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update nvidia e6400 notes (it's in lbmk master now) 

Signed-off-by: Leah Rowe <leah@libreboot.org>
master
Leah Rowe 2023-09-12 00:15:55 +01:00
parent 34ea0e1f7e
commit aea8d0f8bb
4 changed files with 60 additions and 57 deletions
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11
site/docs/hardware/e6400.md
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@ -134,11 +134,12 @@ to replace the thermal pad.
This eBay seller seems to make and sell a lot of copper shims, specifically
for E6400:
<https://www.ebay.com/itm/282033838969>
If the listing ends, please [contact the Libreboot project](../../contact.md)
so that this link can be replaced or (if a replacement link is no longer
available) removed.
**SELLER LINK REMOVED.** - one will not be re-added. Putting ebay links on the
Libreboot site is folly, because they disappear. Just search for it and see if
you can find one for purchase. It's literally just a small bit of copper cut
smooth to just the right size. Actually, there's a lot of engineering behind
that, but installation is very simple, and any decent seller will provide
guidance.
If you buy one of those, could you measure it? Tell Libreboot the dimensions.
Get in touch with us. It would be nice to know precise specs, but that seller

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site/docs/install/e6400.md
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@ -47,8 +47,12 @@ A note about GPUs
-----------------
We *confirm that* the Nvidia models are PM45, and therefore will require a VGA
blob for initialisation. This is [experimentally
supported](../../news/e6400nvidia.md) in Libreboot. - **A Video BIOS Option
blob for initialisation. This is supported in Libreboot *after* the 20230625
release, if you compile from source; the `e6400_4mb` target can work on both
variants, but will need the Nvidia VGA ROM inserted to work on Nvidia models.
This insertion is handled automatically in newer lbmk revisions, during build
time, or you can [insert it on a release rom
after 20230625](ivy_has_common.md). - **A Video BIOS Option
ROM is used, in this configuration, which is a binary blob. Libreboot's
build system automatically downloads this at build time, or it can handle that
for you in the same way if it was scrubbed from a release ROM.**
@ -109,69 +113,57 @@ operating system such as OpenBSD. More information is written on the
This is *unavailable* in Libreboot 20230423 and 20230625, but a future release
will contain support for these variants; for now, you must compile Libreboot
from Git.
from Git. It is available in the default `master` branch of lbmk, under
build target `e6400_4mb` - either build from source and it gets inserted
automatically, or you can [insert it
manually](ivy_has_common.md) on future release ROMs past Libreboot 20230625.
Download the Libreboot build system, lbmk, like so:
git clone https://codeberg.org/libreboot/lbmk
When you clone the Libreboot git repository `lbmk.git`, go in there and do
this:
git checkout e6400nvidia_wip
An earlier experimental revision existed in the `e6400nvidia_wip` branch of
lbmk, as build target `e6400nvidia_4mb`, but it was decided that since SeaBIOS
is the only payload anyway on this board, having just a single build target is
more efficient if that can (and it does) support both variants.
Actual installation is the same as with regular E6400 (Intel GPU) variants.
Refer to the [E6400 flashing instructions](../docs/install/e6400.md).
The `e6400nvidia_wip` is used, because this version is still under development.
Refer to [development discussion](https://codeberg.org/libreboot/lbmk/issues/14#issuecomment-907758) for more information - [testers needed!](../maintain/testing.md)
Problems with Linux video drivers on Nvidia
-------------------------------------------
Technically, there is nothing wrong with Libreboot itself, but the `nouveau`
driver hangs/crashes on Nvidia models, after booting Linux with the Nvidia VGA
ROM loaded from coreboot.
Until that is fixed, you must specify `nomodeset` in your Linux kernel boot
parameters.
Refer to [development
discussion](https://codeberg.org/libreboot/lbmk/issues/14#issuecomment-907758)
for more information - [testers needed!](../maintain/testing.md)
The *Intel* GPU variant of E6400 is more stable, and works fully, with full
acceleration - the Nvidia models can only be run in software, and the BSD
systems only have the slow `nv` driver (which is nonetheless stable).
Obtaining the VGA Option ROM (Nvidia)
-------------------------------------
Libreboot does not (and will not) directly distribute the Nvidia ROM, but this
WIP branch has logic added to blob scripts, which automatically fetches Dell
Libreboot does not (and will not) directly distribute the Nvidia ROM, but lbmk
has logic added to blob scripts, which automatically fetches Dell
update files and extracts the Video BIOS from it. This is inserted during
the build process, *automatically*. Everything has been figured out *for you*,
as is the purpose of Libreboot's [automated build system](../maintain/).
In Libreboot release ROMs after Libreboot 20230423, this Video BIOS ROM will
*not* be present, but you'll be able to run the same script that lbmk uses, to
manually re-download and re-add it. The Libreboot build system scrubs certain
binary blobs, in the scripts from lbmk that create release archives.
Provided for *after* the Libreboot 20230625 release, this Video BIOS ROM will
*not* be present in releases, but you'll be able to run the same script that
lbmk uses, to manually re-download and re-add it. The Libreboot build system
scrubs certain binary blobs, in the scripts from lbmk that create release
archives.
[Please read the Libreboot build guide](../build/) for more general guidance
on compiling Libreboot. You should *especially* set name/email in Git, like
so:
git config --global user.name "John Doe"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
Ensure that the `python` command on your system is python *3*, not 2. You
should ensure that you have the correct *build dependencies* installed; check
the script names inside `resources/scripts/build/dependencies` and pick one
that matches your Linux distro; if one isn't available, adapt accordingly.
Then run it as root. For example, on Debian (stable, testing or sid all
confirmed to work, as of 9 May 2023):
./build dependencies debian
With build dependencies installed, and Git configured, you may then run
lbmk commands to compile the ROM image.
Libreboot's blob scripts, while in the `e6400nvidia_wip` branch, can be
executed like so:
./blobutil download e6400nvidia_4mb
*The above command is executed automatically, when Libreboot's build system
is called, to build the full E6400 ROM image like so:*
./build boot roms e6400nvidia_4mb
The `download` command (see above) pulls down Dell's BIOS update (A34 release),
and extracts the VGA ROM from that. This is then saved to `pciroms/` under
lbmk.
on compiling Libreboot. This is *required*, until the next release of Libreboot
after 20230625 comes out.
The `./build boot roms` command (see above) automatically inserts this PCI
ROM, and it is downloaded automatically if the PCI ROM is missing; if
@ -195,7 +187,7 @@ DO NOT flash it unless that file is present. If you've confirmed that the ROM
has compiled successfully, you can flash it.
**BEFORE** you flash it, please know that support for Nvidia variants is
a **work in progress**. Known issues exist. For more information, please
a **proof of concept**. Known issues exist. For more information, please
read the [E6400 info page](../hardware/e6400.md), [E6400 nvidia news
page](../../news/e6400nvidia.md) and the [development discussion via
codeberg](https://codeberg.org/libreboot/lbmk/issues/14#issuecomment-907758).

