VMware Workstation/ESXi BIOS/EFI SLIC Mod

Discussion in 'Virtualization' started by pantagruel, Aug 26, 2015.

  1. ZaForD

    ZaForD MDL Expert

    Jan 26, 2008
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    Yes, its the same process for all recent versions of VMWare.
    Read the "VMware BIOS EFI Mod How-to-Use.pdf" in Pantagruel's download. I couldn't explain the process any better.

    If its a HP OEM disk, it already has the "OEMBIOS" files in it.
    I just add Pantagruel's bios file to the VM folder and edit the .vmx file. As it says in the .pdf file.

    Its not multuple topics. Its the same topic. And almost the same proccess, with different files. "OEMBIOS" sets for SLP1 and "OEMCERTS" for SLP2 for each different OEM i.e. Dell, HP, Compaq, etc..

    As I said above with the HP OEM disk. It dosen't matter what Windows version it is.
    IF its an OEM disk, it already has either the OEMBIOS files (WinXP/Svr03) or OEMCERT (Vista/Win7/Svr08+) in it.
    You just have to add Pantagruel's bios file to the VM folder and edit the .vmx file.

    If you want to make your own OEM install disks. Which it sounds like from some of your questions.
    Look for "Unattended" install disks. BUT... You'll need to do a lot of reading and exprimenting.
     
  2. casio4ever

    casio4ever MDL Member

    Mar 27, 2015
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  3. Carlos Detweiller

    Carlos Detweiller Emperor of Ice-Cream

    Dec 21, 2012
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    XP information is shown on the SLP 1.0 tab. If the HP manufacturer string appears there, you can use OEMBIOS changer to insert the correct OEMBIOS set into a running VM. Usually, the compressed OEMBIOS files (OEMBIOS.BI_, OEMBIOS.CA_, OEMBIOS.DA_, OEMBIOS.SI_) are on the OEM media and installed by Windows Setup.

    https://forums.mydigitallife.net/threads/vlk-and-oembios-changer.6077/
     
  4. CaptainKirk1966

    CaptainKirk1966 Former MDL Guru

    Oct 31, 2009
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    The Dell Slic 2.1 or 2.5 bios files in post #1 will work. If you get the modded BIOS.440.ROM in the right place, you will see the Dell slic, and also quite a few slp 1.0 strings as shown by the SlicToolkit. Then use the OEMBIOS changer mentioned by Carlos with the HP oembios files.

    You may need to disable antivirus before using the OEMBIOS changer. (At least, I did.)
     
  5. pantagruel

    pantagruel MDL Addicted

    Aug 30, 2007
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    VMware Workstation 16.1.2 Pro/Player | 18 May 2021 | Build 17966106

    The BIOS/EFIs are unchanged since 16.0.0:

    BIOS BUILD 496
    EFI ROM version: VMW71.00V.16722896.B64.2008100651 (64-bit RELEASE)
    EFI ROM version: VMW71.00V.16722896.B32.2008100651 (32-bit RELEASE)

    You can get the latest modded BIOS/EFIs on the first post.
     
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  6. imyz

    imyz MDL Novice

    Aug 2, 2016
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    Good day pantagruel,

    It looks as if both of the passwords you provided in your first post (i.e. mdl2020 & mdl2019) DO NOT work for those files downloaded from the site Download.ru. Could you please look into this problem? Thank you.

     
  7. Sajjo

    Sajjo MDL Member

    Feb 6, 2018
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    @imyz
    Passwords in OP is correct, if your downloaded files are corrupted that would explain it.
    Check with listed checksum's.
    :)
     
  8. imyz

    imyz MDL Novice

    Aug 2, 2016
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    @Sajjo

    Good day! you were right and wrong :cool:. Turns out:

    1. Both of the 2 passwords are correct, and files downloaded are good and intact too;
    2. The reason I failed to decompress those files was because I was using Keka with my MacBookPro.

    Seeing your MSG, I immediately copied those files to my Windows PC, and everything works out then.....:D

    Thank you so much.

