270 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
270 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
---
|
|
title: ThinkPad T500 external flashing
|
|
x-toc-enable: true
|
|
...
|
|
|
|
NOTE: Libreboot standardises on [flashprog](https://flashprog.org/wiki/Flashprog)
|
|
now, as of 27 January 2024, which is a fork of flashrom.
|
|
|
|
**If you haven't bought a T500 yet: the [Dell Latitude
|
|
E6400](../../news/e6400.md) is much easier to flash; no disassembly required,
|
|
it can be flashed entirely in software from Dell BIOS to Libreboot. It is the
|
|
same hardware generation (GM45), with same CPUs, video processor, etc.**
|
|
|
|
Initial flashing instructions for T500.
|
|
|
|
This guide is for those who want libreboot on their ThinkPad T500 while
|
|
they still have the original Lenovo BIOS present. This guide can also be
|
|
followed (adapted) if you brick your T500, to know how to recover.
|
|
|
|
W500 is also mostly compatible with this guide.
|
|
|
|
Serial port {#serial_port}
|
|
-----------
|
|
|
|
EHCI debug might not be needed. It has been reported that the docking
|
|
station for this laptop has a serial port, so it might be possible to
|
|
use that instead.
|
|
|
|
A note about CPUs
|
|
=================
|
|
|
|
[ThinkWiki](http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T500) has a list of
|
|
CPUs for this system. The Core 2 Duo P8400, P8600 and P8700 are believed
|
|
to work in libreboot. The T9600 was also tested on the T400 and
|
|
confirmed working.
|
|
|
|
T9550 and T9900 was tested by a user, and is compatible as reported in the IRC channel.
|
|
T9500 and T9400 may also work, but YMMV.
|
|
|
|
Quad-core CPUs
|
|
--------------
|
|
Very likely to be compatible, but requires hardware modification.
|
|
Based on info from German forum post about installing Core Quad CPU on T500 found in coreboot mailing list. Currently work in progress and no guide available.
|
|
|
|
Q9100 is compatible and confirmed working (after hw mod), as reported by users in the IRC
|
|
channel
|
|
|
|
- [Coreboot mailing list post](https://mail.coreboot.org/pipermail/coreboot/2016-November/082463.html)
|
|
- [German forum post about install Core Quad on T500](https://thinkpad-forum.de/threads/199129)
|
|
|
|
This video from FrostKiwi (Libera IRC) does a nice illustration and explains
|
|
everything nicely:
|
|
|
|
<https://yewtu.be/watch?v=Fs4GjDiOie8>
|
|
|
|
A note about GPUs
|
|
=================
|
|
|
|
Some models have an Intel GPU, while others have both an ATI and an
|
|
Intel GPU; this is referred to as "switchable graphics". In the *BIOS
|
|
setup* program for lenovobios, you can specify that the system will use
|
|
one or the other (but not both).
|
|
|
|
libreboot is known to work on systems with only the Intel GPU, using
|
|
native graphics initialization. On systems with switchable graphics, the
|
|
Intel GPU is used and the ATI GPU is disabled, so native graphics
|
|
initialization works all the same.
|
|
|
|
CPU paste required
|
|
==================
|
|
|
|
See [\#paste](#paste).
|
|
|
|
Flash chip size {#flashchips}
|
|
===============
|
|
|
|
Use this to find out:
|
|
|
|
flashprog -p internal
|
|
|
|
MAC address {#macaddress}
|
|
===========
|
|
|
|
Refer to [mac\_address.md](../hardware/mac_address.md).
|
|
|
|
Clip wiring
|
|
===========
|
|
|
|
Refer to [spi.md](spi.md) as a guide for external re-flashing.
|
|
|
|
The procedure
|
|
-------------
|
|
|
|
Remove all screws:\
|
|
\
|
|
It is also advisable to, throughout the disassembly, place any screws
|
|
and/or components that you removed in the same layout or arrangement.
|
|
The follow photos demonstrate this:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Remove the HDD/SSD and optical drive:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Remove the palm rest:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Remove the keyboard and rear bezel:\
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
If you have a WWAN/3G card and/or sim card reader, remove them
|
|
permanently. The WWAN-3G card has proprietary firmware inside; the
|
|
technology is identical to what is used in mobile phones, so it can also
|
|
track your movements:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remove this frame, and then remove the wifi chip:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remove the speakers:\
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remove the NVRAM battery (already removed in this photo):\
|
|
|
|
|
|
When you re-assemble, you will be replacing the wifi chip with another.
