Insyde BIOS modding (dv4,dv5,dv6,dv7 at least)

I know Python. I haven't worked in it in a while but maybe i can take a look. What exactly needs to be fixed?

 

Would be nice to get a more generic dumpsetup.py working. It chokes on the string table for my dv5z.

edit: I figured out how to find the beginning of my string table anyway.... Now to figure out where the forms are listed...

edit2: Ah, that was easy, each form starts with the same GUID: 24 f4 27 4a a0 00 ...

Attaching the setup.txt from my dv5z.

Notice there's an option for selecting the primary video device, IGP or PCI-express. It looks like in my BIOS this is configured as 0/Auto. Probably if the HD3200 isn't wired up to the screen then setting it explicitly to IGP would give you a really bad day. Anyone brave enough to try toggling it?

 

That's strange, there don't seem to be any opcode 27's in your dump

It shouldn't be too difficult to change the settings now you know the offsets. What I did was make a backup of the BIOS which contains all the setup settings then you should just be able to edit the active setup and reflash. Be careful though I think Danny knows a better method for flashing just a block rather than the whole BIOS, which is what I've been doing.

Danny,I think it might be a wise idea if I get a spare BIOS rom before doing to much hacking, but I went ahead and changed the Opcode 0x27, whatever it does, to a push negative Opcode. ie changing the 17 Opcode 27's - 0x27 0x02 to 0x47 0x2. IINM this pushes a negative or false statement on the stack and so the suppression code thinks its okay to go ahead with the sub-menus. I'm not really sure it's the right thing to do though, for instance there seems to be a blank option in the sub menus just below SATA Native Support. Haven't actually tried any of them out yet, will wait until tomorrow, but theres also a couple of strange ones at the bottom, not shown in the picture, that are labeled legacy and EFI. BTW the Custom setup seems to be an extra setup, maybe in case things get screwed up we can use the normal setup. Don't really know for sure.

More settings than you can shake a stick at !

 

Great work 0.0! I will have a better look at exactly what you've done later as I'm at uni at the moment.

Just thought I would let you all know I have successfully patched and tested the mini pci-e card mod! This means you can use any mini pci-e cards (usually wireless cards). It will work on any HP Insyde BIOS (at least) and it is very safe (obviously there is some risk attached to ANY BIOS flash though).

 

Why don't you try it.. The machine would still boot so you could still to an emergency flash if need be (this is very easy).

 

When yuo say you changed the opcode how did you do this? I'm not really sure where you mean you changed the 0x27..

 

I've had a look at the extra BIOS menus, some work some don't. IMHO I feel rather than it being a secret setup it's more like left over and sometimes broken code that was easier and more cost effective to leave in there disabled.

1. Trying to use the custom save or custom load seems to crash the BIOS.
2. Some options don't lead to anywhere.
3. Probably the most important menu "power" is missing along with "advanced".

I guess with 1 & 2 this isn't the best way to do this although we could be a bit more selective and try to only enable options known to work. Maybe there is a better solution involved with Opcode 0x27 "EFI_IFR_VARSTORE_DEVICE" but since I know nothing about EFI and in particular "forms" I don't know what that is. Alternatively maybe software could be written to allow changing the variables from Windows Linux DOS etc. but seems like a lot of work.

Regarding 3, these menus seem like they should be present without having to do anything with suppression code. Using the dumped setup.txt file from Danny, the only difference I see between these menus and others is the class code. <strike>Maybe this needs to be changed from 5 to 4 or less.</strike>

Danny, you remember the suppression code discussed in an earlier post "what is Opcode 0x27", well if we go through the decompressed BIOS file these appear in the forms section. So if we look for the suppression code which is IIRC "0A 03 00" followed by Opcode 0x27, "27 02" this AFAIK means suppress if EFI_IFR_VARSTORE_DEVICE is true. I don't know what "EFI_IFR_VARSTORE_DEVICE" is but it seems to be returning "true" so the menu is suppressed. By changing the 27 to 47 we now have "47 02" which is "EFI_IFR_FALSE" which returns false to the suppression query and therefore no suppression. Doing it this way does not change the size of the section so making it easier to patch. Just need to make sure that we are changing it at the correct places.

