I try to move too fast sometimes, when I should look back little bit is all. You've got a PM. I am not sure about 5 only supports Aptio 5, if you read that then it's probably true

Setting "User" is not always the only way to enable a menu or sub-section, often that may not even help at all, or may only be needed on top of another method. On HPET, not sure maybe same bug as your other BIOS too. Was that one in hidden section too that you disabled?
I see HPET in PCH-IO root section, so maybe best to put hidden one back to default and then disable that one, if fails then disable them both and see if that fixes it.

I will look at the menu stuff and let you know what method I would use, as you seen previously sometimes you need to try a few before you figure out which works. You did enable "User" on root section (Advanced) that contains CPU config correct? If not, do that now, you have to enable root section before any sub-section could be visible.
I did a quick check and there is no 46 02 leading the usual hidden root menu entries in setup, so this one will be either 0100001 to 010101 type change to enable root menu sections, or that on top of setting User at root areas in AMIBCP too.
For me to give best advice, I need to see current visible menu sections (Just what all main/root sections there is), along with what advanced looks like and what boot, security and save & exit looks like as well.

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #151

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I try to move too fast sometimes, when I should look back little bit is all. You've got a PM. I am not sure about 5 only supports Aptio 5, if you read that then it's probably true

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Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #151

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Setting "User" is not always the only way to enable a menu or sub-section, often that may not even help at all, or may only be needed on top of another method. On HPET, not sure maybe same bug as your other BIOS too. Was that one in hidden section too that you disabled?
I see HPET in PCH-IO root section, so maybe best to put hidden one back to default and then disable that one, if fails then disable them both and see if that fixes it.

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Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #151

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I will look at the menu stuff and let you know what method I would use, as you seen previously sometimes you need to try a few before you figure out which works. You did enable "User" on root section (Advanced) that contains CPU config correct? If not, do that now, you have to enable root section before any sub-section could be visible.

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Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #151

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I did a quick check and there is no 46 02 leading the usual hidden root menu entries in setup, so this one will be either 0100001 to 010101 type change to enable root menu sections, or that on top of setting User at root areas in AMIBCP too.
For me to give best advice, I need to see current visible menu sections (Just what all main/root sections there is), along with what advanced looks like and what boot, security and save & exit looks like as well.

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Sounds like maybe a bug like your other boards BIOS then, this is common issue (BIOS bugs), and not many disable this often so probably doesn't get reported too much. Please send me your BIOS edited, that has it disabled at all locations and I will see if then it's disabled in default setup module via IFR output, if not I will show you how to disable there too. We tried this in your other board first though, on the older BIOS and this along with hidden setting had no effect, but then on new BIOS version this was not required since changing hidden section disabled it by itself.

That is how FPT works, it's comparing at the end step current BIOS/region contents and the file used in the command, kinda like saying "Verified, job done"
To eliminate your concern about only writing certain places where changes are made (Which is all that's needed, since rest remains same) you can always use the -rewrite switch and that rewrites the entire region by erasing first and then rewriting.

No, what you mention about .cap is not risky, it will either flash or not. Capsule by design is a security measure/signed, so usually if you edit it will fail to flash is all (If signature./security checked by the flashing process=usually)

I will check your images, and the BIOS tonight, and show you where to make these changes to enable menu. Sometimes it may take a try or two to find exact spot, but not always

Ok. I tried both way. There was no difference. Anyway, I will just try modifying the .cap file and then flashing it with AFU.

I have shared here the edited BIOS (with HPET disabled at both places) and visibility forced at few places for testing.

There is a difference, as I described, in the way it flashes (not in the outcome of BIOS changes) I am not sure if you can use -verbose, but maybe that would show you more detail.

Your BIOS is flashing in fine, hence the FPT operation passed each time, no need to keep flashing. It's a failed mod is all, as in not doing what you intended, it's not failing to flash in there.

