@KaoDome - You should see power and advanced menus, once edit actually applies. FPT will always be unlocked, provided you unlock it, and then dump only that with FPT and or programmer and use only those files moving forward.
Logos are where they are x many, 4-5 for that green acer logo. It's not that were editing wrong things here, something else is going on.

Yes, for now, lets focus on the menu unlock edit. Please dump current BIOS contents with programmer and edit to unlock menu as noted out above, then program back. Be sure you erase chip and blank check, then open BIOS file and write/verify.
This is proving to be an issue for the other user too, he keeps getting stuck at error 167 though and can't FPT flash. Generally this is all very simply, especially once you can FPT flash and or have programmer etc.

I'm afraid something is amiss @Lost_N_BIOS, it could be some more protections we didn't take into account, but it doesn't seem to be working.

I tried working off of a clean environment in the BIOS just to make sure nothing from yesterday disturbed something that shouldn't have been:
1. Flash v1.18 unmmodified using the original flashing program (allowing same-version flashing, because it's disabled by default).
2. After the reboot, dump the vars using H2OUVE, modify them and flash them back; just so I have the ability to use FPT (but I didn't).
3. Using the programmer dump the contents of the ROM chip, verifying the dump was correct.
4. Open the dump in UEFITool (51) and extract Section_PE32_image_DriverSampleDxe_SetupUtility_body.efi.
5. Make the hex edits as per your instructions on what needs to be replaced, I'm afraid my assembly knowledge is limited to null and I wouldn't be able to disassemble to check if that's the only thing that needs to be replaced; but I trust you completely so I went by your edits.
6. Save the modified section and replace it using UEFITool (25), saving the new full-ROM dump.
7. Clear the memory of the ROM chip with AsProgrammer and verify it's clear.
8. Program the newly modified ROM, verify it's written correctly.
9. Reboot the system.

At this point no double reboot happened, once I got to Windows I rebooted into the BIOS but the menus are still the same. I have uploaded some pictures, but there's no difference from what they were originally that I could see (maybe there's a key combination to be pressed? Like the Ctrl+S to show the SATA modification setion).

I dumped again the ROM contents using the programmer to verify the edits were still in place, and they were, although the dump was different from before (some other part was modified in the process).

I'm going to delete all of the binaries I posted in the previous posts to free memory from the server and just keep the ones from this session, the good ones, here.

#5 - Yes, only two bytes of those four are actually done via assembly It's correct, as far as I know, I've done this exact mod on many similar BIOS and it's how the unlock is done.
No pictures needed, if it's not unlocked then it's not unlocked. The only thing you need to check in your post flash dump/menu edit check, is the setup edits you made, if they are flashed in and no menu unlock, then it's not correct edits for this BIOS somehow!
I will check it out again, but as far as I know for Insyde BIOS menu unlocking, this is the correct routine and I immediately recognize this BIOS structure where we're editing, similar to many other I've unlocked and edit is exact same (same bytes in hex even).
Not all Insyde are like this of course, there is 4-5 types I know and recognize immediately, like this one, and usually nothing else applies and each type/style are their own and same/similar edits apply to each type in their own ways.
I checked, looks correct to me still!

Please wait, I will see if someone will help to confirm for us
@genius239 or @DeathBringer - Can you please confirm for me, menu unlock edit below is correct for this model, thanks! Programmer dump above (Full ROM Dump.zip) - Thank you!
00009EB: 38 Change to >> 00
0000A22: 75 Change to >> EB

Or, does 919 also need >> 75 >> EB? I assume not, as it's not generally needed, but caught my eye looking again

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #18

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@DeathBringer - Can you please confirm for me, menu unlock edit below is correct for this model, thanks!

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@DeathBringer - I know you are not interested, you can look at it all bored and uninterested, it's OK, we wont mind
I only tagged you because I know you know how to do, so hoped you'd confirm I have it correct. You and Genius239 are the only Insyde Modders I know around here, so no one else to ask to confirm
I know you don't like to do this kind of mod, but I only asked if you would check/look, not do the mod, or have to enjoy looking etc
You have to be more happy, enjoy life more, branch out and enjoy new things, even if boring it's OK to dabble a little bit and get loose sometimes

@KaoDome - Here, have programmer ready for recovery, test x2 BIOS to see if either alternate unlock is needed here (testunlock3), or additional edits above what I though should be original unlock method (testunlock2).
Both of these BIOS may = no change, or both may brick, so be ready. You can flash them in via FPT/BIOS region, or with programmer, whichever seems easier to you.

Also, before you send me any dump, or dump vars, or try to flash mod BIOS, the following should always be true >> No BIOS password set, Secure Boot Disabled, Any TMP/Encryption disabled.
It's a mess here, so sorry if we've covered that already, or not. But if you've not done the above, before when you sent me vars and flashed it back in then created "FreshBIOSAfterModifiedVars"
Please do it now and then make new vars dump, so we can unlock FPT flashing, and send new BIOS region or programmer dump after you flashed back in new mod vars I will send you..
If all that is done, that's the base I used here "FreshBIOSAfterModifiedVars"
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=60287563594731482815 >> Do not use, waste of time, see below

Will do! Out of the things you mentioned I think only TPM was enabled, Secure Boot was already disabled ;).

