An in-depth ME-'free' laptop thread

[jjfresg4lt]

@Raphael_Balthazar

But in this case (he quoted the G505S) the answer is in brackets: “ predates AMD PSP” meaning no PSP.

No need to remove anything that isn’t there.

How do you know, though? So are you telling me that there is no difference between the default bios and firmware, and coreboot then? It should be nothing there in the hardware… If you are right. So how do you know it predates amd psp?

[jjfresg4lt]

@renehoj

You make it sound like there couldn’t be a backdoor in the bios firmware, which probably is a lot more likely than someone placing a backdoor in the PSP.

So yes, even without PSP there could be something to remove in the firmware.

Ok, so they can still spy on people with the default firmware then? Even if there is no AMD PSP in the hardware? How would that look like? It’s not a separate cpu and they could not download stuff as with intel me even after the machine is off then right?

So could not users in theory see the traffic then? Or would that be hidden, and how would that look like? Just asking. Kinda curious. Thanks

[jjfresg4lt]

@Raphael_Balthazar

I just wanted to point out that there is neither ME nor PSP when talking about the G505s, nothing more, nothing less.

True, but the point is i they still spy on people. and how. And how users would remove that with the default bios. Would they have to install coreboot for that to go away then? Thanks Peace

[Sven]

So could not users in theory see the traffic then? Or would that be hidden, and how would that look like?

Blue Pill (software)

[jjfresg4lt]

@Sven

Blue Pill (software) - Wikipedia

Ok thanks Sven. But how would AMD and the default laptop integrate that do you mean? Do they really sneak in backdoors by default in g505s laptops then? Bios and some blue pill rootkit in the bios then? Is coreboot needed to remove that was my question. I think it’s lame that they spy on every user just so they can see how people think and study the world… Without paying 500 dollars an hour at-least to every individual.
That, plus be clear in the TL:DR that they spy. Nobody would buy a laptop ever again. People would build their own laptops.

[Confused]

@jjfresg4lt

Is coreboot needed to remove that was my question.

If want Qubes believe raphael answer apply:

@Raphael_Balthazar

In order to use this laptop with Qubes you have to run Coreboot.

–

@jjfresg4lt

Nobody would buy a laptop ever again. People would build their own laptops.

How would build ME-free laptop?

[Sven]

What @renehoj said: you can’t know unless you verify, to verify you need open source (like coreboot).

Everything else is a waste of time because all you do is guessing.

[oxpoz]

Couple of years ago Dell accidentally made a “Without Intel ME” configuration option available to the general public (this is how some state organizations request their laptops being that way). This is what they said about it later:

*Dell has offered a configuration option to disable the Intel vPro Management Engine (ME) on select commercial client platforms for a number of years (termed Intel vPro – ME inoperable, custom order on Dell.com). Some of our commercial customers have requested such an option from us, and in response, we have provided the service of disabling the Management Engine in the factory to meet their specific needs. As this SKU can also disable other system functionality it was not previously made available to the general public.

So yeah, the general public is not supposed to buy Intel machines without Intel ME… there is a reason for that…