[PROBLEM] How to open/modify/flash an Intel mainboard BIOS?

oh dear, yes that’s my thread. Sorry for that…
Somehow I forgot this one and didn’t notice that I’m posting
In a different forum.
I found threads with similar problems after an update.
Today I tried to flash bios via fpt.
I tried via windows and dos, but it shows:
"Error 280: failed to disable write protection for the bios space"
Could this be why I’m also unable to flash with Intels tools ?
Uefi tool says all regions are read/writeable. I’m just able to dump the bios.

http://www.bilder-upload.eu/show.php?fil…-1440789422.jpg
http://www.bilder-upload.eu/show.php?fil…-1440789513.jpg

That is another type of lock. The easiest way to remove it is with AMIBCP, but then you need a programmer or UBF (Asus only) to flash the modded file. The option without the need of a programmer deals with changing those variables, with two variations: AMISCE and EFI shell. The method is fully explained by Sonix (use a translate service), while AMISCE is explained here and the actual method here.

Once you decide on a method, always remember to remove the lock with AMIBCP before flashing with FPT. This means for every file you need to remove the lock in descriptor (one you did earlier) and also with AMIBCP, if you don’t want the lock to reappear.

Thank for helping.
Tried the russian version, but cant find Setup or SMI e.g., while i tied AMISCE Method im unable to locate PchInitDxe…
Last SCEWIN_64 /o /s nvram.txt /h Hii.db /v /q gives me error:82.
I cant find any locks using AMIBCP…there is also no PCH section/setting…

The name of the file has zero importance, it is there for readability sake. The GUID is important and it is always the same for an AMI based firmware. But it won’t help you much, as Intel appears to be modifying the AMI sources. I don’t see a lock in Setup settings (there is one under BIOS Configuration, but it doesn’t seem to be the right one), AMIBCP it relies on the same settings and is also crashing. I guess you are out of luck and you must use a programmer for any writing, only reading can be unlocked.

Thats strange…It crashes if I try to save any changes in Bios. Seems its write protected the whole time.

Hello.

My mainboard Intel DH61DL was bricked as i did BIOS update from BE0048 to BE0099.
Intel Windows Tool has flashed in Windows 7 64, all was ok, but mainboard does not boot anymore.
I got now 3x beep ( = RAM Error) in endless loop.

I already have desoldered the chip (Winbond W25Q32BVSIG, 4MB) and read it out with external programer (in hope i can save my MAC address).
I do have an external USB programer: CH341A, which costs 3 USD at Ebay.
So i can program my BIOS-CHIP.
Here is my BIOS, which i read after the brick:
https://mega.nz/#!cUIVRQQA!ilDXuQbGiAy3K…vZBZCqotOJ4HeV8

But Intel BIOS-files size are 5MB till 13MB, bigger then BIOS-chip which is only 4MB.

How to convert or extract Intel .BIO files, so i can flash it with external usb programmer?
Or maybe somebody can read out his BIOS and give me the 4MB file, so i can flash it?

Link to BE0099.BIO BIOS file:
https://downloadmirror.intel.com/22413/eng/BE0099.BIO

Link to all Intel DH61DL mainboard BIOS files:
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product…ainboard-DH61DL

There is a Intel Flash Programming Tool (Intel FPT), other as AFUDOS it should flash complete BIOS and ME-Firmware. There are some versions, depends on you Intel ME (Management Enginge) Firmware you want to flash. Attention: this will erase your GUID and Windows License Key, if it is stored in BIOS!
https://forum-de.msi.com/index.php?topic=103340.0
FPT 8.1.10.1286
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6400726/FPT_Windows64.zip
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6400726/FPT_Windows32.zip
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6400726/FPT_DOS.zip
FPT v9.0.2.1345
http://downloads.hwbot.org/downloads/BIO…v9.0.2.1345.zip
FPT v9.1.0.1120 (for Z97 Mainboards)
http://www.mediafire.com/download/beb2xc…T_9.1.0.1120.7z
FPT v9.5.0.1428
http://downloads.hwbot.org/downloads/BIO…9.5.0.1428.rar

Edit:
here i found a discussion how to repair Intel motherboard with defective BIOS
http://www.rom.by/article/Sobiraem_obraz…li_Kak_vynut_iz
You have to translate with google translator, as web site is in russian.
They discuss how to make a flashable file from .bio file or how to use BIOS Configuration Mode and a second PC to flash BIOS. But i do not exactly understand how to make this…
They link to some Intel PDF, where is described how to flash SPI external with Intel Firmware UEFI Development Kit:
https://firmware.intel.com/sites/default…ation_Guide.pdf

