User: GNUtoo/GNU Boot Install Party

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What is it about?

There will be a GNU Boot Install party at LibrePlanet 2024, GNU Boot is a free software BIOS/UEFI replacement.

Why is it important?

Boot software like BIOS or UEFI are usually nonfree. They still run after the operating system is booted and often contain restrictions (like refusing to boot when the WiFi card is replaced) and are usually related to technologies of control like the Management engine or similar.

On computers with a Management engine, replacing the nonfree BIOS with GNU Boot also removes the Management Engine operating system.

How will the install party work?

The install party will take place in a room at Libreplanet 2024 (it won't be available remotely) and volunteers will be available to help you install GNU Boot.

The GNU Boot maintainers will also be available remotely for questions and/or feedback during the install party through some communication channel like IRC.

What to expect from GNU Boot and requirements for the install party

At the time of writing, GNU Boot is still experimental but some people use it daily without big issues on some of the supported computers. See its status for more details.

GNU Boot currently supports 25 computer models, however this install party will only support a subset of these computers and/or configurations because:

  • The people helping with the install party and/or the GNU Boot maintainers do not have a deep expertise on all the supported computers (yet). For instance the GNU Boot maintainers only have a subset of the supported computers to test on.
  • Some of the supported computers can take a long time to be installed.

It is also advised to be there on time at the beginning of the session in order to have time to recover the computer in case something goes wrong.

If possible it is also a good idea to reserve in advance in order to plan better in case there are too much people that need help and not enough volunteers to help.

Supported computers

We will support the following computers with any boot software (original BIOS, patched version of the original BIOS, Libreboot, Coreboot, Canoeboot, older versions of GNU Boot, etc):

  • ThinkPad X200 (only the X200, not the X200s or X200T)
  • ThinkPad X60
  • ThinkPad X60s
  • ThinkPad X60t
  • ThinkPad T60 with an Intel GPU.

For other ThinkPads with the original BIOS or a patched version of the original BIOS, we most likely won't be able to help because the installation requires disassembling the laptop and on these models this can be quite time consuming.

If instead your computer is supported by GNU Boot and is not in the list above and already runs some boot software that is based on free software (like Coreboot, Libreboot, GNU Boot, Canoeboot, etc) we can help you update to GNU Boot but if something goes wrong we might not be able to recover from the issue.

As for the other computers, we may update this page when we find volunteers that have enough experience with them to support them during the install party.

Reservation

The reservation is not mandatory but it could help us prepare better.

  • Example-person/nickname/whatever: Lenovo ThinkPad X200 with stock BIOS.
  • Example-person2: Lenovo Thinkpad X200 with an old Libreboot version (I don't know which one).

People involved in the installation

  • The current GNU Boot maintainers (Adrien 'neox' Bourmault and Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli) will be available remotely over IRC.
  • Ian Andrew Kelling from the FSF.
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