I would like to request a BIOS mod for the current A515-54G version 1.18, ideally all of its features would be visible including any hidden advanced menu.
I have access to a CH341A programmer and a SOIC8 clip I believe, I have used it to dump and the ROMs of some external enclosures; in case it was necessary to create a dump of the BIOS chip. At the moment I don’t know its location, but looking at the markings shouldn’t be a problem I think.
What is it needed? Only the BIOS to be flashed or a dump is required nonetheless? The link on the 1.18 points to the updater program already extracted and all of the files are present. The file that has the BIOS settings for my machine is ZAW2.
PS. By editing the firmware it is also possible to change the boot logo right? I’m keen on learning all of these things but I wouldn’t know where to begin, that’s why I ask for your help (for now hopefully).
----------------------
Some more info, the BIOS seems to be based on InsideH2O Rev. 5, and the following are pictures of what can be seen out of the box.
I tried dumping the BIOS chip using the CH341A with the clamp, but there were no exact match for the model I have (WINBOND W25Q128JVSQ). I looked at the specs and W25Q128FV seemed close enough, but when dumping the BIOS trying to verify that what I had read was the same there was in the chip failed, which indicates it’s no possible to use W25Q123FV as a substitute right?
I tried with the other W25Q128 I have, same luck, no dumped file coincides with one another, and who knows if any represents what’s inside. I have uploaded them too in case they’re useful. I’m going to try in Linux using flashrom and report back too.
Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/6Wgu8bm
Dumps: https://mega.nz/folder/JV9THRCC#Yp42eEHGdj8-ieK9vzNO3Q
--------------------------------------
Success, I was able to read and verify the chip ROM in Linux using Flashrom.
I have uploaded the correct dump here: https://mega.nz/folder/1I0mTYZY#3Qt7B4ScaZGjYrqZzZUK4A
I hope it helps.
------------------------------------
Another addition I hope to be useful, I added to that previous folder another dump, this time without any BIOS password set because I thought that could be a problem…
Looking around I also tried to use the Flash Programming Tool to read the BIOS and write it back again, to no avail the following error appeared (#167):
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
C:\Users\Kao\Downloads\Intel CSME System Tools v14.0.11- r1\Flash Programming Tool\WIN64>FPTW64.exe -bios -d BIOSReg.bin
Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool Version: 14.0.11.1205
Copyright (C) 2005 - 2019, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
Reading HSFSTS register... Flash Descriptor: Valid
--- Flash Devices Found ---
W25Q128FV ID:0xEF4018 Size: 16384KB (131072Kb)
- Reading Flash [0x1000000] 13312KB of 13312KB - 100 percent complete.
Writing flash contents to file "BIOSReg.bin"...
Memory Dump Complete
FPT Operation Successful.
C:\Users\Kao\Downloads\Intel CSME System Tools v14.0.11- r1\Flash Programming Tool\WIN64>FPTW64.exe -bios -f BIOSReg.bin
Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool Version: 14.0.11.1205
Copyright (C) 2005 - 2019, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
Reading HSFSTS register... Flash Descriptor: Valid
--- Flash Devices Found ---
W25Q128FV ID:0xEF4018 Size: 16384KB (131072Kb)
Error 167: Protected Range Registers are currently set by BIOS, preventing flash access.
Please contact the target system BIOS vendor for an option to disable
Protected Range Registers.
FPT Operation Failed.
C:\Users\Kao\Downloads\Intel CSME System Tools v14.0.11- r1\Flash Programming Tool\WIN64>
The resulting file from the read is also uploaded into the folder.
Looking at another thread, @Lost_N_BIOS mentioned to someone that it could be useful to dump EFI vars using H2OUVE and uploaded a package of different versions. None of them worked on my system, but H2OUVE 200.00.01.00 did. So I uploaded that as well, anything I can do to help, I just wish I knew more about the whole subject.
Just in case, the folder is here: https://mega.nz/folder/1I0mTYZY#3Qt7B4ScaZGjYrqZzZUK4A
---
EDIT: Because I feel I have created enough replies for the thread and this is sort of off-topic:
Looking at information in the forum, I realized things aren't easy and from what I could gather I have forgo the idea of having a different boot logo.
I was able to use PhoenixTool to decompress the BIOS file that Acer provides, find the logo to be replaced, instruct it not to touch the SLIC (there's none I believe) and to allow custom modifications of modules; but it fails even recombining the BIOS as it was, without me changing the logos (something about insufficient space). *sigh* What a bum. All of you guys & girls who do this sort of things on a daily basis, heroes you are.