libreboot/docs/future/gnutoo_fallback_patch

<GNUtoo-irssi> I documented it
<GNUtoo-irssi> but I should update the page
<GNUtoo-irssi> somehow it works without any but one of my extra patches
<GNUtoo-irssi> but it has 1 small issue
<phcoder-1creen> GNUtoo-irssi: do you need review on those? I think that sth like it could save me countless external reflashs
<GNUtoo-irssi> phcoder-1creen: well, most of them are unnecessary now
<GNUtoo-irssi> 1 patch is usefull only for improving code readability of existing coreboot code
<GNUtoo-irssi> 1 patch is only changing the reboot count of the fallback mecanism
<GNUtoo-irssi> beside that I see nothing remaining
<GNUtoo-irssi> but I can check again
<GNUtoo-irssi> I have to do it now
<GNUtoo-irssi> The documentation is on the wiki
<GNUtoo-irssi> caveats:
<GNUtoo-irssi> 1) sometimes the x60 reboots twice,
<GNUtoo-irssi> for instance if you run poweroff, then let it power down, and as soon as it seems powered down, you press the power button
<GNUtoo-irssi> in that case it will do a reset
<GNUtoo-irssi> 2) suspend/resume and userspace needs some handling, I've systemd units for booting only, but not for suspend/resume
<GNUtoo-irssi> but you can do it by hand
<GNUtoo-irssi> config MAX_REBOOT_CNT
<GNUtoo-irssi> <tab>int
<GNUtoo-irssi> <tab>default 1
<GNUtoo-irssi> that's what I added in src/mainboard/lenovo/x60/Kconfig
<GNUtoo-irssi> before I had a patch to make it selectable it in Kconfig,
<GNUtoo-irssi> that is to say the user enter the max reboot count he wants
<GNUtoo-irssi> I think the global default is 3
<GNUtoo-irssi> Then I've some other interesting patches
<GNUtoo-irssi> I wonder if they're acceptable
<GNUtoo-irssi> one patch is for adding etc/grub.cfg from Kconfig
<GNUtoo-irssi> Use case: the user builds once, he do ./build/cbfstool ./build/coreboot.rom add -n etc/grub.cfg -f grub.cfg -t raw
<GNUtoo-irssi> but he re-do make
<GNUtoo-irssi> and forgett to re-add grub.cfg
<GNUtoo-irssi> it's just a convenience
<GNUtoo-irssi> (he could do it with a script too)
<GNUtoo-irssi> *he/she
<GNUtoo-irssi> I guess the user is a she in english?
<GNUtoo-irssi> en french it's a he
<GNUtoo-irssi> I've also a flashrom patch to submit
<GNUtoo-irssi> phcoder-1creen: "it could save me countless external reflashs" => that was exactly my use case
<GNUtoo-irssi> There are some other interesting stuff that could extend the use case:
<GNUtoo-irssi> there is a flash log for the chromebooks
<GNUtoo-irssi> example use case: you go to a conference in the USA, you are in the plane
<GNUtoo-irssi> you then continue developing there, you reflash etc...
<GNUtoo-irssi> but then you need the log of the failed boot somehow
<GNUtoo-irssi> the flash log (which is in coreboot but require CONFIG_CHROMEOS or something like that) could help with that second use case
<GNUtoo-irssi> Else the logs in RAM + a watchdog could also do the trick
<GNUtoo-irssi> *hardware watchdog
<GNUtoo-irssi> so that second approach of the second use case would just require some modifications related to cbmem
<GNUtoo-irssi> they may already be there, because I'm way out of the loop
<GNUtoo-irssi> I'll make a list of the interesting patches I have locally
<GNUtoo-irssi> and look at gerrit too
<GNUtoo-irssi> btw, is there some easy infrastructure work to do?
