Please ignore my previous post since I have thoroughly read the guides in this forum.
If I could dump my own .bin file I wouldn’t be looking here. As I said, I’m facing the same issue as you had. My Alienware 17R3 was screwed up with a BIOS update a year ago.
I managed to dump the FD through FPT command. As for both BIOS and ME I get the same error messages you showed in post #5.
You said something about sharing your repaired bin. Now I understand what @Lost_N_BIOS meant by changing the service tag to yours so that we can make use of your repaired bin without having to deassemble our laptops and unlock the FD. Am I correct?
If so, you may want to share your repaired bin and save the day.
You need to dump the BIOS/ME region and rebuild ME, if I’m understanding your issue correctly @Adel - and you are correct, if you use a dump someone else provides you will need to swap out your NVRAM and any other padding files etc so you keep your current board details (Service tag, asset tag, lan MAC ID etc)
This is why it’s easier to dump your own BIOS and work on that as the source. Dump FD is not required/helpful
You need CH341A or other hardware flash programmer and SOIC8 test clip to dump your BIOS (Pull your own .bin file/dump the chip") and here is the guide to clean ME region - [Guide] Clean Dumped Intel Engine (CS)ME/(CS)TXE Regions with Data Initialization
https://www.ebay.com/itm/201316582787
https://www.ebay.com/itm/382486015977
Repaired bin from someone else, board details aside, will not help anyway because you cannot reflash ME region in that way, only with a programmer or unlocked FD via pinmod. Unless you can find a ME/Service/FD/FDO 2 pin jumper on your board.
Here in this thread at section “E.1” is how to do the pinmod to unlock FD - [Guide] Unlock Intel Flash Descriptor Read/Write Access Permissions for SPI Servicing
@Lost_N_BIOS I’ve just ordered both pieces (it takes 2 weeks to arrive).
In the meantime, I’m trying to figure out the E6 method.
I have managed to locate the setup_var value. In my case, the name is “Me FW Image Re-Flash” and its default VarStore value is 0x1.
So I guess I don’t have to enable this option from the EFI shell since it’s already enabled.
Am I missing something?
Here is the code:
0x1ECB8 One Of: Me FW Image Re-Flash, VarStoreInfo (VarOffset/VarName): 0xD1, VarStore: 0x1, QuestionId: 0x116, Size: 1, Min: 0x0, Max 0x1, Step: 0x0 {05 91 9E 03 9F 03 16 01 01 00 D1 00 10 10 00 01 00}
0x1ECC9 One Of Option: Disabled, Value (8 bit): 0x0 (default) {09 07 04 00 30 00 00}
0x1ECD0 One Of Option: Enabled, Value (8 bit): 0x1 {09 07 03 00 00 00 01}
0x1ECD7 End One Of {29 02}
So I figured the default value is in red color which is disabled.
I have read your post:
[GUIDE] Grub Fix Intel FPT Error 368 - BIOS Lock Asus/Other Mod BIOS Flash
which you’ve attached a bootx64.efi file. Can I use this file on my Alienware or it’s just limited to Asus laptops?
In case the answer is "no", how can I create my own shell.efi file?
Yes, you can try that method and use those files etc, and you need to set 0xD1 to 0x1 via grub - rename your efi file to shell.efi - if that fails use this method/layout - [Help needed] Hidden Advanced menu Bios HP Z1 J52_0274.BIN (2)
However, this method cannot be used in your case since ME FW is corrupted, that is only to enable ME FW Update tool to reflash the ME FW and it only works if ME FW is working/healthy
So I guess I’ll have to wait for the chip programmer to get this over with.
Thank you sir for your help and I’ll keep you posted with the result.
@Adel - You’re welcome, and sorry, yes to fix this you need programmer unless you do pinmod and reflash with unlocked FD (Or have service/ME/FD/FDO jumper on the board)
@Lost_N_BIOS pinmod with my Alienware 17 R3 is nearly impossible since I can not start the mobo while doing the pinmod.
There are no jumpers on the motherboard either. That’s why @Mofoist and I both had to do the hardware flashing job instead.
Yeah, today, I have received the ch341A programmer and the SOIC8 test clip, reprogrammed the BIOS chip as you instructed and my mobo is back to normal with valid ME there.
Finally, after more than a year waiting desperately for Dell to come up with a solution other than changing the motherboard.
Thank you very much. I wouldn’t be able to fix it without your help.
@Adel - Have someone else start board while you do the pinmod, ohh you got it! Great you were able to finally fix with programmer!
You’re welcome, if you ever need other advice let us know!