libreboot/docs/hcl/d945gclf.md

Intel D945GCLF desktop board

Back to previous index

If you just want flashing instructions, go to ../install/d945gclf.html

This board is a mini-itx desktop board for 2008. It uses an atom 230, which is a singe core CPU but it is hyperthreaded so it appears to have 2 thread to the OS. The flash chip is very small, 512KiB, so grub2 does not fit, which is why libreboot has to use seabios on this target. Full disk encryption like on other supported targets will not be possible, so plan accordingly.

This board has a 945gc chipset which is the desktop equivalent of 945gm which can be found in the Lenovo x60/t60 or macbook2,1. This chipset features an ICH7 southbridge. It has 1 DIMM slot that can accommodate up to 2G of DDR2 RAM.

Connectivity-wise it has 1 PCI slot, a 10/100 ethernet port, 4 usb slot and 4 usb ports, with one internal header and 2 SATA ports.

The D945GCLF2 is an upgraded version of this board. The differences are: 1 more USB header, 10/100/1000 ethernet and a dual core cpu (also hyperthreaded). Since the board is almost identical (and coreboot code seem to indicate that it works, since MAX_CPU=4 is set), it is believed that it should also work but this is untested.

Remarks about vendor bios:

• Without coreboot/libreboot this board is utery useless, since the vendor bios is very bad. It cannot boot from any HDD wether it is connected to the SATA port or USB. With libreboot it works just fine.
• The vendor bios write protects the flash so it requires external flashing to install libreboot on this device. Once libreboot is flashed there is no problem to update the firmware internally

Here is an image of the board:\ \ Here is an image of the D945GCLF2 board:\ {width="80%" height="80%"}\ And SPI SOIC8 flash chip\ {width="50%" height="50%"}

How to replace thermal paste and fan

This board comes with very crappy disposable loud fan, that one has no bearings, which can not be repaired or oiled properly, do not waste your time trying to fix it, just buy one chinese same size fan\ {width="50%" height="50%"} {width="50%" height="50%"}\ Make sure that new one has same wiring\ {width="50%" height="50%"}\ This is a new one, with bearing and maintenable\ {width="50%" height="50%"} {width="50%" height="50%"}\ Now remove the both coolers rotating them a bit, slowly, then clean both silicons and both coolers (removing cmos battery first is recommended)\ {width="50%" height="50%"}\ Put a little bit of non conductive thermal paste on both silicons (only cpu silicon iis shown on that image)\ {width="50%" height="50%"}

Before assembling new fan, some need new longer screws, make sure having these (on the left is original one, too short for new fan)\ {width="50%" height="50%"}\ After that, assemble your new fan into CPU cooler\ {width="50%" height="50%"}\ Finally assemle both coolers on both chips, do not forget put in the CPU fan connector back, and you are done.

Copyright © 2016 Arthur Heymans arthur@aheymans.xyz\ Copyright © 2016 Vitaly Castaño Solana \ Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license or any later version published by Creative Commons; A copy of the license can be found at ../cc-by-sa-4.0.txt

Updated versions of the license (when available) can be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode

UNLESS OTHERWISE SEPARATELY UNDERTAKEN BY THE LICENSOR, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, THE LICENSOR OFFERS THE LICENSED MATERIAL AS-IS AND AS-AVAILABLE, AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND CONCERNING THE LICENSED MATERIAL, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHER. THIS INCLUDES, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ABSENCE OF LATENT OR OTHER DEFECTS, ACCURACY, OR THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF ERRORS, WHETHER OR NOT KNOWN OR DISCOVERABLE. WHERE DISCLAIMERS OF WARRANTIES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN FULL OR IN PART, THIS DISCLAIMER MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, IN NO EVENT WILL THE LICENSOR BE LIABLE TO YOU ON ANY LEGAL THEORY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR OTHER LOSSES, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THIS PUBLIC LICENSE OR USE OF THE LICENSED MATERIAL, EVEN IF THE LICENSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSSES, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DAMAGES. WHERE A LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IS NOT ALLOWED IN FULL OR IN PART, THIS LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

The disclaimer of warranties and limitation of liability provided above shall be interpreted in a manner that, to the extent possible, most closely approximates an absolute disclaimer and waiver of all liability.