Leah Rowe
eb54e427e6
new behaviour: * grub.cfg and grubtest.cfg no longer inserted to cbfs * grub.cfg in memdisk instead * grub.cfg in memdisk defers to cbfs/grub.cfg if added (not added by default, anymore) * does not defer to grubtest.cfg even if available * only shows link to grubtest.cfg if available, as a menuentry item keymaps: if /keymap.gkb exists in cbfs, it uses that by default, but by default this isn't added. instead, it looks for a file named keymap.cfg and sources that, which then sets the keymap to one that is located under memdisk. this file is inserted for each rom, per layout. if keymap.gkb and keymap.cfg both absent, grub.cfg in memdisk shall defer to usqwerty as the default keymap grub_scan_disk: grub.cfg looks for cbfs file "scan.cfg" and sources that if found, which will be inserted with the string: set grub_scandisk=setting_goes_here (based on target.cfg, generated by build/boot/roms automatically). If no scan.cfg is found, it defaults to "both" The "background.png" file remains unchanged, and present in CBFS, used by grub.cfg if present (and it is, by default) This change actually *saves* space in CBFS, due to compression, and means that the grub.cfg is now compressed heavily. This is also safer, because now the user overrides grub.cfg by adding it, and they can still add grubtest.cfg for testing first. If they accidentally delete both configs from cbfs, Libreboot will fall back to the one in memdisk which would presumably not be deleted. This also means that lbmk can now more easily be used by other build systems, that just want the GRUB part to re-use in their own project. For example, people who want to build custom coreboot images without using Libreboot's build system. This change also *speeds* up the build process considerably, on the parts where ROM images are copied. It's less than half a second now, whereas previously it took about 30-45 seconds for ROM images to copy, because of grub.elf being re-added in each ROM via cbfstool, where compression is used; I believe the compression part is what caused slowness. Much, much faster, more versatile builds. Signed-off-by: Leah Rowe <leah@libreboot.org>
Libreboot
Find libreboot documentation at https://libreboot.org/
The libreboot project provides
libre boot
firmware that initializes the hardware (e.g. memory controller, CPU,
peripherals) on specific Intel/AMD x86 and ARM targets, which
then starts a bootloader for your operating system. Linux/BSD are
well-supported. It replaces proprietary BIOS/UEFI firmware. Help is available
via #libreboot IRC
on Libera IRC.
Why use Libreboot?
Why should you use libreboot?
Libreboot gives you freedoms that you otherwise can't get with most other boot firmware. It's extremely powerful and configurable for many use cases.
You have rights. The right to privacy, freedom of thought, freedom of speech and the right to read. In this context, Libreboot gives you these rights. Your freedom matters. Right to repair matters. Many people use proprietary (non-libre) boot firmware, even if they use a libre OS. Proprietary firmware often contains backdoors (more info on the FAQ), and it and can be buggy. The libreboot project was founded in December 2013, with the express purpose of making coreboot firmware accessible for non-technical users.
The libreboot project uses coreboot for hardware
initialisation.
Coreboot is notoriously difficult to install for most non-technical users; it
handles only basic initialization and jumps to a separate
payload program (e.g.
GRUB,
Tianocore), which must also be configured.
The libreboot software solves this problem; it is a coreboot distribution with
an automated build system (named lbmk) that builds complete ROM images, for
more robust installation. Documentation is provided.
How does Libreboot differ from coreboot?
In the same way that Debian is a GNU+Linux distribution, libreboot is
a coreboot distribution. If you want to build a ROM image from scratch, you
otherwise have to perform expert-level configuration of coreboot, GRUB and
whatever other software you need, to prepare the ROM image. With libreboot,
you can literally download from Git or a source archive, and run make, and it
will build entire ROM images. An automated build system, named lbmk
(Libreboot MaKe), builds these ROM images automatically, without any user input
or intervention required. Configuration has already been performed in advance.
If you were to build regular coreboot, without using libreboot's automated build system, it would require a lot more intervention and decent technical knowledge to produce a working configuration.
Regular binary releases of libreboot provide these
ROM images pre-compiled, and you can simply install them, with no special
knowledge or skill except the ability to follow installation instructions
and run commands BSD/Linux.
Project goals
- Support as much hardware as possible! Libreboot aims to eventually have maintainers for every board supported by coreboot, at every point in time.
- Make coreboot easy to use. Coreboot is notoriously difficult to install, due to an overall lack of user-focused documentation and support. Most people will simply give up before attempting to install coreboot. Libreboot's automated build system and user-friendly installation instructions solves this problem.
Libreboot attempts to bridge this divide by providing a build system automating much of the coreboot image creation and customization. Secondly, the project produces documentation aimed at non-technical users. Thirdly, the project attempts to provide excellent user support via IRC.
Libreboot already comes with a payload (GRUB), flashrom and other needed parts. Everything is fully integrated, in a way where most of the complicated steps that are otherwise required, are instead done for the user in advance.
You can download ROM images for your libreboot system and install them without having to build anything from source. If, however, you are interested in building your own image, the build system makes it relatively easy to do so.
Not a coreboot fork!
Libreboot is not a fork of coreboot. Every so often, the project re-bases on the latest version of coreboot, with the number of custom patches in use minimized. Tested, stable (static) releases are then provided in Libreboot, based on specific coreboot revisions.
How to help
You can check bugs listed on the bug tracker.
If you spot a bug and have a fix, the website has instructions for how to send patches, and you can also report it. Also, this entire website is written in Markdown and hosted in a separate repository where you can send patches.
Any and all development discussion and user support are all done on the IRC channel. More information is on https://libreboot.org/contact.html.
LICENSE FOR THIS README
It's just a README file. This README file is released under the terms of the Creative Commons Zero license, version 1.0 of the license, which you can read here:
https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode.txt