<GNUtoo-irssi> like something that can be done on the side
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<GNUtoo-irssi> The x60[s/t], T60(with intel GPUs), are mostly complete, the main issue remaining is merging that improved GPU init code
<GNUtoo-irssi> fallback/ is mostly merged but that one patch I was talking about
<GNUtoo-irssi> then I guess the ACPI part was merged
<GNUtoo-irssi> I'm unsure about the IRDA
<GNUtoo-irssi> I mostly test on x60t nowadays
<GNUtoo-irssi> (my t60 has a nasty bug with ctrl+d, probably ec related)
<GNUtoo-irssi> I've also to look about the security of the I/Os
<GNUtoo-irssi> (like what's on the dock connector)
<GNUtoo-irssi> there is also the license issue of the microcodes inside the headers
<GNUtoo-irssi> I'll add all that in the wiki
<phcoder-1creen> GNUtoo-irssi: did you test digitizer?
<GNUtoo-irssi> yes
<GNUtoo-irssi> works well with libreboot 6 beta3 patches on top of coreboot git
<GNUtoo-irssi> I use it often
<GNUtoo-irssi> with xournal mainly
<GNUtoo-irssi> I've been in a local shop and I've found a compatilble wacom pen: it has:
<GNUtoo-irssi> touch, button(right click), eraser
<GNUtoo-irssi> all do work
<GNUtoo-irssi> the pen is not the x60 pen, but it does work fine
<phcoder-1creen> digitizer patches are already in
<GNUtoo-irssi> The screen's directional keys the its middle key work
<GNUtoo-irssi> yes
<GNUtoo-irssi> I'll update soon
<GNUtoo-irssi> I'll probably sumarize the patch I've left in the wiki
<GNUtoo-irssi> and update that fallback page
<GNUtoo-irssi> phcoder-1creen: is the IRDA supposed to work?
<phcoder-1creen> GNUtoo-irssi: 5243
<phcoder-1creen> T60, rght?
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<GNUtoo-irssi> x60 and x60t
<GNUtoo-irssi> oops
<GNUtoo-irssi> x60t and t60
<GNUtoo-irssi> I'll test them together, I was trying lirc instead directlyt
<phcoder-1creen> 5242 for X60
<GNUtoo-irssi> ok
<GNUtoo-irssi> thanks
<phcoder-1creen> GNUtoo-irssi: did you see x200 port?
<GNUtoo-irssi> yes
<GNUtoo-irssi> what CPU is it?
<GNUtoo-irssi> and what chipset?
<phcoder-1creen> gm45. Intel GPU
<GNUtoo-irssi> ok
<GNUtoo-irssi> I've looked at your new ports and related,
<GNUtoo-irssi> it probably cover the chipset I have in my N71JQ
<GNUtoo-irssi> but I probably don't have time to do the port anytime soon
<phcoder-1creen> gm45 was already covered by rk9
<GNUtoo-irssi> yes
<GNUtoo-irssi> it's core 2 duo with the first AMT in the NICs, right?
<GNUtoo-irssi> and 64bit?
<phcoder-1creen> it's 64bit. I can't tell anything about AMT.
<GNUtoo-irssi> so I guess that if someone unsolder his nic firmware flash, the AMT is gone?
<GNUtoo-irssi> ok
<GNUtoo-irssi> if so that's probably a good tradeoff
<GNUtoo-irssi> you get more recent laptops at the cost of unsoldering or blanking the NIC's flash
<phcoder-1creen> ME firmware is in the flash chip. There is information that on gm45 you can remove ME firmware without any consequences but I din't really try
<GNUtoo-irssi> assuming it's like with the old i945 laptops
<GNUtoo-irssi> ok, wow, nice
<GNUtoo-irssi> how fast is it in between the T60's and the Nehalem's laptops(x201)
<phcoder-1creen> roda rk9 runs without ME firmware AFACIT
<GNUtoo-irssi> ok
<GNUtoo-irssi> about roda and so on, there isn't a lot of infos on the rugged laptops
<GNUtoo-irssi> I guess that nobody still test on them
<phcoder-1creen> No. But the list of connectors they have is truly impressive. As is battery capacity and heaviness.
