The wiki is being retired!
Documentation is now handled by the same processes we use for code: Add something to the Documentation/ directory in the coreboot repo, and it will be rendered to https://doc.coreboot.org/. Contributions welcome!
Coreboot has various possible consoles:
Output name
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direction (from the coreboot target machine point of view)
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Requirements
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Compatibility with software loaded after coreboot, like OS and payloads
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Serial console
(sends coreboot logs over the serial port)
|
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- A supported serial port:
- it can be on the mainboard
- it can also be a PCIe OXPCIe952 card with the 0x1415 and 0xc158 vendor and device ID (respectively).
- USB serial ports are not supported by this driver, see EHCI debug port for that.
|
- seabios
- grub as a payload
- grub running after seabios
- libpayload
- linux kernel (loaded after the payload)
- most GNU/Linux init systems(sysvinit, systemd, upstart etc...)
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Console Over EHCI debug port
(sends coreboot logs over the usb debug port)
|
|
- An USB debug port supported by coreboot.
- To find on which usb connector it goes.
- A supported dongle:
- A GNU/Linux computer with usb peripheral or OTG and the g_dbpg driver. Single Board computers typically have that.
|
- grub
- linux kernel in its early initialisation (I'm not sure that it can be kept afterward, because, after the early initialisation, by default it tries to initialise the USB port normally)
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Console Over USB serial port through EHCI debug port
(sends coreboot logs over the usb debug port)
|
- input (probably not in coreboot)
- output
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- An USB debug port supported by coreboot.
- To find on which usb connector it goes.
- A supported dongle:
- FTDI FT232H Serial adapter
|
|
Console trough spkmodem
(sends coreboot logs over the sound card)
|
|
- A working sound card that can emmit beeps boot.
- On some laptops it's necessary to make sure the sound is enabled and the volume is correct to work:
- On many laptops it can be done beforehand in GNU/Linux.
|
For writting to it from the coreboot target computer:
- coreboot's console
- grub's console
For reading it from a remote computer:
- coreboot's/grub's spkmodem_recv uttilty (same uttility, but it's available in both git repositories)
|
Network console
(sends coreboot logs over the network)
|
|
- A ne2k compatible ethernet card on the coreboot target system.
- A network between the coreboot computer and the computer receiving the logs.
|
For sending the logs:
For receiving the logs:
- nc and similar networking uttilities.
|
Cbmem console
(Ram buffer, like dmesg)
|
- output only for coreboot.
- output for grub. Can also print cbmem console content.
- It requires the computer to be booted to retrive the logs.
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- To be able to boot the computer to retrieve the logs, or to extract them from the RAM.
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For writting to the buffer which is in the coreboot target computer:
- coreboot console output
- grub console output
- seabios
For reading the buffer on the coreboot target computer, after coreboot booted:
- grub with the cbmemc command
- coreboot's userspace cbmem -c uttility
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POST card
|
|
|
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If none of the above works for your case, you might consider: