Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS

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#1 | Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Wed Mar 22, 2017 10:23 pm (Last edited: Wed Mar 22, 2017 10:46 pm)

Brief description: I've recovered at the office two abondened systems: a dell precision T5600 and a T7600. These are pre-enegineering models featuring an Xnn BIOS instead of the usual Ann BIOS and they have the EPROMs socketed instead of being soldered.

Playing with AMT, the T7600's BIOS got corrupted and i haven't been able to boot until I used a CH341 programmer to copy/paste the content; which now means I have T5600's running on the T7600 which is far from being ideal (2nd Gbit ethernet not working, secondary SAS controller not recognized, etc.). In the meanwhile I bought a spare part T5600 motherboard because I've found no way to replace the BIOS starting from Dell's .exe file. And discovered that the engineering T5600 I own had 8+2MB chips while production systems have been sold with 8+4MB. So I ordered 2 4MB EPROMs (luckily the engineering systems I have, have the chips socketed and not soldered :) ).

This way I've been able to restore the T5600 to a production-like state with its own official BIOS. Here's a draft of the video I did to restore it to a normal state (thanks a lot @plutomaniac for his ME restore guide!). Now I'm struggling with the T7600 because, even using /S /F (silent and force) parameters with Dell's .exe, it won't overwrite a T5600 with a T7600 BIOS :(

Now time for the tech details!

Here's what I have ()starting with all the studies I've been doing on the T5600):

-T5600A12.EXE (downloadable public .exe containing the BIOS upgrade)
-T5600A12.ORI (binary file from fpt -d containing the dump of the brand new spare part motherboard in manufacturing mode, pre-tag setup, containg "NO MANIFEST" information as shown in the video)
-T5600A12 (file extracted by pflashtool from T5600A12)
If I open in FITC and compare T5600A12 (what pflashtool extracts from T5600A12) with the dump done after applying it, I find out that:

- The BIOS region of the actual EPROM content is 6MB while T5600A12 is 10MB so nothing that can be simply swapped. And it doesn't even correspond to the total 12MB
- If I open T5600A12 in UEFITOOL it contains only a BIOS region (no DESC, PDR, GbE or ME) which has 5 volumes (+2 padding regions)
- If I open whatever dump (fpt -d) of the EPROMs, as for example T5600A12, there's a complete Intel Image with DESC, PDR, GbE, ME and BIOS region, the latter (BIOS) containing 1 padding+4 volumes

Which means I can't use the file extracted from PFlash tool to program the EPROMs using the HW programmer; and even if it was the case there would be another issue: there are 2 EPROMs (8MB and 4MB) so I'd need 2 files. The only utility I've found able to build a split of 8+4MB is Intel's Flash Image Tool (and guess what? they're not sequential: the data is distribute like byte 1 and 2 on big eprom and byte 3 on small eprom).

Personal assumptions (no proof in my findings to support it, it just make sense to me):
- Dell's update utility (T5600A12.exe) doesn't write ANY temporary file but instead uses some free space in the EPROMs to store temporary files (which would explain why I haven't been able in the past to use the old trick of "boot system with working BIOS, replace with bad EPROM, flash bad EPROM to make it good, reset to test" because to start the BIOS update you have to restart the system (as shown in the video) thus: no working ROM, no boot, no reflash.
- The update utility lies in the additional 4MB contained in the extraction of PFLASH Tool
- Removing that volume would correspond (256KB) and the additional padding region at the end (4.643.669 bytes) would result in... the BIOS region to flash with fpt -BIOS -f xxx.bin; but I'm not (yet?) skilled enough to do that surgical operation of removal.

I'm actually waiting to order a T7600 motherboard on the internet to be able to grab that damn 8+4MB dump and flash it on my T7600. I've been proposing to sellers to pay money just to have a dump but they don't have the skills/tools to do so. Long story short: I'd be more than glad of doing a donation instead of having to buy a motherboard from the US as I did for the T5600.

