Lenovo T420 Ivy Bridge Support - i7-3540M

[coreboot]

I have uploaded my build for T420 to use IVYBRIDGE CPU, if anyone want to try. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mq1e2a54vv030...iRE9qJbwQa

There are 10 roms with different MAC addresses (gbe.bin) for sandybridge and another 10 for ivybridge (I tried to link vgabios, but does not work. So I build two sets). The reason for having 10 different MAC addresses is if you have several laptops plugged into the same router, you need different MAC addresses.

Some features:

1. Support Sandybridge and Ivybridge CPUs (I tested i7-3xxx QM) (by changing the vgabios name code)
2. No whitelist you can use any wireless card
3. Unlock RAM speed to 1866 (due to chipset limit 1866 is the highest)
4. Works with Windows 7,8,10, linux (Seabios）
5. Works for both t420 (with/without Nvdia graphics card)
6. Updated vgabios to newest 2170 version
7. Removed useless intel management engine (AMT)(Replaced 5MB ME region with 1.5MB ME)
8. Have 10 MAC address you can choose


For how to flashing https://www.coreboot.org/Board:lenovo/t420

[ocmasta]

Can we mod a T420S bios to accept IvyBridge processors. I have the ability to replace the BGA cpu and would like to use an IvyBridge CPU.

The whitelist removed bios is here, so just to build upon that really:
   
https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-W...8#pid95548

[ocmasta]

Can we mod a T420S bios to accept IvyBridge processors. I have the ability to replace the BGA cpu and would like to use an IvyBridge CPU.

The whitelist removed bios is here, so just to build upon that really:
   
https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-W...8#pid95548

Update to the previous request, it will not be possible for a worthwhile quad core upgrade. Unlike the T430S, the T420S does not share the same socket with it's quad core counterparts.

The T420S uses a BGA1023 layout, where the max processor is a dual core i7-2640m.
The T430S uses a BGA1224 layout, where the max processor is a quad core i7-3840qm.

[Omicron]

Unfortunately, it looks like this is impossible or all development has stopped. The thread at "https://thinkpad-forum.de/threads/202227-TP-xx20-Stock-Bios-Modding-Coreboot-f%C3%BCr-IVB-Support/page3" appears dead and there is no further elaboration that the closed group has succeeded adding in Ivy Bridge support.

A proper working Lenovo BIOS is preferred for compatibility reasons over "Coreboot."

[nienna123]

THERE is list of compatibile cpu for your chipset

http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-Intel_(chi...press.html

[Omicron]

Perhaps someone might be interested in doing this if they were paid? There were some people who were close but stopped right when they were investigating the HD3000/HD4000 switch part of the graphics initialization.

Lenovo will be pushing out an update to the BIOS soon enough to address the ME issues (probably just updating the ME blob,) but I can imagine mixing this new BIOS update with Ivy Bridge support and the 1.46 "Mod Bios" features (power unlock, memory speed selections) for the perfect T420 BIOS.

[Omicron]

Did anyone ever figure out how to get this working with the original BIOS like per the thread's original constraints?

[Omicron]

It sounds like we may not be getting a microcode update for Sandy Bridge processors, making laptops like the T420 or T520 more vulnerable to the recent wave of discovered exploits (while Ivy Bridge won't be.) This is another reason that having the ability to run Ivy Bridge CPUs would be advantageous in these QM67 series Thinkpads, we could then use the more recent microcode blob.

[kocoman]

Has anyone got the vbios/gop driver working for tianocore?

[spithink]

It sounds like we may not be getting a microcode update for Sandy Bridge processors, making laptops like the T420 or T520 more vulnerable to the recent wave of discovered exploits (while Ivy Bridge won't be.) This is another reason that having the ability to run Ivy Bridge CPUs would be advantageous in these QM67 series Thinkpads, we could then use the more recent microcode blob.

Just use Coreboot/Libreboot on those T420 devices. First install latest lenovo bios update to get the latest EC firmware. Then probably most simple is to install Libreboot. You then get latest Microcode Updates.
In here you can find the latest 2026 Libreboot release for the T420 also supporting Ivy Bridge CPU's: https://rsync.libreboot.org/stable/26.01rev1/roms/