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flash_cb_fw.sh

#!/bin/bash
#
# Script to flash custom firmware to Intel chipset based Chromebooks
#

readonly URL_PREFIX=https://johnlewis.ie/Chromebook-ROMs
readonly MAINTENANCE=no
declare FLASHROM_CMD MODEL AREA R_OR_W LEGACY_FILE
readonly OPTION_1="
1. Modify my Chromebook's RW_LEGACY slot.
"
readonly OPTION_2="
2. Modify my Chromebook's BOOT_STUB slot.
"
readonly OPTION_3="
3. Restore my Chromebook's BOOT_STUB slot back to stock.
"
readonly OPTION_4="
4. Backup RO_VPD and GBB slots to $HOME/Downloads (you should do this 
     before flashing a full ROM, then copy the files to a *SAFE* place).
"
readonly OPTION_5="
5. Flash a full ROM to my Chromebook.
"
readonly OPTION_6="
6. Flash a full shellball ROM to my Chromebook (remember alternative OS will 
     no longer boot and RO_VPD + GBB slots will need to be restored to go 
     completely back to stock).
"
readonly OPTION_7="
7. Restore RO_VPD and GBB slots. (you should do this after flashing a shellball
     ROM. The script expects rovpd.bin and gbb.bin are in $HOME/Downloads).
"

download () {
  curl -# -O "$URL_PREFIX"/"$1" || err "
ERROR: $1 could not be downloaded. Please try again later.
"
}

rm_files () {
  rm -rf /tmp/flash.crbk.rom
}

disable_wp () {
  sudo "$FLASHROM_CMD" --wp-disable || err "
ERROR: Software write-protect could not be disabled. This usually means hardware
write-protect is still enabled. Please check, and try again.
"
}

write_boot_stub () {
  download shellballs/"$2"/"$1".tar.bz2
  download shellballs/"$2"/"$2".md5
  check_md5 "$1".tar.bz2 "$2".md5
  tar -xjf "$1".tar.bz2
  disable_wp
  acceptance
  sudo "$FLASHROM_CMD" -w -i BOOT_STUB:"$1" || err "
ERROR: BOOT_STUB could not be written. This is usually because a custom firmware
without flashmap has previously been written to the device. You may need to 
flash a shellball ROM and restore your product/GBB data
"
}

update_legacy_slot () {
  download legacy-slots/"$LEGACY_FILE"-latest.cbfs.tar.bz2
  download legacy-slots/legacy-slots.md5
  check_md5 "$LEGACY_FILE"-latest.cbfs.tar.bz2 legacy-slots.md5
  tar -xjf "$LEGACY_FILE"-latest.cbfs.tar.bz2
  acceptance
  sudo "$FLASHROM_CMD" -w -i RW_LEGACY:"$LEGACY_FILE"-latest.cbfs || err "
ERROR: Failed to write legacy slot. Your slot may be in an inconsistent state. 
If you're relying on the slot for access to a currently installed operating 
system, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to reboot.
"
}

check_md5 () {
  local file
  local md5_file
  local download_md5
  local md5
  file="$(echo $1 | awk -F '/' '{print $NF}')"
  md5_file="$(echo $2 | awk -F '/' '{print $NF}')"
  download_md5="$(md5sum "$file" | awk '{print $1}')"
  md5="$(grep $file $md5_file | awk '{print $1}')"
  md5="$(echo $md5 | awk '{print $1}')"
  if [[ "$download_md5" != "$md5" ]]; then
    err "
ERROR: MD5's for $1 don't match. Please try again later.
"
  fi
}

