I have a few of these Vostro 260s units, a hot-air station, an SPI programmer, and time on my hands. In this case, my objective is to get these boards booting Ivy procs, so I'd like to pick up where Flagers left off.

If I understand correctly based on the previous posts, the main issue was getting plutomaniac's MS-A10_ME8.bin flashed properly via software. I can bypass this process in hardware to speed things up; once we have a confirmed functional final product, we can work on getting it going via software on another untouched unit. If this is still a topic of interest, how should I proceed next?

EDIT: Unsoldered original BIOS (MX25L3206E) and dumped several times with chip reseats in between + diff'd for dump verification, attached here.

EDIT2: plutomaniac's MS-A10_ME8.bin flashed and installed, booted successfully (all this is using a Sandy proc).

@turbo9000 - all you need to do now I think is test to see if Ivy is working or not. Can you successfully run MEInfoWin from V8 ME system tools folder?

@Lost_N_BIOS I didn't try Ivy with plutomaniac's BIOS as he mentioned no modules had been changed, which means no Ivy vBIOS. I did, however, run into your MS-A10_MEvBIvy2.bin a few posts down and flashed that.

With a Sandy proc, 6 beeps - a lookup gets me "vBIOS test failure"
With an Ivy proc, no beeps, no video. Powers on and remains on at low fanspeed.

EDIT: As the newer vBIOS is (to my knowledge) supposed to handle both Sandy and Ivy, this may be a module issue in the actual BIOS. I've done a bit of AMI editing before, but mostly just enabling menus, never anything on this level.

Sorry, I didn't read back through all this, just assumed you had read and found the correct file to use. MS-A10-ME8 has been edited, not sure what you mean, sounds like he updated that to ME8 (ohh, I see what you mean, no vBIOS or GOP etc)
I'll have to look through all this thread again later tonight, sorry I can't now was just heading out.

No problem, I'll reflash his MS-A10_ME8.bin and at least verify the ME8 info with a Sandy proc, ensure everything checks out. One stage at a time :)

EDIT: Sandy boots, Ivy behaves identical to MS-A10_MEvBIvy2.bin - powers on, stays on, no beeps, no video. Ivy proc in use is an i5-3570k. The proc works just fine in a Vostro 270s (but that's a different board & B75 chipset).

ME8 seems to be in:

Intel(R) MEInfo Version: 8.1.56.1541
Copyright(C) 2005 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
 
GBE Region does not exist.
Intel(R) ME code versions:
 
BIOS Version:                           A10
MEBx Version:                           Not available
Gbe Version:                            Unknown
VendorID:                               8086
PCH Version:                            5
FW Version:                             8.1.70.1590
 
FW Capabilities:                        0x00101C40
 
    Intel(R) Capability Licensing Service - PRESENT/ENABLED
    Protect Audio Video Path - PRESENT/ENABLED
    Intel(R) Dynamic Application Loader - PRESENT/ENABLED
 
CPU Upgrade State:                      Upgrade Capable
Cryptography Support:                   Disabled
Last ME reset reason:                   Power up
Local FWUpdate:                         Enabled
BIOS Config Lock:                       Disabled
Host Read Access to ME:                 Enabled
Host Write Access to ME:                Enabled
SPI Flash ID #1:                        C22016
SPI Flash ID VSCC #1:                   20052005
SPI Flash BIOS VSCC:                    20052005
BIOS boot State:                        Post Boot
OEM Id:                                 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Capability Licensing Service:           Enabled
Capability Licensing Service Status:    Permit info not available
OEM Tag:                                0x00000000
Localized Language:                     Unknown
Independent Firmware Recovery:          Disabled
 

It's worth mentioning that gloobox's linked Optiplex 3010 BIOS does work if you have an 8MB 3V SPI flash chip handy, I used a W25Q64BV and the Vostro 260s board fired up without issue using both a Sandy and Ivy proc.

However: (edited to add numbers)
1. Stock BIOS updates don't work (the model's recognized, but post-reboot the flash doesn't take place)
2. The system's initially in manufacturing mode (hit ALT-F to get out of it when the prompt comes up)
3. The system complains about "Power Button Cable failure" and "Front I/O Cable failure" on every reboot - this may be connected with why the stock BIOS update doesn't flash

All in all, it works in a pinch, but I'd prefer to work toward a 4MB solution others can apply as well!

