I tried to Dump my Dell XPS 9550 with the CH341A V 1.31 and selected an Size of 16MB but it looks like, that the Size of the Chip is 32MB. I have extracted the Original BIOS and all File has an Size of 25MB. Is it possible to dump an BIOS Chip lager than 16 MB with this tool? I also have read that there is the Intel Boot Guard active which prevents that another BIOS can’t be booted when it is directly written to the BIOS Chip. I also tried to open the BIOS with the Intel Flash Image Tool but I get this error message: Error 10: Failed to open with processed commands. Unable to open file: xps_new.bin. Reverting to default configuration.
When I open this File with the UEFI Tool then I have no error and also not with the UBU Tool.
This is the Output of MEInfo which I have made:
Intel(R) MEInfo Version: 11.8.55.3510 Copyright(C) 2005 - 2017, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
Intel(R) ME code versions:
BIOS Version 1.6.1 MEBx Version 11.0.0.0010 GbE Version 0.8 Vendor ID 8086 PCH Version 31 FW Version 11.8.50.3426 H Security Version (SVN) 3 LMS Version Not Available MEI Driver Version 11.0.0.1166 Wireless Hardware Version Not Available Wireless Driver Version Not Available
Re-key needed True Platform is re-key capable True TLS Disabled Last ME reset reason Global system reset Local FWUpdate Enabled BIOS Config Lock Enabled GbE Config Lock Enabled Host Read Access to ME Disabled Host Write Access to ME Disabled Host Read Access to EC Disabled Host Write Access to EC Disabled SPI Flash ID 1 EF4018 SPI Flash ID 2 Unknown BIOS boot State Post Boot OEM ID 68853622-eed3-4e83-8a86-6cde315f6b78 Capability Licensing Service Enabled OEM Tag 0x00000000 Slot 1 Board Manufacturer 0x00001028 Slot 2 System Assembler 0x00000000 Slot 3 Reserved 0x00000000 M3 Autotest Enabled C-link Status Enabled Independent Firmware Recovery Disabled EPID Group ID 0xF85 LSPCON Ports None 5K Ports None OEM Public Key Hash FPF 234EB9DE1AC240CC1376378CA22D245372D665B40F93D148141A66E9B76293EF OEM Public Key Hash ME 234EB9DE1AC240CC1376378CA22D245372D665B40F93D148141A66E9B76293EF ACM SVN FPF 0x2 KM SVN FPF 0x0 BSMM SVN FPF 0x0 GuC Encryption Key FPF 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 GuC Encryption Key ME 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
FPF ME — – Force Boot Guard ACM Enabled Enabled Protect BIOS Environment Enabled Enabled CPU Debugging Enabled Enabled BSP Initialization Enabled Enabled Measured Boot Enabled Enabled Verified Boot Enabled Enabled Key Manifest ID 0xF 0xF Enforcement Policy 0x3 0x3 PTT Enabled Enabled PTT Lockout Override Counter 0x0 EK Revoke State Not Revoked PTT RTC Clear Detection FPF 0x0
When I try to dump it via FPTW64.exe -d spi.bin then I get this error:
Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool. Version: 11.8.50.3460 Copyright (c) 2007 - 2017, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
Reading HSFSTS register… Flash Descriptor: Valid
— Flash Devices Found — W25Q128FV ID:0xEF4018 Size: 16384KB (131072Kb)
Error 318: The host CPU does not have read access to the target flash area. To enable read access for this operation you must modify the descriptor settings to give host access to this region. FPT Operation Failed.
Is there something which I can do about it or is it still not possible with my Notebook? The BIOS can also be opened without any Issues with the AMIBCP V5 Tool.
You indeed have 16 Mb SPI flash and dump file, updates are not using the same format. You also indeed have BootGuard enabled and enforced, so almost any changes in FW will result in a brick. You can store that dumped image as backup copy in case of brick (to restore with the same SPI programmer later), but there’s not much to do here otherwise.
Coming to you with a question regarding a 9550 I managed to brick. I virtually ran out of ideas After successfully running the laptop with Corma’s me_cleaner I did the mistake of trying to update the BIOS trough the .EXE file from the dell website and it obviously bricked my device. I’m suspecting that the .exe is writing some parts of bios on all 3 of the bios chips (16M, 4MB, 1MB), correct me if i’m wrong on this.
I’ve tried to use different dumps, however i don’t believe they match as with different combinations I get different activity either just a very brief blink of the power LED (blank screen) or the most I got was blank screen and gives a CPU Fail code (1 white 2 Amber) error code.
Any ideas if having all 3 dumps from a different laptop would be a solution for this, maybe I would be able to pull together all 3 Would anyone have handy a dump of these 3 chips? [MB is : LA-C361P Rev2.0 (A01)]
Yes, reprogramming all three with some other systems dumps would get the board back up and running, but you’d need to put in your asset tag and LAN ID first (Or later) Do you have hardware flash programmer and SOIC8 test clip cable?
I will try to find you dumps tonight. Hopefully you have a dump of the main BIOS at least before you started all this modding.
*Edit - @lorantisz - One is BIOS (FD, ME, GbE, BIOS) (16MB), one is Intel ME copy maybe (4MB) see below, and one is EC probably (1MB) - I assume the BIOS and ME would probably be the only ones you need to correct, maybe only ME chip Dump all three and upload here and lets have a look, or upload all three’s backups you made before doing anything further to them once the issue happened
I was only able to find a “Clear_ME” dump from DIAGRAMAS.COM.BR, no one needs to be doing this silly clear/clean ME stuff… It’s like an old wives tale gone rouge now
*Edit, found a site giving all four dumps? - https://www.laboneinside.com/dell-xps-15-9550-bios-bin/ I checked these files and it’s only two actual dumps, one 4MB and one 16MB. 4MB looks to be EC like, I see Thunderbolt and display stuff mentioned, it’s not ME. Data in this is only 187KB, rest is 00-Fill, which looks about correct for an EC FW This should get you going again, don’t edit the files until after you’ve tested and see if they work as is or not.
This system has bootguard enabled, and it’s burned into the chipset/FPF, no BIOS modifications at all can be done inside the yellow areas of the BIOS when viewing BIOS in UEFITool NE Alpha. Possibly no edits at all can be made, but only more testing would be able to verify that, since you had ME edit working OK then possibly it may be only those two areas within the BIOS region can’t be edited… You need to program back to 100% stock for now, then once running again you can try to play more… or not.
@Lost_N_BIOS Most people repairing computers in Brazil doesn’t care about ME data, serial number, UUID, MAC and MSDM key, just flash a random dump from any place they find. When they do the "Clear_ME" thing, they are just replacing the original ME firmware by an unconfigured stock one.
It’s like an old wives tale gone rouge now 