 

"DTS Calibration"

Does this works? My HP HDX reports higher temps in CPU sensor (external reading) than cores. Must be wrong.

Also, no CPU vcore management anywhere?

Awesome work, man!

 

CPU vcore can be adjusted by software.

 

Not sure if you guys haven't already found this, but I was googling around on the term "EFI_IFR_VARSTORE_DEVICE" and came up with a wiki that appears to be related to the Phoenix UEFI efforts, which included a page that discussed the topic of "Internal Forms Representation" in the UEFI standard, and at the bottom includes a table that provides a description for the relevant IFR opcodes. The opcode "EFI_IFR_VARSTORE_DEVICE" is described as the opcode to "Select the device which contains the variable store." I'm not sure how that fits in with the discussion; however, hopefully some of the discussion in that wiki will provide useful.

EDIT: Dumb me, I spoke before looking further. There is also a specfic definitional webpage for the opcode "EFI_IFR_VARSTORE_DEVICE" that gives the type definition prototype, like so:

Code:

#define EFI_IFR_VARSTORE_DEVICE_OP 0x27

Code:

typedef struct _EFI_IFR_VARSTORE_DEVICE {
  EFI_IFR_OP_HEADER Header;
  EFI_STRING_ID     DevicePath;
} EFI_IFR_VARSTORE_DEVICE;

And gives a more meaningful description, like so:

Hopefully this is stuff you guys'll find useful, and not something you've already seen a thousand times.

 

See http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5109023&postcount=19 IMHO I wouldn't be too inclined to take those core readings as gospel.

Well not a thousand times but a few hehe, thanks though all the same. Unfortunately even after reading it I'm none the wiser, which is why I went and did the EFI_IFR_FALSE patch instead.

The way things are at the moment I think it might be better to go with Danny's original concept of using something external to manipulate variables in the store but this might be a lot of work. Best of all though would be if HP decided to implement the extra settings that work in their next BIOS update. Maybe if they were asked nicely by enough people.

 

WoW

That´s look good.

Would you mind to mod my bios to do that?
I want to replace atheros card from my dv5-1250us to an Intel 5100 card

Any other options that could also be changed, like enable any other good hidden stuff on bios ?

I really would like it...

Maybe i can help paying with paypal for mod ???

http://go.notebookreview.com/?id=52...&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&os=2100&product=3860529

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp43501-44000/sp43870.exe

 

Ah well, my apologies. I probably should have known that it was easy pickin's since it came up so readily when googling on a fairly unique term.

 

Private messaging should be available via the User CP. If it's not, make a few posts and then it will be.

 

Already knows about de 45nm DTS problem. But it should be stuck under some value, as my Q9450 ones. Not lower than MB external one.

And it's better to undervolt under Bios than by software.

A lot better.

 

It's the same. That is, of course, if you don't want to prove your theory by patching the BIOS yourself.

 

google helped me to find the "HP EEPROM utility for service tool"

 

Sure?

Let's check, for example, CPUGENIE.

OS dependant. Needs to load under Windows.
Resources. It wastes memory and CPU clocks.
Unstability. It need drivers and low level hard access.

And incompatibility.

My P8400 have a 8'5 multi. RM clock even can't recognizes it. CPU GENIE reset configs on every reboot because of the turbo mode (x9 on a single core).

Same applies to OC utilities.

OC and UV under BIOS, please.

Risky if you need to reflash, you are right there.

 

my laptop is dv5 1157ca and im trying to change the wireless card from a intel to a atheros. but i get error "104 - unsupported wireless. please shutdown and remove"

I was told i should modify bios so that this will skip the checking. But i do not know how to do modify.

Can someone help me?

my bios is located here:

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp43501-44000/sp43819.exe

Why are there two *.fd files? is the bios file too big?

Can this be done?

Please.
Thanks very much.