flash_whole_rom () {
  local STANDARD_ERR
  local file
  file="$(echo $1 | awk -F '/' '{print $NF}')"
  download "$1".tar.bz2
  download $2
  check_md5 "$1".tar.bz2 $2
  tar -xjf "$file".tar.bz2
  disable_wp
  acceptance
  STANDARD_ERR="[email protected]|IRC|Erasing and writing flash chip..."
  STANDARD_ERR+=" spi_block_erase_20 failed during command execution at"
  STANDARD_ERR+=" address 0x0|Verifying flash... VERIFY FAILED at"
  STANDARD_ERR+=" 0x00000062! Expected=0xff, Read=0x0b, failed byte count"
  STANDARD_ERR+=" from 0x00000000-0x007fffff: 0x4|Your flash chip is in an"
  STANDARD_ERR+=" unknown state.|DO NOT REBOOT OR POWEROFF!|FAILED"
  readonly STANDARD_ERR
  sudo "$FLASHROM_CMD" -w "$file" 2>&1 | egrep -v "$STANDARD_ERR"
  echo "
INFO: Assuming you didn't get any errors you may reboot. Otherwise, do not 
reboot under ANY circumstances, and post a comment @
https://johnlewis.ie/custom-chromebook-firmware/rom-download/
" 
  rm_files
  exit 0
}

acceptance () {
  local accept
  read -p "
INPUT REQUIRED: About to flash your $MODEL's $AREA, repeat 
'If this bricks my $MODEL, on my head be it!' observing exact case 
and punctuation: " accept
  echo ""
  if [[ "$accept" != "If this bricks my $MODEL, on my head be it!" ]]; then
    err "
ERROR: You have failed to enter the phrase correctly, and your $MODEL 
will not be flashed. Please rerun the script using the previous command if 
this was not your intention.
" 
  fi
}

unsupported_message () {
  err "
ERROR: $MODEL is not currently supported at all using this script. 
If you feel this should not be the case please post a comment @ 
https://johnlewis.ie/custom-chromebook-firmware/rom-download/
"
}

backup_prod_data () {
  if [[ ! -e $HOME/Downloads/$1 ]]; then
    sudo "$FLASHROM_CMD" -r -i "$2":"$HOME"/Downloads/"$1" || err "
ERROR: Something went wrong. Perhaps you're running a custom ROM without RO_VPD 
and GBB areas in?
"
  else
    err "
ERROR: $HOME/Downloads/$1 already exists, NOT overwriting.
"
  fi
}

restore_prod_data () {
  if [[ -e "$HOME"/Downloads/"$1" ]]; then
    sudo "$FLASHROM_CMD" -w -i "$2":"$HOME"/Downloads/"$1" || err "
ERROR: Something went wrong. Perhaps you're running a custom ROM without RO_VPD
and GBB areas in?
"
  else
    err "
ERROR: $HOME/Downloads/$1 does not exist. Perhaps you need to copy it here.
"
  fi
}

err() {
  echo "$@" >&2
  rm_files
  exit 1
}

ctrl_c() {
  echo "

INFO: Script cancelled by user, exiting ...
"
  rm_files
  exit 0
}

get_flashrom() {
  FLASHROM_CMD="/tmp/flash.crbk.rom/flashrom"
  download utils/flashrom.tar.bz2
  download utils/utils.md5
  check_md5 flashrom.tar.bz2 utils.md5
  tar -xjf flashrom.tar.bz2
  chmod +x flashrom
}

main() {
trap ctrl_c INT

if [[ "$MAINTENANCE" = "yes" ]]; then
  err "
ERROR: This script is currently in maintenance mode. Please be patient whilst 
things are being updated.

Go tell someone significant that you love them, perhaps make yourself a nice 
meal, or otherwise occupy yourself with something constructive, and normal
service will be resumed in the coming hours.
"
fi

which sudo 2>/dev/null || err "
ERROR: This script requires that sudo is installed, please install it using
your distro's package manager.
"  

sudo which dmidecode 2>/dev/null || err "
ERROR: This script requires that dmidecode is installed, please install it 
using your distro's package manager.
"

which tar 2>/dev/null || err "
ERROR: This script requires that tar is installed, please install it using 
your distro's package manager.
"

which bzip2 2>/dev/null || err "
ERROR: This script requires that tar is installed, please install it using 
your distro's package manager.
"


MODEL="$(sudo dmidecode \
  |grep -m1 "Product Name:" \
  | awk '{print $3}' \
  | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')"
readonly MODEL

clear
echo "
Greetings weary traveller!

