On Wednesday, 18 January 2017 13:32:26 UTC+4, [email protected] wrote: > среда, 18 января 2017 г., 5:46:30 UTC+3 пользователь [email protected] > написал: > > On Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at 11:18:06 PM UTC+4, [email protected] wrote: > > > вторник, 17 января 2017 г., 10:16:18 UTC-5 пользователь > > > [email protected] написал: > > > > On Saturday, January 14, 2017 at 3:26:04 PM UTC+4, [email protected] > > > > wrote: > > > > > 26 December 2016 г., 18:00:43 UTC-5 [email protected] написал: > > > > > > Lenovo is a shitty company if you care about security, they have > > > > > > stuck > > > > > > irremovable rootkits their BIOS 4 separate times and they are > > > > > > partially > > > > > > owned by the PRC government > > > > > > > > > > Having a PRC backdoor is better than NSA one! (most laptop companies > > > > > are American, so...) By the way, why not to get a Lenovo G505S laptop? > > > > > 1) It is the latest AMD-based laptop which is supported by coreboot > > > > > open source BIOS (so no closed source BIOS backdoors), and it does > > > > > not have Intel ME backdoor. G505S's APUs are Richland - the last > > > > > generation before AMD started to embed their own version of Intel ME, > > > > > "AMD Security Processor" or PSP ( > > > > > http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/AMDRoadmap-Mobility.png > > > > > ) Although a closed source vga blob is still required for working > > > > > graphics, luckily a coreboot's YABEL prevents the possible > > > > > undocumented accesses of vga blob to other PCI devices > > > > > 2) Supported by Qubes 3.2 - see HCL, > > > > > https://groups.google.com/d/msg/qubes-users/TS1zfKZ7q8w/JQFkVF4xBgAJ > > > > > . Most likely to be supported by Qubes 4.0 ( HVM=y, IOMMU=y, SLAT=y) > > > > > and seems to meet its certification criteria so far - > > > > > https://www.qubes-os.org/news/2016/07/21/new-hw-certification-for-q4/ > > > > > <-- webcam could be covered, speakers and wireless card are not > > > > > soldered and could be removed, and just checked the last concerning > > > > > thing - embedded microphone is a PCI device, not USB connected ;) > > > > > 3) High end version of G505S has a top of the Richland generation > > > > > A10-5750M APU, 3352 score at Passmark cpu-benchmark. If to compare > > > > > with i5-6200U of Lenovo T460s, 3933 score - 17% faster. But i5-6200U > > > > > is dual core, while A10-5750M is quad core. Also, despite being three > > > > > years older, A10-5750M integrated graphics is faster than of > > > > > i5-6200U. According to Passmark: Intel HD 520 - 844 G3D score, AMD HD > > > > > 8650G - 950 G3D score, 13% faster. > > > > > 3) In contrast with many modern laptops, G505S has two slots for RAM > > > > > (instead of one) and its RAM is not soldered. That means: when your > > > > > RAM fails a memtest after some years, instead of paying a fortune for > > > > > the RAM chips replacement you could just remove RAM and install a new > > > > > one. Also you could easily upgrade to 16 GB RAM (2x8GB), which helps > > > > > not to think of RAM usage while using Qubes (currently running 14 VMs > > > > > at the same time, with a lot of applications started, and they eat > > > > > just 13 GB out of 16 GB) > > > > > 4) G505S has either integrated or both integrated and discrete > > > > > graphics (depends on G505S version). In any case, it is AMD only - > > > > > which has great open source drivers for Linux. No need for NVIDIA > > > > > closed source proprietary drivers with telemetry... > > > > > 5) Almost all the components could be replaced by user, even a CPU is > > > > > not soldered. Easy to tear down a laptop and assemble it back. Thanks > > > > > to open source BIOS, no WiFi card whitelist, so possible to install > > > > > any wireless card which has open source drivers for Linux (such as > > > > > AR9462) > > > > > Currently it is almost impossible to buy a new G505S, but the used > > > > > ones are selling for cheap (e.g. 3 auctions currently at eBay for > > > > > G505S version with A10-5750M APU, 1 UK and 2 US-based, one of them > > > > > with buy it now price $250 - half of the original $500) > > > > > > > > I have an old G505 kicking around somewhere, will give it a go with > > > > Qubes 3.2 and then try Coreboot. Thanks for the reminder ! Wonder if > > > > this means I can get the KDE Desktop Cube animation to work. > > > > > > Steve, do you have G505 or G505S ? This "S" letter is important: while > > > Lenovo G505S is supported by coreboot, tested and works OK, - there is no > > > information if G505 is supported. Luckily G505 and G505S hardware seems > > > to be quite similar, but there are some differences which could result in > > > that G505S coreboot build does not work for G505. Some additional > > > coreboot coding could be required - or maybe not required, please read > > > till the end... > > > > > > G505 and G505S have different motherboard model: G505S has either Compal > > > LA-A091P (with discrete graphics) or LA-A092P (without discrete), while > > > G505 has either LA-9911P (with discrete) or LA-9912P (without discrete). > > > If