Help! We need an unlocked BIOS for the new Alienware 18 - please promote on IdeaStorm ASAP.

Promoted and commented.

 

It is never going to happen guys. Your efforts would be better spent trying to crack Dell's secureflash signing key. Dell would never willingly compromise the security of its little bubble it has going on the AW18 and AW17.

 

It doesnt hurt to try, after all dell released a product with poor fan tables, a cpu which gets throttled due to poor bios and unsupported graphic cards. These issues should not have been allowed to go on for over 2 years and a huge oversight of dell imho. I see this more as the product is discontinued so why should dell pay an engineer to fix it? Seems they dont really care for there customers much and its all about the profits and end line. If a product is marketed to perform a certain way IE cpu clock speeds and dual MXM graphic card slots then it should support any MXM card of same slot variation and the clock speeds shouldnt throttle...dont you agree?

 

Dell goofed the sound chip on the M17x R4, M14x R2, and the M18x R2 and they NEVER released a fix for it. Dell should fire its QA people on this products.

 

I agree Mr. Fox. Things are always possible. Saying "never" has often bit me in the rear in the past as well.

 

well dell responded on the idea storm ...

so its the same bs as before i still dread that someday a glitch or security issue will make it posible to flash those pc's ...

 

I responded at IdeaStorm to that silly excuse that was provided.

 

Exactly the response I predicted. Dell would never compromise the environment it has regulated/certified. It wants to minimize legal trouble wherever possible.

 

As if the EU computer Gestapo would ever know, find out, or care about after-factory end user firmware mods. That's just a lame cop-out answer. All that would be necessary is for just one caring Alienware executive to provide an "accidental" delivery of an unlocked and/or Secure Flash free version of the latest Alienware 18 BIOS to a few key enthusiast customers... problem solved, tons of happy customers, and an EU regulatory body utterly powerless to say or do anything because it is nowhere to be found on a Dell web site. It would be viral in a matter of days and all they would have to do is say it wasn't an "authorized" distribution and disclaim any knowledge of the matter. But, bogus rules in a foreign country are more important that the respect and admiration of happy customers at home that will come back and buy more later. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.

 

Dell is now offering a 240W psu in countries(Eu) outside the United States / Canada although 2015 model Aw laptops are only Certify/verified only with the "nice" 180w. If Aw owners complain enough on the weak 180w psu they get the 240W delivered home on the door. Why can Dell do this but not publish a bios without secure flash signing key? This is just nonsense... Dell doing everything they can to cripple the old Aw models. Such can the new Aw models look much better in tests and reviews. Dell must not think that they're going to sell more Aw laptops with such an attitude.

 

Honestly, we are better off purchasing a chip programmer and asking svl7 for an unlocked bios to flash to the chip and solder to the board. It's not like we aren't capable of doing that. Inconvenience yes, but the potential is there and it is starting to outweigh the inconvenience.

 

Removing a digital sign doesn't need that stupid misleading answer.

Need more, this thread should live and make the AW people regret for their greedy decisions !!
I can sense these AW guys hiding in this NBR AW subforum unable to respond to the 2013-14 users plead and 2015 filthy issues..Still in a mental dysfunctional state, sharing the nature of the Dell / AW corp.
MSI is the new contender in banging the new AW, welcome to the bangingware club - "Clevo"

/end of rant

 

lol still fighting against the corporate big boys?

Remember when Dell promised they were gonna add 980M support to AW18 over a half year back? Have that even happened? Or were they lying their pants off?

 

It was a half-assed attempt to pacify us. No more, no less.

 

Where did that road lead that was paved with good intentions?

 

im wondering why a class action law suite against dell/alienware hasnt happened yet.

 

Probably because nobody wants a hardware-crippled BGA Alienware 17 R2 as a pathetic replacement for a firmware-crippled Alienware 18 as part of the class settlement. But, they should still be spanked and send to bed with no dinner for being such naughty boys and ruining the BIOS. Stiff fines for trespassing and a court order to remove the flash protection would also be nice.

 

Still can't believe logistics thought an Alienware 17 R2 with a 980M and a 4710HQ was equivalent to my M18x......

