Re: [libreplanet-discuss] libreboot workshop at libreplanet 2018

[Leah Rowe]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA256

i accidentally included libreplanet-discuss in CC in my first post. so
when you reply, make sure to hit "reply all" in your mail client.
otherwise it will go to John Sullivan instead of to this list

On 21/03/18 01:31, Leah Rowe wrote:
> Hi everyone,
> 
> The FSF isn't officially hosting a libreboot workshop at
> libreplanet this year.
> 
> I'm proposing to set up an unofficial workshop at LibrePlanet 2018,
> so that people at the conference can get their libreboot-supported 
> systems flashed. I myself (Leah Rowe, founder of libreboot) will
> not be physically attending, unfortunately, but I do know that
> there are others who would be willing to do this. I've already
> spoken to several people on #libreboot IRC: sensiblemn (Kurt from
> Technoethical) is willing. zyliwax is willing. I'm also CC'ing
> libiquity and technoethical, asking them to take part.
> 
> obviously, any FSF staff e.g. sysadmins who want to take part and
> help out, are more than welcome to. e.g. the staff at FSF who know
> how to flash SPI chips, for libreboot installation
> 
> If anyone else on this list who is attending the conference wishes
> to take part, please reply with your details including what
> equipment you can bring.
> 
> We ideally need at least 2-3 people with SPI flashers. If we can
> get at least a few people to commit to providing flashing services,
> then I'll issue a pull request to get a news post published on
> libreboot.org, announcing the unofficial libreboot installation 
> workshop. The news post will mention the names of all the people
> who will be doing the installations.
> 
> Please confirm via reply on this list, if you're willing to commit
> to this.
> 
> If someone wants their laptop flashed, they find one of those
> people listed in the news post. Although the FSF isn't providing a
> room dedicated to this, there are plenty of benches to sit down on
> at the conference. There's also the speakers lounge, which usually
> has seats available (and power sockets, and chairs, and tables) -
> doesn't matter if you're not a speaker, go into there anyway and
> sit down with the person, and flash their laptop on one of the
> tables in there. Then there's the FSF office, in case the person
> wants to get their laptop flashed there (E.g. a day or so before
> the conference); they have a conference room. if it's empty, you
> could go in there. the FSF has an open door policy
> 
> Kurt is also hosting a technoethical booth at libreplanet. You
> could go there and have this person flash your laptop with
> libreboot. As confirmed on IRC, this person has told me that
> they're bringing their BBB and other equipment.
> 
> If anyone who knows how to use an SPI flasher to flash libreboot 
> (doesn't matter which flasher you use), who is going to the 
> conference, I'd be very grateful if you could offer your services
> to flash libreboot for people there.
> 
> Equipment I can think of at the top of my head.
> 
> 1) Set up the SPI flasher so that it's portable (USB powered, 3v3 
> supplied by the SPI flasher itself, not an external PSU) - SSH
> into the flasher via ethernet cable or USB cable connected to your
> laptop. Portable flashing setup. make sure it works etc. bring
> spare wires just in case. make sure you've got soic-8 and soic-16 -
> to save time, if you can, bring 2 SPI flashers, one with soic-8 one
> with soic-16 (less time messing about re-wiring between different
> laptops)
> 
> see guides on libreboot.org for setting up RPi or BBB. but any SPI 
> flasher will do. if you've got another setup, fine
> 
> make sure you have the entire ROM set from Libreboot 20160907 on
> the flasher, ready to go. Since this conference in in the united
> states, you should probably set up the ones with the US Qwerty
> layout in GRUB. the ROM images in libreboot named *usqwerty*.rom
> 
> NOTE: if it's an X200 you're flashing, make sure to use the 
> workaround-mx patch in flashrom, for macronix chips. otherwise 
> flashing won't work. see: 
> https://notabug.org/consts/libreboot/raw/2caaac00972d9ea56b0fcd7c95897
e9
>
> 
0283b05b8/projects/flashrom/patches/0005-Workaround-MX25-reliable-operat
> ion.patch
> 
> patch is also in libreboot.git. apply that to flashrom src and
> build that. for macronix chip on x200 (only x200. t400 dosen't need
> it) use --workaround-mx option in flashrom. tested on BBB and RPi
> 
> 2) Screwdrivers
> 
> 3) NOTE: optional -> soldering equipment, for X200T/X200S flashing 
> (including hot air gun etc, and soic8 spi chips) -> Kurt from
> technoethical tells me they're bringing soldering stuff with them
> 
> Also the FSF has soldering equipment, which they could possibly
> lend to people doing X200T flashing (X200T/X200S needs soldering to
> flash it, unlike X200).
> 
> 4) thermal paste and thermal paste cleaning material, and wipes etc
> -> for T400 flashing. requires removing the heatsink
> 
> 5) I doubt anyone will have D8/D16 to flash, so tools for flashing 
> DIP8 spi chips probably aren't required. most people wanting to be 
> flashed will have laptops
> 
> -> you could maybe take DIP8 chips with libreboot on them with
> you, just in case, for kcma-d8 and kgpe-d16, then the person just
> puts that in their d8/d16 when they get home. in fact that seems
> more logical to me. also plcc32 lpc chips (1mb) with libreboot, for
> asus kfsn4-dre
> 
> 6) ditto on 5, regarding plcc32 lpc flash (asus kfsn4-dre)
> 
> 5 and 6 are most likely moot/optional though.
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________ libreplanet-discuss
> mailing list libreplanet-discuss@libreplanet.org 
> https://lists.libreplanet.org/mailman/listinfo/libreplanet-discuss
> 

- -- 
Leah Rowe

Libreboot developer and project founder.

Use free software. Free as in freedom.
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html

Use a free BIOS - https://libreboot.org/
Use a free operating system, GNU+Linux.

Support computer user freedom
https://fsf.org/ - https://gnu.org/

Minifree Ltd, trading as Ministry of Freedom | Registered in England,
No. 9361826 | VAT No. GB202190462
Registered Office: 19 Hilton Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 9QA, UK |
Web: https://minifree.org/

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----

iQEzBAEBCAAdFiEE+JRrnG26iGmvPhSA/0W3TPnRz5QFAlqxwn4ACgkQ/0W3TPnR
z5Sn2Qf/UgyXVUS+8tZSLtsLi91kDZum/x4uBcvqZm3Et6ETU9EH48M/hLq7H9YC
7VOuRGaaQR2L5lt2EVQe2dCSZNCi5y8ki2sJtvQoiE7q6p3dzMWWg+MciBqJmCkh
uq0W0LxmaRzBDrnTJp1OnZUq82+DEl8IGkBRqCQeFJnDksS9jiotzkWh5Ws9aerd
96evBoG1DNUQ2HIYVt5rGk66L/48dCnHXSUKh3TCypqUMM8MgPKLgzL9gAec/20m
woSsTPRKnqbrgd5fSItQcxCTUq0NRfzy60HOcMNbM40QJHUjhPObZimgr52Y8DWP
EKCAwVcYvPxgXXUHMylZX1QKIrLNYg==
=1t1B
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----