<GNUtoo-irssi> indeed
<GNUtoo-irssi> it probably has lot of interesting peripherals too, like GPS, 3g modem(how is it connected?) and so on
<GNUtoo-irssi> for the heavyness, it's a way to make geeks become like rambo?
<GNUtoo-irssi> s/geeks/geeks and nerds
<phcoder-1creen> 3g modems are optional. I guess it's minipcie slot.
<phcoder-1creen> BTW x200 has 3 minipcie slots
<GNUtoo-irssi> wow
<phcoder-1creen> (not counting exprecsscard)
<GNUtoo-irssi> ok
<GNUtoo-irssi> that permits to have 2 wifi cards...
<phcoder-1creen> if driver can handle it, sure. When I tried with 2 intel cards, intel drivers and networkmanager got confused.
<GNUtoo-irssi> (ath9k/ath5k have some difficulties when creating multiples interfaces when WPA is involved)
<GNUtoo-irssi> ok
<phcoder-1creen> 3rd minipcie was intended for UWB.
<GNUtoo-irssi> well, I have multiples cards easily here
<GNUtoo-irssi> I never had a problem with non-intel cards
<phcoder-1creen> network manager will still get confused
<GNUtoo-irssi> example: ath9k + ath9k_htc => both interfaces appear in kde's network manager GUI
<GNUtoo-irssi> it was getting confused with intel cards and rfkill
<GNUtoo-irssi> (and I lacked the fimrware of the intel cards...so that added to the confusion)
<GNUtoo-irssi> Example use case: connect to 2 different AP on 2 different networks
<phcoder-1creen> yes network manager and multiple cards and rfkill resultsin confusion
<GNUtoo-irssi> my ath9k_htc is usb
<GNUtoo-irssi> so no hardware rfkill
<GNUtoo-irssi> btw, the mini-pcie connectors do export only pci?
<GNUtoo-irssi> do they export usb, and sata?
<GNUtoo-irssi> (and some other pins for rfkill, SIM card, and so on)







<GNUtoo-irssi> ok
<GNUtoo-irssi> well, I must update the instructions
<GNUtoo-irssi> I was going trough the list of patches I had first
<GNUtoo-irssi> yes
<GNUtoo-irssi> but to a specific/personal page
<fchmmr> could you link me to the updated instructions? (when done)
<GNUtoo-irssi> well, I'll update them first
<GNUtoo-irssi> I was going trough my patches list before that
<GNUtoo-irssi> so I'll do that now
<fchmmr> So I gather that you basically reset the counter yourself after you boot (after typing grub password)
<fchmmr> and so, if you boot and the counter is higher, you know if someone tried to use it
<GNUtoo-irssi> yes, my systemd unit does it
<GNUtoo-irssi> *resets it
<GNUtoo-irssi> so it works like that:
<GNUtoo-irssi> the bootblock switch from normal/ to fallback if the counter is > CONFIG_MAX_REBOOT_CNT
<GNUtoo-irssi> if no normal/ is there it also switch to fallback/
<GNUtoo-irssi> and then it increments the counter
<GNUtoo-irssi> (it's badly explained by me but you get the idea)
<GNUtoo-irssi> then my systemd units reset the counter to 0 once it's fully booted
<GNUtoo-irssi> that way if it fails, let's say at booting any linux kernel, then the user won't have bricked the laptop
<GNUtoo-irssi> (and the developer will have saved lot of time)
<GNUtoo-irssi> the issue is that I didn't reset the counter at resume
<GNUtoo-irssi> I should look how
<GNUtoo-irssi> but at least that makes it developer friendly if the user don't have suspend-resume covered yet
<GNUtoo-irssi> testing images is then a lot faster
<GNUtoo-irssi> and for "production", only fallback/ populated, but with the mecanism in place
<GNUtoo-irssi> that way he can test normal/ easily