Edit2:
I can open the Intel .bio files with tool UEFI BIOS UPDATER v1.42 (see link below to download), this tool includes MMTool.exe and UEFItool.exe which both can open the Intel .bio files, but how i make a 4mb file with this tools?:
http://rghost.net/users/LongSoft/releases/UEFI-BIOS-Updater
http://www.overclock.net/t/1464978/easy-…fi-bios-modding


It is funny how you linked every other forum but this one. UBU is present >right here<, it is a topic that it is constantly in the Activity Feed, it is simply impossible to miss it. And yet you managed to post a link to overclock.net, which in turn links back here??? At least you got the download link right. Intel Firmware and tools is present >right here<, again a top thread, with latest firmwares and tools, plus a swift knight to answer all your questions. And yet you post a link to a MSI forum which has probably the oldest version you can find. Lastly, Intel .bio is tackled >right here<, with plenty of informations. This is the only thread you can be excused of not linking, as it is oldish and not explained from the first posts. But I can assume it is updated and better than the one you posted.

I did a search with Google, so not my fault if Google find other sites :slight_smile:

Thank you for your links, i will read all, as soon as i arrived at home.

OK, i read all your links, but i did not found how to make a flashable file for hardware programmer from an Intel .bio file. Only post i found in your links so far is this:
Exciter writes here

But he did not told how he made this exactly… :frowning:
He seems to have more experience in building a file for flashing with hardware programmer.

As my mainboard is not even start, i can not use all the tools for flashing and i cant use recovery mode and i cant use Intel Flash Tool in BIOS.
I can only use my hardware programmer CH341A USB. But i need a file that i can flash to SPI that i have allready desoldered from the mainboard. I did no find any tutorial how to build such a file from Intel .bio file.

First need my mainboard to boot again, before i can start with other things like right ME version… etc…

If somebody can help or has a link to a tutorial, it would be helpful for me for first step.

Here is my BIOS, which i read after the brick:
-> https://mega.nz/#!cUIVRQQA!ilDXuQbGiAy3K…vZBZCqotOJ4HeV8

If i open it with UEFI Tool, than i can see that my MAC is there.
But i got a message:
parseRegion: ME region version is unknown, it can be damaged


And this is what MMTOOL is showing, but i dont know what is wrong with my BIOS:

The ME Region is completely gone/corrupted. Thar’s why the platform does not boot. Since you have a programmer we can recover it. The latest BIO from Intel has both ME7 and ME8 firmware inside so I assume it’s a 6-series system that can also accept Ivy Bridge cpus and thus ME8 is needed. Do you remember what ME you had before (ME7 or ME8)? What cpu do you currently have (SNB or IVB)?

Capture1.PNG



Capture2.PNG

I have Core i5-2400, so SNB. I wanted to place a new IvyBridge CPU i5-3470, and before this i wanted to update firmare, i had 0035 firmware. I did update first to 0048 Firmware, reboot, and then did update to 0099 firmware (i did never checked which Intel ME Firmware version i had, as i did not know that this is so important and mainboard can go defective) . After this update system was booting but not able to start from harddisk and MAC was showing 00:00:00:00 in BIOS. So i did update to a newer firmware, while flashing it hangs for 20 minutes, so i did power off the system - and after this mainboard does not boot anymore.

I wanted to help, but when trying a simple comparison, I ended up with this:

DH61DL_read.png



In the other thread it happened the same, the user omitted (i.e. lied) about the condition of his hardware and the steps of his flashing. Now I see you are doing the same: you mentioned not once, but twice, that you flashed BE0099, yet your own dump proves that it was BE0109. Is this a common “feature” among users of Intel boards, or just our bad luck? To quote from your last post, “Then update to version 0099 before updating to any later BIOS version…”. I don’t know if you really made a mistake when downloading and flashing 0099/0109, or if you are trying to hide these “irrelevant details” in the hope someone will help you, but I will sincerely decline my help in this situation. There is no shame in making mistakes, but hiding them and putting the blame on others is not something I can tolerate. Yes, 0099 and 0109 are next to each other, thus it would support the hypothesis that you downloaded the wrong file by mistake. But I find it hard to believe that it would escape unnoticed until now, as I find it stupid from Intel part to not code a protection against these cases.

I had 0035 firmware. I did update first to 0048 Firmware, like instructed by Intel readme.txt, then reboot, and then did update to 0099 firmware (i did never checked which Intel ME Firmware version i had, as i did not know that this is so important and mainboard can go defective) . After this update system was booting but not able to start from harddisk and MAC was showing 00:00:00:00 in BIOS. So i did update to a newer firmware from usb-pen, while flashing it hangs for 20 minutes, so i did power off the system - and after this mainboard does not boot anymore.

Intel readme says, after BIOS 0099 you can take any newer BIOS, because they all are with ME8.

