W*: Works with blobs;
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U: Untested;
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P+: Partially works;
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P*: Partially works with blobs
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```
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| ***Features*** | |
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|----------------|---------------------------------------|
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| **Internal flashing with original boot firmware** | W+ |
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| **Display** | - |
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| **Audio** | W+ |
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| **RAM Init** | P+ |
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| **External output** | P+ |
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| **Display brightness** | - |
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| ***Payloads supported*** | |
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|---------------------------|-------|
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2023-04-09 21:38:30 +00:00
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| **GRUB** | Slow! |
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2022-11-19 15:08:30 +00:00
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| **SeaBIOS** | Works |
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2023-04-09 21:38:30 +00:00
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| **SeaBIOS with GRUB** | Works |
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2022-11-19 15:08:30 +00:00
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</div>
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2021-05-18 12:21:48 +00:00
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This is a desktop board using intel hardware (circa \~2009, ICH7
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2022-11-13 21:12:15 +00:00
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southbridge, similar performance-wise to the ThinkPad X200. It can make
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2022-11-14 02:31:12 +00:00
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for quite a nifty desktop. Powered by libreboot.
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2022-11-13 21:12:15 +00:00
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2022-12-20 16:33:45 +00:00
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As of Libreboot release 20221214, only SeaBIOS payload is provided in ROMs
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for this board. According to user reports, they work quite well. GRUB was
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always buggy on this board, so it was removed from lbmk.
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2021-05-18 12:21:48 +00:00
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IDE on the board is untested, but it might be possible to use a SATA HDD
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2022-11-13 21:12:15 +00:00
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using an IDE SATA adapter. The SATA ports do work, but it's IDE emulation. The
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emulation is slow in DMA mode sia SeaBIOS, so SeaBIOS is configured to use PIO
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mode on this board. This SeaBIOS configuration does not affect the Linux kernel.
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2021-05-18 12:21:48 +00:00
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2023-04-09 21:38:30 +00:00
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You need to set a custom MAC address in Linux for the NIC to work.
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2021-05-18 12:21:48 +00:00
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In /etc/network/interfaces on debian-based systems like Debian or
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Devuan, this would be in the entry for your NIC:\
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hwaddress ether macaddressgoeshere
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Alternatively:
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2023-01-08 01:22:04 +00:00
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cbfstool libreboot.rom extract -n rt8168-macaddress -f rt8168-macaddress
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2021-05-18 12:21:48 +00:00
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Modify the MAC address in the file `rt8168-macaddress` and then:
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2023-01-08 01:22:04 +00:00
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cbfstool libreboot.rom remove -n rt8168-macaddress
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cbfstool libreboot.rom add -f rt8168-macaddress -n rt8168-macaddress -t raw
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2021-05-18 12:21:48 +00:00
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Now you have a different MAC address hardcoded. In the above example, the ROM
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2022-11-14 02:31:12 +00:00
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image is named `libreboot.rom` for your board. You can find cbfstool
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2021-05-18 12:21:48 +00:00
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under `coreboot/default/util/cbfstool/` after running the following command
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in the build system:
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2023-01-08 01:22:04 +00:00
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./build module cbutils
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2021-05-18 12:21:48 +00:00
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2022-11-14 02:31:12 +00:00
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You can learn more about using the build system, lbmk, here:\
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[libreboot build instructions](../build/)
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2021-05-18 12:21:48 +00:00
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Flashing instructions can be found at
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[../install/](../install/)
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2021-11-18 17:52:12 +00:00
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RAM
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---
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2023-06-20 20:13:30 +00:00
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**This board is very picky with RAM. If it doesn't boot, try an EHCI debug
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dongle, serial usb adapter and null modem cable, or spkmodem, to get a
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coreboot log to see if it passed raminit.**
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2021-11-18 17:52:12 +00:00
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Kingston 8 GiB Kit KVR800D2N6/8G with Elpida Chips E2108ABSE-8G-E
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this is a 2x4GB setup and these work quite well, according to a user on IRC.
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2023-04-08 11:28:57 +00:00
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Nanya NT2GT64U8HD0BY-AD with 2 GiB of NT5TU128M8DE-AD chips works too.
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2021-11-18 17:52:12 +00:00
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Many other modules will probably work just fine, but raminit is very picky on
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2022-12-20 16:33:45 +00:00
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this board. Your mileage *will* fluctuate, wildly.
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