T60 and Libreboot

[Kura]

I'm planning on Librebooting a T60 that should be arriving in a few days; however, I need to get a wifi card for the freedoms, right?
I assumed it'd be similar to the X60 at Gluglug, so I'm probably going to get the Atheros AR5B95 (pic related)
Now I'm pretty bad when it comes to hardware, but would one of those cards work with the T60, modded BIOS or otherwise?
Also, I'm not too sure on installing it. Does it just fit into the mini PCI-E slot in the T60 or is there a bit more work involved?
Help would be greatly appreciated.

[dr_st]

Are you sure it doesn't already have a Wifi card? Very few T60s left the factory without one.

[FryPpy]

Are you sure it doesn't already have a Wifi card? Very few T60s left the factory without one.

I think Kura making blob-free environment - so intel WiFi modules can't help.

Does it just fit into the mini PCI-E slot in the T60 or is there a bit more work involved?

If you get full-sized miniPCIe card - it is stright forwarded replace. If you get half-sized miniPCIe module - you need bracket for it. (search "mini PCIe bracket" at ebay and you get planty of it - may be you can find a kit from one seller).

If you moving to libreboot - there is no need for midleton's patched BIOS. AFAIK libreboot haven't whitelists - it can start with any miniPCIe device.

I don't have any experience with coreboot, libreboot - so you can contact with OP of this topic: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... ot#p733681. He can help you with libre BIOS.

[Kura]

Thanks for the info. I've found both the Atheros chip and bracket and they're pretty cheap too.
Also, thanks for directing me to someone with core/libreboot experience. I haven't invested a lot of money into this, but it seems like an all-or-nothing procedure when it comes to messing with the bios, so I don't want to blow it.
Anyway, I think I've done all I can for now. I'll probably report back in a week or so when all the stuff arrives. Getting hyped for a free system

[rumbero]

So that makes us already two, as i have been preparing for such an endeavour since quite a while as well: I have already assembled a T60 from parts according to the required specs defined at www.libreboot.org/docs.

The only thing missing is actually some extended spare time to perform all the tasks around that flashing procedure. As this is not as straighforward as just booting from a ready made CD, it will require some attention and special care to get things right, and this in turn require to invest some quality time.

Trial and error potentially involving to unbrick a board from a failed flash is not really an option.

[Kura]

Good news and bad news, the T60, inverter board, and keyboard all arrived today; however, I was shipped a motherboard instead of a sxga+ panel (how does this even happen?). It's probably going to be awhile before I even get the panel at this rate.

At least I can get to work with the T60 for the time being, as it needs an OS. Ironically enough, I really want to try out Slackware instead of a distro with the Linux-Libre kernel, sorry RMS.

Trial and error potentially involving to unbrick a board from a failed flash is not really an option.

Hah, yeah. I think the only thing that is going to save you from a bricked board is some type of external tool to directly edit the security chip.
Good luck getting Libreboot on your T60!

[Kura]

I just received all the parts I needed to start using Libreboot. I'm having a hard time getting the new panel into the back LCD bezel though. Are there any pictures that would show me how to get the wires positioned correctly so the panel fits? The hardware manual isn't showing me enough.

[RealBlackStuff]

Try this: http://www.lenovoservicetraining.com/co ... index.html
Then select FRU Removals on the left.

[Kura]

Try this: http://www.lenovoservicetraining.com/co ... index.html
Then select FRU Removals on the left.

Thanks for the link. It helped me a bit. I just got the T60 put back together with the new panel, but the screen is a solid grey on boot. I can only power off after that. I'm guessing either the panel is shot or a cable isn't connected properly. Which one is most probable?