diff --git a/site/news/MANIFEST b/site/news/MANIFEST index a396f07..df0fe42 100644 --- a/site/news/MANIFEST +++ b/site/news/MANIFEST @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@ -libreboot202111xx.md +libreboot20211122.md libreboot20210522.md libreboot20160907.md libreboot20160902.md diff --git a/site/news/libreboot20211122.md b/site/news/libreboot20211122.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b4f4153 --- /dev/null +++ b/site/news/libreboot20211122.md @@ -0,0 +1,111 @@ +% Libreboot 20211122 released! +% Leah Rowe +% 22 November 2021 + +Join us now and flash the firmware! +=================================== + +You'll be free! +--------------- + +Libreboot is free (as in freedom) boot firmware, which initializes the hardware +(e.g. memory controller, CPU, peripherals) in your computer so that software +can run. Libreboot then starts a bootloader to load your operating system. It +replaces the proprietary BIOS/UEFI firmware typically found on a computer. +Libreboot is compatible with specifical computer models that use the Intel/AMD +x86 architecture. Libreboot works well with GNU+Linux and BSD operating systems. + +The last Libreboot release, version 20210522, was released on May 22nd +in 2021. *This* new release, Libreboot 20211122, is released today on November +22nd, 2021. This is yet another *testing* release, so expect there to be some +bugs. Every effort has been made to ensure reliability on all boards, however. + +You can find this release in the `testing` directory on Libreboot release +mirrors. If you check in the `stable` directory, you'll still only find +the 20160907 release in there, so please ensure that you check the `testing` +directory! + +This is a *bug fix* release, relative to 20210522. No new boards or major +features have been added, but several problems that existed in the previous +release have now been fixed. + +Work done since the 20210522 release: +------------------------------------- + +* Updated to newer coreboot, SeaBIOS and GRUB versions. The 20210522 + release was using coreboot 4.14, on most boards, from May 2021. This release + is using a coreboot revision from November 2021. +* Tianocore dropped from the build system. It was planned that this would be + provided in ROM images, but Tianocore is very bloated and buggy, and not + worth maintaining. It was supported in the build system, but not actually + enabled on any boards. Instead, a future release of Libreboot will include + a busybox+linux payload with the u-root bootloader: + +* New upstream used for SeaBIOS: +* Dummy PIKE2008 option ROM now automatically inserted into ASUS KGPE-D16 and + KCMA-D8 ROM images. It is literally an empty file. This disables the option + ROM from being loaded, which is known to hang SeaBIOS on these boards. +* 16MB configs now available, for more boards. For instance, ThinkPad X60 and + T60, ASUS KGPE-D16, etc. It's always possible to upgrade the flash, and + information about this is provided in the documentation. +* `memtest86+` included on more ROMs by default (where text mode startup is used) +* `memtest86+`: Now coreboot's own fork is used, instead of upstream. This fork + works much more reliably on coreboot targets, when running on bare metal. +* More 16MB configs added, for more boards. This will be finished by the time + of the next release. Already, several older laptops such as the ThinkPad X60 + or T60, have these configs in the latest `lbmk.git`. If you upgrade the + default SPI flash to 16MByte / 128MBit (maximum size possible), you can then + easily put an entire busybox+linux system in the flash. +* `coreboot`: Added persmule's 2016 patch to enable more SATA/eSATA ports on + ThinkPad T400. This change benefits T400S users. +* `grub.cfg`: LUKS setups are now detected on mdraid setups. +* `grub.cfg`: Default timeout changed to 10 seconds, instead of 1. This benefit + desktop users, who previously complained about not having time to respond if + they wanted to interact with the boot menu. +* `grub.cfg`: Performance optimization when scanning for encrypted LUKS volumes. + GRUB will stall a lot less often, and feel more responsive, when dealing with + LUKS-encrypted setups. +* `coreboot`: cstate 3 now supported on MacBook2,1 and Macbook1,1. This results + in lower CPU temperatures and higher battery life on idle. +* Reset bug fixed, on GM45 platforms (ThinkPad X200/T400/T500 and so on). These + laptops did not reliably reboot, on the Libreboot 20210522 testing release. + They now reboot reliably, with