[Request] Unlocked ASUS ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi BIOS

[greg.chalk]

Hello,
I updated my pc, from Evga z270 itx to Asus b660-i itx motherboard. In my old z270 motherboard everything whas easy because everything in bios was unlocked (fd, me etc), and could do everything I want.
Now in my Asus b660 everything is locked (except main bios region). I dont mind so much but I want to unlock bios so I can flash a new splash screen (I have done it with my old motherboard).

I made a bios dump with FPT (fptw64 -d mod.rom -bios), I modded it and I tried to flash back
(fptw64 -f mod.rom -bios). I got Error 167: Protected Range Registers are currently set by BIOS.

After reading this guide, I found bios lock in setup 0x1D and i disabled it.
Also found FPRR but was already disabled. Tried again, still same error.
I suspect that BIOS Guard is the problem but I can’t find it.
I also read this similar guide but that was easier finding BIOS Guard.
I run out of ideas. I include my bios dump.

Thank you for your time.

Edit: @Lost_N_BIOS used to search for all kind of locks inside bios. But he haven’t posted since 2021…
He is literally Lost…

bios.zip (7.0 MB)

Edit by Fernando: Thread title shortened and customized

[greg.chalk]

I have done some progress!
Long story short, I found where bios chip is located and I used ch341a programmer to make a full SPI dump. I modded the dump and I reflashed the bios, and voila!
All bios regions are unlocked!

UNLOCKED BIOS

But even with that, I still get the same error:

FPT ERROR

Because its not practical every time I want to update bios, to disassembly pc and motherboard, use programmer, and then assembly again,
my final goal is to download every new bios, modd it, and then flash it using FPT.
I appreciate every help

Also, because now I know that I can recover bios with programmer, I can be more aggressive when I experiment with bios.

@plutomaniac if I rebuild whole bios with FIT (and change some settings), maybe bios error will go away?

[553349149]

Good job, have you disabled BIOS Guard? It is enabled by default in your BIOS

[greg.chalk]

@553349149
Thank you for your answer.
No I haven’t disabled it. Can you guide me to the right direction?

[553349149]

it’s here。。In other lockless b660s it is disabled.

One Of: Enable Tools Interface, VarStoreInfo (VarOffset/VarName): 0x111, VarStore: 0x2, QuestionId: 0x472, Size: 1, Min: 0x0, Max 0x1, Step: 0x0 {05 91 95 06 96 06 72 04 02 00 11 01 10 10 00 01 00}
0x66150 			One Of Option: Disabled, Value (8 bit): 0x0 {09 07 04 00 00 00 00}
0x66157 			One Of Option: Enabled, Value (8 bit): 0x1 (default) {09 07 03 00 30 00 01}

[greg.chalk]

@553349149
Perfect! I have seen this setting before, but I didn’t knew that it was bios guard related, and I didn’t change it.
I am not at home atm. I will try it as soon I go home!

[greg.chalk]

@553349149
Just tried. Still same error
It was already disabled (0x0).
I changed to enabled (0x1) and then disabled again (0x0), just in case, but I get same error.
I also did a greset

[553349149]

Thanks for testing, it seems it’s not critical,

[greg.chalk]

@553349149
ok , this is a full(all regions) dump of bios as it is now
fullbios.zip (8.9 MB)

[gh30672]

@greg.chalk did you manage to unlock the bios? I wanted to disable ME by setting the HAP bit in FD but the BIOS is totally locked down.

[greg.chalk]

Hello!
If you read above you will see that I did unlocked all regions.
I unlocked them with a ch341a programmer.
The problem was that I wanted to flash whole bios with Intel fpt tool within windows and I got error. It’s not convenient to use programmer every time you want to flash bios.
Anyway, I sold the motherboard for a gigabyte z690i, and now I flash modded bios with flashback.
I really liked this Asus motherboard. It was high quality and had nice bios.

[gh30672]

A bit late but I managed to unlock the b660i bios completely and now can update to new bios versions using fpt from windows. Today I manually flashed the new version 2403 FD and BIOS regions separately, rebooted and everything is working as expected.

[greg.chalk]

That’s really nice!
Even thought I don’t have that specific motherboard anymore, can you describe how you did it? ( If it’s not too much trouble )

[gh30672]

Using hardware programmer I dumped the bios, unlocked the SPI and enabled all the hidden menu options using UEFI editor. With all the locks (BIOS lock, BIOS guard etc…) disabled using the new unlocked menu options in BIOS + unlocked SPI the fpt tool works fine in windows.

Example of FD reflashing:

FPTW64.exe -DESC -D DESC.BIN
Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool Version: 16.0.15.1735
Copyright (C) 2005 - 2022, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Reading HSFSTS register... Flash Descriptor: Valid

    --- Flash Devices Found ---
    ID:0xC22018    Size: 16384KB (131072Kb)


- Reading Flash [0x0001000]     4KB of     4KB - 100 percent complete.
Writing flash contents to file "DESC.BIN"...
Memory Dump Complete
FPT Operation Successful.


FPTW64.exe -DESC -F DESC.BIN
Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool Version: 16.0.15.1735
Copyright (C) 2005 - 2022, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Reading HSFSTS register... Flash Descriptor: Valid

    --- Flash Devices Found ---
    ID:0xC22018    Size: 16384KB (131072Kb)

GbE Region does not exist.

- Processed memory blocks    0 from    0.
- Verifying Flash [0x0001000]     8KB of     4KB - 100 percent complete.
RESULT: The data is identical.

FPT Operation Successful.

I tried using EFI vars to disable locks using the mem location obtained from live bios dump but that didn’t work, the official menu options work fine.

[Sweet_Kitten]

@gh30672

With all the locks (BIOS lock, BIOS guard etc…) disabled

Are you talking about Strix B660-I WiFi?
This motherboard has a switch for BIOS guard?

@greg.chalk

I suspect that BIOS Guard is the problem but I can’t find it.

I’m stumped with the same error 167 for different devices. But they have all the locks disabled by default, thus no need to use EFI vars.

Hoped to find a solution in your post. No luck.

[gh30672]

Yes I was talking about that model. To quote 553349149 above:

One Of: Enable Tools Interface, VarStoreInfo (VarOffset/VarName): 0x111, VarStore: 0x2, QuestionId: 0x472, Size: 1, Min: 0x0, Max 0x1, Step: 0x0 {05 91 95 06 96 06 72 04 02 00 11 01 10 10 00 01 00}
0x66150 			One Of Option: Disabled, Value (8 bit): 0x0 {09 07 04 00 00 00 00}
0x66157 			One Of Option: Enabled, Value (8 bit): 0x1 (default) {09 07 03 00 30 00 01}

Like I said, EFI vars did not work for me but the hidden BIOS menu options work.

[Sweet_Kitten]

If the BIOS Lock Enable (BLE) feature of the PCH SPI Controller is not enabled, EISS feature can be disabled by clearing the 5th bit of BIOS_SPI_BC. Which may result in FPT writing success.

[Request] Gigabyte G5 KC Bios Unlock/ Mod

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