 

Nah, they had to know better. Just wanted to see what they could get away with. They probably have a tiny cache of 18 Viking machines left for the customers smart enough to know they are getting shafted and refuse the 17 R2. Pity the souls that find themselves in the same sorry state when there are none left. They're going to have to step up to the plate with refunds in lieu of system exchanges involving grossly inferior products. 17/M17xR3/4 owners are going to be in the same boat, because a 17 R2 is a downgrade for them also.

 

I`d create noise for you guys to get more attention from Dell again if I had my Alienware 18 and cared. I sold it a while back because I was tired of waiting for this fix Dell promised us.
I must say I find it a bit odd that nobody here have rallied up support to give them hell for this though. I mean, there should be enough of you guys to accomplish something. But on the other side you may have waited too long. Maybe, I dont know.

Man was we fooled. Even the CEO of Dell came here with an engineer from Dell to tell us they were working on a fix for the Maxwell cards for our 18" notebooks.
Which now revealed as nothing but a lie, most likely hampered at the very beginning of development because Dell saw it would not lead to more sales for their soldered boxes they now sell.
What Dell didnt realize is that it probably scare more people away from the user group that paid $3k for a SLI notebook. Those are far between and alienating (ironic huh...) us with lies and not caring about their loyal fans speaks volumes on how they just dont care about M18x/AW18 owners.

Screw Dell. They lost my respect.

 

Completely agree about respect and giving them hell for what they've done. I equally surprised that there hasn't been enough support to give Nvidia hell too. For the 880m, for the theft of proper overclocking due to it now being classified as a "bug" and a couple other things. I think the things Nvidia has done the past year or so are corrupt and criminal. And Dell, part dirty and part complete incompetence. And they're both laughing their ass off at us for letting them get away with it. Remind you of anything else

 

I think the cannibalization of sales angle is a "bridge too far" in this case. If anything, it would allow Alienware/Dell to sell come Maxwell cards as upgrades and/or some warranty extensions, especially if the warranty also covered Dell/Alienware-branded, purchased-from-Dell/Alienware MXM graphics cards. Also why wouldn't they want to sell more of the $2K+, $3K+, and $4K+ systems? The markup on those has to be better than the $1-2K systems. Ditto for the markup on the MXM upgrade cards.

I think it has to do with Support angle. I think we saw grumblings before where they wanted to limit the product lines (only 3 laptop models,.. fewer, lower power AC adapters, .. eGPU across the product line and no more MXM cards or SLI). It makes logistics, customer service, ordering, engineering easier (well of course the engineering's easier .. they aren't doing any of it anymore! LOL). And three models, they need to cover a lot of customer ground which doesn't appear to allow for a flagship or what I would call " the-all-out-assault" model. It's sad.

I will stop my armchair quarterbacking now...

 

The reason why UEFI firmware is no longer able to be unlocked [more accurately cannot flash unlocked] is because Microsoft has a contract stipulation [requirement] they will not issue Windows certification to OEMs (starting with Windows 8) unless they provide secure boot via digitally signed firmware, and whether a user likes it or not, that stipulation is there to protect you and your device.

• If it were somehow possible to order an AW18 with a *nix OS instead, a consumer may have a case to request an unlocked bios, however that would depend on the wording in Dell's contract with Microsoft, something that could only be obtained via a subpoena after a civil case is filed. (In other words, not likely)

That being said, the issue at play isn't an unlocked firmware/BIOS issue... it's an issue with Dell locking out firmware options that really have no business being locked out. For example, Num lock on or off at boot is locked out lol You don't need an unlocked bios to gain access to fan controls and other firmware settings... you simply need Dell to make those options available on a signed firmware update.

• slv7 wrote a beautiful explanation on TechInferno about this very issue

I understand the frustration of many users, however it helps no one, and actually hurts all, by throwing around blatant inaccuracies due to ranting. Most of us would prefer more options to be available in the firmware, so wouldn't it serve our purposes better to come up with a list of firmware options we want access to in the firmware and petition and pressure Dell to make those firmware options available in the next BIOS update?