this fix. See: + +* `lbmk`: Use `env` instead of hardcoding the bash path, in bash scripts. This + should make the build system slightly more portable between distros. +* Turkish keyboard layout added on GRUB payloads + +New release schedule under consideration +======================================== + +The 20210522 release happened to coincide with coreboot 4.14's release, more +or less. + +This release also coincides roughly with the coreboot 4.15 release, which came +out on November 5th. See: + + +Coreboot has, since the 4.15 release, decided to release every 3 months instead +of every 6. That means the coreboot 4.16 release is planned for February 2022. + +I'm considering this: 2 releases every 3 months, of Libreboot. A testing release +and then a fork of that is created, to fix bugs ready for a stable release 3 +months later, while simultaneously working (in the lbmk master branch) towards +another testing release. *If no stable release is available at the same time as +a testing release, then delay it if the delay will be minimal, otherwise +cancel and abandon that particular stable branch.* + +So: if I do this, the next stable release of Libreboot could be in February +2022 based on bug fixes of this November 2021 release, using coreboot 4.15. +A testing release could be simultaneously made, with perhaps extra features, +and based on coreboot 4.16. + +I'm considering it. In general, I do want Libreboot to be in sync with the +coreboot project, but coreboot does not guarantee stability in their releases. +Rather, releases are regarded as *milestones* for the coreboot developers to +reflect on current developments, and plan the next few months. + +When Libreboot first started, coreboot did not have a fixed release scheduled. +It was purely rolling release. Coreboot however has been quite reliable with +its own release schedules in the past few years, making it viable for Libreboot +to also have a fixed schedule. diff --git a/site/news/libreboot202111xx.md b/site/news/libreboot202111xx.md deleted file mode 100644 index 166b7f0..0000000 --- a/site/news/libreboot202111xx.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,147 +0,0 @@ -% New Libreboot release soon: ETA November 15th, 2021 -% Leah Rowe -% 9 November 2021 - -**UPDATE2 on 16 November 2021** - -**I've decided to abandon the stable release, and do a new testing release (one that is more or less stable in practise) once this bug is fixed. The new testing release will have a newer coreboot release, from November 2021, for all boards.** - -**Stable releases must not be rushed.** - -**UPDATE on 16 November 2021:** - -**I've received reports on IRC that SpeedStep is broken in the Libreboot 20210522 release, on some GM45 laptops; W500 and T400 have been reported.** - -**Since the release I'm working on is based heavily on 20210522, I'm holding back the Libreboot release to get this fixed.** - -The original article, prior to the above update, is as follows: - -Rapid progress is being made on the next release of Libreboot. The overall goal -of this upcoming release is stability; development was intentionally frozen -after the Libreboot 20210522 testing release, to allow time for people to submit -lots of bug reports. Sure enough, people submitted reports. - -I've been fixing bugs and polishing up what's there, ready for another release. -You can already build Libreboot from the latest Git repository, and it's known -to be stable on all currently supported laptops. Desktops still require a bit -more polishing and tweaking. - -Work done so far since the 20210522 release: - -* `memtest86+` included on more ROMs by default (where text mode startup is used) -* `memtest86+`: Now coreboot's own fork is used, instead of upstream. This fork - works much more reliably on coreboot targets, when running on bare metal. -* More 16MB configs added, for more boards. This will be finished by the time - of the next release. Already, several older laptops such as the ThinkPad X60 - or T60, have these configs in the latest `lbmk.git`. If you upgrade the - default SPI flash to 16MByte / 128MBit (maximum size possible), you can then - easily put an entire busybox+linux system in the flash. -* `coreboot`: Added persmule's 2016 patch to enable more SATA/eSATA ports on - ThinkPad T400. This change benefits T400S users. -* `grub.cfg` -* `grub.cfg`: LUKS setups are now detected on mdraid setups. -* `grub.cfg`: Default timeout changed to 10 seconds, instead of 1. This benefit - desktop users, who previously complained about