Coreboot Training Course

1. Introduction to Coreboot

• Defining Coreboot.
• Comparing BIOS, UEFI, and Coreboot.
• Coreboot architecture and design principles.
• Advantages and limitations of open-source firmware.
• Supported platforms and hardware compatibility.

2. Getting Started with Coreboot

• Setting up the development environment.
• Installing required tools and dependencies.
• Navigating the Coreboot source code repository.
• Understanding the build process.
• Introduction to documentation and community resources.

3. Understanding the Coreboot Source Tree

• Directory structure and project organization.
• Main configuration files.
• Board-specific implementations.
• Mainboard, chipset, CPU, and SoC support.
• Configuration using Kconfig and menuconfig.

4. Configuring and Building Coreboot

• Selecting a target platform.
• Configuring firmware options.
• Payload selection and configuration.
• Building a Coreboot image.
• Verifying build outputs.
• Best practices for firmware configuration.

5. Testing Coreboot with QEMU

• Introduction to firmware emulation.
• Running Coreboot in QEMU.
• Verifying the boot process.
• Debugging startup issues.
• Safely testing configuration changes.

6. Firmware Components and Boot Process

• Coreboot initialization stages.
• The ROM stage.
• The RAM stage.
• Resource allocation.
• Payload loading.
• Boot flow overview.
• Understanding CBFS (Coreboot File System).

7. Payloads and Bootloaders

• What are payloads?
• SeaBIOS.
• U-Boot.
• Tianocore/EDK II overview.
• Selecting the appropriate payload.
• Booting operating systems with Coreboot.

8. Coreboot in Practice

• Coreboot and ChromeOS.
• Applications in embedded systems.
• Use cases for servers and workstations.
• Security benefits.
• Performance considerations.
• Firmware update strategies.

9. Troubleshooting and Debugging

• Reading Coreboot logs.
• Serial console debugging.
• Common build errors.
• Hardware compatibility issues.
• Recovering from failed firmware flashes.
• Useful debugging tools and techniques.

10. Hands-on Lab and Summary

• Building a Coreboot image.
• Testing the firmware in QEMU.
• Modifying a basic configuration.
• Exploring boot logs.
• Review of key concepts.
• Questions and answers.
• Next steps and additional learning resources.