196 lines
8.7 KiB
Markdown
196 lines
8.7 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Dell Latitude E6400
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x-toc-enable: true
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...
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<div class="specs">
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<center>
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<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>
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</center>
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| ***Specifications*** | |
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|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
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| **Manufacturer** | Dell |
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| **Name** | Latitude E6400 |
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| **Variants** | E6400, E6400 XFR and E6400 ATG are supported |
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| **Released** | 2009 |
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| **Chipset** | Intel Cantiga GM45(Intel GPU)/PM45(Nvidia GPU) |
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| **CPU** | Intel Core 2 Duo (Penryn family). A Quad-core
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mod exists, replacing the Core 2 Duo with a Core Quad |
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| **Graphics** | Intel GMA 4500MHD (and NVidia Quadro NVS 160M
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on some models) |
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| **Display** | 1280x800/1440x900 TFT |
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| **Memory** | 2 or 4GB (Upgradable to 8GB) |
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| **Architecture** | x86_64 |
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| **EC** | SMSC MEC5035 with proprietary firmware |
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| **Original boot firmware** | Dell BIOS |
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| **Intel ME/AMD PSP** | Present. Can be completely disabled. |
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| **Flash chip** | SOIC-8 4MiB or 2MiB+4MiB |
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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 (if Intel GPU)** | W+ |
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| **Display (if Nvidia GPU)** | W* |
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| **Audio** | W+ |
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| **RAM Init** | W+ |
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| **External output** | W+ |
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| **Display brightness** | P+ |
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| ***Payloads supported*** | |
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|---------------------------|-----------|
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| **GRUB** | Works |
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| **SeaBIOS** | Works |
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| **SeaBIOS with GRUB** | Works |
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</div>
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Introduction
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============
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Known supported variants: E6400, E6400 XFR and E6400 ATG. This page has
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been updated to include information about Nvidia GPU variants. See news post:
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[Dell Latitude E6400 XFR support confirmed, plus experimental Nvidia GPU
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support on E6400 variants](../../news/e6400nvidia.md).
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**To install Libreboot, see: [E6400 installation
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instructions](../install/e6400.md)**
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ROM images for Dell Latitude E6400 are available for flashing in the Libreboot
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release 20230423 onwards, or you can compile a ROM image for installation via
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lbmk, see: [build instructions](../build/)
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There are two possible flash chip sizes for the E6400: 4MiB (32Mbit) or 2+4MiB
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(16Mbit+32MBit). Libreboot presently supports the 4MiB version, and provides
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8MiB images for those who upgrade their flash to 8MiB or 16MiB. There appears
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to be several possible mainboard PCBs for the E6400, which we believe mostly
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affects the GPU configuration and the number of available SPI flash footprints:
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- LA-3801P: iGPU, possibly dual SPI (however only one may be populated)
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- LA-3803P: dGPU, dual SPI (however only one may be populated)
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- LA-3805P: iGPU, single SPI flash (4MiB)
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- LA-3806P: dGPU, unknown SPI configuration (likely at least 4MiB)
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These PCB numbers can be found either under the black plastic in the RAM slots
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on the bottom (CPU side) of the board, the top left corner near the VGA port
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(top side, under the keyboard and palmrest), or near the CPU backplate (only
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requires removal of the keyboard).
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We believe that all boards will have at least a single 4MiB flash chip,
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regardless of the number of SPI footprints. This is likely the most common
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configuration on most available systems. The 2+4MiB configuration likely
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would have only been used on systems with full Intel ME firmware with AMT
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functionality, though this configuration has not yet been encountered.
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Most people will want to use the 4MiB images.
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Intel GPU: Blob-free setup (no-ME possible)
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---------------
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This is a GM45/PM45 platform, so completely libre initialisation in
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coreboot is possible, provided by default in Libreboot.
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Management Engine (ME) firmware removed
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-------------------------
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This port in Libreboot makes use of `ich9gen` from ich9utils, which
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you can read about in the [ich9utils manual](../install/ich9utils.md) - this
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creates a no-ME setup. The Intel Management Engine firmware (ME) is completely
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removed, and the ME disabled, just like on ThinkPad X200, T400 and so on.
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*The E6400 laptops may come with the ME (and sometimes AMT in addition) before
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flashing libreboot. Dell also sold configurations with the ME completely
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disabled, identifiable by a yellow sticker reading "3 ME Disabled" inside the
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bottom panel. This config sets the MeDisable bit in the IFD and sets the ME
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region almost entirely to 1's, with the occasional 32-bit value (likely not
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executable). libreboot disables and removes it by using a modified descriptor:
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see [../install/ich9utils.md](../install/ich9utils.md)*
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(contains notes, plus instructions)
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Issues pertaining to Nvidia GPU variants
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========================================
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Copper shim for GPU cooling
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---------------------------
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NOTE: this section does *not* apply to XFR or ATG variants of E6400, which have
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a much beefier heatsink by default.
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The *default* heatsink in Nvidia variants of E6400 (regular model) has thermal
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paste for the CPU, and a thermal *pad* for the GPU. This pad is woefully
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inadequate, but replacing it with *paste* is a bad idea, because of the gap
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there would be between heatsink plate and GPU die.
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A solution for this would be to use a *copper shim*, with paste on each side,
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to replace the thermal pad.
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This eBay seller seems to make and sell a lot of copper shims, specifically
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for E6400:
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<https://www.ebay.com/itm/282033838969>
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If the listing ends, please [contact the Libreboot project](../../contact.md)
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so that this link can be replaced or (if a replacement link is no longer
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available) removed.
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If you buy one of those, could you measure it? Tell Libreboot the dimensions.
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Get in touch with us. It would be nice to know precise specs, but that seller
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provides what you need. If you find similar listings elsewhere, please also
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let us know.
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The shim will greatly reduce GPU temperatures, and probably improve performance
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due to less GPU throttling as a result of heat.
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Nouveau(in Linux) currently broken
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----------------------------------
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Nouveau is the libre driver in Linux, for Nvidia graphics. Nvidia themselves
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do not provide binary drivers anymore, for these GPUs. It crashes in Linux,
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when you try to start Xorg (Wayland is untested).
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If you're booting an Nvidia variant in Linux, boot Linux with
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the `nomodeset` kernel option at boot time. This means that graphics are
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rendered in software.
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Development discussion, for Nvidia variants of E6400, is available here:
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<https://codeberg.org/libreboot/lbmk/issues/14>
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OpenBSD's Nvidia driver works perfectly
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---------------------------------------
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OpenBSD 7.3 was tested, on my Nvidia-model E6400, and Xorg works OK with
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the `nv` driver.
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<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>
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See: <https://www.openbsd.org/>
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OpenBSD is a complete free 4.4BSD Unix operating system focused on portability,
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security and *code correctness*. It's quite useable for most day to day tasks.
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You can find information in Libreboot about BSD operating systems on the
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main guide:
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* [BSD Operating Systems](../bsd/)
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FreeBSD and newer Linux (e.g. Archlinux) untested!
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--------------------------------------------------
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FreeBSD has not yet been tested, as far as we know, but it should work.
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[Testers needed! Please get in touch!](../maintain/testing.html)
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**At the time of writing this post, FreeBSD
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and newer Linux have not yet been tested** (I plan to test *Arch Linux*), but
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the older Linux/Mesa version in Debian 11.6 works just fine in the Dell BIOS,
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and I've confirmed that it uses the exact same Video BIOS Option ROM.
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