Now we will walk through building Coreboot from scratch. We will first install the required tools, then download Coreboot’s source code, build its toolchain, configure it for your mainboard, and finally compile it into a ROM file you can flash.
Why Coreboot?
Before we can flash Coreboot internally on a ThinkPad, we need to make sure the BIOS version is vulnerable enough to be overwritten.
External flashing is sometimes necessary instead of internal flashing. The main reasons are:
Flashing firmware always carries some risk.
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.
Before flashing Coreboot internally, it’s important to understand the security protections built into the BIOS and how older versions can be exploited to bypass them.