There as so many blobs and secret controllers in the x86 platform it's not even funny. Since Core 2 Duo there is basically no way to run a CPU+PCH (or 'chipset'

There as so many blobs and secret controllers in the x86 platform it's not even funny. Since Core 2 Duo there is basically no way to run a CPU+PCH (or 'chipset') with free software. An average x86 PC has 10 'hidden' controllers doing all sorts of magic, and you can't touch it. The Intel Management Engine and Boot Guard make it extremely hard to use the chips without Intel's approval, NDA and a truckload of money. Here are some pages with details: https://www.coreboot.org/Binary_situation https://www.coreboot.org/Binary_situation https://www.coreboot.org/Intel_Management_Engine https://www.coreboot.org/Intel_Management_Engine https://www.coreboot.org/Blob_Matrix https://www.coreboot.org/Blob_Matrix Intel also made it so that a PC has a timer that turns it off after 30 minutes if you don't run their signed firmware.