[SOLVED] How to unlock BIOS options of rebranded TONGFANG chassis systems?

Thanks @CPL0 and yes, I meant 0009 I always mix up hex stuff
Now just have to clean it all up and redo a proper mod now that method is known. I am glad I toughed this one out, and thrilled to have figured it out, learning this method will help me unlock more BIOS for others now that I haven’t been able to figure out in the past.
I still want to learn how to always and easily find the jumps in assembly for skipped menus, but need to learn how to get the tab ID’s like you see in Donovan’s guide for Insyde BIOS.

* Edit @namiam - Here’s what I think looking at your stock BIOS images vs BCP
Keep both boot menus, some settings missing on the advanced one that you might want, which are on the original (Launch CSM, Boot Mode Select)
Also keep OG Security Menu, it has more options/details - And I see some settings in OG Adv that are not in the ADV #2 (keyboard lighting effects), so I think have to keep both ADV
Switch Main, and Exit for Save & Exit

So, unhide Boot #2 + Save & Exit (ADV #2/Chipset already done)
Hide OG Main + OG Exit

Or, what do you think about all that?

I’ll try to get this done for you guys tonight, then you can share the great news over to notebookreview forum!


Yes, I think that would be ideal … OG Main contains some useful info though like MAC address, BIOS version, etc. Does the second Main contain this too? If so switching it is fine. Yes OG Advanced Menu has some options I use often (Boot mode, CSM, Lighting Effects, probably want all of those). Ideally you’d have most if not all the options of OG Advanced and then hidden Advanced concatenated to that menu, but whatever is easiest.

I will take pics of submenus for you tonight (1 level deep), or do you need ALL pics for the entire tree? That would take a while as hidden Advanced has TONS of options as you saw. At the very least I can verify they are all there according to the AMIBCP tree.

Thank you so much for the explanation! I know that took time to write out. I can now try doing it myself too.

@nimaim - I didn’t check Main too much like I did the others, but yes I assume hidden main contains all that and lots more (it’s 2-3x more detailed). Transferring from original ADV to advanced ADV is not something I’m familiar with doing, but I can try if you want, I don’t think it’s an easy copy/paste, but it might be
I don’t need the images, you can just look and compare to AMIBCP if you want, to see if anything missing from chipset or ADV that you see in AMIBCP. But, you may need to take images for yourself to compare, since there is so many subs in Adv.

You’re welcome, hopefully it’s explained enough to be easily understood!

Damn, just checked Main vs Main, MAC address is missing in hidden one, maybe if it’s easy copy/paste/move I can change that around (same for the ADV settings missing from hidden one).
This may take another week or two to figure out, and many tests on your end, unsure how simple that will be, I’ll dig in and look. At a quick glance, the same items in each use different handle ID’s, so it may not be so easy, since each menu is using a different form set

Replied in line below:

@nimaim - I was thinking it’s best to try and make a “final” or at least a good “Release Candidate”, and many will complain too many dupes probably, so it’s hard to decide what is best due to a setting here or there on one menu that’s wanted, but not on the more advanced hidden menus.
Could just make it main x2, Adv x2, chipset, boot x2, security as-is and switch exit pages. That makes 3 duplicated menus and will look sloppy to many people probably.

Lets test a file and see if I can move one setting from one menu to another easily or not, before we do the other menu changes.
I’ll try to move keyboard lighting effects from OG adv to new adv, speaking of that, which set do you see in the BIOS (last two have different light effect settings than the first set)
Here, please test, do you see Keyboard Backlight effects at the top of the new Adv menu now? If not, then it’s not an easy move to shift things between menus
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil…888833438474405

@Lost_N_BIOS I agree x2 menus is not clean, but I was trying to save you some time :slight_smile: Whoever is flashing this just wants the capabilities, I guess looks are not as important, but let’s see if you figured it out. I’m testing this now …

EDIT: No go … cannot enter BIOS anymore, F2 yields a blank blue screen, didn’t like that edit.

Thanks for testing @nimaim - I suspected it wouldn’t be that easy
So, what do you think we should do, proceed with the dupes, or work on figuring out settings move from one to another? I know it’s possible, I’m just not familiar with how to do it properly, but I’m sure I could figure it out given enough time and testing.

@Lost_N_BIOS I say the dupes are okay … few reasons:

1) There will be more versions after this I suspect, so easy mods are great because we can do them ourselves with your instructions without too much effort. There are also BIOSes from other vendors for this chassis so lot of different ones to mod and flash and test.
2) Whoever doesn’t need those options will just ignore them (and they are easy to spot as they are after the Exit menu).
3) I don’t want to take up anymore of your time … I think what you’ve unlocked for us is more than enough. There are so many options to test as it is that it will keep people busy for a while.

Is it possible to rename the extra menus so people don’t accidentally change settings in them? Something like “Advanced2” “Chipset2” etc. Anything else you would recommend doing? Thanks again.

@nimaim - OK will do a dupes “Semi-final” tonight I did plan to rearrange them, or do you think it’s best to leave them after exit?
Unsure about rename, but I think it’s possible/easy. I checked one of the other systems BIOS “GK5CN6Z_Mechrevo” and it was basically same as this one, so it’s very likely that you can just swap out the modified modules into all the other systems instead of doing separate mods for each.