It seems Intel can not make a firmware-update without trouble, you can see following links, so Intel could at least provide a .rom/.bin file for flashing with hardware programmer.

DH61CR, after bios update, fails to boot | Intel Communities
SOLVED: Stuck at the BIOS screen after update BIOS version 0099
Why does my PC freeze at BIOS screen after updating my motherboard BIOS?
Stuck at the BIOS screen after update(can only access it)
Intel board error (freeze up at intel logo screen) after bios upgrade, DH61BE desktop board
gelöst MAC Adresse fehlt im BIOS - Intel DH61DL
https://communities.intel.com/thread/39008

I was hoping it is as easy as with ASrock and ASUS mainboards with coderush tool FB44Editor, that you can take a BIOS file from manufacturer-download-website, remove the capsule, put your MAC, SN, UUID in that file and can flash it with external hardware programmer.

User Exciter writes here


So it is possible to build a .bin file, but i dont know how, because i’m not progamming experience.

Intel would’t insist on the user checking the ME firmware before flashing if it wasn’t important. And it is important because the rest of the SPI compoments may need some updating of their own to work with a newer major ME version, in this case 7.x to 8.x. Of course, as lordkag said, this does not mean they shouldn’t add plenty of checks for the system’s safety before flashing. Try the attached file and let me know if the system posts.

DH61DL_read_fixed.rar (2.79 MB)

Thank you, plutomaniac! I will try it tommorow, as my mainboard is not right here now.

Intel Flash-Tools do not even offer a option to make a backup of BIOS before flashing, so i thought Intel update-method is idiot-proof, but this is not, as you can read in Google a lot of people have trouble after update to BE0099 firmware.

So for all users who will face same or similar problems with bricked mainboards after update, it will be usefull to know, how to make a *.bin file (4MB size in my case) for hardware programmer from Intels *.bio file which are up to 13MB size. How can a update file be 13MB if only 4MB fits into chip?

In case of ASrock and ASUS mainboard people can use coderush’s advise to make a *.bin file from a *.cap file (extract body / remove capsule header from *.cap file):
[Guide] How to flash a modded ASUS or ASRock AMI UEFI BIOS
[Guide] How to flash a modded ASUS or ASRock AMI UEFI BIOS (3)
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1726429

But it seems not so easy for Intel mainboards… :frowning:

Intel BIO target multiple systems, not just one. For example the one you have has 4 ME firmware inside instead of one, 3 ME8 and 1 ME7. The same may apply for other components like GbE, BIOS etc. Thus the bigger size. Removing the AMI capsule header is not a “conversion” really. It cannot be compared to the work that someone would have to do in order to create a proper SPI image out of a BIO file. Not only he/she would have to pick only the parts that are relevant to a given system but also sort through the jungle that is BIO images as not everything can be found at logical places. I know CodeRush once did this for another Intel user but it took time and in your case it doesn’t matter. You have a programmer and a dump. So you can work on the dump and flash directly.

Thank you for this easy understanding explanation!

So the best advise for such problems is to contact Intel support and ask for a *.rom file (if no experience how to repair a dump-file), annoying them until they give up?! I did contact Intel support, but no answer since 3 days (ok, now is weekend). ASRock support did allways answered in 1-2 days. ASRock even makes customized BIOS if you ask them (e.g. if you want add ATA-Security to BIOS or other modifications). ASRock support is very good, i can recommend them!

I don’t think Intel would budge to such requests but who knows, try them. And yes I know ASRock can be helpful from time to time compared to most other OEMs. Did you try the attached “fixed” SPI image by any chance? You don’t have to reply with a “no”, I am not anxious. Only when you are ready and have some results.

Thank you plutomaniac, it works now!
Before i got allways 3x beep, which by Intel means RAM error. BIOS Recovery Mode did not work.
After flashing yours fixed.bin, i got 2x beep, which by Intel means VGA error, and still black screen on monitor. But Intel BIOS Recovery Mode was working now (copy .bio file to 2GB USB-pen, remove BIOS-cfg jumper).

So i did BIOS recovery to BE0109, after this mainboard started and i got picture on VGA-Monitor. T
Then updated in DOS to 0113, then 0116, then to the latest 0120.

Here is a dump of BE0120:
https://mega.nz/#!0VJw1K4C!oQYQQc-l1TIyd…fQ3yTRyeU8gWuYw

Good, I only fixed the ME region and verified the other regions are found at their proper offsets. Any other beeps or problems are system/hardware related and not ME-relevant. You now have ME8 so you can also use IVB cpus in the future. Also, if you want to, you can update to the latest ME8 1.5MB which is 8.1.65.1586 using FWUpdate as seen at the ME thread.