Thanks for BIOS, I will look and let you know tonight when I have more time where to enable the menu's at, and check the setup module High precision setting too
But like I said, we did all this last time on HPET, bugged BIOS did not make difference how it was disabled, seems same here since hidden didn't disable it right away like your new latest BIOS for the other system. So you may have to give up on that one, or push them for a fixed BIOS.
I can do the setup module edit for High Precision Timer right now, doesn't take too long, so will be attaching BIOS for that here in a little bit. Will get on the menus later tonight when I'll have more time to take many images and do slow to show you how to do this.

* Edit
I'm sorry if this is confusing, but it seemed simplest way to show this mod without having time to make a step by step guide. This is changing the default setup module setting for High Precision Timer, via IFR extraction and hex edit, from Enabled to Disabled (And yes, it was still enabled)

https://nofile.io/f/1pxDZUWv8CP/Mod-Setup-HPET-9-4-18.zip

I'm sorry if I went about posting this wrong, as I'm new to the forum. I'm looking for some help with unlocking the hidden menus in my bios. I've been working at it for about a week now and can't seem to get it figured out. The bios is a uefi ami aptio4. Thanks

@mikeshutte - that BIOS is built incorrectly, against well known and documented for years AMI BIOS rules, I checked A03 and A05 both same, so they probably did this on purpose to prevent modifications.
Because of this, which I'm sure you've noticed, there is an error "some BIOS strings exceed 400 character limit" so setup tab is not shown in AMIBCP, so any edit has to be blind edit in a non-GUI environment.

Due to that, I cannot even easily at a glance see what menus are there, not there, hidden etc. I can look at it textually or in Hex, but that is not ideal/feasible for making lots of changes, one or a few no problem but 20-50+ you might want with a mod like that is just not possible due to everything having to be done in a non-GUI setting.
I can try blindly enabling root menu's for you, but that's about all I can do without spending hours and hours tediously making changes one at a time and then having you test.

What have you been doing with the BIOS, or what have you found over the week you mentioned?

Here, I updated all CPU microcodes in A05 for you I include exe, and in case that fails to flash for you, also .rom file. I think the exe will be OK!

http://www.filedropper.com/dell-n5050-a05-mod

Which of these menus can you see? I assume 1-6 (First main, through exit), correct? It's too bad we can't see in AMIBCP, sometimes second boot or second security is the one shown, and seeing these in BIOS vs AMIBCP helps narrow down where to enable in hex if possible.
If you cannot see one of the items in 1-6 here, that may help, but without being able to visually compare in AMIBCP vs images of your BIOS it may not be possible. Do you have flash programmer in case recovery is needed?
Main
Advanced
Intel
Security
Boot
Exit
Main
Advanced
Chipset
Boot
Security

And for Advanced, security, and boot are there several items shown in each one or only a small few?

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #155

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Your BIOS is flashing in fine, hence the FPT operation passed each time, no need to keep flashing. It's a failed mod is all, as in not doing what you intended, it's not failing to flash in there.

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Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #155

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I'm sorry if this is confusing, but it seemed simplest way to show this mod without having time to make a step by step guide. This is changing the default setup module setting for High Precision Timer, via IFR extraction and hex edit, from Enabled to Disabled (And yes, it was still enabled)

https://nofile.io/f/1pxDZUWv8CP/Mod-Setup-HPET-9-4-18.zip

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Yes, sorry, nofile is bad sometimes, usually file is gone but today I see server down a lot. It's up right now, I just checked link.

No, there is no insert before or after used in this process. You must extract the exact part shown, as-is or body and then insert as-is or body (insert back always same way you extracted, for this as-is is good)
Yes, what you described is all the same I went through when trying to help you disable it way back on the 314 BIOS for the other system, bugged BIOS. You did verify after you hex edited, saved, and made a new IFR to then re-check that it was changed to disabled? If yes, then bugged BIOS like your other older one.

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #159

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Yes, sorry, nofile is bad sometimes, usually file is gone but today I see server down a lot. It's up right now, I just checked link.

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Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #159

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No, there is no insert before or after used in this process. You must extract the exact part shown, as-is or body and then insert as-is or body (insert back always same way you extracted, for this as-is is good)

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Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #159

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Yes, what you described is all the same I went through when trying to help you disable it way back on the 314 BIOS for the other system, bugged BIOS. You did verify after you hex edited, saved, and made a new IFR to then re-check that it was changed to disabled? If yes, then bugged BIOS like your other older one.

