Dell bios, how to decompose / mod.

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

  1. andyp

    andyp SLIC Tools Author

    Aug 8, 2008
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    #361 andyp, Feb 21, 2010
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2010
  2. andyp

    andyp SLIC Tools Author

    Aug 8, 2008
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    For those with older Dell BIOSes please cast your eye over Tool v1.23.

    It can decompress/handle some older Dell BIOSes.
    It doesn't handle those that don't support -writehdrfile currently.

    Let me know if you have any problems.

    I need some help updating apokrif's tool for compression. I have botched the decompression code but am not good enough to do the compress code.

    Andy
     
  3. gabiz_ro

    gabiz_ro MDL Member

    Feb 2, 2010
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    I'm trying to enable AHCI on my Dell Inspiron 9400.
    I build one PCI option rom and replace one broadcom pxe rom from bios.
    That pci rom rewrite chipset registers of ICH7-m,set ABAR and switch controller from emulated to native AHCI,there is a problem for this for the moment seems it can't work in combined mode so it loose ide interface -optical unit,but is ok for me,I use it only for OS instalation,no need it anymore after that.

    If iI try network boot my rom is loaded but there is a problem.
    - If I end my pci rom with retf notebook is freezing with a blinking cursor.
    - If I end my pci rom with INT 0x18 then notebook boot from next boot device (usb stick,in my case)

    At this point I can't access my hdd because bios still report my hdd as it was detected in emulated mode.Some disk utilities tell hdd is detected but can't get access to them.
    Booting FreeDos from usb complain about can't read partition table on disk 1
    Booting linux from usb (grub don't see my hdd) is ok and after that I can see and get access to my hdd and controller is in AHCI mode because that switch change of hw id and 8086:27c4 (emulated mode) become 8086:27c5 (ahci mode).
    So I need somehow to force bios to redetect my hdd (or all hardware again).
    Or maybe to do more things inside pci rom to get access to hdd.
    Any ideas how can I do that?
     
  4. truthinjection

    truthinjection MDL Member

    Aug 27, 2009
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    Nice to know the Broadcom replacement worked. :)

    My guess is that the Int13H handler might be different for the AHCI vs Emulated case. Might want to extract just the Int13H handler and disassemble it to see how it works.. You might have to write a replacement, or you might just have to see what memory areas it looks at, and patch those with the new drive info.

    Maybe instead of forcing the BIOS to redetect, you could just move the functionality into some earlier module in the BIOS. As for which module, though, I'm not familiar enough to speculate.

    Congrats on getting this far...
    -tij-
     
  5. blikjebier

    blikjebier MDL Novice

    Feb 22, 2010
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    Hi commando,

    Great news you have a GX280 SLIC 2.1 bios!
    Can you PM me your modded GX280 bios? I'm a total noob when it comes to bios modding :(

    Thanks in advance!
     
  6. blikjebier

    blikjebier MDL Novice

    Feb 22, 2010
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  7. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    And I would read post #277 instead

    sebus
     
  8. blikjebier

    blikjebier MDL Novice

    Feb 22, 2010
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    Hi Sebus,

    Thanks. I read your post and read & downloaded the URL. But I can't find the steps which need to be taken in order to flash the modiefied hdr with the DCCU.
     
  9. Nestor

    Nestor MDL Junior Member

    Jan 3, 2009
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    Hi, cfrank33.

    > Did someone installed succesfully the mod on a GX520 ?

    I applied A11GX620_SLIC.EXE to my GX520 on XP and verified the new entries "DELL", "M09" & "ASL" in the new table with Everest.
    I then formatted the harddrive and installed 7, Ultimate (x64) with an SLP key (for Ultimate of course).
    Then I patched a certificate (DELL-DELL-2.0.XRM-MS) on 7 with a commandline and a "Successfully patched (or something like)" message popped up.
    However the timer NOT killed when I see it for my status with a command line "slmgr.vbs -dlv"
    What is wrong???
     
  10. blikjebier

    blikjebier MDL Novice

    Feb 22, 2010
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    Is the added slic 2.1 table in the GX280 bios from en4rb win7 x64 compatible? It seems not, because 'win7 ultimate x64 dell oem' will not activate :(
     
  11. Nestor

    Nestor MDL Junior Member

    Jan 3, 2009
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  12. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    And your RW ACPI tables?

    And can you post the screenshot for the ACPI tab in SLIC Toolkit?

    sebus
     
  13. Nestor

    Nestor MDL Junior Member

    Jan 3, 2009
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  14. sreknob

    sreknob MDL Novice

    Mar 14, 2010
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  15. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    Definitely! The best GURU to deal with it would be apokrif (if he stiil reads this thread)

    sebus
     
  16. BIOSNOIDEA

    BIOSNOIDEA MDL Senior Member

    Mar 8, 2009
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    Guys, Dell is a TOTAL pain. I have used the ANDYP latest tool It works, it does get the SLIC BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO FLASH and the RSDT TABLES DO NOT HAVE THE SLIC.
    It is a total mystery to all of us.
    I am not kidding. Read the other parts of this forum and you will see lots of other people saying the same things. Whether is Dell Dimension or Inspiron same story all over again and again.