I will also test those BIOS mods you uploaded and I'll attach to the thread some pictures of the board itself, I couldn't see any other ROM chip, but maybe I missed it.

@KaoDome - TMP should always be disabled, so this may be issue all along! Please lets starts fresh! Do not use above BIOS.
1. Flash stock BIOS using stock exe/method.
2. Enter BIOS, load optimal defaults, reboot back to BIOS
3. Remove any BIOS password if set, disable TMP, disable secure boot.
4. Boot to windows, dump vars and send to me, then I will edit, you flash back, then do step 5-6
5. Dump BIOS region post mod vars flash back
6. Dump BIOS with programmer

I will then send you original mod BIOS region edit, for you to test flash back via FPT.
Then I will also redo edits 2/3 linked above, don't waste time with them now, BIOS is in iffy/unknown for mod state, so lets start fresh and proper!
Please zip images above if you want me to check them (and yes, I'd like to look) thanks

I see! I didn't even think of TPM, disabled all I could but that remained enabled all along (I tried flashing those two before reading that last comment, and the results were the same, probably because of the TPM).

So:
1. Flashed stock BIOS, it loads defaults automatically (Acer is that way, a pain for those who use AHCI because it reverts back to RST and Windows becomes unbootable until changed again haha).
2. Disabled everything in the BIOS: Secure Boot, TPM, any kind of password.
3. Dumped vars, modified vars (I think, I attach them in case I missed something or there's something else to do to them) and flashed them back, reboot.
4. Dump BIOS using FPT, tried flashing back with FPT ~> All good.
5. Shut down, remove power, dump ROM with programmer, just in case.

You'll find everything attached! If unlocking the menus work, I'll try to get the wolf and microcode then, but that's very low priority at this point.

#3 - Do you know how to edit the vars?? If not, and you flashed back in modified vars I sent you before, start all over again, and when you get to #3 stop and send me the vars to edit.

I don't think so... but I followed in your footsteps hehe, I replaced the same bytes you did in the same places.

@KaoDome - OK, looks good then Test in order here, M1 (OG Edit, should unlock menu) >> M2 >> M3
Here, please test each one of these via FPT, but use the following command each time (And ONLY do this here/now, don't make this a FPT habit) >> FPTw.exe -bios -rewrite -f filename.bin
If you get any odd error, stop and do not reboot, reflash stock BIOS region dump from above with FPT then OK and let me know, I will remain into full BIOS so you can test with programmer instead.
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil...641549508178091

If all those fail, menu-wise, let me know, one more thing I could maybe try in addition to OG edit, it's generally not required, but maybe that's all that's missing?
Just in case, here is that >> M1M4 >> http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil...788924754358253

Something is really preventing this machine from showing any modification, jokingly it crossed my mind that even if I wrote all 0s for the BIOS I'd still see the same menus haha (I know I wouldn't of course).

The odd thing is that, flashing through FPT works like a charm, even reprogramming the whole BIOS part (I understand the verifying part is reading it back and comparing it to the file), all great. But no change is appreciated afterwards whatsoever, went from M1 through M1M4 using -rewrite and trying rebooting as well as shutting down, just for good measure. No deal.

Could it be there's another test we're not bypassing?

I fear doing the same to the whole ROM dump would end up with the same thing, but it's worth a try, I have the clean dump just in case.

@KaoDome - Wow! Please zip those images above for me, so I can confirm for you there is no other chip.
Also, as mentioned, don't use that -rewrite anymore with FPT, that was just for this test round

Maybe this BIOS is totally ignoring/not using the menu section I've been editing, and I should look further in there? I didn't due to coming across that right away.
But, I did assume one of those BIOS would at least cause changes if incorrect edits, issues, or lockups in BIOS etc and it hasn't, so very strange. Kinda like the logo too, goes in, only thing there, yet no change.
Lets confirm same for microcodes real quick too! Please check current in use microcode with HWINFO64, as shown below, show me image back, then I will change and you test.

My eyes are closing already, today was a long-ish day; but I had something to report and I stumbled upon your reply @Lost_N_BIOS !

You'll find the pictures I took attached to the post and I can take more if necessary, however I think we're on the right track.

Let me explain, from 1.11 to 1.12 besides "Update BIOS code." they also hid the option for the SATA control mode under Ctrl+S in the Main tab. So I thought "Hmm... lets get that section and replace it in the current build and see what happens". Now the BIOS seems the same but the part where you can setup the SATA operation mode is always visible, no more Ctrl+S required. So we're missing something, for everything, (maybe even another hidden logo I didn't find), but the menu seems to be that file.

I am attaching all of the sections from the different BIOSes (out of the decompression routine of PhoenixTool, I hope vars are not in those sections) in case you're able to make diffs of graphs in IDA because I saw no way of doing it and I barely understand the program or how to load BIOSes and assembly code at this level.


The modification was made to the FPT BIOS dump instead of the full ROM one, just in case that is relevant.