---
title: Install Libreboot on HP Elite 8200 SFF/MT and 6200 Pro Business
x-toc-enable: true
...

**[PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE INSTALLING](ivy_has_common.md), OR
YOU MAY BRICK YOUR MACHINE!! - Please click the link and follow the instructions
there, before flashing. For posterity,
[here is the link again](ivy_has_common.md).**

<div class="specs">
<center>
<img tabindex=1 alt="HP Compaq 8200 Elite SFF" class="p" src="https://av.libreboot.org/hp8200sff/grub_open.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/hp8200sff/grub_open.jpg" /></span> <img tabindex=1 title="From left to right: SFF and MT" class="p" src="https://av.libreboot.org/hp8200sff/sff+mt.jpg" /><span class="f"><img src="https://av.libreboot.org/hp8200sff/sff+mt.jpg" /></span>
</center>

| ***Specifications***      |                                             |
|---------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| **Manufacturer**          | HP                                          |
| **Name**                  | Compaq 8200 Elite SFF                       |
|                           | Compaq 8200 Elite MT                        |
| **Released**              | 2011                                        |
| **Chipset**               | Intel Q67                                   |
| **CPU**                   | Intel Sandy/Ivy Bridge                      |
| **Graphics**              | Intel HD Graphics or PCI-e low profile card |
| **Memory**                | Up to 32GB (4x8GB)                          |
| **Architecture**          | x86\_64                                      |
| **Intel ME/AMD PSP**      | Present, neutered                           |
| **Flash chip**            | SOIC-8 8MiB                                 |

```
W+: Works without vendor firmware; 
N: Doesn't work; 
W*: Works with vendor firmware; 
U: Untested; 
P+: Partially works; 
P*: Partially works with vendor firmware
```

| ***Features***                                    |    |
|---------------------------------------------------|----|
| **Internal flashing with original boot firmware** | W* |
| **Display (Intel GPU)**                           | W+ |
| **Display (PCIe graphics card)**                  | W+ |
| **Audio**                                         | W+ |
| **RAM Init**                                      | W+ |

| ***Payloads supported***  |       |
|---------------------------|-------|
| **GRUB**                  | Works |
| **SeaBIOS**               | Works |
| **SeaBIOS with GRUB**     | Works |
</div>

Open source BIOS/UEFI firmware
------------------------------

This document will teach you how to install Libreboot, on your
HP Elite 8200 SFF desktop motherboard.
Libreboot is a [Free Software](https://writefreesoftware.org/learn) project
that replaces proprietary BIOS/UEFI firmware.

Libreboot has support for this, in the Git repository and release versions
from 20230423 onwards.

### Brief board info

HP Elite 8200 SFF is a small-form-factor desktop of Intel Sandybridge platform
which you can read more about here:

<https://support.hp.com/gb-en/product/hp-compaq-8200-elite-small-form-factor-pc/5037931>

MT is an identical board with a larger chassis and more powerful power supply:

<https://support.hp.com/gb-en/product/hp-compaq-8200-elite-desktop-pc-series/5037940>

Here's the [Technical Reference Manual](https://web.archive.org/web/20160109143257/https://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02778024.pdf).
This system supports Ivy Bridge processors too. The original BIOS
won't even POST with those, but with Libreboot they work fully.

Disable security before flashing
--------------------------------

Before internal flashing, you must first disable `/dev/mem` protections. Make
sure to re-enable them after you're finished.

See: [Disabling /dev/mem protection](../install/devmem.md)

Install Libreboot
-------------------------

You can actually just compile the Libreboot ROM for this, and flash the
entire ROM.

Internal flashing from OEM BIOS is possible by setting a jumper
on the board. Step by step instructions for this are below.

The *coreboot* project proper has technical details on why this works if
you are interested. It also has external flashing instructions if you need
to recover from an unbootable BIOS:

<https://doc.coreboot.org/mainboard/hp/compaq_8200_sff.html>

You can build the images for it in Libreboot like so:

	./mk -b coreboot hp8200sff_8mb

More information about building ROM images can be found in
the [build guide](../build/).

If you plan on using a graphics card (other than the integrated graphics of
your CPU), choose one of the files which name contains both "seabios" and
"txtmode".

This is a *Sandybridge* board which means that a neutered ME image is required
if you wish to flash the ME region. Libreboot's build system automatically
downloads, neuters (using `me_cleaner`) and inserts this if compiling from
source.

If you're using *Libreboot release* ROM images, the ME image has been scrubbed
and you must re-insert it. Use the information on this guide to know how
to do that:

[Insert vendor files on Intel Sandybridge/Ivybridge/Haswell
platforms](../install/ivy_has_common.md)

You may also wish to change the *default MAC address* if you're planning to
use the onboard Intel Gigabit Ethernet. You can do this using the information
in the same guide linked above, or read the nvmutil manual:

[Modify MAC addresses with nvmutil](../install/nvmutil.md).

Internal flashing from vendor BIOS
----------------------------------

The vendor BIOS imposes write-protections in the Flash Descriptor and
runtime. However, the flash descriptor can be bypassed by bridging a
jumper and the runtime protections only apply to a fixed address block.
Since neutering the Management Engine frees up a lot of space, we can
just install an intermediate Libreboot image there. This removes all
write-protections so has the same end result as external flashing:
a completely unlocked system.

