VMware Workstation (Multi-Brand) Bios Installer

Discussion in 'MDL Projects and Applications' started by searchengine, Oct 21, 2009.

  1. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    #721 sebus, Aug 31, 2012
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2012
  2. B0SSE

    B0SSE MDL Novice

    Jul 30, 2009
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    sebus

    My Win XP is activated. The reason why I inserted the SLP string where I did was that I found the "Dell System" string in a bios modded with "VMware_Man;Auto_Selector_v315-339". Then I inserted the string in front of the same character as in the already modded bios. I guess I was lucky that it worked.

    Thanks for your guide, now I know how to do it right.
     

    Attached Files:

  3. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    True, you are still OK with your mod as it it still in the range 10 bytes from E076

    sebus
     
  4. keuli

    keuli MDL Novice

    Sep 16, 2011
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    #724 keuli, Sep 1, 2012
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2012
    searchengine@

    can you update the bios-Patcher with the new bios please ? It would be great
     
  5. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    @keuli, do it yourself, not that difficult (not at all in fact)
     
  6. pin-d

    pin-d MDL Novice

    Sep 2, 2012
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    vmware workstation 9.0.0 build-812388, VMware_Man;Auto_Selector_v315-339, Sony SLIC 2.1 (option 51) - HAL error diring Win8 x86 install.

    VAIO-TT laptop, clean Win7 x64 (from image, OS/Drivers only)
    1. Install vmware ws 9, patch bios with sony slic 2.1
    2. install win8 x86 from image - HAL error during the installation (win7 x86 vm created on vmware ws7 with the same bios patch works great)
    3. recover OS from the same image
    4. install vmware ws 9, no bios patch
    5. install win8 - installation complete, win8 works fine

    What are the reas onf of HAL error with patched bios? Does the tool patch the ws9 bios or it just replaces it with the patched ws7 one?
     
  7. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

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    #727 sebus, Sep 2, 2012
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2012
    W9 has NEVER BIOS then auto selector!

    So you stick older BIOS & expect it to work... Obviously Vmware updated it for a reason!

    Do it yourself (it is really **** easy with Phoenixtool!)

    For Win8 do you not need any patch, as it makes no difference to activation, as there is no SLIC activation any more
     
  8. pin-d

    pin-d MDL Novice

    Sep 2, 2012
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    was confused by the message with the confirmation about the compatibility of the tool with ws9 in this thread a few posts above.

    yes, i know there is no activation solution for win8 but i need slp/slic for xp/win7 vm's; just expected to test win8 on the same environment

    so the most important for me - the tool is not compatible with ws9
     
  9. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

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    The tool is not a tool, it does not do slip/slp insert on-fly.
    It replaces the WHOLE 6006 resource inside the exe

    It replaces it with version stated

    So while it will work with exe from Workstation 9, it will replace resources with older version

    How many more times do I need to repeat it - DO IT YOURSELF

    sebus
     
  10. Zaul

    Zaul MDL Novice

    Oct 29, 2010
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    sebus,

    Do you use PhoenixTool to modify the VMware Workstation 9 BIOS for SLP string and SLIC 2.1 at the same time?

    Using the info you provided, in PhoenixTool Advanced options, I checked "Allow user to modify other modules" and pressed Go. When prompted that I could make manual alterations to modules in DUMP directory, edited the BIOSCOD2.ROM with hex editor, inserted "Dell System" in proper location, saved file, and clicked OK back in PhoenixTool. Error dialog appeared:

    Error: Unable to reintegrate BIOSCOD2.ROM
    New BIOSCOD2.ROM Module is 10 bytes too big
    BIOSCOD2.ROM not integrated
    Unable to reintegrate BIOSCOD2.ROM

    I searched this forum and found that you dealt with the same error two years ago:
    h**p://forums.mydigitallife.net/threads/13194-Tool-to-Insert-Replace-SLIC-in-Phoenix-Insyde-Dell-EFI-BIOSes/page99?p=309181&viewfull=1#post309181

    But I didn't find any follow-up replies that contained a solution.

