What does "PRR Tool" actually unlock? There are several BIOS type locks that can be set, by name, which is this supposed to be fixing?

Please show me image of the FPT error as shown, thanks! I will check if I can disable within the BIOS, if not you may need to boot to grub and do a setup_var edit, not sure.

I checked BIOS, and I see SMI lock and BIOS lock are disabled by default, but "BIOS Interface Lock" is enabled but I'm not sure this applies to this, but possible since it's the only lock I see enabled. Also RTC RAM Lock is enabled too.
I guess for now, we can disable both of those and see if it helps, I think it should. Give me a second if you're reading this now, I'll be editing in how to unlock these.

* Edit - here is the guide to use, this is for Asus board specifically, but after reading I assume you'll be able to find the same things in your BIOS to get you where we need to go
[GUIDE] Grub Setup_Var Guide - Fix Intel FPT Error 368 - BIOS Lock Bit Set HSFS W/ Asus or Other Mod BIOS

And these are the variables we'll changes for your board vs what the guide talks about.

BIOS Interface Lock >> VarName >> 0x11C >> Change to 0x0

RTC RAM Lock VarName >> 0x11D >> Change to 0x0

If this fails still after you change above and boot to windows, don't worry I will give you another method that should for sure help you get it all unlocked via NVRAM edit

In secure boot options, disable legacy boot (Or enable UEFI USB Boot), and set USB as first device, then reboot to it and it should load the EFI Shell. (Don't rename the bootx64.efi)
If we can't figure it out, there ill be no way around this, without flash programmer. I'm sure it's possible since this BIOS has secure boot, UEFI Options etc.
Asus is the only BIOS that specifically says boot to this EFI Shell, other boards you just boot override to USB and it loads

You could try the DOS flasher with mod BIOS, but I bet it checks some signature like the windows one does, maybe not though? Try and see

You may also see EFI option on "Boot Manager" when pressing the boot manager hotkey at startup. I read you don't need to disable legacy boot as I initially thought, only ensure that secure boot is disabled.
Here's a guide for another HP I found, should apply the same - https://blog.inf.ed.ac.uk/neilb/2017/03/...irmware-update/

Also found this guide, for directly booting to USB EFI Shell - BIOS aside, like booting to DOS USB Style - It's for Asrock, but that doesn't matter
http://asrock.pc.cdn.bitgravity.com/TSD/...EFI%20shell.pdf

I can verify this is possible one way or another due to the HP DOS flashing BIOS utility runs similar shell flshUEFI.CPU, which is flshuefi.efi really, a flash shell driver.

What is FS0, a hard drive you are trying to map? If yes, none of that is needed, once at grub shell follow the guide from shell prompt.
Although, "Shell" is not the goal here so maybe guide is wrong, it should be a grub prompt so what I linked may be all wrong.

When using Setup_var xxxx 0x01 it will give feedback, like you see in the images in the guide, saying setting found is at 0x1, new setting 0x0 etc.
If that does not happen from "Shell" prompt then nothing is changing in regards to what we need, so no surprise FPT still cannot flash.

Set that aside, can you simply boot to USB with the EFI file from guide in root (Put two copies there, one as its named in download, one renamed per the guide)

You may need to purchase $3 CH341A flash programmer, and $2.50 SOIC8 test clip jumper cable.

* Edit * I just did quick test and it works! I am not sure which is correct placement of files for this, so do all of these.

Make USB Bootable per this guide I outlined, do not double copy over file contents for DOS stuff, only use the HP Tool which puts only three files onto the USB
<Request> Flagship X470 Gaming 7 Wifi Motherboard BIOS Fix

Then make two copies of the bootx64.efi, one named that and one named Shell.efi, put one set of those in root of USB. Make a new folder at root named EFI, put copy of each inside there, and in that folder make another folder named BOOT and put two more copies inside that.


Go to BIOS and choose boot override to UEFI USB HDD, or set UEFI USB HDD to your first boot device. Then boot to USB, grub command should launch

Sweet, you got to grub! From your images, you still need to set 0x11c to 0x0 And while were there, go ahead and make sure 0x11A and 0x11B are set to 0x0 too (BIOS Lock), they should be per your BIOS setup file but best to check while were in there.

So you want 0x11A, 0x11B, 0x11C, and 0x11D all to be 0x0 and then on immediate reboot go to windows and use FPT. By default only 0x11C and 0x11D should have needed changed.

You can verify each ones current setting once you are done by entering name only one at a time without setting value and it will show you current setting
Setup_var 0x11A
Setup_var 0x11B
Setup_var 0x11C
Setup_var 0x11D

All = 0x0

Never give up!

OK, tonight I change the settings in stock BIOS without any other mod and we try again! In the meantime, have you tried AFU?
And did you already order $3 CH341A flash programmer and $2.50 SOIC8 test clip cable, if not order those now so they'll be on the way, cheap but long wait from China, or pay more $$ and get locally.

Also, while we wait for me to have more time to dig into BIOS, please download this and run the included commands from a separate command prompt at each #'rd folder (Not sure which version will work on your system)
Whichever folder does not give you the error, upload and send back to me, if it's two folders great, send me both - I think we can change lock here too, can't believe the setup_Var did not unclock it!
http://www.filedropper.com/checknvram

No one sell on ebay or amazon to your area? Yes, it's usually 3-5 weeks or so from China for me too, for most sellers. You might need to order this no matter what, since price is so cheap I would go ahead and order now, that way they are on the way to you if we can't fix otherwise.

Few things on the above test, I am not sure, maybe that is due to windows 10? Please try installing all 32 and 64 bit C++ and try again, this time reboot after installing all C++ and then try 32 bit again, if that fails try the x64 command included now.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download...s.aspx?id=48234 << Install this

Then install these if win10 will let you
https://aka.ms/vs/15/release/vc_redist.x86.exe
https://aka.ms/vs/15/release/vc_redist.x64.exe

Then try again, here is new package with 32/64 files and separate commands for each
https://nofile.io/f/C3u1O6AASMM/Check+NV...64-Included.zip

And please run meinfowin -verbose
Then upload image total here, split image OK, or copy entire text and put here in spoiler tags.

Do you have a spare HDD you can put in this system, so if needed you can setup Win7 quick install so we can get this NVRAM info and possibly re-write the NVRAM to unclock if setting locking you out is held there?

Have you already tried modified BIOS flash from DOS, using the included DOS utilities with stock BIOS (DOSFlash.exe + flshuefi.cpu in same directory as mod BIOS)? Filename may need to be exact as original (J52_0276.BIN)

Is there any labeled or unlabeled jumpers on the motherboard, like FD, Service, MMode, etc? Please check and upload some images if you are unsure, there might be a jumper to put in service mode so you can flash all BIOS including an unlocked descriptor too.

Please also test this nugget for HP I found - Shutdown the system. Press and hold WIN+[left arrow]+[right arrow] then press the power button. A bios message will indicate the SPI flash descriptor is unlocked. Does this happen? May only apply to their notebooks?
If yes, I can send you unlocked descriptor to flash via FPT, unsure if this will get around the 280 lock, but it will be a great start because flashing via FPT is much easier than other methods.

OK, so DOS is out. Please reply about all the other things I mentioned (meinfowin -verbose, spare HDD/Win7, jumpers on the board)
Aside from that, if you don't want to mess further with trying things, only way to do this is CH341A flash programmer and SOIC8 test clip (If BIOS is soldered to board)