Unlock Acer Aspire TC-217

Hi @Lost_N_BIOS
I am trying to unlock the advanced and chipset menu without any success. Can you help?
Acer webiste: https://www.acer.com/ac/en/CA/content/support-product/6528?b=1
PS–I have the usb programmer and this is amd system.

1. AMIBCP : Changed access to user/supervisor. No good.
2. Magic String : Already 01 by default.

flashrom backup
https://www.sendspace.com/file/k65gne

menu pictures
https://www.sendspace.com/file/zob42v

Thanks

@airstars - Thanks for providing all the good stuff right up front!
What do you mean by “No Good” when testing AMIBCP Access Level Change to User/Super? Did not work, or bricked BIOS etc?
Did you use AMIBCP 4.55? Did you make this change at ROOT of Setup, show me image example if you are not sure?

Did you already test this too? >>
Press Fn + Tab. Save and exit. Retry enter bios

Or >>
Alt and F1
Shift and F1
Ctrl and F1

Or >>
Hold shift key down and press F2 , release the keys and hold alt key down and hit F3.

@Lost_N_BIOS
No good means no extra menu in bios.
Yes, I changed the access level to user/super at root and I tried both 4.53 and 4.55 version.
Those combo keys don’t work at all.

@airstars - Sorry then, I am not sure at all about this BIOS, it looks like by default all would be visible anyway

Here’s my notes I wrote down as I dug around, maybe something will catch your eye? I assume key to solution is in AMITSE PE32, but I can’t find anything that catches my eye
Most of my knowledge about editing AMITSE is for Aptio V, and usually for Aptio IV it’s never needed to be edited there. For Aptio IV usually only magic string, and or Access Level changes are needed

Middle of Setup PE32 (right above Magic string)
91 EE 5E 98 AC BC 38 42 87 78 57 EF DC 93 F2 4E - Main 0x400 -------------------------------00 83 41 00 02 0E A7 / 07 00 08 00 01
FA 04 4F E1 06 87 53 43 92 F2 9C 24 24 74 6F 9F - Adv 0x402 --------------------------------02 F1 4A 00 02 0E A7 / 1D 00 1E 00 01
C8 34 FE AD E1 9A 8F 4F BE 13 CF 96 A2 CB 2C 5B - Chipset 0x405 ----------------------------02 16 26 00 02 0E A7 / 1F 00 20 00 01
E0 FF 33 8B 1C D7 82 4F 9C EB C9 70 58 C1 3F 8E - Boot 0x406 -------------------------------02 4C 0A 00 02 0E A7 / 21 00 22 00 01
EE EA 1C 98 1C 93 17 4A B9 C8 66 C7 BC FD 77 E1 - Security 0x408 ---------------------------02 B8 09 00 02 0E A7 / 3C 00 3D 00 01
DC 03 3B A4 8A C1 B1 41 91 C8 3F F9 AA A2 57 13 - Exit 0x409 -------------------------------02 12 03 00 02 0E A7 / 50 00 51 00 01
AB AD 92 90 56 FC CE 4C 84 9A 73 88 F3 16 FD 29 - Main 0x40A << Visible (Lower AMIBCP) ----02 D4 02 00 02 0E A7 / 07 00 08 00 01
3E C2 94 5B 80 77 C5 42 80 A4 27 69 41 4C F7 3E - Advanced 0x40B << Visible (Lower AMIBCP)- 02 F1 08 00 02 0E A7 / 1D 00 1E 00 01
84 0D E3 E7 62 53 3C 42 B6 4B 49 99 D3 CE 30 A1 - Power 0x40C << Visible -------------------02 45 05 00 02 0E A7 / 73 01 74 01 01
83 41 BD 28 DE 39 B3 43 AB 83 AC 64 F0 AE 45 7F - Boot Options 0x40F << Visible ------------02 95 07 00 02 0E A7 / 43 02 44 02 01
E7 77 A8 DE 9B F5 6B 4E BA 26 13 1D C9 62 71 27 - Authentication 0x40D << Visible ---------02 22 04 00 02 0E A7 / AD 01 AE 01 01
F0 AF C2 28 2A DC CA 46 8C 28 09 6B F6 79 EE 5A - Security 0x40E << Visible (Lower AMIBCP)-02 AE 04 00 02 0E A7 / 3C 00 3D 00 01
FE 4B 23 94 C4 79 5B 49 86 08 E7 BE C3 AD 68 B4 - Exit 0x410 << Visible (Lower AMIBCP)-----02 A5 02 00 02 0E A7 / 50 00 51 00 01

D0 34 01 80 01 00 00 00 30 33 01 80 01 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
E0 34 01 80 01 00 00 00 50 33 01 80 01 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
F0 34 01 80 01 00 00 00 70 33 01 80 01 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 35 01 80 01 00 00 00 90 33 01 80 01 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
10 35 01 80 01 00 00 00 B0 33 01 80 01 00 00 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
20 35 01 80 01 00 00 00 D0 33 01 80 01 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
30 35 01 80 01 00 00 00 F0 33 01 80 01 00 00 00 18 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
40 35 01 80 01 00 00 00 10 34 01 80 01 00 00 00 19 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
50 35 01 80 01 00 00 00 30 34 01 80 01 00 00 00 1A 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
60 35 01 80 01 00 00 00 90 34 01 80 01 00 00 00 1B 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
70 35 01 80 01 00 00 00 50 34 01 80 01 00 00 00 1C 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
80 35 01 80 01 00 00 00 70 34 01 80 01 00 00 00 1D 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
90 35 01 80 01 00 00 00 B0 34 01 80 01 00 00 00 1E 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
>>
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 18 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 19 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 1A 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 1C 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 1D 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 1B 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F8 0D 00 80 01 00 00 00 1E 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