 

The getting stuck below 40°C is one problem but also there is talk of ±10°C @50°C and only getting better at ~90°C. With my own temperature measurements showing the core 6°C lower than the case I don't feel so confident in the DTS anymore. I don't know if the CPU THERM temperature is generated using the DTS and some formula or involves the CPU diode but it seems much closer than the DTS temperatures.

I hear you about setting voltage and mutipliers in the BIOS. I really could have used something like that while trying to overclock the P8400 to get Windows or other OSes to boot but the BIOS had locked EIST so it wasn't possible.

 

Too bad there appear to be no voltage adjustments anywhere in these menus...

 

No there don't, but there is a setting for P-States which once disabled gets rid of the lock bit, then because I have written my own MBR loader it would have been easy for me to change the multiplier and voltage to any legal combo that my P8400 supported or even running with the "Max Battery" OS hand off would have let me run 1.000V @ 6x instead of an unstable 1.1375V at 8.5x.

Quite a few of those functions in the menu's don't work anymore which goes along with the abandoned code theory rather than being hidden secret code. Things such as the RAM timing, which IMHO would have been nice to have.

 

I was looking for RAM voltage actually. Now that there are 1.6V DDR2 SODIMMs, it would have been nice to stick them in there and get a corresponding reduction in power usage and heat as a result. Since we can already control processor P-states post-boot, that's less crucial to control from the BIOS, but without full hardware specs we can't do much about RAM voltage.

 

How do you overclock the P8400?

 

By increasing the Bus Clock. If your lucky and your notebook has a PLL with an unlocked programmable clock divider then you can change it using software, perhaps setFSB for instance. If your not so lucky then it's a hardware mod.

If your interested there is quite a bit of info in the forum's Hardware section.

 

Is there an option to activate the hardware RAID by modding the BIOS? Cause i think it's supported by the chip (ICH9M/M-E)

 

Thanks.

I'm not going to Oc it for real use, but like to investigate.

 

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be one. Regarding the Southbridge AFAIK the ICH9ME supports RAID but not the ICH9M. Hopefully someone will confirm if this is correct.

 

I just installed bluetooth in my dv5, and i was wondering if it had an option similar to this
System Configuration->Built-in Device Options->Embedded Bluetooth Device Radio with that mod

 

No it doesn't, what are you trying to do with your BT?

 

trying to install bluetooth to my dv5, it didnt come with it. I get this error

and because it is disabled the Device Manager does not detect the device at startup and the device cannot be turned on by any other method. You must enable the device using the Computer Setup utility before you can turn it on by another method.

Edit: I got the drivers and bluetooth to be discovered by disabling the wifi(by presing the wifi button) then enabling it and it started to install the drivers and all worked well.

 

I'll see if I can spot anything in Danny's setup as I believe he is using a DV5, in the meantime have you asked under the DV5 section if anyone has such an option in their BIOS?

If it is possible to post or PM a link to a backup of your BIOS that would maybe help to check the BIOS side of things.

 

hi dannyres,
i'm stuck with the whitelist problem! can you help me?
my bios is insyde h20 F16a ( ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp43501-44000/sp43819.exe)
the standard wireless card is Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 5100 AGN [Shiloh] Network Connection [8086:4237]

the card i wanto to use is Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN [14e4:4311] (rev 01)

Can you help me? i'm desperate! I only want to use the wifi card i prefer, not the hp one! Can we bypass or delete this terrible whitelist?
Thanks in advance,

Nihil

 

Hi,

i want to patch my BIOS (DV5 1253eg) whitelist for a new wireless card.
Do i still have to PM dannyres or is there a method i can do myself?

Didlove

 

Plz help me guyzzz!!! i also want to mod my BIOS!!!!!

* Manufacturer: HP
* Model: DV6 1154TX
* Bios Type: INSYDE
* Bios Version: F.24A
My BIOS download link: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ob-73219-1&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=3962781&os=2100&lang=en
Plz modify my bios!!!!

 

I really would like to have that answer too, i want to mod my bios ... but until now ..

