You can run a free OS pretty effortless, but when wanting 100% free software, you have to dig deeper and replace the proprietary BIOS firmware.
this post was submitted on 04 Nov 2023
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The disks still have proprietary firmware, as do several other components though.
I bet that wireless mouse probably has some code in it.
If you're using an active thunderbolt cable, you wire has proprietary code in it.
But it's a closed device with the firmware not being for user to replace.
While BIOS can be updated without opening the computer. Or many WiFi cards require you to load a firmware on them upon boot.
So firmware in the disk is more of a right-to-repair problem rather than free/nonfree software