Install Libreboot on Acer G43T-AM3

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!!BACKUP everything!! just in case something fails.

Specifications
Manufacturer	Acer
Name	G43T-AM3
Released	2009
Chipset	G43
CPU	LGA 775, Core 2 (Duo & Quad)
Graphics	GMA X4500
Memory	DDR3 SODIMMs (max 8 GB, 4x2GB)
Architecture	x86_64
Original boot firmware	Acer BIOS
Intel ME/AMD PSP	Present, Fully removable
Flash chip	SOP-8 2MB/16Mbit MX25L1605D

W+: Works without vendor firmware; 
N: Doesn't work; 
W*: Works with vendor firmware; 
U: Untested; 
P+: Partially works; 
P*: Partially works with vendor firmware
?: UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME

Features
Internal flashing with original boot firmware	W+
Display (if Intel GPU)	W+
Audio	W+
RAM Init	W+

Payloads supported
GRUB (libgfxinit only)	Works
SeaBIOS	Works

Download from release

Build from source

For one only:

./mk -b coreboot g43t_am3

To build it to use both flash chips:

./mk -b coreboot g43t_am3_16mb

Software

Before internal flashing, Disable /dev/mem protection first.

In short add this kernel parameter: iomem=relaxed(linux distro)/kernel.securelevel=-1(bsd distro)

THEN REMOVE THIS KERNEL PARAMETER TO PREVENT UNAUTHORIZED/MALICIOUS ACCESS TO YOUR SYSTEM AFTER FLASHING LIBREBOOT.

(An important reminder for those who might forget to delete it, even better, replace it with lockdown=integrity / lockdown=confidentiality)

Backup the previous (working) firmware (atleast) twice (to check and compare if reading it gone wrong and backups differs.)

flashprog -p internal -r Backup1.bin

flashprog -p internal -r Backup2.bin

Check and compare those if reading from the flash were successful:

diff Backup1.bin Backup2.bin

For more than 2:

shasum Backup1.bin Backup2.bin Backup3.bin

If those differs, something gone wrong and proceeding further may (DON’T) leave your device unrecoverable (without a reliable backup) if flashing fails as well.

External header and internal flashing works.

It might be necessary to specify the chip type; MX25L1605D/MX25L1608D/MX25L1673E is the correct one, not MX25L1605.

Hardware

For general information, please refer to 25xx NOR flash instructions - that page refers to use of socketed flash.

Backup the previous (working) firmware twice (to check and compare if reading it gone wrong and backups differs.)

flashprog -p serprog:dev=/dev/ttyACM0,spispeed=16M -r Backup1.bin

flashprog -p serprog:dev=/dev/ttyACM0,spispeed=16M -r Backup2.bin

Check and compare those if reading from the flash were successful:

diff Backup1.bin Backup2.bin

For more than 2:

shasum Backup1.bin Backup2.bin Backup3.bin

If those differs, something gone wrong and proceeding further may (DON’T) leave your device unrecoverable (without a reliable backup) if flashing fails as well.

To flash it externally, turn the board off and leave it plugged in with the psu on and then use a programmer WITHOUT the 3.3v connected to flash.

Another way is through the SPI_ROM1 header while the board is off and disconnected from power, HOLD# and WP# must be pulled high (to VCC) to be able to flash the chip

It might be necessary to specify the chip type; MX25L1605D/MX25L1608D/MX25L1673E is the correct one, not MX25L1605.

This is similar to Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L but uses an Intel NIC rather than Realtek. Some problems with Linux on this NIC, on this board, with Libreboot, were observed; see:

https://web.archive.org/web/20230730111707/https://notabug.org/libreboot/lbmk/issues/125

That page (on notabug) has some notes about workarounds. It links to this:

https://superuser.com/questions/1104537/how-to-repair-the-checksum-of-the-non-volatile-memory-nvm-of-intel-ethernet-co/1106641#1106641

This page has some guidance on how to either correct the checksum (in GbE config) or skip checksum validation in Linux, to get the onboard NIC working. Although it’s talking about different hardware, the steps should be the same.

TODO: factory BIOS on this board works fine with the onboard NIC. study what that is doing

DDR3 memory with 512Mx8 chips (G43 limitation), 4x4GB sticks (works, but showed a single bit error within one pass of Memtest86+ 5.01)

Specifications
Manufacturer	Acer
Name/Variant	G43t-AM3
Released	2009
Chipset	Intel G43
CPU	LGA775, Intel Core 2
Graphics	GMA X4500
Audio	Realtek ALC888S
Memory	DDR3 SODIMMs (max 8 GB, 4x2GB)
Networking	Intel 82567V-2
Expansion Slots	PCIe gen. 2; x16, x1, 2x PCI
Storage connectors	6x SATA II
Other Connectors	Headers; Audio, 4x dual USB 2.0, SCOM
I/O Ports on Back	PS/2 Mouse+Keyboard, VGA, HDMI, 4x USB 2.0, Firewire (IEEE 1394), RJ-45 1GbE (Ethernet)

The Canoeboot version of this page is: https://canoeboot.org/docs/install/acer_g43t-am3.html

SPDX-License-Identifier: GFDL-1.3-or-later

Markdown file for this page: https://libreboot.org/docs/install/acer_g43t-am3.md

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