[Question]Extract LG Gram Phoenix Secure Core Bios

[carlinux]

Hi all,

I'm looking to try to unlock the bios (UEFI firmware) of my laptop but first of all I need to extract it.
Its a LG gram 15z980.

LG is far from friendly with the updates and all that offer is EXEs precompiled that check the Bios versión before apply any update (this is the USA and Korea pages, in my country not even that)



I wish i could be able to have a backup of my own firmware and have the posibility of flash it back in case of problems.

Could you guide me about dumping the current Firmware and how to flash this kind of BIOS ?

The only thing I have at the moment is the EXE updater from LG and i tried to decompress it and find the BIOS bin but it's confusing for me.

https://mega.nz/#!UwJT2QQA

Please help.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

You can dump "BIOS region" that contains maybe all your system specific details via Intel FPT, but you need to know your MW FW version first.
If you want 100% Complete BIOS dump you'll need CH341A flash programmer and SOIC8 test clip ($2.50 + $3.50 on ebay)
You can also try Universal BIOS Backup Toolkit - this tool may give false positive virus warning, so disable before you download or tell it to ignore if you can. Once you run the tool the window can't be moved and may freeze, wait until you see it's done, then check backup/save.
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details...olkit.html

For Intel FPT backup - Check BIOS main page and see if ME FW version is shown, if not then download HWINFO64 and on the large window on left side, expand motherboard and find ME area, inside that get the ME Firmware version. Once you have that, go to this thread and in the section "C" download the matching ME System Tools Package (ie if ME FW version = 10.x get V10 package, if 9.0-9.1 get V9.1 package, if 9.5 or above get V9.5 package etc)
https://www.win-raid.com/t596f39-Intel-M...Tools.html

Once downloaded, inside you will find Flash Programming Tool folder, and inside that a Windows or Win/Win32 folder. Select that Win folder, hold shift and press right click, choose open command window here (Not power shell). At the command prompt type the following command and send me the created file to modify >> FPTw.exe -bios -d biosreg.bin

Then I will see if I can unlock for you.

Sorry, I can't tell you now if I can unlock BIOS or not, your linked BIOS is encrypted and you didn't post the key (Why do this??)
Please link the stock exe download from LG, then I will check it out.

[carlinux]

You can dump "BIOS region" that contains maybe all your system specific details via Intel FPT, but you need to know your MW FW version first.
If you want 100% Complete BIOS dump you'll need CH341A flash programmer and SOIC8 test clip ($2.50 + $3.50 on ebay)
You can also try Universal BIOS Backup Toolkit - this tool may give false positive virus warning, so disable before you download or tell it to ignore if you can. Once you run the tool the window can't be moved and may freeze, wait until you see it's done, then check backup/save.
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details...olkit.html

[url=https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/universal_bios_backup_toolkit.html][/url]
Here there is the UBB dump : https://mega.nz/#!EgQACALK!rvwo_vK1PAS1k...yut4WhmTio

Sorry, I can't tell you now if I can unlock BIOS or not, your linked BIOS is encrypted and you didn't post the key (Why do this??)
Please link the stock exe download from LG, then I will check it out.

About this, sorry,
This is the right link to he LG bios updater.

https://mega.nz/#!UwJT2QQA!U7PWAU7KFiPds...LMTr8unOis

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Please also do the FPT backup for me, sorry I didn't mention this was important, it's best way to reflash and universal BIOS backup only done as an additional way for you to quickly let me check BIOS. YOu have ME 11.8 (at least that stock exe package does, if you flashed this already then yes 11.8) So get V11 ME System Tools Package

This is what you want anyway, not extracted BIOS from LG's EXE, this will have all your board details such as serial, UUID, MAC ID etc. This is what you want in case you need to recover, not stock extracted BIOS, this will not have these details and will cause you to loose them if you ever recovered using that as a source file.

[carlinux]

Please also do the FPT backup for me, sorry I didn't mention this was important, it's best way to reflash and universal BIOS backup only done as an additional way for you to quickly let me check BIOS.  YOu have ME 11.8 (at least that stock exe package does, if you flashed this already then yes 11.8)  So get V11 ME System Tools Package

This is what you want anyway, not extracted BIOS from LG's EXE, this will have all your board details such as serial, UUID, MAC ID etc.  This is what you want in case you need to recover, not stock extracted BIOS, this will not have these details and will cause you to loose them if you ever recovered using that as a source file.

Ok, i see

I PM'd you the dump.


Thanks

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Thanks, I got the dump. Please take an image of each one of your BIOS main sections and put in zip archive for me, I need to see what pages are currently visible for you so I can know what you need unlocked.

[carlinux]

Not a lot of stuff in the bios TBH

https://mega.nz/#!A8BC0YxQ!tf9gtk2LYEjjO...-efTZ39SWY

[Lost_N_BIOS]

I see some settings hidden from you, not a lot though, but we can make the hidden settings visible if you want.
Or you just needed to find a way to backup the BIOS and then reflash?

I can show you how to reflash via FPT, but you'll need to unlock something on your end first, it's not too hard and I've written a guide for doing it.
You only need to do this once. You can start at step #6, I've done 1-5 for you
https://www.win-raid.com/t3908f16-GUIDE-...-BIOS.html

Your BIOS Lock Variable to unlock >> 0x17
Since your BIOS does not have exit to shell type options, you'll need to follow this method >> Alt boot to grub when no boot to EFI on exit page
https://www.win-raid.com/t3144f16-Help-n...l#msg58324

Once at grub prompt you'll type the following >> setup_var 0x17 0x0
Then you can reflash BIOS region via FPT >> FPTw.exe -bios -f biosreg.bin

[Pflugshaupt]

I see some settings hidden from you, not a lot though, but we can make the hidden settings visible if you want.  

Hi Lost_N_BIOS,
Could you give us other LG Gram owner some information what kind of hidden settings you found? Is there anything temperature/fan-related in there?

[carlinux]

I see some settings hidden from you, not a lot though, but we can make the hidden settings visible if you want.  
Or you just needed to find a way to backup the BIOS and then reflash?

I can show you how to reflash via FPT, but you'll need to unlock something on your end first, it's not too hard and I've written a guide for doing it.
You only need to do this once.   You can start at step #6, I've done 1-5 for you
https://www.win-raid.com/t3908f16-GUIDE-...-BIOS.html

Your BIOS Lock Variable to unlock >> 0x17
Since your BIOS does not have exit to shell type options, you'll need to follow this method >> Alt boot to grub when no boot to EFI on exit page
https://www.win-raid.com/t3144f16-Help-n...l#msg58324

Once at grub prompt you'll type the following >> setup_var 0x17 0x0
Then you can reflash BIOS region via FPT >> FPTw.exe -bios -f biosreg.bin

So. What settings are available to unlock?

To be honest my priorities are
1 to be able to flash back a backup of the firmware in case I mess up something
2 to be able to disable/change the LG Boot logo (which annoy me to the death)
3 hackintosh typical needs (DVMT-Prealloc, etc)
4 whatever control over hardware/temps/security this bios has to offer (an option to disable the fingerprint until there's a linux driver would be good)

About this ""setup_var 0x17 0x0"" I'll try that so i can try to flash back my current bios. (the Dump i did with the Intel Tools right?)