Mainboard reuse - console out

General Topics
1

For the post-laptop mainboard life, it would be really helpful to have an extension card, which triggers a specific (but otherwise normal) port to be used as a USB-C form-factor serial console for the system. I assume the benefits are obvious.

Understandably, it is not a practical retrofit for existing boards. I hope it may be considered as a feature for future boards and BIOSes.

2

I wonder if the ccd allready allows something like that.

3

For FW13, the EC CCD provides console access to CPU and EC.
For FW16, the EC CCD provides console access to EC only.
One has to solder on missing connectors to get console access.

4

What’s your use case that is wanting serial vs say SSH?

5

For the Laptop 13 AMD AI and newer, the front right USB C port carries the CPU UART.

For the Laptop 16 AMD AI and newer, the middle right USB C port carries the CPU UART. However, due to a PD controller muxing issue, the SBU lines are reversed so you’ll need to connect your CCD card upside down (for now.)

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6

I’m not OP but some possible use cases to me are, if you connect to a console server, entering the LUKS password remotely, system recovery after failed updates or broken network configurations.

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7

My current Proxmox node is stashed away. This will likely go in the same poorly accessible location. Definitely, there are no easily accessible DP or HDMI ports around. KVM is an option, but on the expensive side, considering I am almost out of network ports there.

The current node is on an old Protectly with a serial port console, whose cable I just leave plugged in with a bootie. Very convenient.

I needed console access three times so far - for a reinstall when a boot media failed, after a coreboot update (I have not yet figured out a way to do it from Proxmox CLI), and when I had a bug between the keyboard and a chair and messed up networking.

8

That is awesome that the hardware is [mostly] in place. If I understand correctly, that will enable the next step to make the BIOS aware of the possibility of a serial console.

9

On the devices I listed, it already is. It is on the Advanced page.