Any suggestion for me super-expert BIOS-modders? :)

Thanks a lot!
Alex

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#2 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Wed Mar 22, 2017 11:10 pm

@aletib:
Hello Alex,
welcome at Win-RAID Forum!

Zitat von aletib im Beitrag #1
Any suggestion for me super-expert BIOS-modders? :)

Unfortunately there are not so many "super-expert-BIOS-modders" available, who may be able to help you to solve your special Dell BIOS problem (I certainly do not belong to this group).
Nevertheless I hope, that you will get some advices how to proceed.

Good luck!
Dieter (alias Fernando)

My current System:
MB: ASRock X570 Pro4, CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600, System Drive: 500 GB Samsung 980 Pro, Graphics: Sapphire Radeon RX570, OS: Win10 x64 Pro
Donation Link:
If you are satisfied with my Forum activities, you can send a donation to my personal PayPal account by clicking onto >this< link.

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#3 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:06 am (Last edited: Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:06 am)

Zitat von aletib im Beitrag #1
- The BIOS region of the actual EPROM content is 6MB while T5600A12 is 10MB so nothing that can be simply swapped. And it doesn't even correspond to the total 12MB

File T5600A12 is a Dell HDR file which consists of various sections (BIOS, EC, ME etc). Once you extract it, as explained here, you can take file T5600A12_section1_A.12 which is the stock A12 Dell BIOS and it is exactly 6MB and thus can be used as a replacement at UEFITool and your dump. It can be swapped, you just need to first extract the ~10MB Dell HDR file to its components.

Zitat von aletib im Beitrag #1
- If I open T5600A12 in UEFITOOL it contains only a BIOS region (no DESC, PDR, GbE or ME) which has 5 volumes (+2 padding regions)

Same as above, Dell HDR needs to be extracted first. Don't just input at at UEFITool without processing it first. You're supposed to extract it and then take the BIOS and replace at your own dump using UEFITool.

Zitat von aletib im Beitrag #1
The only utility I've found able to build a split of 8+4MB is Intel's Flash Image Tool (and guess what? they're not sequential: the data is distribute like byte 1 and 2 on big eprom and byte 3 on small eprom).

What do you mean by that? The common structure at such dual chip implementations is always in order and the BIOS gets cut and continues to the 2nd smaller one. For example the first 8MB chip should have FD (4KB) + PDR (4KB) + GbE (16KB) + ME (5.97MB) + BIOS (first 2MB) and the second 4MB chip has the rest of the BIOS (last 4MB). The data are sequential with only BIOS getting cut between the two chips. If you have two dumps (8MB + 4MB) you can literally just merge them and create a new full 12MB SPI image and then use it at FITC or FPT. FPT is capable of automatically detecting the two chips and flash a full 12MB SPI image to both of them as I described above.

Zitat von aletib im Beitrag #1
Personal assumptions (no proof in my findings to support it, it just make sense to me):

There is no free space at the two SPI chips as I explained above. The hot swap method wouldn't work unless you replaced both 8MB + 4MB chips since the BIOS is situated at both of them.

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#4 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:15 am (Last edited: Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:26 am)

aletib

Show info

Posts:	28
Registered since:	03.20.2017

Zitat von plutomaniac im Beitrag #3
Zitat von aletib im Beitrag #1
- The BIOS region of the actual EPROM content is 6MB while T5600A12 is 10MB so nothing that can be simply swapped. And it doesn't even correspond to the total 12MB
File T5600A12 is a Dell HDR file which consists of various sections (BIOS, EC, ME etc). Once you extract it, as explained here, you can take file T5600A12_section1_A.12 which is the stock A12 Dell BIOS and it is exactly 6MB and thus can be used as a replacement at UEFITool and your dump. It can be swapped, you just need to first extract the ~10MB Dell HDR file to its components.

I must be missing something here.

