BIOS guides, methods, resources and tools — Discussions

[piernov]

Please post any suggestions and corrections about the BIOS guides, methods, resources and tools thread here.

TODO:

• Add list of known suffixes for Dell
• Complete list of programmable/non-programmable EC
• Add more platforms with automatic EC flashing
• Add more brands for BIOS extraction
• Add EC firmware extraction process
• Probably a lot of other stuff I forgot

[rumpumpel1]

Re: BIOS guides, methods, resources and tools — Discussions

changed hyperlinks:

https://hklrf.com/24download/img/RT809H-List8.txt -> https://hklrf.com/24download/img/RT809H-List2.txt

https://www.hklrf.com/24download/img/RT809F-List6.txt -> https://www.hklrf.com/24download/img/RT809F-List2.txt

[piernov]

Re: BIOS guides, methods, resources and tools — Discussions

Updated, thanks.

[huss584]

Re: BIOS guides, methods, resources and tools — Discussions

Thank you, for Advice

[EineWildeStehlampe]

Re: BIOS guides, methods, resources and tools — Discussions

Would suggest adding information about update extraction from Acer update files (applies to a lot of brands that use Insyde firmware), since those mostly contain full images that do not require stitching. For reference this would be the corresponding page on my wiki:
https://github.com/ISpillMyDrink/UEF...e-Tool-(H2OFFT)
I can post a quick guide on Badcaps aswell if none is already present.

[piernov]

Re: BIOS guides, methods, resources and tools — Discussions

Thanks, added a link to it. Feel free to write a post with any info you want to add.

[mouad512]

Re: BIOS guides, methods, resources and tools — Discussions

thanksssss

[learnmore]

Re: BIOS guides, methods, resources and tools — Discussions

Many thanks for your well delineated thread on Bios etc...It was helpful for a newbie. May I ask, based on what I've read would a SVOD4 programmer be recommended for Dell laptops with 8CF8 suffix?

[ShockStruck]

Please post any suggestions and corrections about the BIOS guides, methods, resources and tools thread here.

TODO:

• Add list of known suffixes for Dell
• Complete list of programmable/non-programmable EC
• Add more platforms with automatic EC flashing
• Add more brands for BIOS extraction
• Add EC firmware extraction process
• Probably a lot of other stuff I forgot

I'd love to see some stuff on server platforms. One thing I've been looking to fill gaps in my own knowledge is adding different CPU support for AMD Epyc generations of the same socket. Particularly with Dell gen 1 EPYC servers. Seems totally doable to replace gen 1 EPYC AGESA code with either gen 2 or 3 and would save homelabbers the need to buy newer (much more expensive) server platforms just to get newer microcode.

[luiztessadri]

CH341A can read and write EC ENE KB90XX using flashrom software. Embedded Controllers of ENE uses SPI interface for reading and writing.

[nix30101]

Combo Version of the 8FC8 patcher tool and Password Generator...written in Python converted to an EXE. you can just run the python code if you prefer.https://github.com/chromebreakerdev/DellBIOSTools.git

[m1ch43lzm]

Notice to users of XGecu TL866II Plus / T48 / T56 / T76 programmers regarding BIOS backup file size

Recently some BIOS backups have extra bytes at the end. I noticed it on the Xgpro software for the T48 programmer

[the4rings]

thanks

[tanneride]

Hope i'm posting in the right spot here. But i'm trying to find tools and methods for unlocking newer HP business laptop BIOS files (elitebooks, probooks, zbooks, etc) both Intel and AMD.

I see posts of people successfully unlocking the files here but nobody discussing the methods. Just wanted to sum up my research and thoughts - will update as i go.

1. Older tools such as RCUnlocker and HPUnlocker do not work with newer HP models. Comparing input and output files they appear to work by trying to manually set a few bios setting flags.
Trying to flash these files results in the EC rejecting and restoring the BIOS.

2. Newer methods such as an EC bypass worked for some time. It required dumping the EC chip. The script wipes the NVRamRegn block. From personal experience this worked on a few 12-13th gen ZBooks.
Since then the tool has not worked on a handful of machines. I noticed the NVRamRegn is no longer in that section of the EC chip, and wiping it from its new location results in the system restoring itself.

3. What has worked has been to flash other unlocked files with mismatched DMI. The original DMI is restored after flashing using the BCU tool and all is good. I've been looking at the locked/unlocked files and it looks like whole regions of the BIOS section have been replaced.
Next time I get another locked HP, i'll be trying to swap these regions manually. I'm just not sure if I need to do the whole BIOS region or skip over the bootguard flagged sectors.

I do hope its just a simple bios region swap, I can write up a tool to automate that.

[nix30101]

good luck happy scripting

[Mateito]

excellent my friend, thanks