The AW18 was brought back from being discontinued about a month ago and supports the 980M and SLI

 

The M18xR1, M18xR2 and Alienware 18 and the M17xR3, M17xR4 and Alienware 17 R1 all use basically the same InsydeH20 BIOS. Only the owners of the Haswell-powered 17 R1 and 18 have been successfully castrated and shackled by Secure Flash. It has nothing to do with UEFI apart from enablement (meaning that it is absolutely NOT a requirement) and has everything to do with the Micro$haft Gestapo finding a cooperative accomplice in crime with Dell. It is outright draconian and evil that such firmware signing requirements were put into place by Dell/Alienware to block flashing of unsigned firmware, and thereby deprive Alienware owners from having full ownership of their private property.

Bottom line is that I don't like it; I do not want or need their help with security or firmware flash protection; and, because they insisted on playing the part of a self-appointed Cyber-Nazi I will no longer purchase their products. We asked them nicely to remove it more than once. They chose to ignore the request, and ultimately they have lost our respect and admiration because of this filthy, low-down and underhanded business decision. The only way they will recover from bad decisions like this one is to honor our requests, but it's probably too late to make any difference at this point. Only a retard would knowingly spend thousands of dollars to "borrow" a crippled machine that is controlled like a puppet by someone else.

 

It started with Windows 8, so any device sold with Windows 8 and forward from the OEM was required to have digitally signed firmware, and any laptop sold with Windows 7 was not.

• It's not a question of if they're willing to or not as it's a part of their Microsoft contract... and they're not the only ones as far as I'm aware. I'm assuming it's an across the board contract stipulation to OEMs that if they want Windows certification (i.e. the right to sell their hardware with Windows as the OS) they must digitally sign their firmware

This is also not an issue with digitally signed firmware, but an issue with Dell locking out majority of the firmware options, many of which defy common sense, like num on/off at boot. I ask the same thing I did last post... wouldn't it serve our purposes better to come up with a list of firmware options we want access to in the firmware and petition and pressure Dell to make those firmware options available in the next BIOS update?

It helps no one to irrationally rant about conspiratorial opinions, as Dell is required by [contract] law to digitally sign their firmware and failure to do so would result in hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties, fines, litigation, and the probability Microsoft would suspend all licensing capabilities for Dell to sell hardware with Windows as the OS until they complied.

 

Contract, schmontract... that's just a way of making excuses for allowing themselves to be lead around by a nose ring (or perhaps one placed in a more private place) because they don't have the cajones to say "NO WAY, JOSE" to the Redmond Mafia. They need to pay attention to their customers and stop nursing this digital harlot affair with their PACNW Pimp. Let's be clear about it... I DO NOT WANT Micro$haft to certify anything I have... period. I want Micro$haft to stay out of the way. They are a vendor of software (and now a "certified" malware vendor with the release of Windows 10) masquerading as a self-anointed god and they have no right to control anyone, anywhere unless that control is granted. It's that plain and simple. It's not a rant... it's a requirement if they want my patronage. They have zero authority over any OEM other than what the OEM chooses to grant to them, and I'm definitely not going to acknowledge their filthy monarchy. I'd rather pay retail for my own copy of Windows that isn't tied to a Dell, Alienware or other brand of computer that is NOT built according to the Gestapo model. We need to have hardware OEMs focus on their stuff and Micro$haft focus on their stuff and stop the collusion and attempts to control consumers. Their "partnership" is a worthless ball and chain and it needs to end. Right here, right now.

 

Dell is not interested in any proposal for a solution... They cripple bios deliberate. Only that can help; Don't buy Dell products. Everything Dellienware make now is only crippled Computers/firmware. Stop buying such products. Don't forget that Aw models also were sold with Win 7. There is no reason to cripple firmware due to Win 8.

 

Seriously? You must surely understand the entire corporate world is based on contracts, and should be. It's a guarantee for both, or all, parties involved that each will get what the other promises; a more simplified version would be a renter's lease or a home mortgage. Purposefully ignoring logic and rational thinking, in favor of ludicrous opinions, harms everyone, as it provides no meaningful information and spreads inaccuracies and conspiratorial ideologies grounded somewhere, but not in reality.