not having time to respond if - they wanted to interact with the boot menu. -* `grub.cfg`: Performance optimization when scanning for encrypted LUKS volumes. - GRUB will stall a lot less often, and feel more responsive, when dealing with - LUKS-encrypted setups. -* `coreboot`: cstate 3 now supported on MacBook2,1 and Macbook1,1. This results - in lower CPU temperatures and higher battery life on idle. -* Reset bug fixed, on GM45 platforms (ThinkPad X200/T400/T500 and so on). These - laptops did not reliably reboot, on the Libreboot 20210522 testing release. - They now reboot reliably, with this fix. See: - -* `lbmk`: Use `env` instead of hardcoding the bash path, in bash scripts. This - should make the build system slightly more portable between distros. -* Turkish keyboard layout added on GRUB payloads - -Further plans -------------- - -The only major plans left before the actual release, are as follows: - -* Add more 16MB configs -* Re-do desktop/server configs: currently, only text-mode startup is provided - and it is assumed that SeaBIOS will be the first payload, then you can use - onboard graphics or an add-on graphics card more easily. This is not ideal. - The configs will be split: corebootfb and textmode startup, or "normal" where - there is no video init from coreboot, and instead an option ROM can be loaded - from a graphics card. -* Random documentation improvements, especially the addition of ThinkPad X301 - and G43T-AM3 documentation. - -PS: - -As some of you know, I run a company at selling laptops -with Libreboot pre-installed on them. - -Although the new stable release isn't out yet, what's currently in the Libreboot -git repository is stable, as of November 3rd, 2021. Until that release comes -out, I'm giving customers a version of Libreboot build from `lbmk.git`. I will -immediately switch to the stable release when it comes out, but the only thing -that will change basically is the version number and build date printed by -the `lscoreboot` command in GRUB. I'm making no further changes to the laptops -until after the upcoming release. - -Plans for after release -======================= - -After the next stable release, I have the following immediate plans: - -* Add a lot more boards from coreboot, because there are a lot more boards - ready to add in Libreboot. Mostly x4x intel platforms, same as on the Gigabyte - GA-G41M-ES2L board. -* u-root based boot experience (see below about BusyBox+Linux+Musl) - -That's for 2021. The purpose of my 2021 efforts has been to reboot the Libreboot -project, adding all viable x86 targets from coreboot, and adding some nice -features. The upcoming stable release will be during November 2021, and I plan -to have the next stable release afterwards, released on 2 January 2022, but -with a possible early December or late November testing release inbetween. - -The work never ends. From 2022 onwards, my focus will shift towards non-x86 -targets. ARM and RISC-V are becoming increasingly more viable for the Libreboot -project these days, and I want to take advantage of that. - -BusyBox+Linux+Musl ------------------- - -I've been studying Heads, LinuxBoot and coreboot's LinuxBoot integration. -I'm attempting to create my own busybox+linux distro, with musl libc, similar -to these projects. I want to do this so that I can provide u-root on 16MB ROM -configs in Libreboot. - -Coreboot's own build system has a Makefile in it, defining how to build -LinuxBoot. LinuxBoot is another such distro. - -u-root is a powerful bootloader written in Go, which runs in a minimal busybox -and linux environment. It provides many of the same features as GNU GRUB, while -also providing kexec based loading of Linux kernels. Because it's running on -a Linux kernel, that also means you get superior drivers. For example, Linux -has very mature LUKS drivers, but GRUB does not. Linux also has great netboot -features. u-root also implements a minimal UEFI environment. - -More info here: - - - -Info about LinuxBoot: - - - -In the future, I want u-root to become a standard feature in Libreboot. This -will not make it into the upcoming stable release, but I plan to put it in a -testing release afterwards. - -oreboot project ---------------- - -Oreboot is a special fork of coreboot, re-written in Rust. Coreboot without C, -hence Oreboot. It focuses on RISC-V hardware: - - - -However, coreboot will still be used for most targets, including the current -x86 targets. I plan to integrate oreboot at a future date, separately, for -a few boards.