---
title: ThinkPad T500
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| ***Specifications*** | |
|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| **Manufacturer** | Lenovo |
| **Name** | ThinkPad T500 |
| **Released** | 2009 |
| **Chipset** | Intel Cantiga GM45 |
| **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 ATI Mobility Radeon HD
3650 on some models) |
| **Display** | 1280x800/1680x1050/1920x1200 TFT |
| **Memory** | 2 or 4GB (Upgradable to 8GB) |
| **Architecture** | x86_64 |
| **EC** | Proprietary |
| **Original boot firmware** | LenovoBIOS |
| **Intel ME/AMD PSP** | Present. Can be completly disabled. |
| **Flash chip** | SOIC-8/SOIC-16/WSON-8 4MiB/8MiB (Upgradable
to 16MiB) |
```
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** | N |
| **Display** | W+ |
| **Audio** | W+ |
| **RAM Init** | W+ |
| **External output** | W+ |
| **Display brightness** | P+ |
| ***Payloads supported*** | |
|---------------------------|-----------|
| **GNU GRUB** | Works |
| **SeaBIOS** | Works |
| **SeaBIOS with GNU GRUB** | Works |
Introduction
============
It is believed that all or most T500 laptops are compatible. See notes
about [CPU
compatibility](../install/t500_external.html#cpu_compatibility) for
potential incompatibilities.
W500 is also compatible, and mostly the same design as T500.
There are two possible flash chip sizes for the T500: 4MiB (32Mbit) or
8MiB (64Mbit). This can be identified by the type of flash chip below
the palmrest: 4MiB is SOIC-8, 8MiB is SOIC-16.
*The T500 laptops come with the ME (and sometimes AMT in addition)
before flashing libreboot. libreboot disables and removes it by using a
modified descriptor: see [../install/ich9utils.md](../install/ich9utils.md)*
(contains notes, plus instructions)
Flashing instructions can be found at
[../install/\#flashrom](../install/#flashrom)
EC update {#ecupdate}
=========
It is recommended that you update to the latest EC firmware version. The
[EC firmware](../../faq.md#ec-embedded-controller-firmware) is separate from
libreboot, so we don't actually provide that, but if you still have
Lenovo BIOS then you can just run the Lenovo BIOS update utility, which
will update both the BIOS and EC version. See:
- [../install/#flashrom](../install/#flashrom)
-
NOTE: this can only be done when you are using Lenovo BIOS. How to
update the EC firmware while running libreboot is unknown. libreboot
only replaces the BIOS firmware, not EC.
Updated EC firmware has several advantages e.g. bettery battery
handling.
The T500 is almost identical to the X200, code-wise. See
[x200.md](x200.md).