Can you post a proper link to gloobox BIOS you mention, that redirects to page one of this thread and I looked all through thread and no posts by gloobox. Issues 1+2 I can fix, 3 possibly.
All Ivy BIOS I have seen are 8MB only, so I doubt we can make that work on a 4MB chip, I was unaware a 4MB chip was part of the intended process here.

Post #87 in this thread, http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=38684322843025974928

The Vostro 260 & 260s all have 4MB chips & that was the case throughout this thread. I believe the 1.5MB ME was developed for these situations and I do believe I've seen it done for other 4MB-flash boards (with Q67 chipsets etc). The biggest roadblock always seemed to be moving from ME7 to ME8, but I think plutomaniac has taken care of that for us.

EDIT: Also attached here in case that link goes down, as so often tends to happen.

Thanks, I looked on each page and missed it twice! I assumed it was 4MB chips, hadn't read back into the thread yet, what I said above is in general for Ivy you need 8MB and I've never seen 4MB Ivy.
1.5MB ME has always been that way, nothing to do with Ivy. 5MB ME is for corporate, and neither are actually that size 1.5MB or 5MB

Q67 has 4MB Ivy BIOS? If so, great, that would be first one I've heard about, maybe I will remember next time I think about this Probably heard others before too, but it's not the norml.

Putting in ME8 is simple, making the BIOS actually and properly work with ME8 is not the same thing at all.
Usually it's not a simple change when major ME version update, many BIOS files are also changed, updated, new ones inserted sometimes etc and this almost always can only be done by the manufacturers, which is why stuff like this goes unsolved for so long or forever.
If it was as simple as changing ME version, and adding microcodes/vBIOS/GOP as needed, these kind of updates would never be an issue for anyone because anyone that modifies BIOS can do all that with their eyes closed.
Many other files are usually edited, 10-20 or more, such as CPUinit, PCHInit, SBDXE, MEPlatformDXE, CMSCore etc lots of files with not simple changes done, so it's not something we can blindly do from our end.

On issue #1 in your list above, how are you flashing, with AFU, or from within BIOS or DOS? If DOS or within BIOS, did you add /forceit?

Reading back now, I see the issue remains a display issue from early on in my edit attempts on this.
To fix this on skylake/kaby to coffee mods a PCIE mod hack was created, this is to edit such things as I mentioned above that are edited by the manufacturer when major ME or CPU related changes are done.
It appears the mod is already working from my BIOS posted on #3 without vBIOS even and then #22 with vBIOS update (both booted with IVY, no display, but can network into running PC).
However, it's unclear if I updated/added GOP too ever? Doesn't look like it, so see below! It's also unclear if anyone tested those BIOS with PCIE cards too, or only integrated graphics.

I checked my folder on this, and see after BIOS in post #22 I made another BIOS Ivy-Sandy-Update4.zip / MS-A10M4.BIN a day later than the BIOS from #22, but seems for some reason I never posted it to this thread.
I see I have GOP in in this folder, but not in the BIOS still, so this may be part of the issue too, stock BIOS does not contain GOP and I'm unsure if that can simply be added in and have it function correctly, especially since the oroms are inside CMSCore in this BIOS.
We can test inserting it within the main volume and see what happens?

Here, please test, this has added EFI GOP for both SB and IVY, something we overlooked previously and I think it may fix the display issue.

http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil...935365197065475

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #99

---

Putting in ME8 is simple, making the BIOS actually and properly work with ME8 is not the same thing at all.
Usually it's not a simple change when major ME version update, many BIOS files are also changed, updated, new ones inserted sometimes etc and this almost always can only be done by the manufacturers, which is why stuff like this goes unsolved for so long or forever.
If it was as simple as changing ME version, and adding microcodes/vBIOS/GOP as needed, these kind of updates would never be an issue for anyone because anyone that modifies BIOS can do all that with their eyes closed.
Many other files are usually edited, 10-20 or more, such as CPUinit, PCHInit, SBDXE, MEPlatformDXE, CMSCore etc lots of files with not simple changes done, so it's not something we can blindly do from our end.

