Open Lunchbox Forums

Modular Open Laptop (aka Mobile Worksations) => CPU Mainboard Modules => Topic started by: Mine on January 27, 2015, 05:50:32 PM

Title: Why AMD APU vs Intel?
Post by: Mine on January 27, 2015, 05:50:32 PM
AMD has been a supporter of coreboot for the past several years. AMD has also made made BIOS register docs available and many comments are allowed in the coreboot source.

The problem with Intel is that even though Google has provided coreboot source for a few Intel chipsets the source contains no comments for what those magic settings are for and what the other settings in those registers will do. Intel also makes it very difficult for anyone but a chosen few to obtain BIOS register docs.  If this situation were to change then I'd see less problems with designing Intel mainboards for this project.

We could make an exact copy of the Google laptop boards and use the coreboot source but then why not just buy a Chromebook?
Title: Re: Why AMD APU vs Intel?
Post by: Adarion on February 17, 2015, 09:02:14 AM
I am perfectly fine and happy with AMD tech. :)
For about the same reasons. Also, it seems to me, that AMD actually brings innovation to the market, while intel would rest on its praise from the past.
Title: Re: Why AMD APU vs Intel?
Post by: Mine on February 21, 2015, 10:02:35 PM
Phoronix: Why You Don't See Coreboot Supported By Many Modern Intel Systems

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Intel-Boot-Guard-Kills-Coreboot

"with Intel Boot Guard and you are won't be able to boot anything which is unsigned and not approved by OEM. This means the OEM are fusing SHA256 public key hashes into the southbridge. For more details take a look at Intel Boot Guard architecture. It could be also confirmed by Secunet AG and Google."

http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/product-briefs/4th-gen-core-family-mobile-brief.pdf

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2883903/how-intel-and-pc-makers-prevent-you-from-modifying-your-pcs-firmware.html
Title: Re: Why AMD APU vs Intel?
Post by: Mine on February 21, 2015, 10:16:02 PM
New AMD Processors Supported By Coreboot

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=AMD-Coreboot-15h-Model-30

AMD Family 15h Model 30 processors are now handled by Coreboot with  the latest git  (http://anzwix.com/a/Coreboot/AMDBaldEagleAddCPUSubdirectoryFilesForNewAMDProc) as of yesterday. The new AMD CPU code for Coreboot adds the basic support for Family 15h Model 30 CPUs but at least one initial limitation of this work is that S3 suspend/resume is not supported with this Coreboot code. It seems the Family 15h Model 30 includes AMD R-Series APUs as well as some A-Series APUs and the Opteron X series.