Attached is a dump of the bios and the setup IFR
While I have no problem enabling menu items I have yet to master unlocking the menus. LMAO well, on some BIOS’s.
And bypassing a ton of Suppressions is not fun.
@Lost_N_BIOS
https://www84.zippyshare.com/v/uvyfvdU3/file.html
@dragonsun252 - Can you please link me to the stock BIOS download page, and tell me what BIOS version you are using.
Are you sure that is correct model name? I ask because I thought all Acer Predators were PHxxx-xx model?
I assume you need Advanced and Power menus made visible, correct? If yes, I will see if I can find, once I have confirmation on model and stock BIOS page (So I can keep everything in correct folder)
Thanks!
Sure, Yes that is here is the product page https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/su…roduct/7010?b=1 (It’s the best buy special). I am putting it together enough to check the current bios Ver and take a pic of what menus are available.
Well, I guess you were 100% correct, I should have assumed you were
I wonder why everyone else’s is PHxxx? Do you think it’s just because this one in best by special or something?
Ahh, wait! Maybe all those I see are like that because they are “Predator Helios” vs regular “Predator”! Yes, I just found G3-572 folder on my end
Anyway, thanks for the link, I will grab stock BIOS first and let you know if I can unlock the menus or not.
Do you want to try this first without programmer, or do you plan to go straight to programmer first? If programmer, what is the BIOS chip ID, so I can tell you what software/version might be best so we don’t hit failed write or bad dump etc.
Question about the BIOS and your dump, you’re sure you have MU5DC and not MURDC, correct?
No worries, Yeah I’m pretty sure they do that with BestBuy for price match reasons . This one would not dumb via usb so I went straight with programmer lol. Been loving my new clip (one time go almost every time)
Edit: Yeah this seams to be the model before the Helios
http://www.dwdvb.com/ch341a-usb-mini-pro…tware-download/ - Special Edition, currently using.
http://www.datasheetq.com/datasheet-down…Q128FVSQ?v=2012 - Bios chip
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Msn2foGNdC78GL1E7 - Pics of bios and chip
Thanks! Please see my edits above What do you mean would not dump via USB, so you went to programmer (via USB)?
Do you mean you could not dump with FPT? If not, is it AMD or Intel CPU? * Edit, I see it’s Intel CPU, so you should be able to dump with FPT v11
Since you have some other programmer than general CH341A, hopefully it will read and write properly to W25Q128FV
OK, give me a minute to dig into this BIOS and grab your images etc
* Edit dragonsun252 - Can you please resize those images to 1000 px wide, and save as jpg or png, whichever is less KB, then put in max compressed zip - I don’t need the chip image
Thanks!
Sorry yes FPT would not dumb, locked.
it’s just a ch341a mini but the software is what really matters I found. (Have been running into W25Q128’s alot) https://photos.app.goo.gl/bitoQCrKdEwmJv7NA
It an Intel I7-6700HQ and GTX 1060.
As for MU5DC and not MURDC https://photos.app.goo.gl/oh2CSKwWAd87rD3Z6
Please see edit above, you reply too fast it seems
FPT will always dump, sounds like you maybe used wrong command, or wrong version possibly?
Yes, software is what I was getting at too, about the programmer and chip ID, not all software/version can write to all chips
For this chip and regular CH341A, only 1.18 can read properly, and only Colibri or Asprogrammer can read/write properly. At least that’s what we’ve confirmed here with users, can’t remember what all I’ve tested it with myself other than what I tested here
Good you have programmer, I am not 100% sure on this edit, may take 2-3 BIOS to get it perfect
Probably the wrong version to be honest but I already had it disassembled for cleaning so CH341A was easy.
Good to know, I will dump via Asprogrammer also and see if there is any difference.
As for the image sizes, sorry those are direct dumps from my phone (64mp) So kinda upsurd.
Yes, must have been wrong version. You always have to make sure you grab version that matches current ME FW major version (in this case, ME FW = 11.x, so you need FPT from V11 ME System Tools package)
If read from ASprogrammer matches what you have now, then you know that software you used before can read properly. Wont know about write being OK until you get there though.
Did you see my edit at #6, about the images? * Edit, I see you edited in reply about this. Yes, huge images are too much for me, I only need to see them for a second. Please resize if you can, then put in max compressed zip (I’m on limited internet)
I have located the menu unlock area, and think I can get on first try If not, then 2nd or 3rd will get it for sure, but I do think first one should be OK
I did, the images https://www21.zippyshare.com/v/Xcl686dQ/file.html
Yeah, I have an older version on there, need to remember to match before starting.