As well as the costs of infrastructure for building and serving ROM’s, I would 
also like donation toward an example of each chipset of Chromebook. If you have 
benefited from my work, or want to see an Intel Chromebook supported by the 
script/firmware which isn’t currently (no guarantee that a particular type of 
mod will be supported, but I endeavour to get something that works), please 
consider making a donation using one of the buttons in the sidebar.

Please note: regardless of donation, I do not provide support for putting 
Windows on Chromebooks, as a matter of choice.
" 
read -p "Thank you, press [Enter] to continue: "
clear

echo "
What would you like to do? (note: options will be hidden based on model)"

case $MODEL in
parrot|stout|butterfly)
  echo "$OPTION_3""$OPTION_4""$OPTION_5""$OPTION_6""$OPTION_7"
  ;;
lumpy|stumpy)
  echo "$OPTION_4""$OPTION_5""$OPTION_6""$OPTION_7"
  ;;
link|falco|peppy|panther|zako|wolf|leon|monroe)
  echo "$OPTION_1""$OPTION_3""$OPTION_4""$OPTION_5""$OPTION_6"\
    "$OPTION_7"
  LEGACY_FILE="legacy-seabios"
  ;;
leon)
  echo "$OPTION_1""$OPTION_3""$OPTION_4""$OPTION_7"
  LEGACY_FILE="legacy-seabios"
  ;;
clapper|squawks|quawks|swanky)
  echo "$OPTION_1""$OPTION_3"
  LEGACY_FILE="legacy-seabios-baywell"
  ;;
kip|candy|gnawty|enguarde|glimmer|winky|banjo|orco)
  echo "$OPTION_1""$OPTION_2""$OPTION_3"
  LEGACY_FILE="legacy-seabios-baywell"
  ;;
auron_paine|auron_yuna|samus|guado|rikku|mccloud|lulu|tidus|tricky|gandof|caroline|sentry|cave|eve|nami)
  echo "$OPTION_1"
  LEGACY_FILE="legacy-seabios"
  ;;
cyan|celes|edgar|reks|banon|terra|kefka|relm|setzer|wizpig|ultima)
  echo "$OPTION_1"
  LEGACY_FILE="legacy-seabios-baywell"
  ;;
*)
  unsupported_message
  ;;
esac

read -p "Please choose: " userinput
clear

mkdir /tmp/flash.crbk.rom || err "
ERROR: Could not create /tmp/flash.crbk.rom Quitting.
"

cd /tmp/flash.crbk.rom || err "
ERROR: Could not change directory to /tmp/flash.crbk.rom Quitting.
"

if sudo test -f /usr/bin/crossystem; then
  FLASHROM_CMD="flashrom"
else
  get_flashrom
fi

