Thank you, no need to go fast, I lived with the stock bios for years, I think I can still live with that
If it's not too much demanding can you write how you modified it?If it's too complicated/too long to describe it's not a problem of course!..I'm interested more into going deeper into the issue in respect to just have a working file to flash.

I'm always behind and lost in threads here, so it may take me a little bit anyway, but I will try to get done quick as I can.
If it's easy, yes I can tell you, but generally this may take a few hours and 15-20 interim builds, so it's really not ideal to explain or show how to do it.

On a basic level, I will remove several large modules inside the main DXE volume (The volume we're editing in). Then with MMTool and or UEFITool I will get your mod file put back in without padding added, then add back in what was removed.
Sometimes that can be adding all modules back at once, other times one by one with alternating tools, sometimes few at a time OK etc. It's a long dance to do, but at the end, it makes stuff like this possible.
I have to do it time to time for microcode edits or NVME inserts, usually on Asus, but sometimes Gigabyte too.

Just to add some more info to this issue, I found a quite recent opened bug in github:
https://github.com/LongSoft/UEFITool/issues/231

It seems exactly the same issue, same warning in uefitool ne when opening the original bios file.

I was thinking if the position of AmiBoardInfo inside the volume is important for a proper file build, because if extracted/modified/deleted and re-added at the end the pad-file is not generated..

@ghost82 - It's location "should not" matter, so good eye on catching that! I've moved Setup to end a few times to avoid this issue too.
Test a file with AMIBoardInfo moved to end instead (use 25.0), remove it, save as interim file, then on new interim file add the mod AMIBoardInfo back at end. If that fails, try same with MMTool 5.02, it will automatically insert at end when you insert
This is happening because your rebuild module size is larger than the original, due to new/different compression, so everything is moved off below it (3EEF origin size >> 3EF6 Mod size)
With it moved to end, only free space below that would need be affected/realigned and it does not matter so would not be. That should work

Actually here, test this - http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil...561586601390687
If this works, then I can show you what I did (made brand new AMIBoardInfo FFS / "Module" As-Is)
New FFS size 43CC which is larger due to different compression method used, but maybe it's more aligned that way, no hassle on rebuild and no padding added or removed, if inserted with UEFITool 25.0 (did not test other version, I always use 25.0 since it messes with this least of all usually)
I did test insert with MMTool 5.02 = fail, padding added again, suspect same would happen with UEFITool 28.0 >> Actually << Confirmed 28.0 also OK, identical output to 25.0 in this case

@Lost_N_BIOS thank you very much!you did it!
Your rom file is working perfectly, after about 20 flashes one rom that works :D
Patch in the DSDT is also applied correctly and finally after 7+ months this motherboard is able to properly shutdown in linux.

I did not try (yet) my rom with AmiBoardInfo at the end: I read that DXE drivers should be position-independent in the volume, but I'm not too much confident it will work (let's say I think I have 50% possibility to boot with it).

I looked at your rom image but still not clear how you did it :D --> again, if it's fast for you to explain it's very appreciated
1- ok, I understood and seen clearly in uefitool that the new AmiBoardInfo is bigger and this caused "the issue"
2- you said "made brand new AMIBoardInfo FFS / "Module" As-Is": I understand that I can modify the original cap bios, export AmiBoardInfo as body, make changes with hex editor, replace body in original cap bios, extract AmiBoardInfo as is
3- I miss the last step: if I replace (starting from the beginning by opening the original cap) the AmiBoardInfo as is, with uefitool 0.25.0 pad file is added, if I delete and add AmiBoardInfo in the same position pad file is added, if I delete all the content in the volume (before I extracted as is all 161 modules) and add one by one respecting the position (starting from the last module), at module CspLibDxe (if I remember well) pad file is added again (or maybe I should start from the beginning for proper alignement...(?))

My only way is to add that AmiBoardInfo at the end of the volume.

@ghost82 - Great to hear it's working now! And even better to hear your actual edit is OK and working too, all very nice!
About your move file test, if you open BIOS in UEFITool NE Alpha (such as 51), you will see that this module is NOT "Fixed" over on right side info, so should be able to be safely moved

If you take the BIOS I sent you and extract the entire mod module from the BIOS As-Is, then you will have the "new FFS" I made
And then you can edit stock BIOS (extracted from capsule) and replace that new FFS (entire module as-is in this context) with UEFITool 25.0 or 28.0 and you wont get padding added.

Making the new FFS is all I did, then simply "Replace As-Is" The new FFS creation is the key!
I recently had to teach myself about making these for Asus X79 too, it was breaking BIOS no matter how we inserted some updates without using a new FFS.
And padding wasn't be added or removed in that case either, but no matter what/how BIOS = Brick!

First, you need FFS tool >>
https://github.com/pbatard/ffs
https://github.com/pbatard/ffs/releases

Then with UEFITool NE Alpha 51, or whatever version you want to use for extraction, extract the following from the stock BIOS - how I outline
1. AMIboardInfo >> Expand and select >> DXE Dependency Section >> Extract >> AS-IS >> Save as >> depex.sct
2. Expand Compressed section and select >> OemPir section >> Extract AS-IS >> Save as >> OemPir.sct
3. Need your Modified PE32 section BODY ONLY (Starts with 4D 5A) >> Name to PE32body.efi (file names I give here, such as PE32Body.efi or OemPir.sct only matter for the outline below, you can use any names you like once you know how to make)

Put all that into folder with FFS tools >> Now you are ready to make new FFS
Run commands below, and on final CMD, you will have new FFS to simply "Replace As-Is" and it wont make padding issue