@Lost_N_BIOS can you check this BIOSes: http://www.cyberpowerinc.com/drivers/?di…Notebook%20BIOS ?

Especially for 109 model (as it is on I’m using :tehe:) and tell if your instructions can help to unlock hidden tabs in those BIOSes

Yes, I will check tonight @truelecter - sorry heading out shortly right now. If it’s same kind of system as the rest of these, then I assume it’s same, for quick test, swap AMITSE PE32 module with one of the BIOS I posted in post #94
Use Hidremx2L00U.rom Or Hidremx2LFFU.rom (That will give you chipset and second advanced)
Once confirmed it’s working on your system, you can use the info I posted to unlock all, or wait until I get that done, then swap out module once I’m finished with the mod.
If it’s not same as these Tongfangs, then don’t do that swap at all, unless you have programmer and are ready to recover from bricked BIOS.

Edit - WTH 25MB BIOS download? That’s unnecessary insanity! downloading now

Edit 2 @truelecter - I checked and yes, that method will work similar for your system. Module is not same size, don’t swap! It’s a little different in yours
Hidden string of just two byte menus is at 00052cf4, other block of full menu ID’s (like shown in my image) is at 00055624

Great! Thanks for such quick reply. I will try to modify it tomorrow.

@Lost_N_BIOS If you know how to rearrange them (and Exit to be last), go for it :slight_smile: Otherwise, it’s okay to leave them after Exit. If nothing else, it will give people a clear indication of what was “unlocked” and should be careful with changing.

If rename is too hard, then it’s also okay to leave out. That would be nice if we can just swap out modules in these! I will have to test that.

@nimaim - Rename you would have to do a quick test, but I think someone mentioned doing that already as a quick test in this thread early on. I checked and couldn’t find it, maybe thinking of another thread.
Yes, I believe rearranging is possible and easy, I included a sample switch test with below rename test. If it’s not moved, other methods can be tested next, this was just quick location swap in AMITSE module, if that doesn’t do it then move in setup/IFR probably will.
Here is quick test, Advanced2 renamed via AMIBCP and Advanced2/BCP + move Adv2 via AMITSE location swap
http://www.filedropper.com/renameadv-moveadv

You can test ADV2Move first if you want, but if it fails to boot please also test the other so we know if Adv2 rename works, or causes the boot fail, or if only the swap causes it.

After a quick check of AMITSE in few models (I checked Cyberpower above and Mechrevo), I see all are very similar, but each a little different, so they’ll all need modified separately.
File swap may work and be functional, but it’s sloppy/not ideal since they are all a little different, as a modder I’d prefer doing each one by one and I’m sure owners would rather have that as well.

@truelecter - You’re welcome, and good luck! Looks easy, same as this one, if you can’t get it let me know.
Also, I added another image and step to to post #99 mod info/method, not necessary for your BIOS in particular, but does help overall for any similar BIOS.

@Lost_N_BIOS

I’ve been watching this thread for a bit and its been exciting to see your progress with this mod. Is the GK5CN6Z bios the same as GK7CN6S, if not would it be possible for you take a look at it with regards to applying the same method / mod?

GK7CN6S = OP-LP3

Regards,

Zeddi

@Zeddi - thanks, it was a good fight, and happy to say in the end I believe we’ve won! Please link me to your BIOS and I will check

@Lost_N_BIOS

https://mega.nz/#!Rt11EajB!kpaJPUbYA7oZo…kPwhBHJSZY8RhMM

So fast.This is lastest rom AFAiK

This is for OP-LP3 (TONGFANG GK7CN6S)

Much appreciated,

Zeddi

@Zeddi - you’re welcome! Can you modify BIOS, do hex work etc? If yes, then yes, the general method I outlined in post #94+99 is valid for your system too.
Like the CyberPower asked about above, yours is a little different too, short two byte string list of hidden is at 00053074, main list of hidden items starts at 00055af4

If you need it done for you, please wait until we’re finished with little more testing (rearranging menu’s + renaming) on the other then I will make final for both.

@nimaim - looks like module swaps across the board wont work, this is now 4th one I’ve checked, and all are a little different, so individual base mods will be needed for all similar models.

@Zeddi , please wait until we figure out what to do with this model. Once we make the proper edits, I can look at it myself following Lost_N_BIOS’s instructions.

@Lost_N_BIOS , give me a few hours to test the latest batch. It’s unfortunate modules can’t just be swapped with these “basically identical” BIOSes but no worries, I think once I do one the process will be very easy. I’m not looking to wear out the pins on my BIOS chip so hopefully we can figure this out soon, otherwise forget the renaming / rearranging … at that point, it is what it is. I’m sure people will be happy just to have something to play with. Anyway stay tuned for results …

@nimaim - all these should be fine to flash via FPT, so no need to stress your BIOS pins with programming unless recovery is needed (BIOS Lock always disabled), so you can FPTw -bios -f file.bin
Thanks for continued testing, I think we’re nearly done! Unless we come up with more changes, each time we’re close we think of something else we forgot previously