Support

Keeping your firmware up to date helps your system stay secure, stable, and compatible with new hardware and software. This guide shows the recommended update paths for Star Labs firmware. Important notes - Please use LVFS for normal firmware updates. - If you are using Qubes OS, the simplest manual update route is to boot a standard Ubuntu live USB and run the manual update command from there. If you prefer to stay inside Qubes OS, run the command from a dom0 terminal. - Automatic updates via the LVFS are now only supported on firmware versions later than 26.05. If you are running a version older than 26.05, please follow the steps in the Manual update section. - You can check your current firmware in Settings > About or with the following command in Linux: cat /sys/class/dmi/id/bios_version Update your firmware Firmware updates should usually appear in your normal software update tool. elementary OS From version 6 onward, firmware updates appear in System Settings → System → Firmware. elementarySystem You can view the current firmware information and install updates by clicking on each component. elementaryDetails GNOME Software Firmware updates appear alongside your normal software updates in the GNOME Software app. KDE Discover Firmware updates appear in Discover, just like normal app updates. KDEDiscover GNOME Firmware If your distro does not integrate firmware updates into a software centre, you can use the standalone GNOME Firmware app. You can check for updates via the menu → Check for Updates. Terminal You can also check for and install LVFS updates manually: fwupdmgr refresh fwupdmgr get-updates fwupdmgr update If fwupdmgr asks you to reboot, reboot when prompted. Updating the EC Some updates include EC firmware. This is applied automatically from the G3 state after the firmware update completes. To enter G3: - Shut down the computer (not a reboot) - Disconnect the charger - Wait 12 seconds until the LEDs flicker - Reconnect the charger Manual update Use this section if: - your firmware update does not appear in your normal update tool, or - your BIOS version is lower than 26.05. You do not need to manually check Secure Boot or BIOS Lock first. The updater checks the required items for you and stops with specific instructions if anything needs changing. The manual updater currently supports: - StarFighter Mk II (Intel variants) - StarFighter Mk I (Intel variants) - StarBook Horizon - StarLite Mk V - StarLite Mk IV - StarLite Mk III - StarBook Mk VII / StarBook Ultra - StarBook Mk VI - StarBook Mk V - LabTop Mk IV - LabTop Mk III - Byte Mk III - Byte Mk II - Byte Mk I If your computer isn't listed, check back later. Before you begin: - Connect the charger. - If your device has a battery, charge it to at least 30%. - Open a terminal window, either from the launcher or by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T. Then run: curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StarLabsLtd/firmware/refs/heads/main/updater.sh | bash The updater will check the machine, show what updates are available, and install the correct files for your model. If the updater says Secure Boot or BIOS Lock needs changing, follow the message it shows. It can offer to reboot directly into firmware setup for you. After changing the setting, boot back into Linux and run the same command again. If the updater says Flashrom access is blocked, copy and run the command it prints exactly, reboot, and run the updater command again. If update-grub or the bootloader update command shows an error, do not reboot yet — contact support with the full output. When the update completes, follow any reboot or shutdown instructions shown by the updater. Once you are on 26.05 or newer, future updates should appear in your normal update tool or through fwupdmgr.

