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+title: Flashing coreboot on Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L with a ch341a USB programmer Tutorial
+author: Andreas
+date: 2019-04-03 16:59
+tags: Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L, coreboot, flashrom, ch341a
+---
+
+In this tutorial, we will go through the steps to get [coreboot](https://www.coreboot.org/) compiled and flashed on a **Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L** motherboard.
+
+***Updated 2022-01-13: Use latest coreboot-4.15 release***
+
+# Prerequisites
+
+![Prerequisites](/static/blog/media/gigabyte-ga-g41m-es2l/01-prerequisites.jpg)
+
+Things you need:
+
+- Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L
+- ch341a USB programmer
+- Pomona 5250 SOIC-8 clip
+- 6 x 10 cm female - female jumper wires
+
+This tutorial assumes you're using a GNU/Linux distro and are familiar
+with how to use a terminal.
+
+[Debian GNU/Linux](https://www.debian.org/) 11 (bullseye) was used to
+compile the coreboot image produced in this tutorial.
+
+Files needed:
+
+[`grub.cfg`](/static/blog/media/gigabyte-ga-g41m-es2l/grub.cfg)
+
+# Packages needed to compile flashrom/coreboot/grub
+
+```sh
+sudo apt-get build-dep flashrom grub
+sudo apt-get install git build-essential gnat flex bison libncurses5-dev libfreetype-dev pkg-config unifont wget
+```
+
+# Compile flashrom
+
+Clone flashrom git repository:
+
+```sh
+git clone https://review.coreboot.org/flashrom.git
+```
+
+Compile flashrom:
+
+```sh
+cd flashrom
+sudo make install
+sudo cp /usr/local/sbin/flashrom /usr/local/bin/
+```
+
+# Connect ch341a USB programmer to flash chip
+
+![Connect ch341a USB programmer](/static/blog/media/gigabyte-ga-g41m-es2l/02-gigabyte-ga-g41m-es2l-internals.jpg)
+
+Connect Pomona 5250 to flash chip named '**M_BIOS**' like this:
+
+```sh
+Gigabyte logo text towards you:
+             __
+    CS  5 --|  |-- 4  3.3v
+  MISO  6 --|  |-- 3  N/C
+   N/C  7 --|  |-- 2  CLK
+   GND  8 --|__|-- 1  MOSI
+
+   N/C = Not connected / Not used
+```
+
+![ch341a USB programmer connected](/media/gigabyte-ga-g41m-es2l/03-ch341a-programmer-connected.jpg)
+
+# Read Factory BIOS
+
+Read Factory BIOS 3 times:
+
+```sh
+sudo flashrom -p ch341a_spi -r factory_bios_01.rom -V
+sudo flashrom -p ch341a_spi -r factory_bios_02.rom -V
+sudo flashrom -p ch341a_spi -r factory_bios_03.rom -V
+```
+
+Make sure checksums are identical:
+
+```sh
+sha512sum *.rom
+```
+
+# Download coreboot
+
+Download coreboot:
+
+```sh
+wget https://coreboot.org/releases/coreboot-4.15.tar.xz
+wget https://coreboot.org/releases/coreboot-blobs-4.15.tar.xz
+```
+
+**coreboot-blobs-4.15.tar.xz** is needed for CPU microcode updates.
+
+Extract coreboot:
+
+```sh
+tar xvf coreboot-4.15.tar.xz
+tar xvf coreboot-blobs-4.15.tar.xz --strip-components=1 -C coreboot-4.15
+```
+
+# Setup and compile coreboot
+
+Enter coreboot folder:
+
+```sh
+cd coreboot-4.15
+```
+
+Build toolchain needed first (this will take a long time, be patient):
+
+```sh
+make crossgcc-i386 CPUS=4
+```
+
+coreboot settings menu:
+
+```sh
+make menuconfig
+```
+
+Set the following options:
+
+```plaintext
+NOTE: Leave default values as is and specifically set the following
+options:
+
+mainboard ---------|
+                   |-Mainboard vendor (GIGABYTE)
+                   |-Mainboard model (GA-G41M-ES2L)
+                   |-ROM chip size (1024 KB (1 MB))
+                   |-0x00100000) Size of CBFS filesystem in ROM
+chipset -----------|
+                   |-Include CPU microcode in CBFS (Generate from tree)
+Devices -----------|
+                   |-Graphics initialization (Use libgfxinit)
+                   |-Display
+                   |-    Legacy VGA text mode
+Generic Drivers ---|
+                   |-(XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX) Realtek rt8168 mac address
+payload -----------|
+                   |-Add a payload (GRUB2)
+                   |-    GRUB2 version (2.04)
+```
+
+If you don't want to include CPU microcode updates:
+
+```plaintext
+chipset ---|
+           |-Include CPU microcode in CBFS (Do not include microcode updates)
+```
+
+Check the mac address for the onboard RT8168 network card and enter that
+in '**Generic Drivers -> Realtek rt8168 mac address**'. My board is rev.