I think you misunderstood what certification was being discussed... the certification to sell a Windows OS on the OEMs hardware, not that the hardware is Windows certified. OEMs must have a written contract with Microsoft in order to be granted OEM status, receive an OEM VL key, and receive individual COAs for all computers sold with the OEM VL installed.

I would encourage you to research what Secure Boot is, why it was implemented, and what it protects you from... if you're not willing to do that, then please create your own thread to rant in.

 

Really? Have you or anyone else asked for specific features to be unlocked in the BIOS with an explanation as to why you and others would like access to those specific BIOS options? I could be mistaken, but I could have sworn I read a post on this forum or TechInferno's about specific asked for features being added to A10 for the AW18... so your post doesn't hold water and contains factual inaccuracies.

• From what I've seen Dell reply to, it was always requests for an unlocked BIOS, of which offering is illegal due to their contract with Microsoft... this is law we're talking about, not some ludicrous opinion.
• Not a single individual needs access to every single BIOS option, and there's a whole page of BIOS options that customers should not be given access to as they could fry the MB... there are, however, many options consumers should be given access to which have no business being locked (seriously, Num Lock on/off... that's a head scratcher there, although my guess is it's locked because it falls on the one page that mis-configuring options on could fry the MB)

Please be aware, unlocking the AW18's BIOS is easy to do... but there's no way to flash it because once unlocked, it lacks a digital signature from Dell. So why not simply make a list of the options you'd like access to and have others include options they'd like access to, format it in a professional letter, and submit it to Alienware; in conjunction, upload it to a petition website such as Change.org

 

Several have asked about getting access to the fans so the fans can running the max speed fans are designed for. Not even this was Dell interested in.
Say this to those who buy a motherboard to a desktop PC. LOL. Not much difference between a motherboard in an OEM laptop or a desktop.

 

There's a huge difference between buying a motherboard for a desktop PC and buying a PC built from an OEM, just as there's a huge difference to buying a car from a dealership and building your own out of parts bought. You're comparing apples to oranges.

An OEM, in order to provide an OS on a PC built by them, must sign a contract with whatever company owns the OS... this isn't new and has been policy since the 80's. This is also the same practice that is imposed on smartphones, even ones like my Nexus 6. Google allows us to unlock the bootloader and flash whatever OS we'd like, however we're locked out of tinkering with the bootloader itself. This isn't because Google wants it that way because of a whim, but because that ability is not there in order to protect consumers [mainly from malware]... much as Secure Boot is designed to protect you from malware, like rootkits.

If users would choose common sense and rationality over conspiratorial nut job ideologies, it would only take them 5 minutes to google "Secure Boot" to find out what it is and why it's been implemented. It's the Android equivalent of SELinux.

As far as the fan speeds go, I've seen it echoed on numerous threads on numerous forums. If I recall right from the unlocked BIOS on my M18xR1, fan speeds are contained on that one BIOS page that contains almost all options that consumers don't, and shouldn't, have access to as modifying them could result in frying the MB. My hunch says that's also why the num lock on/off at boot option is also missing.

My previous suggestion still holds... I would encourage all users to come together and make a list of BIOS options they want access to, an explanation why they want access to them, type it up in a professional format, and submit it to Alienware and a petition website, like change.org. It should be ONE letter, not a bunch of disparate ones from different users all sending in separate requests.

• It would probably not be a bad idea to get as many Alienware owners as possible to endorse the letter once written up, prior to it being submitted to Alienware. Something like a 30 day time frame once the letter is finished, to allow all owners a chance to endorse it.
• It may also help to have a way to link endorsees to physical hardware so it can be shown all the endorsements came from legitimate Alienware customers.
  • Some or all users may not be comfortable with that for a variety of reasons, so if it was thought that's a good idea, it should be voluntary and not a requirement to endorse.
• The letter should be written without conspiratorial reasoning, should be objective and lack emotion or words or phrases meant to incite, and should be concise and to the point, not exceeding one page. It shouldn't exceed one page because it's less likely to be read and considered if it is. In regards to the other things, you get more with sugar than vinegar, more with common sense and logic than irrationality.

