Dell bios, how to decompose / mod.

Discussion in 'BIOS Mods' started by wolf69, Nov 21, 2009.

  1. faseone

    faseone MDL Novice

    Oct 1, 2008
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  2. jysl

    jysl MDL Novice

    Aug 1, 2009
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  3. Apokrif

    Apokrif MDL Addicted

    Dec 7, 2008
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    Guys,
    I would suggest posting your requests in Dell manual mod thread in a couple weeks.
    Hopefully it’ll be automated tool available (and tested!) by that time so expert modders will be able to help you there.
    Needless to say it'll be more reliable then a manual mod (done by me or somebody else) most likely.
     
  4. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    Read post 277

    sebus
     
  5. faseone

    faseone MDL Novice

    Oct 1, 2008
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    Thanks man!!
     
  6. gabiz_ro

    gabiz_ro MDL Member

    Feb 2, 2010
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    Thanks for clarification.
    One more question,in your D620 map is F4054 but for me don't seems to be ok,is in the middle of data.
    Last part seems to be krom,maybe there is some info about unpacking some loader module,in D620 and others with similar kromfile this kbc controller is based on 8051 cpu.
     
  7. Apokrif

    Apokrif MDL Addicted

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    #309 Apokrif, Feb 6, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    Nope, mine D620 A10 is:
    Code:
    20054B
    40054B
    E4054R
    # DUMP UTILITY FOR I/O, MEMORY AND PCI
    F0054B
    # AA 55
    F8054R
    FA054R
    100054R
    
    The one I posted in #307 is for Inspiron 9400-E1705 mp061a10.hdr
     
  8. gabiz_ro

    gabiz_ro MDL Member

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    I was talking about D620 map from hdr.rar,attached somewhere in page 9 .post 86.
    Maybe was just a typing keyboard error.
    Thanks for sharing your great and incredible work.
    Too bad I don't know anything about software programming and reversing to achieve my needs.
     
  9. gabiz_ro

    gabiz_ro MDL Member

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    @Apokrif
    On post #40 in first two area code you present some very detailed hdr structure,was that obtained by some tools of you or was written by hand? If is a program can I have this?
    What I have done until now:
    Extract unpack modules,take the dsdt one remove some header bytes,decompile with asl.exe make some correction and recompile back with asl,add back header bytes as result bin file was a little smaller.
    Pack module and now rom file was a little bigger than original one,so take hdr file hexedit to make some more room,insert new module corrected lenght and after crc.
    (here by mistake typing having some problems,almost thinking to extract rom from hdr and to write bios on external programmer,but in the end I see where I typed wrong) then insert hdr in exe.
    Flash bios and all is working.
    Your work is fantastic!
    Thanks again for what you do.
     
  10. Apokrif

    Apokrif MDL Addicted

    Dec 7, 2008
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    WinHEX – available everywhere, these forums.

    Cool so far – could you check if all following conditions were met?

    You bin file with ACPI tables has following structure:
    code segment A
    data (ACPI tables)
    code segment B
    If you change data size and code segment B offset change – you risk bricking you mobo

    You changed DSDT table.
    Was new DSDT size exactly same as old one?

    If new is smaller – you can blank extra bytes
    If new is bigger – you have to have space available (it might be or might not)
    If size if same – do nothing.

    Oh boy – tools can do everything for you… (insert/update new module (correct length), fix all CRCs, update exe file...)

    Thank you - IMO, you did very interesting work!
    Could you elaborate a little bit, what model you have and what functionality you have added?
    And just in case: be prepared to answer tons of questions ;)
     
  11. gabiz_ro

    gabiz_ro MDL Member

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    My skills in software part,programming,debuging reversing is not very but very very very poor.
    But you explain clear and that's how I can do that.
    My bin ACPI table now is like that
    code segment A (old one,what was at start of file)
    new data (ACPI tables)
    no code segment B

    This bin file I inserted manually in hdr (selected in hexedit,new file,selected in hdr portion of old file,delete paste take a count to see how much increased hdr go to first area with FF below insertion and deleted as many as necessary to have same size of hdr) then I corrected lenght of module replaced remake crc.

    As for bricking I have no fear,I can reprogram bios chip externally in any case.
    Model is Inspiron 9400 (same as E1705,similar with M1710 M90)
    Now I'm looking for a way to enable native sata support and HPET.
     
  12. Apokrif

    Apokrif MDL Addicted

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    I haven’t seen files like this before.
    Do you mean it was without code segment B from originally?

    I wish I have this luxury too ; )

    Let me know exact ICH model – get it from CPUID.
    I’ll give you RAID module.
    Or do you want to enable ACHI mode only?
    Can help with HPET – I’m noob there…
     
  13. gabiz_ro

    gabiz_ro MDL Member

    Feb 2, 2010
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    chipset i945PM
    southbridge 8201GHM ICH7-M
    Just AHCI,bu isn't available in bios.And From years there are requests on ideastorm to release that,thousand of votes but no response from dell.
    I know ICH7-M have just two sata ports they use one for hdd in emulated mode,second one is free (not used) and for optical unit one ide port,is not clear for me why.
    As for segment B,how to explain,
    file bin extracted,can't decompile with asl then I cut first bytes from start of file,so file start now with DSDT in header now I can decompile with asl,after some modifications compiled back with asl,resulting aml file renamed to bin and added first bytes from original one.
    At this moment file was smaller than original,after packing rom file resulted was a little bigger than original rom.
    My bin file was composed from iasl compilator + header of initial file
    original bin - remove header - use iasl -result dsl file - make moddification to file - use iasl -result aml file -rename aml to bin - add initial header insert into hdr
    As for externall programming is not big deal, can be easy done, hard part for others is soldering-desoldering and that is not a problem for me.
    I remember reading you bricked one dell ,did you fix it?
     
  14. Apokrif

    Apokrif MDL Addicted

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    ICH7-M doesn’t support RAID, only ACHI
    Do you know how program chipset (I read only some theory so I have some raw understanding only)
    If you do – do you have an idea where to put your code?
    I can suggest few things to try, but you might have better understanding then I do. ;)

    That’s Dell business concept – never add new functional to releases computer.
    How would they make people buy newer stuff otherwise? :(

    Are you taking about DSDT module starting with DSAT string?
    Looks like it doesn’t have any code in it, just two ACPI tables: DSAT and DSDT
    I guess, it’ll be absolutely safe to modify DSDT, if you know what to do ;)

    What did you get exactly from modified DSDT table?

    So you have created the perfect experiment target! ;)
    I wish I can do the same… :eek:

    Nope. I wasn’t even able to locate BIOS chip yet… I hope it’s on the back of the mobo.
    To get there I would need to remove CPU heat sink (nice Dell design!) - still hesitant to do it…
    Hopefully will do it one day and ask here for little help :eek:
     
  15. andyp

    andyp SLIC Tools Author

    Aug 8, 2008
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