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633dbebbc6
docs/hardware is redundant, because it now mostly contains installation instructions, and docs/install also contains hardware information. therefore, in practise, they are both the same kind of information. merge the two, and streamline everything. a lot of redundant information has been removed. docs/install/ has been re-structured in such a way as to enable more chronological reading, to make it easier for the average user to install Canoeboot. This is part of a larger series of changes I'm working on for the documentation. I'm massively auditing the entire Canoeboot documentation. Signed-off-by: Leah Rowe <info@minifree.org>
359 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
359 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: ThinkPad T500 external flashing
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x-toc-enable: true
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...
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<div class="specs">
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<center>
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<img tabindex=1 alt="ThinkPad T500" class="p" src="https://av.libreboot.org/t500/0062.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/t500/0062.jpg" /></span>
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</center>
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| ***Specifications*** | |
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|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
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| **Manufacturer** | Lenovo |
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| **Name** | ThinkPad T500 |
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| **Released** | 2009 |
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| **Chipset** | Intel Cantiga GM45 |
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| **CPU** | Intel Core 2 Duo (Penryn family). A Quad-core
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mod exists, replacing the Core 2 Duo with a Core Quad |
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| **Graphics** | Intel GMA 4500MHD (and ATI Mobility Radeon HD
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3650 on some models) |
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| **Display** | 1280x800/1680x1050/1920x1200 TFT |
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| **Memory** | 2 or 4GB (Upgradable to 8GB) |
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| **Architecture** | x86_64 |
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| **EC** | Proprietary |
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| **Original boot firmware** | LenovoBIOS |
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| **Intel ME/AMD PSP** | Present. Can be completly disabled. |
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| **Flash chip** | SOIC-8/SOIC-16/WSON-8 4MiB/8MiB (Upgradable
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to 16MiB) |
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```
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W+: Works without blobs;
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N: Doesn't work;
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W*: Works with blobs;
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U: Untested;
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P+: Partially works;
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P*: Partially works with blobs
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```
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| ***Features*** | |
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|----------------|---------------------------------------|
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| **Internal flashing with original boot firmware** | N |
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| **Display** | W+ |
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| **Audio** | W+ |
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| **RAM Init** | W+ |
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| **External output** | W+ |
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| **Display brightness** | P+ |
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| ***Payloads supported*** | |
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|---------------------------|-----------|
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| **GRUB** | Works |
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| **SeaBIOS** | Works |
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| **SeaBIOS with GRUB** | Works |
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</div>
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Dell Latitude E6400
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===================
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**If you haven't bought an T500 yet: the [Dell Latitude
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E6400](../install/latitude.md) is much easier to flash; no disassembly required,
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it can be flashed entirely in software from Dell BIOS to Canoeboot. It is the
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same hardware generation (GM45), with same CPUs, video processor, etc.**
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Introduction
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============
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It is believed that all or most T500 laptops are compatible. See notes
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about [CPU
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compatibility](#cpu_compatibility) for
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potential incompatibilities.
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W500 is also compatible, and mostly the same design as T500.
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There are two possible flash chip sizes for the T500: 4MiB (32Mbit) or
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8MiB (64Mbit). This can be identified by the type of flash chip below
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the palmrest: 4MiB is SOIC-8, 8MiB is SOIC-16.
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*The T500 laptops come with the ME (and sometimes AMT in addition)
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before flashing canoeboot. Canoeboot disables and removes it by using a
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modified descriptor: see [../install/ich9utils.md](../install/ich9utils.md)*
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(contains notes, plus instructions)
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Flashing instructions can be found at
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[../install/\#flashprog](../install/#flashprog)
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NOTE: Canoeboot standardises on [flashprog](https://flashprog.org/wiki/Flashprog)
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now, as of 27 January 2024, which is a fork of flashrom.
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EC update {#ecupdate}
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=========
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It is recommended that you update to the latest EC firmware version. The
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[EC firmware](../../faq.md#ec-embedded-controller-firmware) is separate from
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Canoeboot, so we don't actually provide that, but if you still have
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Lenovo BIOS then you can just run the Lenovo BIOS update utility, which
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will update both the BIOS and EC version. See:
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- [../install/#flashprog](../install/#flashprog)
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- <http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/BIOS_update_without_optical_disk>
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NOTE: this can only be done when you are using Lenovo BIOS. How to
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update the EC firmware while running Canoeboot is unknown. Canoeboot
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only replaces the BIOS firmware, not EC.
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Updated EC firmware has several advantages e.g. bettery battery
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handling.
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The T500 is almost identical to the X200, code-wise. See
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[x200.md](x200.md).
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Installation notes
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==================
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[External flashing](spi.md) required, if Lenovo BIOS is running.
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This guide is for those who want Canoeboot on their ThinkPad T500 while
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they still have the original Lenovo BIOS present. This guide can also be
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followed (adapted) if you brick your T500, to know how to recover.
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W500 is also mostly compatible with this guide.
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Serial port {#serial_port}
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-----------
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EHCI debug might not be needed. It has been reported that the docking
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station for this laptop has a serial port, so it might be possible to
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use that instead.
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A note about CPUs
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=================
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[ThinkWiki](http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T500) has a list of
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CPUs for this system. The Core 2 Duo P8400, P8600 and P8700 are believed
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to work with Canoeboot. The T9600 was also tested on the T400 and
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confirmed working.
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T9550 and T9900 was tested by a user, and is compatible as reported in the IRC channel.