readonly FLASHROM_CMD

case "$userinput" in
  1)
    AREA="RW_LEGACY slot"
    R_OR_W="was written"
    update_legacy_slot
    ;;
  2)
    AREA="BOOT_STUB slot"
    R_OR_W="was written"
    write_boot_stub bios.cbfs.new "$MODEL"
    ;;
  3)
    AREA="BOOT_STUB slot"
    R_OR_W="was written"
    write_boot_stub bios.cbfs "$MODEL"
    ;;
  4)
    AREA="RO_VPD and GBB slots"
    R_OR_W="were read"
    if [[ -d "$HOME"/Downloads ]]; then
      backup_prod_data rovpd.bin RO_VPD
      backup_prod_data gbb.bin GBB
      echo "
INFO: Ensure you save $HOME/Downloads/rovpd.bin and 
$HOME/Downloads/gbb.bin to removable media before wiping this OS!
"
    else
      err "
ERROR: $HOME/Downloads doesn't exist, please create and try again.
"
    fi
      ;;
  5)
    AREA="entire ROM"
    R_OR_W="was written"
    flash_whole_rom "$MODEL"/coreboot-"$MODEL"-seabios-latest.rom \
    "$MODEL"/"$MODEL".md5
    ;;
  6)
    AREA="entire ROM"
    R_OR_W="was written"
    flash_whole_rom shellballs/"$MODEL"/bios.bin \
    shellballs/"$MODEL"/"$MODEL".md5 
    ;;
  7)
    AREA="RO_VPD and GBB slots"
    R_OR_W="were written"
    restore_prod_data rovpd.bin RO_VPD
    restore_prod_data gbb.bin GBB
    ;;
  *)
    err "ERROR: Invalid option chosen, exiting ...
"
    ;;
esac
readonly AREA
readonly R_OR_W

echo "
INFO: Good, your $MODEL's $AREA $R_OR_W successfully.
You can hopefully, safely reboot!
"
rm_files
exit 0
}

main $@

Index.html

Skip to content
johnlewis.ie  Linux Hackz 'n' Stuffz
About custom Chromebook firmware ROM Archive FAQ ROM Download 
ROM Download
Please note: I no longer maintain, provide, or support custom Chromebook firmware; this page is left here for archive purposes only.
This page contains a command to download and run a script, which will flash custom firmware with a SeaBIOS payload on approaching 40 models of Intel based Chromebook – allowing you to run an alternative OS such as Linux. The script will work with ChromeOS or pretty much any Linux distro (at least no one has told me otherwise).

There are 3 types of firmware mod – RW_LEGACY, BOOT_STUB, and Full ROM – not all Chromebooks work with each one:

RW_LEGACY modifies a 2MB section of the ROM leaving the stock functionality intact, including the scary developer screen, and will not brick your device. Some Chromebooks already come with a working RW_LEGACY slot, although many of them do not (non-functional keyboard on Panther, non-functional display on Auron_Yuna, or just plain missing, etc.). As well as fixing aforementioned bugs, updating the RW_LEGACY slot can enable further functionality such as booting from SD card/eMMC. So, even in the case of a functioning stock RW_LEGACY, it may be fortuitous to update.
BOOT_STUB modifies the last 1MB of the ROM, removing the scary developer screen, but also removes the ability to run ChromeOS natively, carrying a chance of bricking your device. This also leaves the “REFRESH + POWER” functionality of the stock ROM intact, meaning, when you press these keys, the device will immediately reboot and attempt to run ChromeOS Recovery (which isn’t there any more), and give you a blank screen. The only way to then stop it from attempting to run ChromeOS Recovery on every boot, is to take the device apart and disconnect the battery.
Full ROM, as the name suggests, is a complete ROM containing a coreboot build with a slice of SeaBIOS on top, and is the most risky. Again, this will remove the ability to run ChromeOS natively. Flashing one of these will wipe out your product data. In the case of Sandy/Ivybridge Chromebooks a full ROM enables hardware virtualisation extensions and suspend. Other models full ROM’s also probably contain idiosyncrasies that the stock firmware does not.
You need to be in dev mode and to have disabled write-protect by enabling a jumper/removing a screw (usually the latter, located somewhere on the main board). Disabling write-protect is not necessary when flashing RW_LEGACY unless you want to make the legacy slot default. See each respective supported Chromebook’s developer information page (if available) for info on opening your Chromebook up and disabling write-protect.

