Requirements
Coreboot supports a range of Lenovo ThinkPad models. In most cases, it has to be installed externally, which means opening the laptop and using a hardware flashing tool. However, some models allow internal installation, making the process much simpler since it can be done entirely through software.
Whether you’re flashing internally or externally, you’ll need the following tools:
- A Laptop that is currently supported by Coreboot
- Linux distribution: The operating system used to run the flashing tools and commands.
- Coreboot: The open-source firmware you’ll be installing.
- Flashrom: The utility used to read, write, and erase flash chips (required for flashing Coreboot).
Internal Flashing​
To flash internally, you’ll need a Lenovo ThinkPad from the Ivy Bridge series (one of the models listed below):
Model |
---|
X230 |
X230T |
T430 |
T430s |
T530 |
W530 |
You’ll also need the following tools:
- CHIPSEC: a security tool for checking if your BIOS is vulnerable to internal flashing
- USB flash drive (Optional): can be used to create a bootable image if you need to downgrade the BIOS
External Flashing​
If you’re flashing the BIOS externally, you’ll need an SPI flasher such as a Raspberry Pi Pico. Depending on the type of BIOS chip (e.g., SOIC or WSON), you’ll also need either a Pomona Clip or Pogo Pins Adapter, connected with Dupont cables to the RPi.

