Hi bithead, As you’ve pieced together, the Dell OEMBIOS set in your XP installation is identified by OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32: B6F0EEFD, and the OEM SLP 1.0 strings/locations in memory (set in ROM) that match this OEMBIOS set are: f000,e076,0010,Dell System(used in 12.0.0 Pro_SLP_SLIC mod) f000,e840,0010,Dell Computer f000,49a9,0010,Dell System f000,e05e,0010,Dell System(used in 12.0.0, 12.0.1, 12.1.0 Dell_2.3_SLIC_Multi_SLP mods) f000,e838,0018,Dell Inc Any of the four downloads in the first post of this thread includes a ROM that supports the B6F0EEFD OEMBIOS set. In fact, the ROMs in the last 3 downloads (Multi_SLP) are identical. All the ROMS are based on the same VMware 12 429 bios. The reason there are different downloads is because in addition to the ROM, vmware-vmx.exe (modded with the same ROM) is also included, and there is a version of vmware-vmx.exe which corresponds to each VMware version. You're not using the modded exe so this isn't an issue for you. The first ROM (the one you are using, I think) has a more limited set of OEM SLP strings but includes the Dell string you need. You can use SLIC_ToolKit or Windows XP OEMBIOS Test to see if a mod supports your OEM bios set. These are available on MDL. Just run them in any Windows VM that’s using the mod in question. Here’s the output of OEMBIOS Test for the first ROM: Code: Windows XP OEMBIOS Test v1.1/382/127 F: Acer Incorporated OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=700A8481 F: Alienware OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=CE524ABD F: ASUSTeK Computer Inc OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=2411858C F: ASUSTeK Computer Inc OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=B20C65BF F: Compaq Computer Corporation OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=A5E32571 F: Dell Inc OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=B6F0EEFD F: Dell Inc OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=63875D1F F: Fujitsu Limited OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=D2D64C41 F: Fujitsu Siemens Computers OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=10045CFA F: Fujitsu Siemens Computers OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=E161F004 F: Hewlett-Packard Company OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=06D652A4 F: Hewlett-Packard Company OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=CD4E1902 F: IBM OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=D7A77612 F: Lenovo OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=5237B729 F: LG Electronics OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=8D3A3465 F: Packard Bell B.V OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=678752DC F: Packard Bell B.V OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=E32D3612 F: Samsung Electronics CO., LTD OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=904CF15A F: Sony Corporation ITCNC OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=376E13C7 F: Sony Corporation ITCNC OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=F08705E9 F: TOSHIBA CORPORATION OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=A16F9D62 The above OEMBIOS set(s) should preactivate Windows XP on this system. You can see that Dell Inc OEMBIOS.CAT CRC32=B6F0EEFD is supported so you will be (and are) activated. You could also open the ROM with Andy's Phoenix Tool and search through BIOSCOD2.ROM with a hex editor to see if a string you require is present in the correct location, but if you're willing to go this route you're well on the way towards modding the bios yourself. There are a number of posts and guides about this on MDL. As far as the XP updates go, I guess you have to let Windows do its thing and update. It has nothing to do with the mod. Hope this helps.
pantagruel, Thanks for the explanation and the method to confirm that all is OK. What about all those files in the VM BIOS mega-pack though? For example, in one folder there are files named 361H_dell_e2_21.rom, 361H_dell_inv_21.rom, and 361H_dell_qa09_21.rom, just to name a few. How does one know which hardware platforms these correspond to?
These refer to modded VMware BIOSes which can only be run in VMware. To date, all the Vmware Mega Bios Packs are based on older versions of VMware, and are outdated. The file name refers to the VMware bios version, the SLIC, and the SLIC version. Using the same convention 361H_dell_pesc3_22.rom (VMware bios 361H, dell_pesc3 SLIC, SLIC version 2.2) would become 429_dell_pesc3_23.rom (VMware bios 429, dell_pesc3 SLIC, SLIC version 2.3) for the MULTI ROMs I posted. Slic 2.3 activation refers NT 6.0 (Vista/Server 2008), NT 6.1 (7/Server 2008 R2), NT 6.2 (Server 2012) & NT 6.3 (Server 2012 R2) activation. You can activate any one of these using any 2.3 SLIC as long as you use the corresponding certificate.
Thank you pantagruel Pantagruel thanks for the great job with sharing these SLICs. Very generous of you.
@pantagruel: You had been so kind to provide me an Asus Slic 2.1 version of the 429 rom for my Windows 7 guest. Would'nt I need an Asus 2.3 rom if the above is right? Or could I still use the old Asus 2.1 Slic 6006.rom to patch a recent vmware-vmx.exe?
SLP 2.3 is backward compatible with SLP 2.1, but Asus doesn't have a 2.3 SLIC. You can continue to use the Asus 2.1 SLICed 6006.rom as is in a guest, or use it to to patch a more recent Workstation (BIOS 429) vmware-vmx.exe. You won't be able to activate Server 2012 or Server 2012 R2 with the 2.1 SLIC, though.
VMware Workstation 12.5 Mod From VMware: VMware 12.5 has the same 429 BIOS build as prior VMware Workstation 12 releases, but vmware-vmx.exe has changed. If you are using a prior Version 12 mod (12, 12.01, 12.1, 12.1.1) you will only be affected by this update if you are using the modded vmware-vmx.exe, the modded 6006.rom (BIOS) is the same. Added to the first post.
Recommend sticky this post and un-sticky the outdated ones. I was trying to work with the stickied ones and was frustrated as why it didn't work. This found this post by chance and everything works now.
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Hello I am having a hard time with this method: Method 1 – Use the modded 6006.rom [overrides the default VMware BIOS]. Copy the 6006.rom into the VM folder, located by default at C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Virtual Machines\<guestOSname> In the same folder edit the <guestOSname>.vmx file and add the line bios440.filename = "6006.rom" my guestOSname is this - Windows 7 x64.vmx how will I add this bios440.filename = "6006.rom" on the line? Appreciate your reply.
Open the vmx file in a text editor (like notepad) and add the line bios440.filename = "6006.rom" anywhere in the vmx file. It will look like this: Code: . . . usb:1.parent = "-1" sata0:1.startConnected = "TRUE" tools.syncTime = "FALSE" tools.remindInstall = "FALSE" toolsInstallManager.updateCounter = "5" floppy0.present = "FALSE" bios440.filename = "6006.rom" svga.guestBackedPrimaryAware = "TRUE" checkpoint.vmState.readOnly = "FALSE" checkpoint.vmState = "" workingDir = "." . . .