[Request] Alienware 17 R2 bios unlock

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Thanks, I thought it was. That is normal for FPT, it tells you that at end of every flash.

I need to see images of your BIOS, at the location where you can set AHCI/IDE, and please confirm at that setting what options you do see IDE/AHCI or only AHCI as a choice

On the Main or info page of your BIOS, do you see anywhere it says "User Access Level"? If yes, what does it show, admin/super or User?

As for unlocking all the hidden options, we'll have to do some testing first, so I can find out which way unlocks what (settings/menus) in your BIOS.
We can do that now for the RAID, well at least one of the methods that we may need to use. Other settings may require different methods, so this could take a while possibly, before we figure it all out.

[rband]

        I did not see "user level access" in the bios.
In the first picture i highlighted the options available.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Thanks for the images. yes, Dell BIOS is funky! Usually this is on "Main" BIOS page, but Dell does what they want and moves stuff around, sometimes doesn't show stuff like this on main or doesn't even show main, that's why I mentioned maybe some Info section instead.

I see your image now, and there is MAIN, so that is good. Did you scroll all the way down? It's usually last line, and I can't see bottom in your image. Never mind, I see now after comparing your main to both main's in this BIOS, yours is one without Access Level shown.

Intel Smart Response Tech is Intel RST (RAID), so you can already see RAID you just need the RAID Modes enabled, currently all are disabled. I'll make them available and visible to you shortly After one more check on MAIN for access level (if not I'll enable this for you first in a dual BIOS test, so we can find out which it actually is no matter what) You'll also need to access and change the option roms loading (Boot mode selection/CSM/Legacy Orom selection etc), set to legacy by default and your BIOS only has Intel EFI RST rom.

Now that I see you have normal AMI BIOS not the usual Dell crap, I'll check, I can probably unlock entire BIOS for you!
Please add one image of security, boot and exit too, so I can see/tell which menus you have so I know which to edit/enable (BIOS usually has two of each)

[rband]

There is only one more menu item at the bottom of the advanced page , memory speed , not really important to our goal.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Thanks, yes, I edited in about that in above message before I saw your reply.

And yes, it's 100% critical to what you want done, I need to know your access level before I can mod BIOS. So you'll need to flash in two BIOS for me as a test, but before I can make that test for you I need to see rest of BIOS pages as requested, so I can find some single setting hidden from you on a page you can already see, then set it's access level to User or Super, so we can find which your BIOS is set to currently.

Then, I can enable everything to be visble for you, so you can set yourself instead of me enabling the RAID0 - RAID10 options in the background

Unless you don't want unlocked BIOS? And just want the RAID options enabled that are hidden from you now? If that's all you want I can do that too, let me know.

* Edit - So weird to see RAID enabled by default, but RADI0-RAID10 disabled.
It's also odd to see it all set to legacy roms first, and then only EFI roms in the BIOS by default. Someone at Dell needs to be fired!?!?

SRT and orom display is enabled though, so can you hit Control + I at startup and enter the RAID build interface, after having connected two disks to the same Intel controller ports?

Also, very funny to see 4 years ago Dell was supposed to fix this, yet latest BIOS still = poorly constructed
https://na.alienwarearena.com/ucf/show/2...or-ssd-m-2

[rband]

I totally agree , dell really messed up on the R2 , their first release with the bga crap as well.
Why have 4 hard drive bays if raid is disabled , later on when they released the R3 , the raid was reinstated.
I will take some more pictures of the bios when i get home from work this afternoon.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Made some edits above, there for a minute I was complaining about M17x R2 Dell is so confusing, at least you luckily here have a AMI BIOS interface instead of the usual Dell crap, makes for easier editing

What happened with the firs release BGA stuff?

RAID is enabled, but poorly set and conflicting hidden BIOS options make it look nearly impossible to use (maybe software stripe in windows via Intel software, but that's crap to force users into doing)

[rband]

The AW17 R2 was the first BGA Alienware , upgrade to the CPU and GPU is virtually impossible for an average Joe like myself.

[rband]

                   

As you can see this bios is very limited.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Please put those images in an archive for me, really appreciate it, thanks BIOS wont be like that once we're done here!
I'll get back on this for you shortly