|
|
These two screws don't hold anything together, but they are included in
|
|
your system because the screw holes for half-height cards are a
|
|
different size, so use these if you will be installing a half-height
|
|
card:\
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unroute the antenna wires:\
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Disconnect the LCD cable from the motherboard:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Remove the LCD assembly hinge screws, and then remove the LCD assembly:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remove the fan and heatsink:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remove this screw:\
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remove these cables, keeping note of how and in what arrangement they
|
|
are connected:\
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Disconnect the power jack:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Remove the motherboard and cage from the base (the marked hole is where
|
|
those cables were routed through):\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Remove all screws, arranging them in the same layout when placing the
|
|
screws on a surface and marking each screw hole (this is to reduce the
|
|
possibility of putting them back in the wrong holes):\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Also remove this:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Separate the motherboard from the cage:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
The flash chip is next to the memory slots. On this system, it was a
|
|
SOIC-8 (4MiB or 32Mb) flash chip:\
|
|
|
|
|
|
Connect your programmer, then connect GND and 3.3V\
|
|
\
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Now flash Libreboot.
|
|
|
|
Thermal paste (IMPORTANT)
|
|
=========================
|
|
|
|
Because part of this procedure involved removing the heatsink, you will
|
|
need to apply new paste. Arctic MX-4 is ok. You will also need isopropyl
|
|
alcohol and an anti-static cloth to clean with.
|
|
|
|
When re-installing the heatsink, you must first clean off all old paste
|
|
with the alcohol/cloth. Then apply new paste. Arctic MX-4 is also much
|
|
better than the default paste used on these systems.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTE: the photo above is for illustration purposes only, and does not
|
|
show how to properly apply the thermal paste. Other guides online detail
|
|
the proper application procedure.
|
|
|
|
Wifi
|
|
====
|
|
|
|
The T500 typically comes with an Intel wifi chipset, which does not work
|
|
without proprietary software. For a list of wifi chipsets that work
|
|
without proprietary software, see
|
|
[../hardware/\#recommended\_wifi](../hardware/#recommended_wifi).
|
|
|
|
Some T500 laptops might come with an Atheros chipset, but this is
|
|
802.11g only.
|
|
|
|
It is recommended that you install a new wifi chipset. This can only be
|
|
done after installing libreboot, because the original firmware has a
|
|
whitelist of approved chips, and it will refuse to boot if you use an
|
|
'unauthorized' wifi card.
|
|
|
|
The following photos show an Atheros AR5B95 being installed, to replace
|
|
the Intel chip that this T500 came with:\
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
WWAN
|
|
====
|
|
|
|
If you have a WWAN/3G card and/or sim card reader, remove them
|
|
permanently. The WWAN-3G card has DMA, and proprietary firmware inside;
|
|
the technology is identical to what is used in mobile phones, so it can
|
|
also track your movements.
|
|
|
|
Not to be confused with wifi (wifi is fine).
|
|
|
|
Memory
|
|
======
|
|
|
|
In DDR3 machines with Cantiga (GM45/GS45/PM45), northbridge requires sticks
|
|
that will work as PC3-8500 (faster PC3/PC3L sticks can work as PC3-8500).
|
|
Non-matching pairs may not work. Single module (meaning, one of the slots
|
|
will be empty) will currently only work in slot 0.
|
|
|
|
NOTE: according to users reports, non matching pairs (e.g. 1+2 GiB) might
|
|
work in some cases.
|
|
|
|
Make sure that the RAM you buy is the 2Rx8 configuration when buying 4GiB sticks
|
|
(In other words: maximum of 2GiB per rank, 2 ranks per card).
|
|
|
|
[This page](http://www.forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?p=760721) might
|
|
be useful for RAM compatibility info (note: coreboot raminit is
|
|
different, so this page might be BS)
|
|
|
|
The following photo shows 8GiB (2x4GiB) of RAM installed:\
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boot it!
|
|
--------
|
|
|
|
You should see something like this:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Now [install Linux](../linux/).
|