3
site/news/e6400.md
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@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
% 19 April 2023
**UPDATE (9 May 2023): Libreboot confirmed working on variants such as
[E6400 XFR, and experiment Nvidia GPU variant support now
available](e6400nvidia.md).**
[E6400 XFR, and the Nvidia GPU variant is now supported](e6400nvidia.md).**
Introduction
============

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site/news/e6400nvidia.md
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@ -2,6 +2,17 @@
% Leah Rowe
% 9 May 2023
**Update: Nvidia GPU variants of Latitude E6400 are, as of 11 September 2023,
fully supported in the `master` branch of lbmk (Libreboot build system);
however, the same `e6400_4mb` target shall provide for both variants. In
releases, the necessary VGA ROM is absent but can be added using the `inject`
command documented [here](../docs/install/ivy_has_common.md) - or you can just
build lbmk from source, and it gets inserted automatically via download. The
same ROM, if it contains the Nvidia VGA ROM, supports both variants; if the VGA
ROM is missing, then only the Intel GPU variant is supported. The same ROM
will work on both variants, provided for by Libreboot patching the devicetree
in coreboot, on this mainboard.**
<img tabindex=1 class="r" style="max-width:35%" src="https://av.libreboot.org/e6400/e6400xfr-seabios.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/e6400/e6400xfr-seabios.jpg" /></span>
Introduction