[coreboot] unsuported Motherboard

[Stefan Reinauer]

On 1/4/10 12:17 PM, Joao Mamede wrote:
> Hello I want to use coreboot in an old laptop (in order to
> replace/upgrade a fried graphics card).
> Both the southern and northernbridges are suported
> The laptop is the A8js from asus.
>
> Here's an lspci
> 00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS/940GML and
> 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
> 00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface
> Bridge (rev 02) 

>
> I can't find a socketed bios in the motherboard...so I guess I have
> one try.
> Can anyone help me out in making a target build(I wouldn't bother you
> and try to do it myself if I had more than one chance).
> It's either make it work and make me happy, or put the laptop in the
> garbage..independently of frying the bios or not.
> Thank you

Chances are good to get coreboot running on this laptop, its components
seem to be mostly supported by coreboot. However, the chance of getting
everything working on the first try are zero. The chances to get the
system at least to boot on the first try and always keep the system in a
working, updatable state are almost zero, too. So if you attempt to port
coreboot to this machine, you will need to create some kind of recovery
mechanism. You could solder a socket to the mainboard, or a plug to
reflash the machine externally.

However, to get started, I suggest that you find out what flash chip you
have on the board, so you can determine what recovery mechanism is
suitable. (The flashrom utility from www.flashrom.org will help you with
that)

Also, a dump of superiotool -ed will help you a lot. Does the machine
have a serial port?

Stefan