HP Pavilion g4-1012tx [UNLOCK ADVANCED OPTIONS]

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Yes, you can do pinmod as you mentioned, or remove chip and program off-board. Once you program back unlocked FD it will stay that way, unless you flash another BIOS with locked FD again, then you will need to do over.

However, if you are going to do that, send me a dump to edit instead of what I've already sent you previously (ie DO NOT program what I sent, it may not be same format as what gets flashed in when using flash tool)

As for the programming grub shell scripts, I don't know, maybe you could make something like that? It's above my skillset

Can you dump and write the BIOS region? If yes, you can send me that only and I can edit. I cannot know what the above zip file is without seeing the exact command you used to get it, so for now we'll disregard that.

Please test the following in this order, if success without error then reboot and send me the file produced in step one. This is all you really need to be able to do in order to update the BIOS with the changes you want.
1. FPTw -bios -d BIOSregiondump.bin
2. FPTw -bios -f BIOSregiondump.bin

If you get error show me image, if it's 26 then you need to do the pinmod and dump the entire BIOS so we can unlock FD. Here is command to dump entire BIOS once you have unlocked FD via pinmod
FPTw -d BIOSdump.bin


No random 2 pin jumpers on the motherboard?

[kenkit]

The last file I sent was retrieved from the command 1 in your post. But I re-did it again just to be sure.
And this is the output of the first command

Code:

C:\Windows\system32>cd C:\Users\Aiden\Desktop\Intel ME System Tools v6 IBX r2\Flash Programming Tool\Windows

C:\Users\Aiden\Desktop\Intel ME System Tools v6 IBX r2\Flash Programming Tool\Windows>FPTw -bios -d BIOSregiondump.bin

Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool. Version: 6.0.40.1214
Copyright (c) 2007-2010, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Platform: Intel(R) HM55 Express Chipset Revision: B2
Reading HSFSTS register... Flash Descriptor: Valid

       --- Flash Devices Found ---
       W25Q32BV        ID:0xEF4016     Size: 4096KB (32768Kb)


- Reading Flash [0x400000] 2560KB of 2560KB - 100% complete.
Writing flash contents to file "BIOSregiondump.bin"...

Memory Dump Complete
FPT Operation Passed

[kenkit]

The second command failed however.

Code:

C:\Users\Aiden\Desktop\Intel ME System Tools v6 IBX r2\Flash Programming Tool\Windows> FPTw -bios -f BIOSregiondump.bin

Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool. Version: 6.0.40.1214
Copyright (c) 2007-2010, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Platform: Intel(R) HM55 Express Chipset Revision: B2
Reading HSFSTS register... Flash Descriptor: Valid

       --- Flash Devices Found ---
       W25Q32BV        ID:0xEF4016     Size: 4096KB (32768Kb)

PDR Region does not exist.

Error 28: Protected Range Registers are currently set by BIOS, preventing flash access.
Please contact the target system BIOS vendor for an option to disable Protected Range Registers.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

So you can read BIOS region, but not dump it, again due to PRR. Sometimes I can figure out how to unlock that, but it's hard, and you have to be able to flash in the unlocked BIOS anyway, so it's of no use for you right now anyway (Only helps with flash next time around).

You need flash programmer. Can you dump with AFU and flash back that same way? You can try AFUWin/AFUWingGUI/AFUDOS etc.

Backup using /O
Example AFUwin biosbackup.rom /O

Program back only the BIOS region using /P
example AFUWin biosbackup.rom /P

If not, then you'll have to purchase a hardware flash programmer, unless you can google around and find alternative to InsydeFlash program that you see people have success with using modified BIOS.

OR, as mentioned before, do the pinmod and get a complete backup with FPT (fptw -d biosback.rom)
Then we can flash back a modified unlocked FD, then you can flash any/all regions freely with FPT

[kenkit]

I've just finished pinmoding the board. Actually I've just boot up after doing that so I'm about to try using fptw to dump again.

[kenkit]

So It seems I should leave the wires connected untill i'm done dumping with fptw or only after post completes ?
Let me give it one last shot. If it fails I'll go the spi flashing way. I've done this a few times before then I'll send you the dump.
I'll have to do this after about 10hrs from now since I'll be using my desktop. It will mean that I will have to wait for you to send me the modified dump before returning the chip to the board.
I don't have a programmer here but I have one back at home.
I'm disappointed the pinmod didn't work since I could've enjoyed not having to desolder chips and stuff.

[kenkit]

Infact when I short the pins and reboot, the audio device is not available meaning I did it right. I suppose the pinmod doesn't work on this platform.

[kenkit]

I am now dumping the bios. I don't know your timezone but here it is currently 8:28pm I don't have a usb spi flasher so i'm relying on my desktops parallel port(homebrew programmer). I don't know if you will be online at this time. or if it will be possible for you to finish modding this before tomorrow since I'll have to put this laptop back together after i'm done.
I'll send the dump as soon as it's done.
Thanks for your prompt response and for the help you have so far provided. Let me get to it already...

[kenkit]

My pc's parrallel port isn't responding since I used it about a month ago. I've used it a couple of times to flash several chips but the flasher has never behaved this way. [censored] I must get this thing working since it's now turning into an obsession.
Once I get things fixed I'll respond with the dump sorry for messing up on my part.
EDIT:Infact right now spipgrmw cannot access the iopermservice or whatever, citing some blocked driver. I had to use a live linux cd. Maybe there are higher forces at play here
It looks like it all goes down to removing intel me. I hope once you mod it. It will be unlock flashing the fd regions.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Yes, if you have to dump without ME that is OK for now, we only need the FD dumped really, then you can program that back via programmer or pinmod then FPT (fptw -desc -d fd.bin to dump it, or fptw -desc -f fd.bin to flash it)

I am not sure how to do the pinmod, only go by that what that guide says I linked you to, make sure you have correct pins.