Hello Mario, It seems that you are interested in BIOS modding. You would use AndyP's PhoenixTool to extract the BIOS modules into the DUMP directory (automatically created upon extraction). Then, you would use the hex editor to modify the modules (in this case, STRINGS00.ROM). Finally, you would repack it with AndyP's PhoenixTool. I would love to help you in your learning of how to modify the BIOS as you have helped me in the same process. I have some partially complete user-friendly tutorials to start out with. I can finish these and then send them to you. I can also talk to you during the process. Make sure that you give me a copy of the image BEFORE you flash anything so that I can verify it. A copy of the SLIC.log file would also be helpful. I will try out this mod with your BIOS image and test it in PBE. ~Steven
@Boost/Mario Thank-you for updating your first post. I think that this thread could become a useful information resource for other people who stumble upon it in the future.
Thanks, if Im ready, Ill send you my "modification". Until then Ill might try those CRISIS Recoverys. But Ill wait for Yens "phlash16-collection" I think.
"BuOS" Mod Hello Mario, I tried your "BUOS Mod" idea. I modified the STRINGS00.ROM module by replacing "BIOS Version:" with "BuOS Version:" The result was that the text I replaced showed up as "BuOS Version:" Here is a picture of the result:
Ane even if you never know what will happen while updating your BIOS, I was expecting both. 1.) A brick, because you changed "essential things" 2.) The word Buos will appear xD When it comes to the day sending you my 1st modification, Id like to know what additional steps you do, after : 1.) I unpack the BIOS 2.) I hexedit the STRINGS00.ROM and change "PhoenixBIOS Setup -" into "NSA SUPER COMPUTER!" ;D 3.) I make double-sure both words use 20 characters and I dont add any additonal spaces. 4.) I compare sizes of both STRINGS00.ROM (original one and hexedited one) 5.) I repack the BIOS with Andys tool comparing exact size to the "original" bios. What else would Mario have to take care of...except of, 6.) Send modification to Artic ?
@Yen, Thank you Yen for your input. I did not think that it would be possible to use CRISIS in a Sony Vaio notebook. I have read about all of the things that you talked about in your post (about the various methods & attempts of activating CRISIS). I have a USBJTAG-NT for hardware programming. Do you think that this would be sufficient for flashing the BIOS EEPROM? I have done this on a CG3000D modem before. @Mario, I have found (in your BIOS and my own) a setup table consisting of power options in the TEMPLAT module. I am not sure what menu these go under, but I did notice that a computer at school (I decided to take a computer class for summer school ) had a few options under a menu titled "Power" and this was a Phoenix BIOS. I believe that I have already checked for such a menu (I don't know how I could manage to miss an entire menu!), but it does not hurt to try again, now that I know that this is an actual official name of a menu consisting of these options.
Hello Mario, The image that you linked to contains a LOT of the settings from the setup table for the various power settings. I have not spent too much time on your BIOS and my own lately. I had a few "projects" in mind for them. I am using these two BIOS's to make most of my "discoveries" about the Phoenix BIOS. I am going to shift my attention back to these BIOS images. The biggest project so far is the FULL mapping (using hex highlighters and hover text) of the area in the TEMPLAT module before the "$PDW" (without the quotes). I am also going to be investigating the mysterious "ICH Workarounds:" menu and where the power options go under (I could just put them under the redundant and unused "Workarounds Control Sub-Menu" for now to show you visually what the options look like in the PBE emulator). I will investigate the RAID settings in your BIOS image as well. There are a few ways in which I could perform this mod: • Disable the function call that is likely the culprit for the RAID option showing in PBE, but NOT in the BIOS menu. I will apply this same mod to the "frequency ratio" option. • Modify the BIOS's own default NVRAM Token Table in the ROMEXEC module. You will need to reset your BIOS to factory defaults to enable this "newly defaulted" setting. I will continue to post updates as I find more info. I have been doing a lot of work at bios-mods lately (site improvement, building the bios-mods Wiki, etc.).
