HP Elitebook 2540p Whitelist Removal Request

[tech4b]

Ive got a a 2540p I'm trying to remove the WWAN whitelist from.

I've followed the generic instructions to do this but HPQFlash and eRompaq both refuse to load the new ROM because of a failed checksum after I modified 75 to EB

BIOS available from HP at:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=4138624&prodNameId=4138625&swEnvOID=4053&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=ob-92548-1

sp52281.exe - ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp52001-52500/sp52281.exe

If anyone can help me to modify this bios so I can fit a different 3g card into the WWAN slot that would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[TTAV134]

1- I dont know which instructions you are talking about but i guess they are not applicable to Probooks.
2- HpqFlash and eRompaq must be patched to allow moded bios flashing
3- and the bad news for the end, any attempt to modify a 2540p bios (and some other probooks) always brick the laptop.

conclusion: already done with no success, sorry.

regards

[tech4b]

1- I dont know which instructions you are talking about but i guess they are not applicable to Probooks.
2- HpqFlash and eRompaq must be patched to allow moded bios flashing
3- and the bad news for the end, any attempt to modify a 2540p bios (and some other probooks) always brick the laptop.

conclusion: already done with no success, sorry.

regards

Update on my progress so far:
I managed to patch HPQFlash with ADDCC v3 and it loads the image to the bios just fine
Bricked the laptop 3 times temporarily so far - no worries, recovered each time and all is fine
I've put the factory image onto a linux box and managed to successfully pull it apart with fvdump.py etc - still trying to figure out what does what; but im pretty sure this might be the bit im looking for:


File 149:
GUID: 1124113f-2f8f-4973-82bc-2e505256b9d7
Size: 0x134c (data 0x1334)
Type: 0x07
Attributes: 0x40
State: 0x07
Section 0: type 0x02, size 0x1334
GUID-defined section
CRC32 subsection container:
Subsection 0: type 0x13, size 0x3a
DXE Dependency Expression
Subsection 1: type 0x20, size 0x8
Unknown section type
Subsection 2: type 0x10, size 0x12c4
PE Image
Subsection 3: type 0x15, size 0xe
User Interface name: WWAN


Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[TTAV134]

Prerequisites:
- An hexadecimal editor like HxD
http://mh-nexus.de/en/
- MDL Andy's tool Latest version
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads...EFI-BIOSes
note: EzH2O is not compatible with new EFI HP bios, the bios image is not rebuild correctly, you MUST use Andy's tool.

1- Extract spxxxxx.exe, then extract ROM.CAB
2- Open Rom.bin with Andy's tool
3- Once decompress, select "other" in manufacturer
4- At advanced choose: 'no SLIC' and 'Allow user to modify other modules' press done
5- Press GO and wait until the tool pauses and show popup (Don't press OK at this time).
6- In DUMP folder, edit the module 1124113F-2F8F-4973-BC82-2E505256B9D7_3_813.ROM, search the hexadecimal string 74 64 42 3B 54 00, replace 74 by EB,save the modification.
7- In DUMP folder, edit the module 5EE86B35-0839-4A21-8845-F1ACB0F688AB_3_155.ROM, search the hexadecimal string 75 24 8B 03 39 84 24 F8 00 00 00 75 19, replace 75 24 by 90 90, and 75 19 by 90 90,save the modification.
8- Press OK on Andy's tool popup
The Andy's tool will notice about changes that were made and will reintegrate the module.

To rebuild ROM.CAB use this tool: CABPACK http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/cabpack.htm
(chose MSZIP compression type)

To flash, use a patched HPQFLASH from here: http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/7681-This-is-no-request-thread!-HP-COMPAQ-bioses-how-to-modify-the-bios?p=111460&viewfull=1#post111460

but as already mentioned in second post, any attempt to modify a hp2540p bios, brick the laptop, don't ask me why, i don't have the answer.
May be an automatic recover option in bios setup, you can have a look.

good luck, let us know your progress.

[tech4b]

v1.83 of the tool at the bottom of the post? The link is dead - I'll try googling for another.

[TTAV134]

v1.83 of the tool at the bottom of the post? The link is dead - I'll try googling for another.

the link is not dead!!!
just click on the link, no more no less, dont use any downloader, dont copy past the link.
and if you have an error message takes the time to read it.

[tech4b]

I got a message from what looks like an IIS Server - 403 access restricted

[TTAV134]

YES the access is restricted and......

[tech4b]

I managed to find the file elsewhere
Unfortunately, the ROM i manage to produce failed to load at all - not really sure why - perhaps I made a (subtle?) mistake? It didn't brick the laptop just refused to load it at the next restart - gave an error and rebooted the laptop
I'll try again in the morning as its quite late here. Thanks for your help - I'm not ready to give in yet!

[TTAV134]

if you cannot access the "restricted" access andy'p tool that mean there is something wrong in the way you try to download the file, read carefully the returned error message.

as mentioned earlier, the ROM.cab MUST be created by CABPACK and only contains rom.bin, ver.sig, ver.txt with no subfolders, all other sig files are now useless.
Do not try to "manipulate" the cab file with an other tool/method, everybody will loose their time.