I run the pyton script with the syntax: usage: python DecompNewDell.py <biosupdate.exe>
and I obtain: Decompressed data written to T7600A12.exe_decompressed.hdr
which is a 10MB file like the one ptool used to give me. Then I pass it to #extractor5.bat and here's the output:

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T7600A12.exe_decompressed.hdr
 
Scanning ALL modules... Please wait...
 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "Z.version.py", line 8, in <module>
    import win32clipboard
ImportError: No module named win32clipboard
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "UEFIExtract.py", line 4, in <module>
    import win32api
ImportError: No module named win32api
 

Found EFI Shell_x64 GUID C57AD6B7-  version = unknown
 

 

 
Check PCIR in BIOS, usually in padding
 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "Z.Version.py", line 8, in <module>
    import win32clipboard
ImportError: No module named win32clipboard
Check PCIR in main Volume, including CSMCORE - only uncompressed will be found
 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "Z.Version.py", line 8, in <module>
    import win32clipboard
ImportError: No module named win32clipboard
 
Check OROMs in CSMCORE using hexfind and MMTool
 

Check PCIR-OROM in CSMCORE = Actual OROMs
 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "Z.version.py", line 8, in <module>
    import win32clipboard
ImportError: No module named win32clipboard
 
Check PCIR-Link in CSMCORE = Links in MMTool
 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "Z.version.py", line 8, in <module>
    import win32clipboard
ImportError: No module named win32clipboard
 
Extract PCIR-OROM from CSMCORE = All OROMs, even duplicated or hidden. Duplicated will end with _nr*.bin
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "Z.version.py", line 8, in <module>
    import win32clipboard
ImportError: No module named win32clipboard
 
Check OROMs in compressed sections...
 
'find' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'find' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'find' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'find' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'find' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'find' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'find' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'find' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
'find' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "UEFIExtract.py", line 4, in <module>
    import win32api
ImportError: No module named win32api
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "UEFIExtract.py", line 4, in <module>
    import win32api
ImportError: No module named win32api
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "UEFIExtract.py", line 4, in <module>
    import win32api
ImportError: No module named win32api
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "UEFIExtract.py", line 4, in <module>
    import win32api
ImportError: No module named win32api
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "UEFIExtract.py", line 4, in <module>
    import win32api
ImportError: No module named win32api
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "UEFIExtract.py", line 4, in <module>
    import win32api
ImportError: No module named win32api
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "UEFIExtract.py", line 4, in <module>
    import win32api
ImportError: No module named win32api
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "UEFIExtract.py", line 4, in <module>
    import win32api
ImportError: No module named win32api
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "UEFIExtract.py", line 4, in <module>
    import win32api
ImportError: No module named win32api
 
Check CPU Microcodes in BIOS
 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "Z.version.py", line 8, in <module>
    import win32clipboard
ImportError: No module named win32clipboard
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "Z.version.py", line 8, in <module>
    import win32clipboard
ImportError: No module named win32clipboard
 
 

I'm using Python 2.7 under win10x64

Thanks for pointing me to the script and for sharing the other insights; I'll eventually come back on the topic but by now I prefer to avoid confusion and address the problem if you don't mind. Seems like a PATH problem... I will now restart and try to google around to find a solution. I'll keep you posted but if anyone already faced that and has a solution, that'll be welcome :P

EDIT by Fernando: Quoting corrected and code put into a "spoiler" (to save space)

#Edit2: pywin32 installed (was a little bit of a trouble as I had to install python 32 bit and then modify a registry key in order for pywin to recognize it as described here: https://sourceforge.net/p/pywin32/bugs/702/
(thx for the spoiler!)

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#5 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:27 am (Last edited: Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:43 am)

aletib

Show info

Posts:	28
Registered since:	03.20.2017

now it goes something like this:

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bios.bin
 
Scanning ALL modules... Please wait...
 

