@libreleah @developing_agent the libreboot installation documentation says:
the factory firmware write might EFI variables to flash during shutdown sequence, so you should pull the plug to shut it down (remove the power by pulling the plug) after flashprog says VERIFIED.
So I expect the dumps will be different, but not in a significant way.
@noisytoot @developing_agent In practise, I doubt anything would happen.
I always recommend external operation anyway. But this person asked for my opinion. My hunch says no.
But nobody should ever take such a chance, hence my original response to this individual.
@noisytoot @libreleah Have you ever tried reflashing it with an internal dump?
@noisytoot @libreleah That gives me at least some confidence then that an internal dump of the proprietary firmware will be a valid backup.
Am still a bit tempted to buy a SOIC16 clip and try it both ways, if only because I'm a big chicken. :thonking:
@developing_agent the internal dump as in, the one you dumped internally, is probably fine even if something did change. the firmware is writing EFI variables to itself. i doubt those will affect anything.
they only matter in the shut down context after flashing libreboot, since those vars no longer make sense and could corrupt libreboot if they're written like that, hence the documentation telling you to pull the plug.
i still recommend using the external flasher though, if you're wily enough