+1.1 and it **didn't** find the onboard network card at all. If this
+happens to you, just leave default mac address as is and install a PCI
+or PCI express network card instead. I'm using a PCI network card
+'**D-Link DGE-528T**' which uses RTL8169 kernel driver. Do some research
+beforehand to make sure your network card will work with default libre
+kernel drivers.
+
+This will create a '**.config**' file containing all settings.
+
+Compile coreboot:
+
+```sh
+make -j4
+```
+
+This will create '**build/coreboot.rom**' image with the size of 1mb.
+
+# Add custom files to 'coreboot.rom' image
+
+Add '**grub.cfg**' to coreboot.rom. See '**Prerequisites**' above for
+the file needed.
+
+Make sure '**cbfstool**' is built:
+
+```sh
+cd coreboot-4.15/util/cbfstool
+make -j4
+```
+
+Add custom GRUB2 configuration file:
+
+```sh
+./cbfstool ../../build/coreboot.rom add -t raw -n etc/grub.cfg -f your/path/to/grub.cfg
+```
+
+Check so that '**etc/grub.cfg**' exists in coreboot.rom:
+
+```sh
+./cbfstool ../../build/coreboot.rom print
+```
+
+Done! Now it's time to flash the new '**coreboot.rom**' image!
+
+# Flash coreboot image
+
+See '**Connect ch341a USB programmer to flash chip**' for details on how
+to connect ch341a USB programmer.
+
+Flash coreboot using ch341a USB programmer:
+
+```sh
+sudo flashrom -p ch341a_spi -w coreboot.rom -V
+```
+
+# Additional parts needed
+
+To build a desktop/server the following additional parts are needed:
+
+```plaintext
+Desktop case
+Power supply
+CPU
+CPU Fan
+Memory
+Harddrive
+```
+
+Here's the parts I used to build a server:
+
+```plaintext
+Desktop case: Fractal Design Define R6 Gunmetal
+Power supply: Corsair RM750X 750W v2
+CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2,83 GHz 12M
+CPU Fan: Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro rev.2
+Memory: Corsair 2 x 2 GB DDR2 800 (PC2-6400) Memory
+Network card: D-Link DGE-528T PCI (RTL8169 kernel driver)
+Harddrive: Samsung 850 EVO 250GB SSD harddrive
+PCI Express to USB 3.0 4-Port PCI Express Expansion Card Adapter Hub VIA 5Gbps
+PCI Express SATA 3 Controller Card, 2 Port PCIe SATA III 6GB/s Internal Ada L80
+```
+
+The parts were carefully choosen so that the server would be as close to
+completely silent as possible and be able to run 100% free/libre
+software.
+
+For a list of compatible CPU's (socket LGA 775), see:\
+[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_2_microprocessors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_2_microprocessors)
+
+The onboard network card might not work by default, and if so, just get
+a PCI or PCI Express network card.
+
+Now you can install a libre distro such as [Debian
+GNU/Linux](https://www.debian.org/).
+
+# Boot Debian GNU/Linux netinst iso from usb in GRUB2
+
+Download Debian GNU/Linux netinst from [here](https://www.debian.org/).
+
+Check name of USB device:
+
+```sh
+sudo fdisk -l
+```
+
+Create bootable USB drive:
+
+```sh
+sudo dd bs=4M if=/path/to/debian-img.iso of=/dev/YOUR_USB status=progress oflag=sync
+```
+
+Start the computer up and in the GRUB2 menu press '**c**' to enter
+command line and from there type the following:
+
+```sh
+set root='usb0'
+linux /install.amd/vmlinuz
+initrd /install.amd/initrd.gz
+boot
+```
+
+Install Debian GNU/Linux normally and put GRUB2 on master boot record at
+the end of installation process. After reboot default option in GRUB2
+menu on the flashchip will load GRUB2 on the AHCI HDD you installed on.
+
+# Download compiled coreboot image
+
+The resulting coreboot image from this tutorial can be downloaded here:
+
+[`gigabyte-ga-g41m-es2l_coreboot-4-15-grub-2-04-with-cpu-microcode.rom`](/static/blog/files/gigabyte-ga-g41m-es2l/gigabyte-ga-g41m-es2l_coreboot-4-15-grub-2-04-with-cpu-microcode.rom)
+
+Congratulations! We’re done.
+
+# Recommended reading
+
+[https://www.coreboot.org/](https://www.coreboot.org/)\
+[https://www.flashrom.org/](https://www.flashrom.org/)\
+[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_2_microprocessors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_2_microprocessors)\
+[https://dejavu-fonts.github.io/](https://dejavu-fonts.github.io/)\
+[https://dejavu-fonts.github.io/License.html](https://dejavu-fonts.github.io/License.html)