 

Dell engineers recommended me and others to use Hwinfo for manually controlling the fans instead of let us access the fan profiles or even give us a better profile. They even made a guide for Hwinfo. What is worse: Have some control over the fans in bios or use Hwinfo? There are probably more of fried hardware due to a poor fan profile than using Hwinfo (A slight access to fans)

 

Not a clue, I don't use my AW18 for gaming and have never had a reason to adjust fan speeds. Even on my old M18x, I only adjusted it in the BIOS to kick on 5 degrees lower. If you were referring to my comment about it being on that one BIOS page that consumers should be locked out of and not have access to, the only three options on that page that consumers would need access to would be

• num lock on and off
• fan speeds
• the ability to select PEG or IGFX (though this was also on the second BIOS page in my M18x, right above some flash option) mux and muxless.

The only other option I could see a consumer possibly wanting access to on that page would be the ability to turn on a watchdog option that was disabled by default (however, other options on that watchdog timer page users should not have access to). Everything else were options that no consumer would ever need to touch.

 

Dell gives us access to overclock the processor in AW17/18. But the Oc profiles in bios has incorrect power settings for AW17 and 18. We should have access to all power settings for overclocking as well.

 

The way you use your AW18 is not consistent with how many of us use ours. You personal habits, needs or use patterns reflects a disconnect with the enthusiast community and seem out of place here. If you are not a gamer or an overclocker, I find it difficult to listen to what you have to say on this subject because it's not particularly relevant. What is relevant is what we want and what others may think about that is unimportant.

I manipulate far more options than those limited features you have so magically deemed consumers would "need access to" and that fact that you presume to understand what others want or need access to reflects the same type of arrogant and draconian approach being taken by Micro$haft and OEMs that think they are entitled to a right to lock us out. I change a plethora of options, including thermal limits for the CPU, power delivery thresholds, I disable a variety of sensors and power management options, etc. We have a right to access any and all options that exist. Nothing should be hidden. If I own the hardware, it should be up to me to decide how to use it. I don't need to adhere to their self-serving manufacturing guidelines for fan noise, temperature limits or energy efficiency thresholds. Locking me out by using write-protected firmware and requiring any signatures is absolutely unacceptable and the pinnacle of arrogance on the part of an OEM regardless of what kind of self-serving deals they may have struck with the Redmond Devil.

Yes, I have worked for Fortune 500 companies for 28 years and understand contracts. In fact, everything I have done for 28 years revolves around contracts and legal obligations, and litigation involving contractual obligations. Contracts generally favor one or both corporate entities and the interests of customers generally take a back seat to the greed of shareholders. If you truly understand contracts, you understand they can be renegotiated or rejected if terms are not acceptable. Participation is not compelled. Either party has the option of refusing to accept the terms and conditions. As a consumer, I have the latitude to make my own decisions and my decision is to not accept what is being offered. I have no obligations to any OEM or Micro$haft and I will either choose to avoid their filth or find a way to circumvent what they have arbitrarily decided is in my best interests without consulting me about what I want.

I would encourage you to consider that not everyone has the same opinion and not everyone agrees that these "security features" add value for the end user. The value (revenue) added for those peddling this filth is obvious. It generates cash flow and furthers the cause of the Empire. They make it seem OK by spinning it as something we should have warm fuzzies about because we are so safe and secure in their loving digital headlock.

Try to be a little less condescending with those that have a different view of what is good and acceptable. I know what Secure Boot is. I don't want it... don't need it... and, I choose to disable it by intent. I hope that you understand the difference between Secure Boot and Secure Flash, and realize that one does not require the other. Although similar in intent and application, they are two distinctly different technologies. Anything that blocks me from doing whatever I feel like doing with my personal property is unacceptable. I am willing to take a risk to have things my way and I am not willing to have Micro$haft or any OEM dictate what I can or cannot do with the hardware, firmware or software. I'm not willing to drink the Kool-Aid simply because that's what they happen to be serving. If they want my money and support, then it will need to be on my terms or not at all.