 

Unfortunately Dannyres has not been on-line for a few days now and we can only hope that it's nothing serious. Please don't feel you are being ignored as he is a really helpful guy and I'm sure he would get back to you if able.

 

when i read his other thread on another forum about this, he was able to get rid of the white list, but it caused some problems with the wireless control button or something. I could be wrong cause it was on like 1 page of a 50 page thread but that's what i remember. I'm sure when he reads this he can clarify it all.

 

No Problem

 

Any word from Dannyres?

 

Sorry guys I've been really busy at uni lately! I'll have a lot more time from Saturday onwards so I'll take a good look at the dv5t BIOS then (I also have a dv5t! ). As someone mentioned one method of modding the whitelist didn't work fully but I have another idea in mind. Anyway I will have a go and get back to you all. Also I need to know which BIOS do you use from the dv5t? 3602 or 3603?

Thanks for all your concerns!

 

I believe that the greatest 'demand' would be for hints/directions on how to bypass or remove the bios 'whitelist' that forces most users to get their wireless cards from HP instead of on the open market.

 

Hi Danny,

My system is 3603 and running the F.16 version of the bios.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

Yep! I've tried finding what/where it makes the bios go looking for the wireless cards. The MAC-addresses are all there, but we want the whole check-thing to not care about what MAC-address the cards have.
No luck so far... And also, it'd be great to be able to turn off the bluetooth-check as well. (the bios also checks the bluetooth installed, to see if it is the latest HP-accessory as well)

 

Well I guess as there are so many different BIOSes that anything is possible but I wouldn't think it would have anything to do with MAC addresses but rather Vendor and Product IDs. Perhaps Wifi boards need to be tested for FCC regulations for example and so they just test and use a handful of boards rather than every board on the market. Besides from what I've seen of the components there seems very little that HP actually fabricates, for instance my system board is made by Compal. This might also explain why HP adopt a board replacement policy rather than a board repair. The bluetooth devices I have seen are just USB devices so I wouldn't think they would block that with the BIOS, where did you see this happening?

 

No, you're right about wifi, vendor and product id is correct. It's there, it's easy to change. However, weird thing is my tx2 and tx2500 boots up fine with intel wm3945, but they won't activate the damn card. So it doesn't go 104 on me, but still doesn't let me use that card. I have some atheros-cards though, and adding their vendor ids worked fine.

Bluetooth, ahh. I bought my tx2 cheap and there was none. But so what the hey, I have an old tc1100 laying around, so I took out the bluetooth from it and put it in the "old" tx2500, put the new one in my tx2. The tx2500 suddenly had no bluetooth. Have bought some other bluetooth off of ebay that was supposed to be for the tx2500-series. Still wouldn't let me bluetooth.
So I opened the tx2 up, took out the bluetooth, put it in the tx2500, booted up to grub, took out the bluetooth, put in one of the older ones, booted up linux and there it was. So they check the bluetooth as well.

This shyte has nothing to do with FCC, but all to do with vendor parts. HP wants us to pay them to get parts from them when we need... No way am I doing that. Esp when it's some sh*ty broadcom-card they push on me.

Replacing vendor ids for wifi in the bios works fine. Don't want to do that. Trying to figure out of what/where the bios checks for the cards (against that list of cards) so I can make it say "ok" no matter what. If it's some jump not equal-address that makes it jump somewhere and it is something as simple as replacing with the address for when the card matches vendor id etc, then replace that and we're good to go. I saw one of those, tried changing it and my bios-logo was suddenly gone. Oops. I don't care too much if my "old" tx2500 suddenly won't boot though. Still trying different changes on it to see what I can do...

 

It seems like you guys are making some good progress and I look forward to seeing what you can do. Here's a place that might have some useful info:

 

Which southbridge are you using and what BIOS version are you trying to mod?

 

I use this BIOS:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...&dlc=de&cc=de&lang=de&os=2093&product=3924904

Where can i see if it is 3602 or 3603???

CU

 

Anything new? Dannyres, you get any time to mess with things anymore?