Coreboot Training Course

1. Introduction to Coreboot

• Defining Coreboot
• Comparative analysis of BIOS, UEFI, and Coreboot
• Coreboot architecture and design principles
• Advantages and constraints of open-source firmware
• Supported platforms and hardware compatibility

2. Getting Started with Coreboot

• Configuring the development environment
• Installing essential tools and dependencies
• Navigating the Coreboot source code repository
• Comprehending the build process
• Introduction to documentation and community resources

3. Understanding the Coreboot Source Tree

• Directory structure and project organization
• Key configuration files
• Board-specific implementations
• Support for mainboards, chipsets, CPUs, and SoCs
• Configuration via Kconfig and menuconfig

4. Configuring and Building Coreboot

• Selecting the target platform
• Tuning firmware options
• Choosing and configuring payloads
• Constructing the Coreboot image
• Validating build outputs
• Best practices for firmware configuration

5. Testing Coreboot with QEMU

• Overview of firmware emulation
• Executing Coreboot within QEMU
• Verifying the boot sequence
• Debugging startup anomalies
• Safely testing configuration modifications

6. Firmware Components and Boot Process

• Coreboot initialization phases
• The ROM stage
• The RAM stage
• Resource allocation
• Loading payloads
• Overview of the boot flow
• Understanding the Coreboot File System (CBFS)

7. Payloads and Bootloaders

• The role of payloads
• SeaBIOS
• U-Boot
• Overview of Tianocore/EDK II
• Selecting the appropriate payload
• Booting operating systems using Coreboot

8. Coreboot in Practice

• Integration with ChromeOS
• Applications in embedded systems
• Use cases for servers and workstations
• Security advantages
• Performance considerations
• Strategies for firmware updates

9. Troubleshooting and Debugging

• Interpreting Coreboot logs
• Debugging via serial console
• Addressing common build errors
• Resolving hardware compatibility issues
• Recovery from failed firmware flashes
• Essential debugging tools and techniques

10. Hands-on Lab and Summary

• Building a Coreboot image
• Testing firmware in QEMU
• Modifying basic configurations
• Analyzing boot logs
• Review of fundamental concepts
• Question and answer session
• Next steps and additional learning resources