Heyyo, I signed up and have been a lurker for a while now but I need some help regarding updating my Dell e6230’s Vbios module. Its an Ivybridge HD 4000 but it seems like Dell may have made a few modifications to it because even after following SoniX’s guide to transfer the settings from the old vbios to the new one which worked perfectly without a hitch (iBMP recognised the old bios fine which proved the strange module I fed it is the vbios), I can’t replace the module in AMIBCP due to it not being a .ffs file-type. Also the original vbios is ever so slightly bigger so I fear that forcefully replacing the old one will result in a brick (I have an SPI programmer to recover from this but requires taking the laptop completely apart) [[File:Screenshot (5).png|none|auto]] For extra information, Dell didn’t “tag” the vbios module so in AMIBCP or UEFItool, it was nameless. I had to use UBU to get the GUID of the module. Also when I opened both files in a hex editor there appears to be some header information or something right at the start, could this possibly be some sort of Dell signing for the module? [[File:Screenshot (4).png|top|auto]] Lastly the device ID of the Dell’s HD 4000 is dev_0166 if it helps. Thanks!
@Noezy - This is due to header/body. The “Body” of vBIOS starts with 55 aa, and I assume you meant MMTool you can’t replace with correct? If yes, extract this GUID via MMTool uncompressed, and hex edit your new VBIOS in after the header, starting at the 55 aa in hex, then replace Or, this is much less confusing if done with UEFITool instead. Find the GUID of the vBIOS, expand until you get the actual vBIOS, usually a sub module or raw entry, then right click it, choose extract body. Open that file with hex, it should start with 55 aa. If it does, then that’s it, go back to UEFITool where you extracted this, and insert your new one at that exact location, the same way (replace body). Checksums, file size error on save (if any) will be corrected, choose open new file once it’s done and error will go away When you download UEFITool, you want version 25 or 26, these are for editing/replacing files, the NE Alpha version are more for inspection and in app hex view of modules etc (This can be used to make sure you have correct file before extracting, via "View body hex"
See, here is vBIOS location side by side in each, with hex view body on NE version
Please note, this only shows one vBIOS entry, there is two (As well as two GOP vBIOS drivers too), orom vBIOS GUID’s below (The ones you are editing) VBIOS in GUID D5BE271D-3D70-4CC3-B9CC-5EC816B59E7E VBIOS in GUID 08E56A30-62ED-41C6-9240-B7455EE653D7
if you still can’t get it, send me the BIOS and the new vBIOS and I will do it for you
Much thanks Lost! The second GOP driver and vbios is for the sandybridge model of the E6230. I assured this by checking the chipset identity of the other vbios. This is the Ivybridge model. One other thing I wanted to ask is I updated the EFI raiddriver/satadriver to a much newer version, the original was around 140kb~ and the new one, which I updated using UBU, was around 200kb. This shouldn’t cause an issue should it? It seems to have updated without error but from past (bricking) experiences with this laptop, when I tried to update the modules before it completely bricked the laptop with a CPU failure error code on the lights, I fixed this by restoring a previous backup flash. During this I also disabled the flash descriptor permanently and unlocked most of the performance options. I shall give what you suggested a try and get back to you with the results!
EDIT by Fernando: Since the question regarding the update of the Intel EFI RaidDriver has nothing to do with the topic of this thread, I have split the post and put the related part into >this< better matching thread.
@Noezy - You’re welcome. And yes, I knew one was SB one was IVY, but I didn’t know if you seen both or which you edited etc. I’d update them both while I’m in there. On the RST, sometimes it matters, other times not, what you really need to research is what is compatible with your chipset and what’s not.
Sorry it took a while to respond! The vbios update worked perfectly using your advice but also found out that the AMI "AFUWIN" tool is not reliable for either backing up or flashing a bios on this laptop, I did all the other updates at the same time (ACHI) and now its working perfectly! Thanks Lost!
@Noezy - AFU is not ideal in my opinion, when you can use other tools instead. For this BIOS you can use Intel FPT (Flash Program Tool) from V8 ME System Tools package from the ME section of the forum. How did you end up flashing? Some Dell you can use /Force or /Forceit switches after BIOS flash command and that will make I take mod BIOS. Great you got all your mods in there, flashed and is now working! Good job
I originally had an SPI programmer and manually changed the flash descriptors for all sectors of the bios last time I had to recover it so flashing the new bios worked fine using FPT. Luckily the Flash image tool (FITC) builds the bios into the 2 separate 4mb and 8mb images so I can program both chips using the programmer if something does go horribly wrong.
Good plan thinking ahead! You can also split the BIOS manually if you don’t need or want to go through FITc, if you ever need to know how let me know I’ll show you, it’s easy