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T9500 and T9400 may also work, but YMMV.
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Quad-core CPUs
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--------------
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Very likely to be compatible, but requires hardware modification.
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Based on info from German forum post about installing Core Quad CPU on T500 found in coreboot mailing list. Currently work in progress and no guide available.
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Q9100 is compatible and confirmed working (after hw mod), as reported by users in the IRC
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channel
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- [Coreboot mailing list post](https://mail.coreboot.org/pipermail/coreboot/2016-November/082463.html)
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- [German forum post about install Core Quad on T500](https://thinkpad-forum.de/threads/199129)
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This video from FrostKiwi (Libera IRC) does a nice illustration and explains
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everything nicely:
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<https://yewtu.be/watch?v=Fs4GjDiOie8>
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A note about GPUs
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=================
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Some models have an Intel GPU, while others have both an ATI and an
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Intel GPU; this is referred to as "switchable graphics". In the *BIOS
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setup* program for lenovobios, you can specify that the system will use
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one or the other (but not both).
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Canoeboot is known to work on systems with only the Intel GPU, using
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native graphics initialization. On systems with switchable graphics, the
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Intel GPU is used and the ATI GPU is disabled, so native graphics
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initialization works all the same.
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CPU paste required
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==================
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See [\#paste](#paste).
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Flash chip size {#flashchips}
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===============
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Use this to find out:
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flashprog -p internal
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MAC address {#macaddress}
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===========
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Refer to [mac\_address.md](mac_address.md).
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Clip wiring
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===========
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Refer to [spi.md](spi.md) as a guide for external re-flashing.
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The procedure
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-------------
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Remove all screws:\
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\
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It is also advisable to, throughout the disassembly, place any screws
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and/or components that you removed in the same layout or arrangement.
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The follow photos demonstrate this:\
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Remove the HDD/SSD and optical drive:\
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Remove the palm rest:\
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Remove the keyboard and rear bezel:\
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If you have a WWAN/3G card and/or sim card reader, remove them
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permanently. The WWAN-3G card has proprietary firmware inside; the
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technology is identical to what is used in mobile phones, so it can also
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track your movements:\
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Remove this frame, and then remove the wifi chip:\
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Remove the speakers:\
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Remove the NVRAM battery (already removed in this photo):\
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When you re-assemble, you will be replacing the wifi chip with another.
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These two screws don't hold anything together, but they are included in
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your system because the screw holes for half-height cards are a
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different size, so use these if you will be installing a half-height
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card:\
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Unroute the antenna wires:\
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Disconnect the LCD cable from the motherboard:\
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Remove the LCD assembly hinge screws, and then remove the LCD assembly:\
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Remove the fan and heatsink:\
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Remove this screw:\
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Remove these cables, keeping note of how and in what arrangement they
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are connected:\
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Disconnect the power jack:\
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Remove the motherboard and cage from the base (the marked hole is where
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those cables were routed through):\
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Remove all screws, arranging them in the same layout when placing the
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screws on a surface and marking each screw hole (this is to reduce the
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possibility of putting them back in the wrong holes):\
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Also remove this:\
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Separate the motherboard from the cage:\
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The flash chip is next to the memory slots. On this system, it was a
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SOIC-8 (4MiB or 32Mb) flash chip:\
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Connect your programmer, then connect GND and 3.3V\
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\
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Now flash Canoeboot.
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Thermal paste (IMPORTANT)
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=========================
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Because part of this procedure involved removing the heatsink, you will
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need to apply new paste. Arctic MX-4 is ok. You will also need isopropyl
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alcohol and an anti-static cloth to clean with.
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When re-installing the heatsink, you must first clean off all old paste
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with the alcohol/cloth. Then apply new paste. Arctic MX-4 is also much
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better than the default paste used on these systems.
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NOTE: the photo above is for illustration purposes only, and does not
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show how to properly apply the thermal paste. Other guides online detail
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the proper application procedure.
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Wifi
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====
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It is recommended that you install a new wifi chipset. This can only be
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done after installing Canoeboot, because the original firmware has a
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whitelist of approved chips, and it will refuse to boot if you use an
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'unauthorized' wifi card.
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The following photos show an Atheros AR5B95 being installed, to replace
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the Intel chip that this T500 came with:\
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WWAN
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====
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If you have a WWAN/3G card and/or sim card reader, remove them
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permanently. The WWAN-3G card has DMA, and proprietary firmware inside;
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the technology is identical to what is used in mobile phones, so it can
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also track your movements.
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Not to be confused with wifi (wifi is fine).
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Memory
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======
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In DDR3 machines with Cantiga (GM45/GS45/PM45), northbridge requires sticks
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that will work as PC3-8500 (faster PC3/PC3L sticks can work as PC3-8500).
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Non-matching pairs may not work. Single module (meaning, one of the slots
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will be empty) will currently only work in slot 0.
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NOTE: according to users reports, non matching pairs (e.g. 1+2 GiB) might
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work in some cases.
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Make sure that the RAM you buy is the 2Rx8 configuration when buying 4GiB sticks
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(In other words: maximum of 2GiB per rank, 2 ranks per card).
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[This page](http://www.forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?p=760721) might
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be useful for RAM compatibility info (note: coreboot raminit is
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different, so this page might be BS)
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The following photo shows 8GiB (2x4GiB) of RAM installed:\
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Boot it!
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--------
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You should see something like this:
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Now [install GNU+Linux](../gnulinux/).
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