    After re-reading your recent post again, I changed the PhoenixTool Method to "Module" and retried. This produced a warning message: "Prepare completed with 3 errors. Catenate completed with 0 errors and 0 warnings. Continue?"

    This seems to produce a working BIOS file.

    Just wondering if you use only PhoenixTool or if you modify the BIOS in two steps: insert SLIC with PhoenixTool and then use Phoenix BIOS Editor to insert SLP string. Is the PhoenixTool warning message normal when modifying the VMware BIOS?
     
  11. ngcyf

    ngcyf MDL Novice

    Aug 31, 2008
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    Hi,

    I'm also experienced the same BIOSCOD2.ROM error, when I tried to insert "Hewlett" or "IBM" or "LENOVO" SLP strings. Even the "Dell System" string also give the same error.
     
  12. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
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    Yes, use Module Method, ignore the warnings, it does working BIOS just fine in one go (as you discovered)

    sebus
     
  13. Jay69V

    Jay69V MDL Member

    Apr 6, 2010
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    Is it possible to update the tools to change VMware because the Version 9 bios bios has change and in advance thousand thanks.
     
  14. PrimusZa1

    PrimusZa1 MDL Novice

    Aug 14, 2009
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    urie, is the post you linked to the full tutorial on how to do this manually or am I missing some other tutorial. I do want to learn how to do this myself but I keep thinking I'm missing some other tutorial. Thanks
     
  15. PrimusZa1

    PrimusZa1 MDL Novice

    Aug 14, 2009
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    #737 PrimusZa1, Sep 6, 2012
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2012
    I have current VM's of XP, Vista and Win 7 and was wanting to make sure after I upgraded to VM Workstation 9 they would stay activated. As for your comment about the "I can assure you it is useless as regards to any manufacturers that are not in normal DMI area", is there a list of manufacturers that fall into this category? Now to show my ignorance, whats a "RW Report"
    Many thanks for the link to the tutorial I pretty sure its what I been needing to read to get a handle on how to do this myself and not badger others to do it for me.
     
  16. searchengine

    searchengine Guest

    sorry... I have no plans to update this project further.

    There are now @100 leaked manufacturer brand slics, and it's just too time consuming to mass update binres 6006 x100 to VMware current bios build (361h), especially as VMware could update their bios build in days, weeks, or months.
     
  17. pindong

    pindong MDL Novice

    Jan 29, 2009
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    It's not true it is easy to mod vmware bios if you are not doing that kind of things very often (or, at least this is your first attempt). I spent a half of the day trying to insert SONY SLP 1.0 and SLIC 2.1 for WS9 with no result so far.

    Anybody able to tell me what is wrong?

    1. The guide mentioned a few posts above. It assumes there are a few tools to be download/installed before starting the task. There is no information where to get those tools (to be sure they are cracked/working etc). Ok, I manged to extract the ROM from vmware exe and now I'm blocked on Phoenix BIOS Editor. It does not let me to modify the ROM. After all the steps described in PDF the File->Build BIOS is inactive (so, I understand, this is the DEMO mode). Found a number of different cracked packages (2.2.13, 2.0.1->2.2.0.1), no one let me to build the bios. The link from the "Bios Tools" 1st page to rapidshare is dead. Any idea how to find the working Editor?

    2. Ok, I stopped to fight with Phoenix BIOS Editor and turned to PhoenixTool. This way looks much easier but it requires AcpiTbs.rw. I found just one way to do it - to create VM, install XP, install rw-everything on vm, generate the tables, copy the file to usb and come back to the host (liveCD's does not let me to work with usb). Well, the rest was easy but installing the bios into vm I realized that it does not have SLP10 (SLIC 2.1 is Ok). So my question is - how to insert SLP10 with PhoenixTool? Why the "Insert SPL10 module..." option is inactive?

    I believe if the process is so easy as some people are mentioned it would be not difficult for them to tell me what was wrong in my actions and how could I move forward. Thank you