[TABLE=3]

Jenkins is now being used along with some scripts, to automate building, and to reduce chances of a brick from human error. Run the script like so, making sure you are only in Crosh shell *not* the *root* Crosh shell if running from ChromeOS:

cd;bash <(curl https://johnlewis.ie/flash_cb_fw.sh)
If for some reason you need to run an older build, you will have to flash it manually. See the ROM Archive.
Please note: I no longer maintain, provide, or support custom Chromebook firmware; this page is left here for archive purposes only.
Join the conversation






 1276 Comments


wishUponAstar
says:
July 26, 2020 at 8:28 pm
hello.
I know you said you’re not supporting new updates to your tool, but I figured I would post since I’ve spent several days on my issue now.
I bought a new cheap chrome OS laptop from walmart ($160) it’s a Lenovo ideapad 3. My whole plan was to use this hardware to boot chrome and a Linux bootable USB I already have.
But it feels like that’s impossible. Your tool says “lick is currently not supported at all”. The mrchromebox tool all the options are greyed out and it says my device isn’t supported.
I have developer mode on, write protect off… when I bootup and press CtrlU it just beeps at me and does nothing.
Is there any other firmware or methods of booting from a usb?

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John Lewis
says:
September 9, 2020 at 10:41 am
If mrchromebox hasn’t done it, chances are there isn’t any other available firmware for it, at this time.

The good news is, it is definitely an Intel CPU, so should be possible “in theory”.

However, even if you bought the bits so you could debug (which might not be possible, depending on model type) and reflash the chip as necessary, and finally got something that worked, there’s a fair chance that not all the hardware, like maybe soundcard, will work under Linux.

So, in summary, I’m saying it’s possible, but you have a lot of hurdles to jump through, and it almost certainly won’t work perfectly.

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z1645444
says:
November 20, 2020 at 5:49 pm
Hello, I have a Acer Chromebook 311 (BOBBA). When I run the script 1 hour ago, it tells me “bobba is not currently supported at all using this script”. So what I can do then?

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John Lewis
says:
November 25, 2020 at 10:16 am
Try one of the available firmwares provided by other people.

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lis6502
says:
November 26, 2020 at 11:40 am
Hello there ;)
I am using stout (x131e) – i’ve flashed it long time ago. Ever singe i’ve happily used it as a linux machine, however then-flashed version was found buggy (it sets date to year 2170 when power is lost, amongst others).
My question is: is there a way to flash updated BIOS bundle (u-boot/ coreboot/ seabios) while running linux, or am i forced to get back somehow to Chrome and then run flasher with apropriate firmware?
And hey – thanks for all hackery that you’ve made, even if you discontinued your project, your legacy will stay here forever :)

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John Lewis
says:
November 26, 2020 at 12:03 pm
Hi :)

You should be able to run the script under straight linux too, and it will (hopefully) complain if commands are missing. I haven’t ran the jenkins job to create new firmware, for a while, so if you try the latest and it doesn’t improve things, can give you a newer build in the hope that might do something good with a newer version of seabios.

The time being reset to a stupid value is actually a “feature” ;) of Chromebooks – to save every penny, they don’t have a cmos battery, so when the main battery drains down, arbitrary stupid value is generated (which can stop network manager from connecting wireless network). All good fun, lol

You’re welcome. It’s a shame I don’t find Chromebooks especially compelling, any more. :)

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giftedryan101
says:
December 6, 2020 at 6:42 am
hello, ive reccently left school and had my chromebook unenrolled and wish to install ubuntu but when i try using “cd;bash <(curl https://johnlewis.ie/flash_cb_fw.sh)" i receve an error saying snappy is not suported. is there a way i can install ubuntu as a primary OS

im using a HP chromebook 11 G6 EE

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John Lewis
says:
January 26, 2021 at 10:11 am
It means the model isn’t supported by the script. I would try one of the alternative firmware providers to me.

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exiify
says:
January 24, 2021 at 1:36 pm
How do I install firmware on to a usb for another device?

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John Lewis
says:
January 26, 2021 at 10:13 am
The script is designed to be used over an internet connection. If you look at the script and determine where the files should be downloaded, then download them to that place, it may be that the script can work without a connection. But I’m not confident of that – YMMV. The other alternative is to flash manually

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