Phoenix BIOS unlocking possible?

[scook9]

Can anyone take a look at the Alienware M17x R1 BIOS? There are alot of options in the strings file that are not there in the usable portion of the bios. If those (mainly overclocking ) options could be unlocked, I would be an extremely happy camper.

[kizwan]

Can anyone take a look at the Alienware M17x R1 BIOS? There are alot of options in the strings file that are not there in the usable portion of the bios. If those (mainly overclocking ) options could be unlocked, I would be an extremely happy camper.

So, you already looked in the STRINGS file? Which ones you found very interesting?

[TheWiz]

Hi everyone,

BIOS-Mods has now officially made preparations to start taking Phoenix unlocking requests just like Award and AMI requests. Please create new threads with your requests so we can start the modding process. It has taken a while for the research to come full circle but we believe we can now accomplish these mods. So please create your new threads with as much pertinent info as possible.

Thanks,
TheWiz

[scook9]

Can anyone take a look at the Alienware M17x R1 BIOS? There are alot of options in the strings file that are not there in the usable portion of the bios. If those (mainly overclocking ) options could be unlocked, I would be an extremely happy camper.

So, you already looked in the STRINGS file? Which ones you found very interesting?

There was a whole lot that I found interesting

I do not think I will be able to add GPU support like originally intended but overclocking options could probably be unlocked. I will make a request thread for it.

[httuner]

I have done some Pheonix Unlocking on some bios, altho its a long tidous process_ it is possible but limited to what you can find in the STRING file upon opening in Phoenix Bios Editor_
Accordingly the Strings in the STRING0(0).rom file all routes back to the Templat0(0).rom file, so whatever options you find in the String file you can input it into the Template and allow it to show on the BIos Menu, its all done using hex editor. It is pretty neat =]

[en∇]

I think all of the options available are in the "strings" category within Phoenix Bios Editor Pro, not all of them are activated though. I am having trouble opening space or making it so that I can write in certain areas of the bios. I want to "compress" or bunch it all together on one end of the ROM and have my own section that I can actually work with, it feels too immobile for me to work with. Perhapos I am using it incorrectly, and need to write a user based rom and load it in as a module. Who knows? It recognizes certain strings does it not? It is not some magical appearance of string values that work, they are preprogrammed. I was surprised to see the "Spread sprectum", it is there to reduce interference with other hardware devices in the computer, but it is a string within the bios that i am looking at. So I can't say it is even hidden, just not activated. We are limited by the space. Don't forget what it is either... B.I.O.S...

[TheWiz]

Right, but any string value has its corresponding template offset where in most cases it can be mapped and activated by the template. I am working on making it so the size of the ROM can change before compression, no luck yet. Theoretically though, good practice means not changing the size, just moving the bits around.

TheWiz

[en∇]

http://support.amd.com/us/Processor_TechDocs/32559.pdf


This is where you find the extras unknown. There is a lot of information here on the AMD Hammer Chipset, which is what I believe mine is. I need more so the writes that would allow my motherboard to be fully activated, I have an aftermarket bios update, so I feel there are unactivated portions of my motherboard. (i.e. TPM, onboard bluetooth, etc.)

I need the control registers is what I think it is. The pieces I want are not registered to the bios, thus not activated.

[en∇]

Apparently the processor has its' own bios that can be accessed within the computers' bios, through a mode called "System Management Mode"- not recommended for inexperienced users.
"System management mode (SMM) is an operating mode entered when system management interrupt
SMI is asserted. The SMI is handled by a dedicated interrupt handler pointed to by processor model
specific registers. SMM is used for system control activities such as power management. These
activities are transparent to conventional operating systems (such as MS-DOS and Windows®
operating system). SMM is used by the BIOS and specialized low level device drivers. The code and
data for SMM are stored in the SMM memory area, which may be isolated from the main memory
accesses using special processor functions.
This chapter describes the SMM state save area, entry into and exit from SMM, exceptions and
interrupts in SMM, and memory allocation and addressing in SMM."

http://support.amd.com/us/Processor_TechDocs/32559.pdf