I understand that I am an advanced user and not representative of the average consumer. I understand that the market share represented by me and others with a similar view is small and they probably don't care. The not caring part is mutual and so is refusal to compromise. So here we are now... at a stand-off and neither of us has any intention of compromising. If I can find a way to hack, break, circumvent or totally remove the pieces of their technology that I find objectionable and make everything work 100% my way, I may consider a compromise at that point in time. If that day comes, I will share that knowledge and help others learn how to break the curse as well. What they don't know and are not able to control is no longer any of their business. Bottom line here is I win because I haven't given them any more money for a crippled pile of trash.

 

I would encourage you to re-read my post, as you either selectively read what you wanted to or you misread... I'll copy and paste with additional formatting to accentuate what you either misread or selectively read:

"If you were referring to my comment about it being on that one BIOS page that consumers should be locked out of and not have access to, the only three options on that page that consumers would need access to would be

• num lock on and off
• fan speeds
• the ability to select PEG or IGFX (though this was also on the second BIOS page in my M18x, right above some flash option) mux and muxless.

The only other option I could see a consumer possibly wanting access to on that page would be the ability to turn on a watchdog option that was disabled by default (however, other options on that watchdog timer page users should not have access to). Everything else were options [on that page] that no consumer would ever need to touch."

There is 1... numero uno... one... page within the BIOS where the only three tweakable options a user would need access to are the three above [again, in case you missed it again, THAT PAGE]. Hubris is really unbecoming and has no place in a forum, so please contemplate that in your next reply =]

Just an FYI... when any person starts expressing conspiratorial views, it generally pushes people away and they stop reading. By all means, each to his own, however if you're on a forum trying to find a solution to something, it's not going to help you or anyone else, instead, it'll do the opposite. As that's the second post from you with conspiratorial nonsense, I unfortunately didn't make it past the first paragraph. I would like to hear your thoughts about what I wrote, so please either edit your reply removing the conspiratorial nut job stuff or post a new reply with it left out.

 

You do realize that's what I've said in every one of my posts about this right...

 

In case you missed it, here was my advice:

Looks like I am in the company of a fellow hubris master that enjoys sarcastic humor, or an extreme hypocrite. I'm not sure which one, but it really doesn't make any difference on way or the other.

If it helps, it doesn't make any difference what either one of us say or think about anything. They clear do not care and do not listen. We are both burning calories on a hopeless cause. Well, we were... once upon a time... but, I'm not going to any more. The effort is pointless. They appear to have no intention of giving us what we are entitled to. I moved on and don't really care if they fix anything at this point. I am a former customer now. It was nice, but nothing lasts forever. I am looking to other sources to have my interests served. Even if they eventually do give in, having to wait several years and make a big stink to get their attention highlights how messed up things are. That takes too much effort when other options exist.

 

I apologize if you interpreted something I said as condescending, as you're referring to the reply to the third quote, however it wasn't said to be condescending. It was said to encourage another user spewing conspiratorial nut job ideologies to educate themselves with facts, of which their reply contained not a single one. If asking someone to educate themselves is condescending, something isn't right with how it's being read on the reader's end.

While I did skim through your reply very quickly, as I have little patience with replies containing conspiratorial ideologies on a forum that's supposed to be based around intelligence and learning, what I took away is you and others want to complain about big corporations, but take no action to try and find a rational, probable solution to your problem, let alone acknowledge the facts about the problem, why it exists, and how to go about finding a compromise.

Anyone wanting features unlocked in a Dell computer with a default of Windows 8 or higher as the OS either has two choices... either complain and throw around conspiratorial nut job theories that make the individual seem unhinged, or they can educate themselves with what Secure Boot is and why it's been implemented.

• This is important because it's the reason why the firmware is never going to be unlockable as firmwares were prior to Windows 8. You can't solve a problem without first understanding why the problem exists to begin with.

Once an understanding of Secure Boot is had (which takes at most 15 minutes of reading), then the individuals can figure out which options they want access to and give an adequate explanation as to why.

• In other words, not saying I want these features available because I'm entitled to them and they should have been available from the get go (even though this is probably true, saying it in writing isn't going to help accomplish what's trying to be accomplished).