1. gensec -o name.sct -S EFI_SECTION_USER_INTERFACE -n "AmiBoardInfo" // This creates the "UI" section of the compressed module, and makes a temp name.sct file //
2. gensec -o pe32.sct PE32body.efi -s EFI_SECTION_PE32 // This creates the PE32 section of the compressed module, and makes a temp pe32.sct file //
3. gensec pe32.sct OemPir.sct name.sct -o comp.sct -S EFI_SECTION_COMPRESSION // This compresses PE32.sct, OemPir.sct, and name.sct into a temp compressed section names comp.sct - FYI, sections are compressed in order used in command, in case you need to swap things around in other edits //

4. genffs -d 1 -g "9F3A0016-AE55-4288-829D-D22FD344C347" -o AmiBoardInfo.ffs -i depex.sct -i comp.sct -t EFI_FV_FILETYPE_DRIVER // This creates the new FFS module giving it the original GUID //

So this makes new FFS (As-Is) Module >> Depex (DXE Dependency section) + Compressed section, which we made previously that contains >> (PE32 >> OemPir >> UI) >> output >> AmiBoardInfo.ffs (NEW one )

You can run genffs or gensec with no parameters and it will give you the help/info for all possible flags/options to be used.

Thank you very much for such information! I will try to replicate soon.

UPDATE: the following spoiler doesn't work!

Zitat

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Making the new FFS is all I did, then simply "Replace As-Is" The new FFS creation is the key!
I recently had to teach myself about making these for Asus X79 too, it was breaking BIOS no matter how we inserted some updates without using a new FFS.
And padding wasn't be added or removed in that case either, but no matter what/how BIOS = Brick!

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This is confirmed by the above spoiler (which doesn't work, pad file not added, all seems good but unbootable bios)

Again thanks for the time you dedicated to this, now I know something more about bios!

@ghost82 - Spoiler is confusing??!! Why extract ALL modules?? Yes, that is way too much effort, and too easy to mess up since this is all the way at the beginning of file
And some modules should be inserted via direct hex only not UEFITool/MMtool >> any PEI module, such as last module, one above it, and a few throughout
Due to PEI modules inside DXE volume, this may be why rebuild of this volume is "often" an issue, or at least adds to the overall issues here.
PEI modules can be a pain sometimes and really should be only by itself in their own volumes (!!ASUS!! )

If you're doing this as a "test move of AMIBoardInfo" experiment, then this would be ideal/easy way, this way you are not messing with any "Fixed" module and you're not messing with any PEI module >>

1. Take file from #7 (AS-IS MOD AMIBoardInfo module - mod FFS, but not "newly created" one)
2. Using UEFITool 25.0 >> Delete original AMIBoardInfo >> Save file as Interim.bin
3. Open Interim.bin with UEFITool 25.0 >> Insert Mod AMIBoardInfo under last DXE module in original volume (ASTGOP_DXE)
4. Save as mod.bin >> Insert into original capsule for USB Flashback.

If that fails, and you want to repeat this test to confirm the "Move" is OK in general but the mod FFS vs New FFS is the issue
Do the same with the module as-is from the BIOS I sent you (ie use the new FFS/Module as-is and move to end).
If you want me to make either one of these "test move" BIOS, let me know!

Sorry, not sure what your last bold comment is "Confirming"?

This may be BIOS Like I mentioned about the Asus X79
Not all modules had issue, but some no matter how they were replaced during update >> if not new FFS = bricked BIOS.

Did you make your own new FFS module yet?

oh yes, sorry..I didn't pay attention to fixed modules/PEI so my post above is really a non sense!
Thanks for explanation

Thank you Asus to make things easier for all of us :D

@ghost82 - You're welcome! Fixed module may be OK to redo like you did, provided same order, I'm not sure if "Fixed Yes/No" is by offset or order. Only @CodeRush could answer that one for us
But yes, PEI module often cause issue on rebuild, but this normally is if you edit them, I'm not sure what would happen in scenario you presented.
Anytime I touch PEI I do it via direct hex only (may need to make interim build w/ tools, to get new checksums, but then redo on mod BIOS via straight hex).
In this case, interim build for checksums etc would not be needed, since you are not modifying the PEI's

Sorry you put yourself through all that hassle, I know it's a major exhausting thing to do, I used to do it back in the day for some old non-UEFI BIOS with only 20-30 modules and even then it was major pain

Do you want me to make those two test "move" BIOS for you to test and see what happens, or will you make them and test (or you don't care now? )

I care I care!as I wrote understanding is more important than a working file for me.
Give me some time and I'll report results

No worries, I simply meant it like "do you not care?" about testing the "move" x2 to see, since it's really not needed anymore I wasn't sure if it mattered to you or not now..
You know, since we now know what is actually working properly without having to move the module to the end anyway
I only considered it thinking you might want to test to find the answer no matter what, since you put in all that work doing one by one extracting/adding back etc.

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #23

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1. Take file from #7 (AS-IS MOD AMIBoardInfo module - mod FFS, but not "newly created" one)
2. Using UEFITool 25.0 >> Delete original AMIBoardInfo >> Save file as Interim.bin
3. Open Interim.bin with UEFITool 25.0 >> Insert Mod AMIBoardInfo under last DXE module in original volume (ASTGOP_DXE)

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Zitat

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If you take the BIOS I sent you and extract the entire mod module from the BIOS As-Is, then you will have the "new FFS" I made
And then you can edit stock BIOS (extracted from capsule) and replace that new FFS (entire module as-is in this context) with UEFITool 25.0 or 28.0 and you wont get padding added.

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Just to confirm, yes, no padding is added