Hi! I have a question about some differences found between two images of ASUS BIOS P8P67 DELUXE v.2001 (but I also happen to other versions). The first image is downloaded from the ASUS website today: hxxp://filerio.com/1t9otwe1nfwe The second image was extracted using AI Suite II 1.1.14 directly from the machine and can be downloaded at the following address: hxxp://filerio.com/3vnm972w9hxo The byte to byte comparison reveals some different areas. The comparison of the DUMP by PhoenixTool reveals that two modules are different. Alias: the modules CEF5B9A3-476D-497F-9FDC-E98143E0422C_0_3.ROM and FD44820B-F1AB-41C0-AE4E-0C55556EB9BD_0_464.ROM are not identical between the two images, as opposed to remaining. Not being an engineer, I'd like to understand the reasons for these differences and how they might affect the system stability and reliability of the updates downloaded from the ASUS website. Thanks to everyone who has the kindness to answer . (Sorry my english)
Both GUIDs you have posted are located at a RAW section of the EFI image and are not code related. Open the EFI with andy's tool and press structure to get into the tree view. 1. CEF5B9A3-476D-497F-9FDC-E98143E0422C You find it at: First File volume 7A9354D9-0468-444A-81CE-0BF617D890DF--->RAW CEF5B9A3-476D-497F-9FDC-E98143E0422C 2. FD44820B-F1AB-41C0-AE4E-0C55556EB9BD Last File Volume: 7A9354D9-0468-444A-81CE-0BF617D890DF--->Freeform FD44820B-F1AB-41C0-AE4E-0C55556EB9BD-->RAW section Raw sections are used to store internal EFI settings (data) you have set at your current PC such as profiles and might be different at your current settings compared to default. The code related modules are the same, though. Example 1 from CEF5B9A3-476D-497F-9FDC-E98143E0422C_0_4.ROM: Code: Offset 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F 00000D20 4D 6F 6E 6F 74 6F 6E Monoton 00000D30 69 63 43 6F 75 6E 74 65 72 00 01 00 00 00 4E 56 icCounter.....NV 00000D40 41 52 16 00 FF FF FF 83 02 45 66 69 54 69 6D 65 AR..ÿÿÿƒ.EfiTime 00000D50 00 FF 07 00 4E 56 41 52 1A 00 B0 17 00 83 03 43 .ÿ..NVAR..°..ƒ.C 00000D60 4D 4F 53 66 61 69 6C 66 6C 61 67 00 E0 01 4E 56 MOSfailflag.à.NV 00000D70 41 52 19 00 ED 17 00 83 04 46 43 70 75 4D 61 78 AR..í..ƒ.FCpuMax 00000D80 52 61 74 69 6F 00 1F 4E 56 41 52 34 00 DF 17 00 Ratio..NVAR4.ß.. 00000D90 83 05 53 65 74 75 70 43 70 75 46 65 61 74 75 72 ƒ.SetupCpuFeatur 00000DA0 65 73 00 01 00 01 00 01 01 20 01 01 01 01 00 00 es....... ...... 00000DB0 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 05 01 01 4E 56 41 52 14 ...........NVAR. 00000DC0 00 FF FF FF 83 01 43 75 72 56 49 44 2E 00 B8 4E .ÿÿÿƒ.CurVID..¸N 00000DD0 56 41 52 DB 04 1E B6 00 83 05 53 65 74 75 70 00 VARÛ..¶.ƒ.Setup. 00000DE0 01 00 20 00 00 00 00 00 01 37 37 00 00 00 02 00 .. ......77..... Example 2 from FD44820B-F1AB-41C0-AE4E-0C55556EB9BD_0_464.ROM: Code: Offset 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F 00000000 42 53 41 5F 00 02 00 00 8B 04 4E 00 00 1E 8C 00 BSA_....‹.N...Œ. 00000010 00 4E 70 21 04 04 32 55 F8 00 A2 02 A1 00 40 63 .Np!..2Uø.¢.¡.@c 00000020 43 10 84 83 03 DF 40 80 00 20 00 73 3C 10 08 00 C.„ƒ.ß@€. .s<... 00000030 60 0F 43 10 15 04 20 00 3C 10 00 00 00 43 10 00 `.C... .<....C.. 00000040 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 21 70 4E FF ............!pNÿ 00000050 FF 8C 1E 00 04 00 00 23 33 00 02 07 10 00 4D 54 ÿŒ.....#3.....MT 00000060 37 30 31 41 4B 33 39 35 30 31 34 32 34 00 01 08 701AK39501424... 00000070 10 00 A0 64 00 1E 8C 00 00 4E 70 21 54 04 A6 C0 .. d..Œ..Np!T.¦À 00000080 14 56 .V Different are 4 sections all together : CEF5B9A3-476D-497F-9FDC-E98143E0422C_0_4.ROM (RAW) FD44820B-F1AB-41C0-AE4E-0C55556EB9BD_0_464.ROM (RAW) Padding (a sort of 'fill' bytes also not EFI code related) PADDING-00000000_0_2.ROM PADDING-00190000_0_6.ROM The update is OK, when you dump your current EFI you dump the unique settings with it. Anyway I always suggest to flash the official (default) update downloaded from the OEMs website and only if not available a dumped image (from another person). This is even more important if the EFI revision number has changed. Also to dump and to reflash might double the risk to get something wrong (corruption of bytes).
Thanks for the reply! I'm not sure I understand everything, but I have just realized that the differences are related to the EFI setup data (system volumes and others). This is enough for me. Again many thanks