you make the google requests like "motherboard-model pdf" you will > > > find their datasheets > > > > > > There are similarities in these motherboards (the same hardware could be > > > found in both of them, such as ENE KB9012 Embedded Controller) as well as > > > differences: > > > > > > G505S has a fusion controller hub FCH A76M Bolton-M3, while G505 has FCH > > > A70M Hudson-M3 . > > > https://www.coreboot.org/pipermail/coreboot/2014-May/078000.html tells > > > that A76M is upgraded A70M, means their FCH are different but probably > > > not by much. Go to coreboot github mirror > > > (https://github.com/coreboot/coreboot), at right upper corner you could > > > search their repository and see - it mentions both Hudson and Bolton. > > > Also, if you go to Kolibri forum thread mentioned in my HCL message here > > > ( https://groups.google.com/d/msg/qubes-users/TS1zfKZ7q8w/JQFkVF4xBgAJ ), > > > download coreboot.zip with G505S config, you could see - despite G505S > > > has Bolton, that config mentions CONFIG_SOUTHBRIDGE_AMD_AGESA_HUDSON=y > > > and no mention of Bolton, which could mean that this build is compatible > > > with both Hudson and Bolton (but needs to be tested!) > > > > > > Physical differences: G505 has a more convenient board shape, but it has > > > a soldered CPU (which sucks a bit - couldnt upgrade or replace, and > > > results in more expensive replacement motherboards), while G505S CPU is > > > socketed CPU ; also, in case of motherboards with discrete graphics, > > > G505S has a better heatsink - two heatpipes (one heatpipe is shared > > > between CPU and discrete GPU, but GPU rarely gets hot if you dont play > > > games, means two heatpipes for CPU), while Lenovo was greedy while making > > > G505 and there is only one heatpipe which is shared between CPU and > > > discrete graphics - higher temperatures, must use good thermal paste! > > > > > > It will be interesting if you could test my coreboot build - will be > > > great if it works not just on Lenovo G505S but on G505 as well ;) > > > > I dug out the laptop and its a G505S , I would like to install a Coreboot > > (haven't done this before), do you have a link, thx > > First of all we need to make sure that you are prepared for flashing. > coreboot image cannot be flashed internally on Lenovo G505S through a purely > software way (I tried with internal:laptop=force_I_want_a_brick flashrom > option, it always fails, cant do that!) . To install a coreboot, you will > have to: 1) get some hardware tools like screwdrivers, CH341A USB flasher and > SOIC-8 test clip 2) tear down your laptop to access the motherboard 3) take > SOIC-8 test clip and attach its wires to USB flasher that is supported by > flashrom (such as CH341A), then attach SOIC-8 test clip to BIOS chip with 8 > legs, then plug USB flasher device to another computer with Linux (while it > is still connected to G505S motherboard through wires and SOIC-8 test clip) > 4) using flashrom, make a dump of your existing BIOS just in case, then flash > a new coreboot image with verification 5) assemble your laptop in reverse > order . That is exactly how computer repair shops are repairing laptops with > failed BIOS updates, and are earning pretty good money on it > > Here is a hardware flashing manual - > http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Flashing_a_BIOS_chip_with_Bus_Pirate . > Everything is described in a great detail here: complete list of tools and > where you could buy them (need to spend from $0 to $30, depends on what tools > you already have), how to connect these tools properly, a lot of helpful > photos - for example, photo of G505S motherboard, so you could easily see > where is that BIOS chip with 8 legs is located, dont need to spend time > reading the motherboard chip labels. While this instruction mentions Bus > Pirate USB flasher, the instructions for CH341A USB flasher are exactly the > same - only a flashrom command is different (could see this command at the > end of page) > > My current coreboot build is from December 2016 - it is not the latest, but > still pretty recent, so I am not going to rebuild it from scratch yet. Still, > there is one component inside BIOS image that could be easily updated: > KolibriOS, tiny wonderful open source operating system that fits on a floppy. > It could be launched from SeaBIOS Boot Menu, and works as a RamDisk (no > changes to your computer saved). After you tell that you are prepared for > hardware BIOS flashing, I will take KolibriOS latest daily build, add it to > ROM and send a complete coreboot BIOS ROM to you > > Please reply if you have any questions > > Best regards, > qmastery
Hi, I've started a new Post specifically for this, I think we will have a few more exchanges and I thought best if its in a thread by itself. I'm also switching to my Google Groups email account. have asked a question on the new thread. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "qubes-users" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/qubes-users/8e5d757f-6d98-4d17-8cd5-f9a79da65f47%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
