Replacing BIOS logo of MINISFORUM N33 Fanless Mini PC (Intel Apollo Lake Intel Celeron N3350 CPU)

BIOS/UEFI Modding BIOS Modding Requests
1

Hi,

I use UEFITool software (all versions) to open the BIOS but the it complaints "Invalid UEFI volume". Then I use ChangeLogo32.exe (copied from Gigabyte @BIOS program, date 9/13/2019, size: 11,2222 KB) to extract the stock logo, the size is 36,864 bytes. I replace the stock logo with mine which is less than the stock logo size. How do I test the modd BIOS to see it bricked the BIOS? What software should I use?

BIOS logo.jpg

2

UEFITool opens your BIOS just fine, so not sure what is causing the problem you’re running into? I tested with what I usually use to edit with 51, and 25.0
Please try to dump BIOS with FPT for me, using info below >>

You need the V3 TXE ME System tools from “C2” section of this thread, to save you some time with first part
Intel Trusted Execution Engine: Drivers, Firmware & System Tools

If you have already modified the BIOS in ANY way, you will need to re-flash it back to factory defaults using factory method (NOT FPT)!!!
Additionally, please remove all BIOS passwords, disable secure boot, and disable TPM or Encryption if you have enabled. Do this before moving on to below

If you do not have Intel ME drivers installed, install them now from your system driver download page, then start over here after reboot.
Check your BIOS’ main page and see if ME FW version is shown. If not then > DOWNLOAD HWINFO64 HERE <

Once HWINFO is open, look at the large window on the left side, expand motherboard, and find the ME area.
Inside that section is the ME Firmware version. Take note of the version. (ie. write it down or get a screenshot)

Once you have that, go to the thread linked below, and in the section “C.2” find and download the matching ME System Tools Package for your system.
(ie if ME FW version = 10.x get V10 package, if 9.0-9.1 get V9.1 package, if 9.5 or above get V9.5 package etc)
> DOWNLOAD " ME System Tools " packages HERE <

Once downloaded, inside you will find Flash Programming Tool folder, and then inside that a Windows or Win/Win32 folder (NOT x64).
Highlight that Win/Win32 folder, then hold shift and press right click. Choose “open command window here” (Not power shell! >> * See Registry file below *).

If you get an error, reply to this post with a screenshot of it, OR write down the EXACT command entered and the EXACT error given.

((If “open command window here” does not appear, look for the “Simple Registry Edit” below…))

Step #1
Now you should be at the command prompt.
You are going to BACKUP the factory un-modified firmware, so type the following command:
Command: " FPTw.exe -bios -d biosreg.bin "

>> Attach the saved "biosreg.bin ", placed into a compressed ZIP/RAR file, to your next post!!! <<

Step #2
Right after you do that, try to write back the BIOS Region dump and see if you get any error(s).
Command: " FPTw.exe -bios -f biosreg.bin "
^^ This step is important! Don’t forget! ^^

If you get an error, reply to this post with a screenshot of it, OR write down the EXACT command entered and the EXACT error given.

Here is a SIMPLE REGISTRY EDIT that adds “Open command window here as Administrator” to the right click menu, instead of Power Shell
Double-click downloaded file to install. Reboot after install may be required
> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD CMD PROMPT REGISTRY ENTRY <

If the windows method above does NOT work for you…
Then you may have to copy all contents from the Flash Programming Tool \ DOS folder to the root of a Bootable USB disk and do the dump from DOS
( DOS command: " FPT.exe -bios -d biosreg.bin " )

3

The size of this version ChangeLogo v5.0.0.6 is the same with the ChangeLogo v5.0.0.2. However when you check the file property, it shows the real version number.

BIOSLogoFW6.rar (163 KB)

4

I used UEFITool version 0.25.1, 0.27.0, and 0.28.0. All of them gave me the same error. Please see the image.

Error.jpg

5

Use UEFITool 25.0 for editing anything. Ohh, I see what you mean now, I had only been looking at it in 51 so far, because that is where I do my inspections and extractions etc.
BUT, what I seen in 51 is what made me ask you to do the dump above, this is incomplete or broken, or just odd BIOS, that’s why I wanted you to dump BIOS region with FPT, so we could see what’s on chip
You can ignore that error and the BIOS is open in 25-28 etc, but I would not edit it there/like this etc - this is not proper/incomplete/broken BIOS (missing main DXE volume, or it’s not expanding properly due to being broken BIOS)

Have you flashed in this BIOS and it’s OK/bootable?

6

Here is the biosreg.bin from stock BIOS.

biosreg.rar (3.77 MB)

7

@ptran3014 - Thanks, that is same/similar as stock BIOS, the last volume is broken (starts at 384000h), other volume overlaps it and it doesn’t open/expand properly in any tools.
I assume DXE volume is there, and probably logo too, so when you replace this via changelogo it’s breaking it even more.

Do you know any other BIOS that is compatible with this model? If yes, link me to it so I can see if it’s broken in same way or not.
If not, maybe best thing you can try is to send your logo to the manufacturer that sent you this BIOS originally, and ask them if they will swap in your logo/ Tell them you did yourself and it works, but messes up BIOS (slow, etc)

8

@Lost_N_BIOS I already sent the logo for them to replace, hopefully I will have it soon. By the way, they request a logo size of 800x600.
The most important thing I need to make it boot with Windows 7 but both x64 or x86 won’t boot and gives me this error.

20200813_144855.jpg

9

Make a post in the forum section here about Win7 BCD error 0xc000000d, maybe someone can help, be sure to explain system and oddities about it, and how you are only getting this on install and not a random error on already testing running OS - Windows 7/Vista/Server 2008
It’s probably due to the eMMC and windows install going there, then this missing on bootup, or windows install going elsewhere and not there, and then eMMC being only drive seen on startup
Did you test this with and without HDD/SSD installed, so you can test install onto eMMC too?

Hopefully they send you BIOS with logo that boots OK Be sure to ask them to enable Win7 compatibility too