---

What updater from windows do you use, when trying mod BIOS? Please link me to it. I think you're correct, the stock exe is not packed via AMI tools like some of the others, and the stock exe contains an HDR file without any normal flash/update tools.
I checked the 3010 BIOS ab it's is still Aptio IV based

Thanks for report back with several test methods. Seems some other GOP and or vBIOS is needed then, because it should be booting perfectly with SB using onboard or PCIE, although onboard is not much of a concern it still should be working.
Sounds like Ivy is booting properly as always since the early mods, but no display. Does the OptiPlex with Ivy work with onboard GFX and PCIE, and what about Sandy, all OK too?
If yes, I will use it as a display source, and transfer all settings from that ones vBIOS to a copy in the 260 BIOS too (including whatever GOPs are there for the onboards).
I checked GOP/vBIOS info with UBU and I see it's using nearly the same GOP pair I put in this latest test BIOS, and exact same vBIOS but with different settings, so using it's settings and vBIOS may help (if other modules are not what's holding it back too)


Yes, it's very complex, and as you saw mentioned by plutomaniac early on, none of this may ever be possible, because normally this kind of change over (Major ME Version update) must first be done by the manufacturer because of all the other changes to other BIOS modules.
After they did that, then we could update the files we discuss to whatever version we wanted and it would still work.

The updater I used is O3010A22.exe

I'm not sure if Ivy is actually booting; I don't see any USB initialization (keyboard lights or mouse), nor does it boot to OS (by HD indicator lights or network stack coming up). I have a PCI tester card that shows various init codes throughout the boot process, but the board has no PCI slots...

On the Optiplex BIOS, Sandy and Ivy boot with onboard. I didn't try PCIE (it didn't even cross my mind! - thanks for mentioning it), but I assume it would be fine. I will verify a bit later today.

I'm game for exhausting all possibilities; for every bin, there will be solder, flux & hot air :)

OK, that's the one I have too, it's just HDR and some other stuff that I can't tell how it's flashing or preparing the flash for reboot
BIOS has already been proven to be booting into OS early on by other users, networking into PC as it's running and all was fine.

Wish you had a clip, I hate to think of popping off and putting back on BIOS every time just for simple tests. If you leave the 260 BIOS in and just use Sandy for a while, aside from Ivy CPU swap test, you can leave BIOS on the board and just flash using AFU

I'll wait to do anything until I hear back from you about the 3010 PCIE test results.

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #103

---

BIOS has already been proven to be booting into OS early on by other users, networking into PC as it's running and all was fine.

---

Please test with BIOS from post #5, confirmed working to network into in post #10, see if it works like that for you too. That is weird about AHCI thing! Is that BIOS in #99 with that issue?
I will start fresh now, so nothing can get messed up on my end, since I have the old folder on this with lots of edits and random files edited and extracted etc.

Yes, if we can't get it working, I will update microcode, modules etc and work on figuring out the issues, specifically #3

What is M1, M2, Mboth earlier BIOS I posted I assume, those looks like names I would use, but none I noticed that I did use in BIOS made in my folder on this.
Ohh, I see your mentioned link to other thread now, and looking at that, he never reported back on results, so I can't confirm what's going on there (let me check my folder on this and see if I can figure that out)
It's good to have a report back on this from someone finally, thanks Now I can look into further fixing the issue based on your report above.
* Edit, checking my edits here, Funny to see Mboth boots/works, but M1 does not boot? MBoth contains exact edit as M1 plus additional edit from M2, logically MBoth should fails as it contains the M1 edit... so it's

Will look this over more in assembly now * Checked, I can make other changes instead of the ones I made, and different routines could be edited as well, all this is in one same module (DellErrorLogConfig)

I will start fresh right now, with 260 BIOS again, putting in ME8, vBIOS and GOP from the 3010, microcodes. If that fails, then I think we have to move forward with 3010 BIOS instead.


* Edit @turbo9000 - Here is new test, this has updated CPU microcodes (always), SNB/Ivy vBIOS from 3010 inserted into CMSCORE, old sandy vBIOS removed (Desktop & mobile), EFI GOP from 3010 for IVY ONLY (no room for both)
So, when using Sandy, this one may only work with PCIE card. Additionally included is a second mod, where I left the Sandy mobile orom in place, all rest same as above (Could not fit Sandy GOP in here either)

http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil...897728969197525