StarBook

StarBook Mk V/ Mk VI / Mk VII - complete disassembly guide

StarBook Mk V / Mk VI / Mk VII— Disassembly Guide This guide explains how to safely disassemble your StarBook Mk V or Mk VI for component access, cleaning, or part replacement. ⚠️ Important: You’ll need a PH0 Phillips screwdriver and thermal compound (if removing the mainboard). Screw lengths vary by component — keep each set separate and label them if possible. Before you begin, place your laptop on a soft, protected surface to avoid scratching the anodised finish. Laptop Preparation 1. Remove Outer Screws Remove the 2 long Phillips screws located in the top corners of the backplate. Outer Screws 2. Remove Remaining Screws Remove the 8 short Phillips screws securing the rest of the backplate. Short Screws 3. Remove the Backplate Gently lift the backplate away from the chassis. Backplate Removal Backplate Off 4. Disconnect the Battery Important: Always disconnect the battery before removing the SSD or RAM. Failing to do so may result in a board short. Disconnect the battery connector carefully by gently pulling downwards. 5. Remove the Battery 1. Unscrew the 5 Phillips screws securing the battery. Note: The centre-right screw is intentionally missing. Battery Screws 6. Remove the SSD Unscrew the retaining screw and slide the SSD out of its slot. SSD Removal 7. Remove Memory Modules 1. Press the silver clips on either side of the memory slot outwards to release the module. 2. Gently slide it out. Memory Removal Repeat for the second memory module. Second Memory Slot 8. Remove the Wireless Card 1. Lift the plastic antenna cover, then detach both antenna cables carefully. Antenna Removal Wireless Card 2. Remove the retaining screw and slide out the wireless card. Card Removal 9. Remove the I/O Board 1. Lift the ribbon cable clamp to release the cable. I/O Cable 2. Unscrew the 2 Phillips screws securing the board, then lift it out. I/O Board Removal 10. Disconnect the Screen Lift the screen connector clamp to detach the display cable. Screen Connector 11. Disconnect Cables from the Mainboard Detach the following connectors: - I/O Board - Keyboard and keyboard backlight - Speakers - Trackpad - Fingerprint Reader (Mk VI only) I/O Board: IO Cable Touchpad: Touchpad Cable Speakers: Speaker Cable Keyboard & Backlight: Keyboard Cable Backlight Cable 12. Remove the DC Jack 1. Remove the 2 silver screws securing the DC Jack shield. 2. Disconnect the DC Jack cable from the mainboard. DC Jack Removal 13. Remove the Fan 1. Disconnect the fan cable from the mainboard. Fan Connector 2. Remove the 3 Phillips screws securing the fan and lift it out. Fan Screws Fan Removed 14. Remove the Heatsink Remove the 4 short Phillips screws holding the heatsink, then lift it off the mainboard. These screws are shorter than other silver screws. Heatsink Screws Heatsink Removed 15. Remove the Mainboard Remove the remaining 4 Phillips screws around the edge of the mainboard and lift it out of the chassis. Mainboard Removal Mainboard Lifted 16. Remove the I/O Ribbon Cable Detach the ribbon cable from the chassis. I/O Ribbon 17. Remove the Display Assembly 1. Remove the 4 Phillips screws from the left hinge. Left Hinge 2. Remove the 4 screws from the right hinge. Right Hinge 3. Lift both hinges to a 90° angle to allow the chassis to clear them. 4. Carefully lift the chassis to separate it from the display array. 18. Disassembly Complete Your StarBook disassembly is now complete. Disassembled Laptop 18. Reassembly Reassemble by reversing the above steps. ⚙️ Note on Thermal Compound: When reattaching the heatsink, clean off the old thermal paste from both the CPU and the heatsink using a lint-free cloth. Apply a small, fresh amount of thermal compound to the centre of the CPU before reinstalling the heatsink. Cleaning Paste Reapply Compound

Shipping & Delivery

What is your shipping policy?

At Star Labs, we offer a range of domestic and international shipping options to ensure your order reaches you safely and efficiently. Shipping options and prices Available shipping services, prices and estimated delivery dates are shown at checkout based on the contents of your order and its destination. We offer free UK delivery on orders of GBP 340 or more, including the Isle of Man and Jersey. Where checkout can verify an eligible order value, we contribute towards standard DHL delivery on orders of GBP 340 or more to Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States. Eligibility and the contribution amount are determined at checkout. The contribution varies by destination and is reflected in the price shown there. Any remaining transport cost, including remote-area or additional package charges, remains payable. Faster DHL services are shown as paid upgrades where available. Duties and taxes Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) is only available for supported destinations and shipping methods. For deliveries to Estonia, checkout currently offers a choice. A method marked import charges included collects the estimated import charge with the order. A method marked import charges payable on delivery is sent DAP/DDU and the recipient pays the courier or customs authority on import. For the existing markets where the product or cart confirms that duties and taxes are included, the order is sent DDP. If neither the storefront nor the checkout method says that import charges are included, the order is sent DAP/DDU and the recipient may need to pay duties, import VAT, brokerage or local customs fees directly to the courier or customs authority. The declared customs value is determined separately from the order and shipment context. The estimated import charge is normally based on the discounted merchandise value supplied by Shopify. Where Shopify cannot supply a consistent discounted total, the estimate uses the undiscounted value of the physical order lines. The charge can also cover customs clearance and administration costs, so it may differ from both the declared value and the amount ultimately remitted to customs. Import charges paid to Star Labs are non-refundable once the parcel has cleared customs and the amounts have been paid or committed to customs or courier partners. Shipping times and dispatch The estimated delivery date shown at checkout is the best guide for the selected products, destination and shipping service. It can be affected by customs processing or carrier delays. In-stock orders are normally processed within one to two business days of payment. Pre-order and made-to-order products use the lead time shown for that product. Tracking details are provided once they are available. Loss or damage in transit Star Labs is responsible for loss or damage in transit when the carrier is selected by us. If you arrange your own courier, responsibility transfers to you when the goods are collected. Please notify us within three working days if anything is missing or damaged so that we can raise it promptly with the carrier. This does not affect your statutory rights.