Power off the computer. Remove the side panel.
Near the back USB ports find the jumper labelled **FDO**.

![Location of the FDO jumper](https://av.libreboot.org/hp8200sff/fdo.jpg)

You need to short the two pins circled. Use a
[jumper block](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumper_(computing)) if you
have one but a screwdriver will do the job fine too. Hold the tip
between the pins until you can see the normal BIOS boot screen.

![](https://av.libreboot.org/hp8200sff/fdo\_screwdriver.jpg)

**NOTE: Libreboot standardises on [flashprog](https://flashprog.org/wiki/Flashprog)
now, as of 27 January 2024, which is a fork of flashrom.
The reason why was explained, in
the [Libreboot 20240225 release](../../news/libreboot20240225.md#flashprog-now-used-instead-of-flashrom)**

Now, run this command:

	flashprog -p internal -c MX25L6406E/MX25L6408E

The output should contain the text "The Flash Descriptor Override
Pin-Strap is set". If it doesn't, start again from the beginning.

Now build the **4** MiB Libreboot image.

	./mk -b coreboot hp8200sff_4mb

More information about building ROM images can be found in
the [build guide](../build/).

Also build `ifdtool`. It will be needed soon.

	cd src/coreboot/default/util/ifdtool
	make
	sudo make install

Now choose the image you want from `bin/hp8200sff_4mb`.
We'll refer to it as `libreboot4.rom`. We need to pad it to 8 MiB:

	dd if=/dev/zero bs=4M count=1 >> libreboot4.rom

Flash the Libreboot image with a tweaked layout:

	ifdtool libreboot4.rom -f layout
	flashprog -p internal -c MX25L6406E/MX25L6408E -w libreboot4.rom -l layout -i fd -i gbe -i bios -i me

Power off the computer. Make sure to power off, rebooting is not enough!

Power on the computer.
Now we can flash the full 8 MiB image. Boot to an OS with flashprog
again.

NOTE: Libreboot standardises on [flashprog](https://flashprog.org/wiki/Flashprog)
now, as of 27 January 2024, which is a fork of flashrom.

Pick a Libreboot image of your choice from `bin/hp8200sff_8mb`
or from a release archive. We'll refer to it as `libreboot8.rom`.

	flashprog -p internal -c MX25L6406E/MX25L6408E -w libreboot8.rom

Power cycle the computer again.

HP 6200 Pro Business PC
-----------------------

According to this page from the vendor, HP BIOS updates are the same on both
the 8200 SFF Elite *and* 6200 Pro Business desktop PCs; therefore, we believe
that the Libreboot config for 8200 SFF will *also* work on 6200 Pro Business
PCs. That page is here:
<https://support.hp.com/fi-fi/drivers/selfservice/swdetails/hp-compaq-8200-elite-small-form-factor-pc/5037931/swItemId/vc-229778-2>

The config for this board is courtesy of *Riku Viitanen* (`Riku_V` on Libreboot
IRC), who tested and confirmed the following functionality:

* Sandy Bridge (i5-2400) and Ivy Bridge (i5-3570S) CPUs
* 4x8 GB RAM (Sandy Bridge: 1333MHz, Ivy Bridge: 1600MHz)
* PS/2 keyboard and mouse
* USB keyboard (a bit laggy on GRUB)
* Boot from USB and DVD
* Gigabit ethernet
* VGA and DisplayPort (Intel graphics), with libgfxinit (native video init)
* Headphone output, PC speaker
* S3 suspend, wake on USB keyboard
* lm\_sensors outputs CPU core temperatures only
* Both PCIe x16 slots, external GPU works with SeaBIOS
* PCI
* SATA
* USB ports
* Serial port (RS-232)
* Wake on LAN

At the time of adding this board to Libreboot, the following is untested:

* Parallel port (internal header on the board)
* Floppy drive. The case has a spot for it, but I can't find the header (P10).

According to the initial coreboot port from 2018, the following also works:

* EHCI debug (not enabled by Libreboot configs)
* Native (libre) raminit with up to four DIMM modules (also tested by Riku and
  confirmed working, with 32GB RAM installed as 4x8GB)

TPM
---

According to git logs, TPM should work, and a commit from 2018 at revision
ID `39d0e2a2cf45e28cdddd0fe0c88f94ce527ab1ef` in coreboot makes the TPM visible
to operating systems.

PSU Fan control
---------------

See coreboot commit `9bd601584350f51f112b15a7369f9aa82f1d0919` - labelled
by commit message `superio/nuvoton/npcd378: Add PSU fan control`.

Per this commit, SuperIO-based fan control is supported on HP Elite 8200 SFF.

TODO for testing the above is here:\
<https://codeberg.org/libreboot/lbmk/issues/9>

This is controlled via `nvramtool` to modify the value in sram. See:

* `psu_fan_lvl=3` <-- default setting in coreboot, and Libreboot.

Other values possible: from reading the source code, it is implied that the
number can be between 0 and 7. If the value is set higher than 7, it will
default back to 3.

Libreboot locks CMOS/NVRAM settings, but you can change the default setting in
the *ROM* by using the `-C` option in nvramtool. You can find this under the
directory `src/coreboot/default/util/nvramtool` when downloading coreboot inside
of lbmk by running the command:

	./mk -f coreboot default

Go in there and type `make` to build nvramtool. Simply run nvramtool without
arguments, and it will show a list of options.
