2.8 KiB
title: Libreboot project ...
Libreboot is
freedom-respecting
boot firmware that initializes the hardware (e.g. memory controller, CPU,
peripherals) in your computer and starts a bootloader for your operating
system. It replaces proprietary BIOS/UEFI firmware. Libreboot works
on specific Intel/AMD x86 platforms, with decent
GNU+Linux and BSD support. Help is available
via #libreboot on
Libera IRC. The latest release is Libreboot
20210522, from 22 May 2021.
Libreboot is a Free software project, but can be considered Open Source. GNU teaches us why you should call it free software or libre software. Free software matters. Right to Repair matters.
Libreboot uses coreboot for hardware initialization. However, coreboot is notoriously difficult to configure by non-technical users. There are many complicated steps, and coreboot only handles basic hardware initialization before jumping to a separate payload program, which could be anything (e.g. Linux, GRUB, SeaBIOS, Tianocore).
Libreboot solves this problem. It is a coreboot distribution, just like Parabola is a GNU+Linux distribution. Libreboot has an automated build system that downloads, patches and builds software like coreboot, GRUB and SeaBIOS to build a complete ROM image for firmware installation, just like a GNU+Linux distribution provides an ISO image for OS installation. Libreboot regularly re-bases on the latest versions of coreboot and other upstream projects.
Libreboot has advanced features like encrypted /boot/ and GPG support. Binary blobs from coreboot are excluded, making Libreboot 100% free software. It is endorsed by the Free Software Foundation. Libreboot has helped many people, including the FSF, the GNU project and GNU project founder, Richard Stallman.