 
Platform Socket 2011 - SandyBridge-E/IvyBridge-E
 

Found Intel microcodes in 17088572-
 
01. cpu000206D7_plat6D_ver00000710_date#17-06-2013.bin extracted. Size is 0x4400. Offset 0x18
02. cpu000206D6_plat6D_ver00000619_date#22-05-2012.bin extracted. Size is 0x4000. Offset 0x4818
03. cpu000206D5_plat6D_ver00000513_date#13-10-2011.bin extracted. Size is 0x4800. Offset 0x8818
04. cpu000206D3_plat0F_ver80000304_date#20-04-2011.bin extracted. Size is 0x4000. Offset 0xD018
05. cpu000206D2_plat0F_ver8000020C_date#03-05-2011.bin extracted. Size is 0x4400. Offset 0x11018
06. cpu000206D1_plat07_ver80000105_date#05-11-2010.bin extracted. Size is 0x2400. Offset 0x15818
 

Found EFI Shell_x64 GUID C57AD6B7-  version = unknown
 

 

 
Check PCIR in BIOS, usually in padding
 

Check OROMs in BIOS, usually in padding
 

Check PCIR in main Volume, including CSMCORE - only uncompressed will be found
 
01. 8086-2822
02. 8086-1502
03. 8086-1D60
04. 8086-1D60
05. 8086-1D60
06. 8086-1D60
07. 11AB-4620
08. 8086-0102
09. 8086-0102
 
Check OROMs in main Volume, including CSMCORE - only uncompressed will be found
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
01. File "8086-2822 Intel RST RAID 10.1.0.1008.bin" was written. Size is 0x15200
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
02. File "8086-1502 Intel GbE Lan PXE 1.5.50.bin" was written. Size is 0xFC00
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
03. File "8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049.bin" was written. Size is 0x1A600
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
04. File "8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049_nr2.bin" was written. Size is 0x1A600
Found ROM in unknown GUID
06. File "8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049_nr4.bin" was written. Size is 0x1A600
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
07. File "11AB-4620 Dell General-Purpose Encryption 1.05.bin" was written. Size is 0x1131
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
08. File "8086-0102 Intel Sandy VBIOS 2089.bin" was written. Size is 0x10000
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
09. File "8086-0102 Intel Sandy VBIOS 2089_nr2.bin" was written. Size is 0x10000
 

Check OROMs in CSMCORE using hexfind and MMTool
 

Check PCIR-OROM in CSMCORE = Actual OROMs
 

Check PCIR-Link in CSMCORE = Links in MMTool
 

Extract PCIR-OROM from CSMCORE = All OROMs, even duplicated or hidden. Duplicated will end with _nr*.bin
 

Check OROMs in compressed sections...
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
01. File "8086-1502 Intel GbE Lan PXE 1.5.50.bin" was written. Size is 0xFC00
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
01. File "11AB-4620 Dell General-Purpose Encryption 1.05.bin" was written. Size is 0x1131
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
01. File "8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049.bin" was written. Size is 0x1A600
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
01. File "8086-0102 Intel Sandy VBIOS 2089.bin" was written. Size is 0x10000
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
01. File "8086-2822 Intel RST RAID 10.1.0.1008.bin" was written. Size is 0x15200
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
01. File "8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049_nr2.bin" was written. Size is 0x1A600
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
01. File "8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049_nr3.bin" was written. Size is 0x1A600
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
01. File "8086-0102 Intel Sandy VBIOS 2089_nr2.bin" was written. Size is 0x10000
 
Found ROM in unknown GUID
01. File "8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049_nr4.bin" was written. Size is 0x1A600
 

Check CPU Microcodes in BIOS
 
01. cpu000206D7_plat6D_ver00000710_date#17-06-2013.bin extracted. Size is 0x4400. Offset 0x572338
02. cpu000206D6_plat6D_ver00000619_date#22-05-2012.bin extracted. Size is 0x4000. Offset 0x576B38
03. cpu000206D5_plat6D_ver00000513_date#13-10-2011.bin extracted. Size is 0x4800. Offset 0x57AB38
04. cpu000206D3_plat0F_ver80000304_date#20-04-2011.bin extracted. Size is 0x4000. Offset 0x57F338
05. cpu000206D2_plat0F_ver8000020C_date#03-05-2011.bin extracted. Size is 0x4400. Offset 0x583338
06. cpu000206D1_plat07_ver80000105_date#05-11-2010.bin extracted. Size is 0x2400. Offset 0x587B38
Skipped cpu..._date#00-00-201f.bin - Not numeric
Skipped cpu..._date#00-00-201f.bin - Not numeric
Skipped cpu..._date#00-00-201f.bin - Not numeric
 

