[Request] HP EliteBook 8730w BIOS unlocking

[ovdjekokos]

Hi,

I am new to this forum. I come here seeking help with unlocking my BIOS. The reason I want to do that is because I would like to play around with Windows 8. Windows 8 requires a processor based operation XD - eXecution Disabled (for Intel processors), or NX (AMD) to be enabled.
HP has decided to not offer me the chance to toggle this on and off in BIOS and I would like to have this option.

I have read through sticky threads. I would like to discover if my BIOS is RSA signed or not, but I do not know where to find the so called "Andy's tool" - unfortunately, I do not know Andy (I recomend a link or any sort of pointer to how to find this tool in the stcky thread (thank you admin)).
Also I don't know what bricking the BIOS means, although I am comfortable with opening my laptop and pulling out the BIOS battery if that is all it takes to solve the bricking.

In my first attempt to unlock the XD function, I (quite naively) went to the HP support site, downloaded the latest BIOS and upgraded; so my version is F.20.
I read through this thread: http://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-RE...20-sp55640 and discovered that this might have been a critical error.
I understand that unlocking this BIOS will probbably not be possible, I then present a question - is it possible to downgrade to an older F.13 version ? And could then the F.13 be unlocked ?

Quick Facts:
Computer Model: HP EliteBook 8730w
BIOS version: F.20 - sp55638, if possible to downgrade: F.13 - p51310
Links: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/Tec...b-102327-1
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/Tec...ob-90127-1

Thank you for your time and for putting up with someone who is not as versed in BIOS as you lot are.

[Mushishi]

Take a look in your bios under System Configuration - Device Configurations and make sure the one called Data Execution Prevention is enablet.

That is what HP is calling the Intel XD on my HP Elitebook 8530p so that should be where it is on your 8730w also.

I am also on F20 here and i did try both using a USB stick called HP_TOOLS and from the HP_TOOLS efi partition to downgrade and it dont seem possible.

[ovdjekokos]

Thank you very much Mushishi. I have no idea how I have missed that, I must have gone throug the entire available BIOS at least 5 times before posting here.

Just so anyone who stumbles upon this post knows, windows 8 does work on HP EliteBook 8730w !