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Coreboot: ThinkPad X230 using Skulls

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Guide to Flash Coreboot using the Skulls Method for Lenovo ThinkPad X230

Introduction:
This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to flash Coreboot on your Lenovo X230 laptop using the Skulls method. Please note that corebooting a laptop carries risks, and any modifications made to your system are at your own responsibility. DaurTech is not liable for any damage or issues that may occur during the process. It is recommended to read and understand the instructions fully before proceeding.

Warning: Corebooting your laptop carries risks, and any modifications made to your system are at your own responsibility. Be sure to read and understand the instructions fully before proceeding. DaurTech is not liable for any damage or issues that may occur during the process.

Hardware Requirements:

To follow this guide, you will need the following:

  • The Lenovo X230 laptop to be flashed.
  • A separate Linux computer to download the necessary files and execute the commands.
  • A CH341a programmer that has been verified to operate at 3.3V.

Step 1: Hardware Preparation

  1. Prepare the laptop that will be flashed (X230).
  2. Prepare the laptop that will execute the commands.
  3. Verify that the CH341a programmer operates at 3.3V. You can use the instructions provided at this link: CH341a Verification.
  4. Ensure that the recipient X230 laptop has the most current BIOS that is safe for Coreboot and is compatible with possible modifications such as the 7-row keyboard and using a 3rd-party battery. You can verify the latest BIOS provided at this link: ThinkPad EC Repository.

Step 2: Download and Prepare the Coreboot Image

On the computer that will execute the commands, download the Coreboot Skulls files from the official repository: Skulls X230.

Extract the downloaded archive to a directory of your choice.

Open a terminal and navigate to the extracted directory.

Step 3: Flashing the Top Chip

Connect the CH341a programmer to the X230 laptop’s Top chip.

Execute the following command in the terminal to flash the Top chip:

sudo ./flash.sh top

Sample output after flashing the Top chip:

flashrom v1.2 on Linux 4.19.0-18-amd64 (x86_64)
flashrom is free software, get the source code at https://flashrom.org

Calibrating delay loop... OK.
Found Winbond flash chip "W25Q64.W" (8192 kB, SPI) on ch341a_spi.
Reading old flash chip contents... done.
Erasing and writing flash chip... Erase/write done.
Verifying flash... VERIFIED.

Step 4: Flashing the Bottom Chip

Disconnect the CH341a programmer from the X230 laptop’s Top chip and connect it to the Bottom chip.

Execute the following command in the terminal to flash the Bottom chip:

sudo ./flash.sh bottom

Sample output after flashing the Bottom chip:

flashrom v1.2 on Linux 4.19.0-18-amd64 (x86_64)
flashrom is free software, get the source code at https://flashrom.org

Calibrating delay loop... OK.
Found Winbond flash chip "MX25L6405D/MX25L6408E" (8192 kB, SPI

) on ch341a_spi.
Reading old flash chip contents... done.
Erasing and writing flash chip... Erase/write done.
Verifying flash... VERIFIED.

Step 5: Verification

Disconnect the CH341a programmer from the X230 laptop’s Bottom chip.

Reassemble any hardware components that were removed.

Power on the X230 laptop and verify that it boots properly with the new Coreboot firmware.

Congratulations! You have successfully flashed Coreboot on your Lenovo X230 laptop using the Skulls method. Ensure that the flash process completes successfully and the flash is verified before proceeding. If you encounter any issues, refer to the official Skulls repository or seek assistance from the Coreboot community.

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