lbwww/site/docs/hardware/e6400.md

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title: Dell Latitude E6400
x-toc-enable: true
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<div class="specs">
<center>
<img tabindex=1 alt="Dell Latitude E6400" class="p" src="https://av.libreboot.org/e6400/e6400-seabios.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/e6400/e6400-seabios.jpg" /></span> <img tabindex=1 alt="Dell Latitude E6400 XFR" class="p" style="max-width:24em" src="https://av.libreboot.org/e6400/e6400xfr-seabios.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/e6400/e6400xfr-seabios.jpg" /></span>
</center>

| ***Specifications***       |                                                |
|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| **Manufacturer**           | Dell                                           |
| **Name**                   | Latitude E6400                                 |
| **Variants**               | E6400, E6400 XFR and E6400 ATG are supported   |
| **Released**               | 2009                                           |
| **Chipset**                | Intel Cantiga GM45(Intel GPU)/PM45(Nvidia GPU) |
| **CPU**                    | Intel Core 2 Duo (Penryn family). A Quad-core 
                        mod exists, replacing the Core 2 Duo with a Core Quad |
| **Graphics**               | Intel GMA 4500MHD (and NVidia Quadro NVS 160M 
                                                         on some models) |
| **Display**                | 1280x800/1440x900 TFT                          |
| **Memory**                 | 2 or 4GB (Upgradable to 8GB)                   |
| **Architecture**           | x86_64                                         |
| **EC**                     | SMSC MEC5035 with proprietary firmware         |
| **Original boot firmware** | Dell BIOS                                      |
| **Intel ME/AMD PSP**       | Present. Can be completely disabled.           |
| **Flash chip**             | SOIC-8 4MiB or 2MiB+4MiB                       |


```
W+: Works without blobs; 
N: Doesn't work; 
W*: Works with blobs; 
U: Untested; 
P+: Partially works; 
P*: Partially works with blobs
```

| ***Features***                                    |    |
|---------------------------------------------------|----|
| **Internal flashing with original boot firmware** | W+ |
| **Display (if Intel GPU)**                        | W+ |
| **Display (if Nvidia GPU)**                       | W* |
| **Audio**                                         | W+ |
| **RAM Init**                                      | W+ |
| **External output**                               | W+ |
| **Display brightness**                            | P+ | 

| ***Payloads supported***  |           |
|---------------------------|-----------|
| **GRUB**                  | Works     |
| **SeaBIOS**               | Works     |
| **SeaBIOS with GRUB**     | Works     |
</div>
Introduction
============

Known supported variants: E6400, E6400 XFR and E6400 ATG. This page has
been updated to include information about Nvidia GPU variants. See news post:
[Dell Latitude E6400 XFR support confirmed, plus experimental Nvidia GPU
support on E6400 variants](../../news/e6400nvidia.md).

**To install Libreboot, see: [E6400 installation
instructions](../install/e6400.md)**

ROM images for Dell Latitude E6400 are available for flashing in the Libreboot
release 20230423 onwards, or you can compile a ROM image for installation via
lbmk, see: [build instructions](../build/)

There are two possible flash chip sizes for the E6400: 4MiB (32Mbit) or 2+4MiB
(16Mbit+32MBit). Libreboot presently supports the 4MiB version, and provides
8MiB images for those who upgrade their flash to 8MiB or 16MiB. There appears
to be several possible mainboard PCBs for the E6400, which we believe mostly
affects the GPU configuration and the number of available SPI flash footprints:

- LA-3801P: iGPU, possibly dual SPI (however only one may be populated)
- LA-3803P: dGPU, dual SPI (however only one may be populated)
- LA-3805P: iGPU, single SPI flash (4MiB)
- LA-3806P: dGPU, unknown SPI configuration (likely at least 4MiB)

These PCB numbers can be found either under the black plastic in the RAM slots
on the bottom (CPU side) of the board, the top left corner near the VGA port
(top side, under the keyboard and palmrest), or near the CPU backplate (only
requires removal of the keyboard).

We believe that all boards will have at least a single 4MiB flash chip,
regardless of the number of SPI footprints. This is likely the most common
configuration on most available systems. The 2+4MiB configuration likely
would have only been used on systems with full Intel ME firmware with AMT
functionality, though this configuration has not yet been encountered.