 
Press any key to Exit
 

and in Z_Extract I only find 2MB of files:

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C:\Users\aletib\Desktop\Extractor v6\Z_Extract>dir /w /s
 Volume in drive C has no label.
 Volume Serial Number is B05A-2056
 
 Directory of C:\Users\aletib\Desktop\Extractor v6\Z_Extract
 
[.]          [..]         [CPU]        [EFI]        [OROM]       [OROMpy]     [OROMpyMain]
               0 File(s)              0 bytes
 
 Directory of C:\Users\aletib\Desktop\Extractor v6\Z_Extract\CPU
 
[.]                                                  [..]
cpu000206D1_plat07_ver80000105_date#05-11-2010.bin   cpu000206D2_plat0F_ver8000020C_date#03-05-2011.bin
cpu000206D3_plat0F_ver80000304_date#20-04-2011.bin   cpu000206D5_plat6D_ver00000513_date#13-10-2011.bin
cpu000206D6_plat6D_ver00000619_date#22-05-2012.bin   cpu000206D7_plat6D_ver00000710_date#17-06-2013.bin
               6 File(s)         95,232 bytes
 
 Directory of C:\Users\aletib\Desktop\Extractor v6\Z_Extract\EFI
 
[.]                          [..]                         cpuffs.ffs                   UEFI_Shell_x64 unknown.ffs
               2 File(s)        732,868 bytes
 
 Directory of C:\Users\aletib\Desktop\Extractor v6\Z_Extract\OROM
 
[.]  [..]
               0 File(s)              0 bytes
 
 Directory of C:\Users\aletib\Desktop\Extractor v6\Z_Extract\OROMpy
 
[.]                                                  [..]
#GUID_OROMs.txt                                      #GUID_OROMs_compr.txt
11AB-4620 Dell General-Purpose Encryption 1.05.bin   8086-0102 Intel Sandy VBIOS 2089.bin
8086-0102 Intel Sandy VBIOS 2089_nr2.bin             8086-1502 Intel GbE Lan PXE 1.5.50.bin
8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049.bin         8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049_nr2.bin
8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049_nr3.bin     8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049_nr4.bin
8086-2822 Intel RST RAID 10.1.0.1008.bin
              11 File(s)        719,564 bytes
 
 Directory of C:\Users\aletib\Desktop\Extractor v6\Z_Extract\OROMpyMain
 
[.]                                                  [..]
#GUID_OROMs.txt                                      11AB-4620 Dell General-Purpose Encryption 1.05.bin
8086-0102 Intel Sandy VBIOS 2089.bin                 8086-0102 Intel Sandy VBIOS 2089_nr2.bin
8086-1502 Intel GbE Lan PXE 1.5.50.bin               8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049.bin
8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049_nr2.bin     8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049_nr3.bin
8086-1D60 Intel RSTe SCU RAID 3.7.0.1049_nr4.bin     8086-2822 Intel RST RAID 10.1.0.1008.bin
              10 File(s)        719,222 bytes
 
     Total Files Listed:
              29 File(s)      2,266,886 bytes
              17 Dir(s)  91,896,889,344 bytes free
 

now what? something dealing with encryption?

reply

#6 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Thu Mar 23, 2017 2:20 pm

Initially you were using Python 2.x at a Python 3.x script, plus you were missing the pypiwin32 dependency of Lordkag's Extractor (you can use the PyWin32 220 you installed manually instead). Afterwards, you run the wrong batch script. I have improved the instructions provided here, please follow them and you should successfully extract the HDR file.