Additional Strings of 3A14 NEC PackardBell EasyNote S4 Phoenix BIOS that I found and that are not enlisted in our VAIO BIOS : +' AC97 Modem PME Enable:' +'BluetoothPower Down Mode:' +'DB-400 Clock Chip:' +-'GMCH Power Management Mode:' (called 'GMCH BLC Control:' in VAIO) = Backlight control 'Inverter Connection:' (called 'GMCH BLC Control:' in VAIO) +'Manufacturing Mode Alert!', 0Dh, 'FirstWare Manufacturing Mode is Active.' (probably useless-I read if enabled keyboard makes loud tick noises on Dell laptops) +'Are You Sure You Want To Enable Service/Repair Mode? (Y/N)' (I am sure ! xD) +-Intel(R)SpeedStep', 0Dh, '(TM) technology (Probably CPU dependent) +'Instant Media Function:' +APM Control Sub-Menu +' Force X1 Support:' 'Control Aggressive', 0Dh, 'L0s support for the', 0Dh, 'PEG Device.' +'Wireless Device:' And now something interesting regarding the intel onboard graphics : +'VBIOS Default' (not in VAIO Bios) +- 'DVMT3.0 Mode:' (called DVMT4.0 Mode on Vaio) (add additional memory to video RAM - that would be very interesting )
And because you mentioned "additional stuff" I browsed through our VAIO BIOS again and found the following : DVMT 4.0 Mode (shares system RAM with integrated graphics. You can set the amount.) 'IGD - Boot Type:' (integrated graphics on boot choosing-CRT + LFP, CRT, LFP) 'IGD - Device 2:' 'IGD - Panel Scaling:' 'IGD - LCD Panel Type:' 'IGD - S3 Popup:' (this popup will inform about the change) 'Select the amount of', 0Dh, 'Pre-Alocated Graphics', 0Dh, 'Memory for use by the', 0Dh, 'Internal Graphics', 0Dh, 'Device.' [I read that some VAIOs have intel & nvidia on board. But I dont know if mine has.] -Pre-Allocated Memory Size:' -Thermal Monitor Enable:' -Frequency Ratio' -Select the internal ', 0Dh, 'frequency multiplier ', 0Dh, 'of the CPU' -IGD - TV Control Sub-Menu' -Clock Power Management:' -MDA Support:' -Spread Spectrum Clock Chip:' (Sets the spread spectrum clock chip mode for the internal graphics. If set to Hardware, the spread is set by hardware defaults. If set to Software, the spread is controlled by the video BIOS.) -Workaround control sub menu -Integrated Device Control Sub-Menu' -Installed O/S:' -HPET Support:' -SMART Monitoring:' -PCI Clock Run:' -LCD Panel View Expansion:' -Pop Down Mode Enable:' -Pop Up Mode Enable:' -ALS Support:' (Ambient light sensor(?).) -BIA Control:' -'Select BIA control and', 0Dh, 'Agressiveness Level', 0Dh, 'through this Setup', 0Dh, 'Item:', 0Dh, 0Dh, 'Automatic', 0Dh, ' - Use VBT default', 0Dh, 'Disable', 0Dh, ' - Force Disabled', 0Dh, 'Level 1 to 4', 0Dh, ' - Force Enabled with', 0Dh, ' selected', 0Dh, ' Agressiveness Level' (Sets or disables the Backlight Image Adaptation mode.) 'Inverter Connection:' (called 'GMCH BLC Control:' in VAIO) 'Control Backlight', 0Dh, 'through this Setup Item:', 0Dh, 0Dh, 'External', 0Dh, ' - Use inverter', 0Dh, ' connnected to', 0Dh, ' ICH6 SMB.', 0Dh, ' Jumpers J7E1 & J7C3', 0Dh, ' must be in 2-3', 0Dh, ' position.', 0Dh, 'Internal', 0Dh, ' - Use inverter', 0Dh, ' connected to GMCH', 0Dh, ' PWM or GMB.'
About chaning ASCII/colors in the BIOS Hello mario, That actually could be doable. I do not know how to at the moment, but I didn't know how to create a fully-working BIOS mod a few months ago either. I am waiting on at least one of several people to get a Phoenix BIOS motherboard with CRISIS recovery confirmed to be working. Once I get a single tester, I have infinite attempts at new types of mods. Recent Discoveries: I just confirmed the Main Menu mod to work. I can now add tens of new items to the Main Menu. I also confirmed that moving the major offset jump-table (parent menus) and changing the offset that links to it DOES work! This create a lot of "space" for new mods and even entire custom menus. Linking to any pre-built setup tables (settings) that are PAST the $PDW entry in the TEMPLAT module DOES work. I have just attempted my first "function" mod. I modified the function that hides a setting in a BIOS to make it show up. This had mixed results (still 'better' than no result). The setting DID show up, but pressing Enter while the setting was selected froze the BIOS, requiring a restart... I will continue to keep you updated on any progress I make. If you come across any motherboards with non-UEFI Phoenix BIOS's that are CRISIS compatible and can be dedicated to "research," please let me know. ~Steven