Finally, with the input of multiple users, a letter can be compiled and formatted in a professional manner for the users contributing to approve and endorse. Once completed, it would be submitted to Alienware, as well as uploaded to numerous petition sites.

• While there is a probability some options may not be able to be given access to, I'd imagine with enough endorsees and petition signatures, majority of the options could be made available.

 

Nah, we're just tired of all the crap and the exercises in futility, that's all. I use Windows 8 (and 10 until I rejected the OS because it's trash) without Secure Boot. I know what it is, don't like it, don't need it, never will. It is not necessary and should not be made to be a requirement. I have no patience for people that see it as being a requirement. It is absolutely not required, apart from Micro$haft's abuse of power to mandate compliance with big companies like Dell and HP. With the change in design to these crippled BGA pieces of crap with Alienware logos on them, there's nothing left to care about anyway. Time for another brand that chooses to give entusiasts the freedom that we required.

Here is a nice article that puts things into layman's terms for anyone that cares:
Microsoft tightens Windows 10's Secure Boot screws: Where does that leave Linux?

The problem is when an OEM makes a decision to not allow a choice to be made by the end user. So far, Dell has done the right thing with allowing us to turn it off if we don't want it. The issue is not having a Secure Boot option because the choice is optional.

The issue is Secure Flash and locked ranges and registers that prevent us from flashing modded firmware or writing our own changes using an EFI shell. That's what the big stink is about. They could give us a BIOS that allows us to mod and flash the open menu access if they wanted to. They could also give those that want locked down firmware a one-time flashable alternative to implement that. They have chosen to ignore our wishes. I don't really expect or want Dell to give us their interpretation of an unlocked BIOS and decide what menus we deserve to have access to. What I do expect is for them to give us the ability to take matters into our own hands, unlock the BIOS the way we want it and still be able to flash the modded firmware. The problem is their choice to play god by blocking it.

I'm willing to roll the dice on a system that is open to the opportunity of a root kit infection in exchange for the freedom and autonomy to manage my system in whatever manner I deem to be appropriate. That level of security is not that important to me. After having the EDID corrupted on 4 LCD panels by Windows 10 (or so it appears) I cannot identify any single piece of software that has caused me more grief or resulted in consequences more malicious than Windows 10 and I have been a computer geek since the days of the 8088 and MS-DOS. You'll never convince me that trusting Microsoft to do the right thing for me is a good idea. It's all about them, and the OEMs and yes-men that are the most beholden to them are part of the problem.

Had Dell been as diligent to write-protect the EEPROM on their Alienware LCD panels, some of us would not have unbootable machines that are expensive to repair and susceptible repeat bricking events. So far, this is the only damage I have ever experienced from firmware being unlocked and I cannot think of a more idiotic example than this since the damage is being caused by a "trusted" entity.

 

And, I apologize too. I missed that you were talking about one menu when I made that comment. I want open access to all menus, all options, everywhere in the BIOS. There is no reason that anyone should be deprived of that, and that was the point I was getting at. If they limit our access in any way, even with a presumption of good intentions, (whether real or otherwise,) I view that as being the actions of a nemesis. I do not welcome any actions as parent, a policeman, or a self-appointed dictator regardless of the intent.

 

This is part of a bigger cultural change that is happening. One where you don't really own anything you buy. An example I always refer to is the move to digital only content where you don't own or have possession of what you bought, you simply have the ability to use or view that product over a service someone else is providing to you. Until that service no longer exists and the things you "own" no longer exist as well. It's also along the lines of having big brother making decisions for you because you just aren't quite capable of making the proper decisions yourself.

Alot of people think this stuff is ok, some think it's actually preferred. I disagree wholeheartedly and to those people, I say what if you bought a new car, but weren't allowed to get new tires when your current ones were worn out and instead had to buy a whole new car? What if you bought a new house but could not upgrade your AC unit because it might trip your breaker?

I'm of the belief that if I want to take my chances skydiving out of a plane with a trash bag, I should be able to. It's my laptop that I bought with my money that I earned. If I want to plug the damn thing into a 220 line to try and get an extra couple fps, I should be able to. If it explodes and takes out my house that I put my new AC unit in with it, that's on me. That's the perk of owning something. At least it used to be.