AMITSE/SetupData (@ End)

43 D6 87 EC A4 EB B5 4B A1 E5 3F 3E 36 B2 0D A9 00 00 00 00
91 EE 5E 98 AC BC 38 42 87 78 57 EF DC 93 F2 4E 01 00 00 00
FA 04 4F E1 06 87 53 43 92 F2 9C 24 24 74 6F 9F 02 00 00 00
C8 34 FE AD E1 9A 8F 4F BE 13 CF 96 A2 CB 2C 5B 04 00 00 00
EE EA 1C 98 1C 93 17 4A B9 C8 66 C7 BC FD 77 E1 10 00 00 00
E0 FF 33 8B 1C D7 82 4F 9C EB C9 70 58 C1 3F 8E 08 00 00 00
DC 03 3B A4 8A C1 B1 41 91 C8 3F F9 AA A2 57 13 20 00 00 00
AB AD 92 90 56 FC CE 4C 84 9A 73 88 F3 16 FD 29 18 00 00 00
3E C2 94 5B 80 77 C5 42 80 A4 27 69 41 4C F7 3E 19 00 00 00
84 0D E3 E7 62 53 3C 42 B6 4B 49 99 D3 CE 30 A1 1A 00 00 00
E7 77 A8 DE 9B F5 6B 4E BA 26 13 1D C9 62 71 27 1C 00 00 00
F0 AF C2 28 2A DC CA 46 8C 28 09 6B F6 79 EE 5A 1D 00 00 00
83 41 BD 28 DE 39 B3 43 AB 83 AC 64 F0 AE 45 7F 1B 00 00 00
FE 4B 23 94 C4 79 5B 49 86 08 E7 BE C3 AD 68 B4 1E 00 00 00
2E 20 E1 80 97 26 64 42 9C C9 80 76 2C 3E 58 63 40 00 00 00

(0007) Main
(0008) System Overview
(001D) Advanced
(001E) Advanced Settings
(001F) Chipset
(0020) Chipset Settings
(0021) Boot
(0022) System Boot Settings
(0243) Boot Options
(0244) System Boot Settings.
(0173) Power
(0174) Power
(01AD) Authentication
(01AE) Authentication
(003C) Security
(003D) Security Settings
(0050) Exit
(0051) Save & Exit Options
(0052) Save & Exit Setup

@Lost_N_BIOS

Thanks for the reply
Yes, this one is the very tricky. i have checked everything, but still couldn’t figure it out. That’s why i decided to ask you for your help.
I guess the swap tab/menu method won’t work too since everything is already enabled by default.

@airstars - Yes, sorry, I looked at it for a long time, two different nights, and can’t see how it’s being limited down to the currently visible menus
Swap test could be made to see what happens, swapping Adv/ADV2 for example at one or both of the areas noted above (one in setup, and one in AMITSE/SetupData)
I’d try that, then also try on top of each of those 2 BIOS one each User/Super (after initial test without it)

Middle of Setup PE32 (right above Magic string) >> Swap two items location below
FA 04 4F E1 06 87 53 43 92 F2 9C 24 24 74 6F 9F - Adv 0x402
3E C2 94 5B 80 77 C5 42 80 A4 27 69 41 4C F7 3E - Advanced 0x40B << Visible (Lower AMIBCP)

AMITSE/SetupData (@ End) >> Swap two items location below
FA 04 4F E1 06 87 53 43 92 F2 9C 24 24 74 6F 9F 02 00 00 00
3E C2 94 5B 80 77 C5 42 80 A4 27 69 41 4C F7 3E 19 00 00 00

If you don’t get what I mean, or how to do it, let me know and I will make you those x6 BIOS to test.

@Lost_N_BIOS

Bad news. I flashed all 6 bios and all it did was move advanced tab from 2nd position to 7th position.
Thanks for you help. I guess we will have to let this one go.

@airstars Hmm, that is interesting! What went into 2nd position?
What happens if you 00 out the original limited advanced, or 00 out the hidden one but swap it’s ID in place of original ADV?
So that only hidden ADV is there, and 00 is there in place of the original ADV?
Never give up so easily, keep fighting, maybe we’ll figure it out!

@Lost_N_BIOS

Before
Main-Advanced-Power-Authentication-Security-Boot-Exit
After
Main-Power-Authentication-Security-Boot-Exit-Advanced



Great idea. Let me try that. Thanks

---------------------

@Lost_N_BIOS

New update
What happens if you 00 out the original limited advanced??
setup only–same original advanced menu
amitse only–only shows 6 tabs now without advanced tab
setup+amitse–only shows 6 tabs now without advanced tab

00 out the hidden one but swap it’s ID in place of original ADV?
setup only–same original advanced menu
amitse only–only shows 6 tabs now without advanced tab
setup+amitse–only shows 6 tabs now without advanced tab

@airstars - thanks, so that is good testing results. So we now know that hidden advanced tab is specifically blocked somewhere, and that key to show or hide is as per usually, in AMITSE area, I bet it’s in AMITSE as it should be, not AMITSE/SetupData, but I’ll dig more into both.
I’ll look more for it exactly being blocked and see if I can find anything.

When you did the swap ID’s at end there, were you putting the hidden advanced ID at top position in place of the original ID?



@Lost_N_BIOS
Yes, I did exactly what you posted here.
00 the hidden advanced tab and replaced the original advanced tab id with hidden advanced tab id.