We shall find out if it writes write
Also whats the location of the menu unlock area?
Ohh OK, I assumed you’d have them on your phone or PC already.
Yes, if it writes right, then we’ll know it rights write, correct
Do you know some assembly now? If yes, the subroutine is 1C10 on left side, but I don’t know what BIOS version you’re using yet, I’m only looking at latest BIOS
That’s just me being lazy, I could drop your BIOS into program and find out, but just planned to wait on the BIOS images instead smile2]
Once we confirm edit is proper, I’ll give you the exact offsets for setup PE32 edit.
ASprogrammer hanges for me
Been working on learning it when I can, hard to though but great information. I will check it out when I can.
#11 has the reduced images and I’m ready to try whenever lol
Do you have standard CH341A driver installed? What ASProgrammer version were you trying? 1.40 or 1.41 should be OK, I used those often for a year or so.
OK, thanks, I will grab the images and get you a mod BIOS shortly!
Tried standard drivers I have and the included with it. V1.41.
Thanks!
Weird, not sure what would cause that? Maybe just some incompatibility with the programmer you are using?
Can you use regular CH341A software, like 1.30 or 1.18 etc? If not, maybe your programmer does not use CH341A chip, not all do?
So, I checked the images before getting into your edit, and I see you’re on very old 1.03 BIOS, are you sure you don’t want to update to latest 1.14 before we do the unlocking?
So ASProgrammer was working just unresponsive for 5 mins LMAO. Yeah it works with other ch341a software fine. Yeah, ill update that bios right now to 1.14
Well that’s even more odd!! Maybe a glitch, unless it always happens?
OK, yes, update BIOS first then if you’d rather be on latest BIOS (I’d suggest this of course), and then make new dump and send my way
It was because I had my other programer program open in the background.
Also got the right me setup but get Error 318 (read bios) and 368 bios protection.
Edit: Got Windows installed, flashed bios with modified insydeflash. So all good for that unlocked and a new dump is incoming
https://www105.zippyshare.com/v/qRMX7cxn/file.html - Bios Dump
Also tested the newer “Special Edition” and get the same with ASProgrammer on this chip
Ahh, yes, you can only have one programmer program open at a time Or they all get lost and fight over who’s controlling what
368 we can bypass easily, and error 280 if it remained next, and sometimes 167 (BIOS Lock, SMI/SMM lock, FPRR) - We’d have to test that route, if you wanted
What do you mean “Special Edition”??
Here is first test unlocked BIOS test Let me know if you see Advanced (one with Overclock Performance Menu) + Power, if yes, I will then show you the edits in assembly and give you the hex offsets for setup PE32 (BODY)
Also, for now, I did not look at BIOS images yet, to see if anything needs revealed in already visible menus. I wanted to get this menu unlock sorted first, then if needed we can do other edits.
* Failed edit removed *
@dragonsun252 - Edit - Here, please test 2nd mod. Sorry about that, I hate Insyde BIOS sometimes, as I mentioned it may take a few tries
I see the issue there and it was my mistake, editing via flow method in assembly backwards/up instead of forwards/down, and due to that I missed a jump and was going wrong way with the overall flow of menu access post-edit!!
Still may need one more edit after this one, not 100% sure about one jump, if it needs forced or not.
https://ufile.io/2sscz3aj
* Edit 2 - And, here is another follow-up edit just in case (x2), one of these may actually unlock both advanced, but I’m not sure. One Adv is limited, and really should’ve been visible to you by default
Or, the above may fail to unlock too, and one of these will be the one - https://ufile.io/xbpvud1j
*** WARNING - To ANYONE with laptop and unlocked BIOS!!!
DO NOT try to enable this graphics card or disable that card, switch cards etc. Otherwise you will end up with no display output (ie black screen) and no way to recover except by blind flash or with flash programmer.
You can change graphics related settings, like changing memory sizes, or core speeds etc, just don’t try to disable one card or change which is main etc.
Additionally, be very careful when trying to undervolt CPU, you can leave BIOS unbootable due to CPU voltage too low (Sometimes even 0.05 is too much)
WARNING *** - This BIOS is user specific! If you are not user dragonsun252 at Win-RAID.com forum, DO NOT USE THIS BIOS!!
If you do, and you are not dragonsun252, then you will loose your serial, UUID, OG NVRAM, and possibly LAN MAC ID as well.
You have been warned!!!