Guides

Accessing the BIOS and Boot Menu

Your Star Labs laptop will use one of two types of firmware: AMI or coreboot. The steps to access system settings or the boot menu vary slightly depending on which one your device uses. 🧭 For AMI Firmware - Press F2 to open BIOS Settings This is where you can configure hardware options, boot order, and other system settings. - Press F7 to open the Boot Menu This menu lets you choose a temporary boot device (for example, a USB drive). ⚙️ For coreboot Firmware When using coreboot, the correct key to press will be shown briefly on screen during startup. Unlike AMI, coreboot does not have a full BIOS interface (in older versions)— only a boot menu. 💡 Tip: If you’re looking to change firmware settings such as boot order or performance options, you can do this using the coreboot-configurator utility within your operating system. 🔑 Function Lock Users If Function Lock is enabled on your keyboard, you’ll also need to hold the Fn key when pressing the BIOS or Boot Menu keys. For example: - To open the boot menu, press Fn + F7

Firmware

Update Firmware via EFI Shell

Updating your firmware using the EFI Shell is straightforward and safe when done carefully. Follow this step-by-step guide to prepare your USB drive, enter the EFI Shell, and complete the update. ⚠️ Note: You’ll need a USB Flash Drive with at least 8 MB of free space to perform this update. Make sure your laptop is plugged into its charger before starting. 1) Download the Firmware Download the firmware file for your specific model from here. Firmware files are stored in folders named according to the model. For example, for the StarBook Mk IV, the files are in StarBook/MkVI-Intel/, ITE updates in /ite, and the file you need is efi-B6-I.zip. Download 2) Extract the Firmware Files After downloading the file, right-click it and select Extract Here. Extract Open the extracted folder, select all files and folders using the mouse or by pressing Ctrl and A. Right-click and select Copy. 3) Prepare the USB Flash Drive Your USB drive must be formatted in FAT32 format. Open your distribution's disk manager. You can typically find it by searching for disks. The process is similar across most distributions. In Ubuntu, select your USB drive and click the - sign to remove the current partition. This action will delete all data on the drive. After removing the original partition, the - sign will disappear and a + sign will appear. Click the + and set the Type to FAT. You can choose any name for the Volume Name. Once complete, locate your USB drive. Open it, right-click, and select Paste. The contents should resemble the image below. Files 4) Boot into the EFI Shell 1. Keep the USB drive connected. 2. Connect your laptop charger. 3. Shut down your laptop completely. 4. Power it back on and enter the EFI Shell: - For AMI firmware: Press F2 (or Fn + F2 if Function Lock is enabled) repeatedly until you see a blue boot menu. Use the arrow keys to select EFI Shell and press Enter. - For coreboot firmware: Press the key shown on-screen to open Boot Manager, then select EFI Shell. 5) Run the Update Once you’re in the EFI Shell, the update will start automatically. The process usually takes 10 seconds to 5 minutes. ⚠️ Do not turn off or restart your laptop during this process. Interrupting the update could make your device inoperable and require physical repair. When the update finishes, your laptop will either reboot automatically or shut down - this is normal. 💡 Tip: Some BIOS updates may require multiple reboots. If prompted, repeat the steps above to boot into the EFI Shell again.

StarLite

StarLite Mk V - complete disassembly guide

1. Preparation Place the Star Lite Mk V on a soft, protected surface to prevent any scratches or damage. I5_1.jpg 2. Remove the Micro SD Card Tray Insert a pin into the small hole to eject and remove the Micro SD card tray. image 3. Separate the Display and Backplate Using the plastic pick, gently wedge it between the display and the backplate to begin separating the two components. I5_2.jpg I5_3.jpg 4. Lift the Backplate Carefully raise the backplate to a 90° angle. Two ribbon cables connect it to the mainboard—disconnect these before fully removing the backplate. I5_4.jpg I5_5.jpg I5_6.jpg 5. Remove the Battery Once the backplate is off, begin by disconnecting and removing the battery. I5_7.jpg 6. Disconnect the Display Connector Lift the fine clamp securing the display cable and gently pull the cable out. I5_8.jpg I5_9.jpg I5_10.jpg I5_11.jpg I5_12.jpg 7. Remove the SSD Unscrew the single screw securing the SSD, then gently pull the drive out of its connector. I5_13.jpg 8. Remove the Speakers Unscrew the two screws securing each speaker. Disconnect the speaker cable from the mainboard. I5_14.jpg I5_15.jpg I5_16.jpg I5_17.jpg 9. Disconnect the Touch and I/O Ribbon Cables Remove the touch and I/O ribbon cables from the mainboard. I5_18.jpg 10. Disconnect the Accelerometer Ribbon Cable I5_19.jpg 11. Detach the Wireless Antennas Using the plastic pick, carefully lift the antenna connectors away from the wireless card. I5_20.jpg 12. Remove the Mainboard Unscrew the five black mainboard screws, then gently lift the board out of the chassis. I5_21.jpg 13. Remove the I/O Board Unscrew the two screws securing the I/O board. I5_22.jpg 14. Lift the Battery The battery is lightly taped down—gently lift it away from the chassis. I5_23.jpg 15. Disassembly Complete Reassembly is the reverse of these steps. I5_24.jpg Note: When reattaching the backplate, align the camera opening first, then gently press around the edges to clip it securely back into place.