Most people will want to use the 4MiB images.

Intel GPU: Blob-free setup (no-ME possible)
---------------

This is a GM45/PM45 platform, so completely libre initialisation in
coreboot is possible, provided by default in Libreboot.

Management Engine (ME) firmware removed
-------------------------

This port in Libreboot makes use of `ich9gen` from ich9utils, which
you can read about in the [ich9utils manual](../install/ich9utils.md) - this
creates a no-ME setup. The Intel Management Engine firmware (ME) is completely
removed, and the ME disabled, just like on ThinkPad X200, T400 and so on.

*The E6400 laptops may come with the ME (and sometimes AMT in addition) before
flashing libreboot. Dell also sold configurations with the ME completely
disabled, identifiable by a yellow sticker reading "3 ME Disabled" inside the
bottom panel. This config sets the MeDisable bit in the IFD and sets the ME
region almost entirely to 1's, with the occasional 32-bit value (likely not
executable). libreboot disables and removes it by using a modified descriptor:
see [../install/ich9utils.md](../install/ich9utils.md)*
(contains notes, plus instructions)

Issues pertaining to Nvidia GPU variants
========================================

Nouveau(in Linux) currently broken
----------------------------------

Nouveau is the libre driver in Linux, for Nvidia graphics. Nvidia themselves
do not provide binary drivers anymore, for these GPUs.

If you're booting an Nvidia variant in Linux, boot Linux with
the `nomodeset` kernel option at boot time. This means that graphics are
rendered in software.

More information about Nvidia E6400 models is written in
the [regular E6400 hardware page](../docs/hardware/e6400.md). The reason it's
in a WIP branch is because, on this day, more testing is needed; the Linux
nouveau driver crashed when I tried to start xorg (tested in Debian
Stable, 11.6, with default kernel and mesa - use of `nomodeset` kernel option
at boot time makes Xorg work just fine, when I tested it, but this means that
all video is being rendered in software) - this is being
investigated, and when a fix is made, either to nouveau and/or coreboot, this
variant of the E6400 will become available in Libreboot's master branch, and
subsequent releases.

The same Video BIOS Option ROM is used by Dell's boot firmware, and Xorg works
just fine there under Linux, with the same nouveau driver. A trace could be
performed, to see where Nouveau crashes.

Development discussion, for Nvidia variants of E6400, is available here:

<https://codeberg.org/libreboot/lbmk/issues/14>

OpenBSD's Nvidia driver works perfectly
---------------------------------------

OpenBSD 7.3 was tested, on my Nvidia-model E6400, and works perfectly,
including 2D and 3D acceleration. I *wholeheartedly* recommend OpenBSD in
general, but it works *especially* well on these machines.

<img tabindex=1 class="l" style="max-width:35%" src="https://av.libreboot.org/openbsd.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/openbsd.jpg" /></span>

See: <https://www.openbsd.org/>

OpenBSD is a complete free 4.4BSD Unix operating system focused on portability,
security and *code correctness*. It's quite a competent OS for many purposes,
and works very well on laptops. I use it myself for all sorts of things. If
you're already familiar with Linux-based systems, OpenBSD will immediately
feel familiar, and it has *the best* documentation. You can configure the
entire system by just reading the FAQ page and *manpages*, and it's very easy
to get a basic setup really quickly. A lot of the packages you might be familiar
with in Linux are available in *ports*. You may have heard that Linux-based
systems are *unix-like*, but BSD systems *are* Unix, by code heritage.

You can find information in Libreboot about BSD operating systems on the
main guide:

* [BSD Operating Systems](../docs/bsd/)

FreeBSD and newer Linux (e.g. Archlinux) untested!
--------------------------------------------------

[Testers needed! Please get in touch!](../docs/maintain/testing.html)

**At the time of writing this post, FreeBSD
and newer Linux have not yet been tested** (I plan to test *Arch Linux*), but
the older Linux/Mesa version in Debian 11.6 works just fine in the Dell BIOS,
and I've confirmed that it uses the exact same Video BIOS Option ROM.