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#7 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Thu Mar 23, 2017 6:50 pm

Zitat von plutomaniac im Beitrag #6
Initially you were using Python 2.x at a Python 3.x script, plus you were missing the pypiwin32 dependency of Lordkag's Extractor (you can use the PyWin32 220 you installed manually instead). Afterwards, you run the wrong batch script. I have improved the instructions provided here, please follow them and you should successfully extract the HDR file.

Got it, sorry; I was so excited that I didn't carefully go through all the instructions ;) bios.bin_section1_A.12.bin looks to be my man: 6.144KB ;) time to put the service jumper on and flash with fpt -BIOS -f ;)

thanks a lot, I'll come back with the results as soon as I'm done!

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#8 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:33 pm

Back Up&Running! T7600 BIOS, ME working fine. Luckily I had an old backup of the GbE to restore the 2 MAC addresses of the 2 integrated cards.

Just made a donation: @Fernando I think you owe a beer to @plutomaniac (and I do as well ;) ).

Thanks guys!!!

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#9 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:43 pm

Zitat von aletib im Beitrag #8
Back Up&Running!

That is great - congratulations!

Zitat
Just made a donation: @Fernando I think you owe a beer to @plutomaniac (and I do as well ;) ).

Thanks for the donation. I will transfer it to plutomaniac, because he was the person, who helped you to solve your problem.

Enjoy your repaired system!

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#10 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:01 pm

Zitat von Fernando im Beitrag #9
Zitat von aletib im Beitrag #8
Back Up&Running!
That is great - congratulations!
Zitat
Just made a donation: @Fernando I think you owe a beer to @plutomaniac (and I do as well ;) ).
Thanks for the donation. I will transfer it to plutomaniac, because he was the person, who helped you to solve your problem.

Enjoy your repaired system!

Up to you guys: Pluto had the knowledge but you provided the platform and built/grown the community; thanks again.

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#11 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Thu Mar 23, 2017 11:58 pm

I'm glad this community could be of help and that the problem is solved. Now you can use again those two systems which were previously collecting dust. Thank you very much for your donation, we highly appreciate it. Enjoy.

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#12 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Mon Apr 03, 2017 10:12 pm

hi fernando i finally got the dell t5600 to work with a pci-express m.2 ssd from dpx !

this is my email dwayne.deabreu@gmail.com

im the only one in the world that got it to work.....

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#13 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Sun Dec 24, 2017 6:38 pm

Not sure is helps but i would just get a bigger SPI chip like Atmel AT25Q128FV Its holding a 16MB so you dont need to split anithyng. In my alienware M17X-r2 i have a 25q64fv that is 8MB however the bios is only 4MB but i had injected some modules so i could raid 3xSSD's to raid 0 instead the original two allowed. In my Latitude 14 Rugged there is a 25q128FV that is 16MB but at the end of the flash dump there is about 2MB emty code filled with 00h and its not a rom hole.

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#14 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Sun Apr 22, 2018 8:32 am

Hi @Fernando

Had to reflash the BIOS again but can-t get rid of the ME recovery state anymore even after following the guide. Attached you'll find a dump; the only mod I did was to (successfully) add the mod for NVME boot. Any chance you could please help restoring the ME?

FYI: Tried to upload the file but even though everything show in english, I got an error message in german: Fehler: T7600A13.7z Dateityp nicht erlaubt! so I assumed dateityp was something dealing with data type and I changed the compression format ;)

Thanks a lot!

@djdeld @AssimilatorX what's the link between your posts and this topic?

aletib has attached files to this post

T7600A13.zip

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#15 | RE: Reviving dead Dell Workstations with bricked BIOS datum

Sun Apr 22, 2018 11:18 am (Last edited: Sun Apr 22, 2018 11:22 am)

@aletib:
Since your recent request has more to do with the Intel ME Region than with the BIOS Region, I recommend to post it into >this< Intel ME Sub-Forum.
By the way: Our Intel ME Guru is plutomaniac.

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