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Unfortunately bugged BIOS is common problem for many brands or series BIOS, sometimes if it's important fix and many complaints it will get corrected quickly, but something like this I doubt will ever be fixed. I am not sure the cause or how to fix, sorry.

Yes, sorry for the terminology I used there. Right click, extract as is the sub-guid you have highlighted, do your edits, and then right click same position and replace as-is. Main thing is to always extract and replace at the exact same position, and to always extract/replace I the same manner (As-is or body).
Sometimes you may extract body only, to preserve the header from getting overwritten or changed, I don't think it's always a problem if you attention to it being there and don't change it. I always do extract body/replace body when doing microcodes, in those cases you also must always check to ensure the entire footer remains as well, some BIOS have one there and some do not.

HPET can be made visible in this BIOS in the PCH section, but since you've already tested changing that setting it wont matter if you can see/change it in person in the BIOS GUI or not, it will be same outcome.

Thanks for the prompt reply! I really didn't do much with the bios, due to racking my brain trying to figure out the hidden menus. I used every tool I could possibly think of and, like you said it would come down to using text or hex. As far as the menus that are present, they are Main thru exit. there isn't a whole lot of setting per tab. Pretty basic. I did try updating the cpu microcodes as you mentioned with the ubu tool. I tried the 2018-04-10, seemed to flash fine and all, but when I open mmt it still shows the original microcode info. I will try the exe files that you included. I also don have a flash programmer for recovery, which is another reason I really haven't tried too much editing. Other than that, I haven't done any other mods other than a cpu upgrade as I cant' find much available for this laptop. And thanks again for you time and the microcodes. I'll try flashing it in a little later today and let you kmow how it turned out.

Yes @mikeshutte I think they did that on accident really, and never fixed/don't care. I thought maybe on purpose to prevent easy modding, but they don't have that same issue on many of their other BIOS, so this is probably error and they never cared to fix it.

So main-exit exactly in the order I showed above? I think maybe I found place to change, but not 100% sure, I'll have to look at it more tonight. And since you do not have flash programmer yet may be best to wait until you do (Order now, CH341A flash programmer is only $3, and SOIC8 text clip cable $2.50)

What is mmt tool that you see microcode with? And what is the "original" microcode shown version and date? Sometimes windows loads it's own over what the BIOS has, but this is a recent thing due to all the spectre/meltdown stuff, so if that is the case and newer is available via windows vs what's in the BIOS then windows one would be loaded.
For a check/verification, you can also check current microcode with AIDA64 in the motherboard >> CPUID section. And with HWInfo64, shown in the main CPU-z-like window that opens initially, at the middle area few sections below core count in section uCU

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #161

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Unfortunately bugged BIOS is common problem for many brands or series BIOS, sometimes if it's important fix and many complaints it will get corrected quickly, but something like this I doubt will ever be fixed. I am not sure the cause or how to fix, sorry.

Yes, sorry for the terminology I used there. Right click, extract as is the sub-guid you have highlighted, do your edits, and then right click same position and replace as-is. Main thing is to always extract and replace at the exact same position, and to always extract/replace I the same manner (As-is or body).
Sometimes you may extract body only, to preserve the header from getting overwritten or changed, I don't think it's always a problem if you attention to it being there and don't change it. I always do extract body/replace body when doing microcodes, in those cases you also must always check to ensure the entire footer remains as well, some BIOS have one there and some do not.

HPET can be made visible in this BIOS in the PCH section, but since you've already tested changing that setting it wont matter if you can see/change it in person in the BIOS GUI or not, it will be same outcome.

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Yes, I don't think we can fix it, unless by digging around in the internet you can find someone explaining why some BIOS are bugged on this setting, then maybe I can fix. I will check on the other BIOS menus for you shortly.

@akm - does this unlock menu root entries? If yes, I'll show you how tonight
https://www.sendspace.com/file/njuwzu