     
  9. imyz

    imyz MDL Novice

    Aug 2, 2016
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    Hi, there,

    With this EFI64.ROM mod, I successfully activated my Win Server 2019 in VMware. However, there is one more thing drew my attention, i.e., the SLIC of the EFI32.ROM mod seems invalid somehow. Here is my case: I created a 32bit VM and had Win10-x86 installed(BTW, I understand SLIC is useless to Win8/10 & etc.), then I tried to use AIDA64 to see if the SLIC table was well loaded as the EFI64.ROM did. Unfortunately, it failed.

    I then tried to mannually add the SLIC table by
    , and the SLIC finally appeared.

    Although I know the SLIC makes no sense to EFI32 mode, as Win Servers are 64bit, and Win7 x86 DO NOT support EFI, But, still, I'd like to know why the EFI32.ROM failed to load the SLIC table...

    Anybody could advise me the reason is much appreciated.
     
  10. Paste install wim from win7 with sp1 x86 iso to win10 any sku any build x86 iso.
    Then cross check .
    if autounattend then you must remove the product key part from win PE setup ie exact boot wim 2nd index to not load key from your automated xml.
     
  11. pantagruel

    pantagruel MDL Addicted

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    #271 pantagruel, Sep 8, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2021
    (OP)
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  12. juanespty

    juanespty MDL Novice

    Mar 11, 2015
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  13. pantagruel

    pantagruel MDL Addicted

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  14. juanespty

    juanespty MDL Novice

    Mar 11, 2015
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    Hi pantagruel,

    Yes, I updated the path in my original post to reflect the real configuration path:

    efi64.filename = "/vmfs/volumes/60f80ff1-57e06578-6ddd-e0db5500a1bc/Windows Server 2022/ESXi7.EFI64_SLIC.ROM"

    I also disabled the UEFI secure boot option in the VM settings, and reinstalled from scratch.. still getting the same error.. :confused:
     
  15. juanespty

    juanespty MDL Novice

    Mar 11, 2015
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    Windows now seems to be active.. Not sure how that happened :D

    So apparently even if it shows the error with the slmgr -ato command, it will still activate.. :rolleyes:
     
  16. pantagruel

    pantagruel MDL Addicted

    Aug 30, 2007
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    #277 pantagruel, Sep 16, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2021
    (OP)
    @juanespty

    I set up Server 2022 in ESXi and got the same result as you, slmgr.vbs /ato reporting an issue. However, slmgr.vbs /dli reports OEM_SLP licensed status. The same thing happens in VMware Workstation. I don't usually use slmgr.vbs so I didn't notice. Some minor glitch, I guess.

    ato.PNG dli.PNG

    Incidentally, if the modded BIOS/EFI is in the vm's folder, you don't need to specify the path at all, ie, you can just use:
    Code:
    efi64.filename = "16.0.0_EFI64_DELL2.6_SLIC.ROM"
    That's true for both ESXi and Workstation.

    EDIT: It's not some minor glitch, slmgr.vbs /ato is not intended for OEM:SLP use. OEM:SLP activation is off-line. If:
    1. a valid SLIC table is present
    2. a valid certificate is installed
    3. a vaild product key is installed
    activation occurs automatically on every boot, and there is no need to use any slmgr.vbs command to activate. Thanks for pointing out the problem.

    I'll fix up the how-to-use pdf to correct that.
     
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  17. juanespty

    juanespty MDL Novice

    Mar 11, 2015
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  18. Carlos Detweiller

    Carlos Detweiller Emperor of Ice-Cream

    Dec 21, 2012
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    -ato = Activate online :p
     
  19. Sergei7436593y

    Sergei7436593y MDL Novice

    Sep 29, 2021
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    #280 Sergei7436593y, Sep 29, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2021
    Hi. How can I use this to bypass the virtual machine fix for the warface game. Will it help?

    And how to replace a video card or a video card driver or what is connected with a video card?

    Google Translation:

    Hi. How can I use this to bypass the virtual machine fix for the warface game. Will it help?

    And how to replace a video card or a video card driver or what is connected with a video card?