(05-05-2014, 05:11 PM)Brabbelbla Wrote: If I am correct, the contents of the variable stores in NVRAM control the actual functionality. So I guess adding options is not as simple as porting a module, you have to know which bytes of which variable store control which function.
Not quite like that, each module can register it's own form , it can store values either in NVRAM or built in directly in file, may be you should take a look at NVRAM section of firmware where you have got RAID driver
NVRAM stores spacial wariable called Setup - this one is responsible for hardware initialisation on PEI stage, but it's hard to find which bytes are responsible for what
Let me finish my work with my loader/shell enabler and I will take a look at Raid driver in disassembler
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05-06-2014, 05:53 AM (This post was last modified: 05-06-2014, 09:12 AM by Brabbelbla.)
Quote:Not quite like that, each module can register it's own form , it can store values either in NVRAM or built in directly in file, may be you should take a look at NVRAM section of firmware where you have got RAID driver
So what do you make of kasar's request, then?
Quote:may be you should take a look at NVRAM section of firmware where you have got RAID driver
What exactly do you mean? I dumped NVRAM, there were two variables there that were related to the RAID driver: RstSataV and RstSataF. The IFR structure reveals there should be at least another one, RstHiiConfig. Which is not there.
ADDITION: Messing around a bit with the RST menus, setup crashing, entering it again sometimes allows me to for select RAID type etc. on the create volume form, but it definitely does not work. I went back to the old version from the Inspiron and still getting the error. I noticed btw that the RST driver is attached to the protocol DriverEFIVersion, with 'value' 0002000A, which AFAIK means that it was built for UEFI 2.10, while we have UEFI 2.00. That could be where the problem starts. Anyway I hope you find something when you disassemble the module.
Probably @kasar, the IFR extract contains quite some information about the variable stores. If you look at what has become the WLAN toggle setting:
Variable store ID, in this case (05 00), so variable store with ID 0x05. It has to be defined earlier, which it has been, as a linear buffer storage (two other types exist):
Code:
0x3046C Var Store: 0x5[53] (DellVariable) {24 23 67 3D EE 4F F4 18 17 42 BA 7B BC 53 81 48 38 2A 05 00 35 00 44 65 6C 6C 56 61 72 69 61 62 6C 65 00}
Which again consists of:
Opcode, variable store (24)
Statement size, no scope (23)
Variable store GUID (67 3D EE 4F F4 18 17 42 BA 7B BC 53 81 48 38 2A)
Variable store ID, unique in formset (05 00)
Store size (35), 53 in decimal
Human-readable name, just DellVariable in ANSI, terminated by null (44 65 6C 6C 56 61 72 69 61 62 6C 65 00)
Offset in the variable store (09 00)
Question header flags, none here (00)
One-of option flags, here EFI_IFR_DISPLAY_UINT_DEC (10)
(05-06-2014, 05:53 AM)Brabbelbla Wrote: What exactly do you mean? I dumped NVRAM, there were two variables there that were related to the RAID driver: RstSataV and RstSataF. The IFR structure reveals there should be at least another one, RstHiiConfig. Which is not there.
I mean you should open NVRAM dump from image from which RAID driver was
AFAIK bios capsule contains firmware image and NVRAM default state dump , for example we have volume with id FFF12B8D-7696-4C8B-A985-2747075B4F50 which contains parts of VNRAM
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05-10-2014, 02:28 AM (This post was last modified: 05-10-2014, 02:30 AM by jkbuha.)
Hey all
Been a while since I last posted here. Long story short; my 15z laptop was stolen and it took me a while to find a quality replacement as Dell doesn't make them anymore, which is a pity as they are a great aesthetic and performing family. Finally I've managed to get my hands on an excellent xps 15z with the faster i7 processor (i7-2640m - I didn't even realise they are soldered to the l511z m/b so you cannot upgrade to a better processor) and I've restored the hw config to how it was running before (mods, hacks, vbios edits etc).
For any of you with a 15z trying to do the pin mod for the descriptor unlock; well good luck - it's on the daughter audio board which needs to be dismantled, before the battery is removed as well from the motherboard. After a lot of trouble, finally managed to short pins 1 & 5 on ALC269, and bingo - descriptor unlocked. Apply mods to the relevant sections in fitc and hey presto - overclockable m/b in windows.
Now here's the interesting part. Whereas previously I could (and still can) get >125MHz FSB over clocking using Clover (only for OSX, as this is the only kernel Clover can pass parameters to at boot up) - I cannot o/c reliably more than 1Mhz with XTC. Not 5, or 4, or 3 but 1MHz. Initially I thought it was the spread spectrum enabling, but even with disabling it, the laptop just powers off when I select Apply in XTC. I may need to do some more reading on all the ME config parameters in case I'm missing something, but if anyone can post all their optimal ME settings from either the 15z (assuming anyone has been brave enough to do so) or the xps15 I can compare equivalent o/c performance on different settings.
Other than that, it's really great to see what developments have happened in the last few months. Great news for the IFR menu insertion/changes; this was something that I had been looking into last year but never managed to crack. Also great work on the internal shell enabler! This will open up a new chapter of in-bios mods that we can add, without mentioning of course the ability to properly test without having to re-flash! But lastly kudos to the RAID work! This is absolutely genius and a big shame I cannot use it in the L511z due to lack of ports (and physical space).
Re: the additional bios security settings unlock; it seems kind of strange that a menu item called "Flash Security Descriptor" with default On does not have any effect when turned off. Maybe it's an issue with the form itself, that it hasn't been properly set (it's quite easy to mess up the form if you change all the conditions into nulls or force jumps) - but in any case it should be worth another go. In theory there should now also be the clock and voltage options as well in the processor configuration; my suspicion is that it could be related to the ME parameter tweaking with fitc; but I'd need to check.
Just for my benefit; to summarise what has been achieved most recently - can anyone add/change to this list?
1) UEFI IFR Form software - enables unlocking of more options, but so far only from Raid/Security menus?
2) IFR Menu changes - enables inserting/changing/removing of bios functionality
3) Pinmod descriptor unlocking - enables ME/DESC changes without the need to flash thru an external programmer
4) Internal Shell enabler - self explanatory
Ideally what we should do is create a bios diff patch list for a number of different bios families (this is how I patched my ME region - thanks @Florin9doi) to fully capture all the possible changes; that way others can experiment with their own different bioses to see if the same patches work. Would also help people like me who haven't been on these forums in a while to get up to speed as well as it is quite lengthy to digest all the good work that has been done in the last few months!
Great work again to all - it's good to back on the forum
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srry to hear that about your old 15z, anyway you was lucky to get another one.
nice job with the 15z pinmod descriptor unlocking!
you should be able now to dump the whole chip image, usefull for modding and also will be required to have a backup in case something goes wrong (a external programmer would also be needed, but well) ^^
XTC?
U mean XTU?
mmm its weird you can only do 1 mhz, I can do up to 4 mhz and a little more, but it start crashing near the 5 mhz bclk OC.
that clover "magic" really get me upset it manages somehow to OC that high without the need of ME modding or anything, but it does not work on my windows 7 OS.
like I said, I think there may be interesting to check clover source code if it is avalible or ask de devs how they manage to get those clocks and what settings they use for the motherboard settings.
then we may be able to replicate those changes writting or modifing our current bioses.
yeah, as far I know those were our progress, I also managed to get a custom logo working
you can download my modded ME firmware from my L502X bios topic and compare my settings with yours using FITC, you may archive higher BCLK with my settings.
guys, does the email notifications work for you?
I dont recive them anymore,and it make the reply delays higher as I dont notice when you guys write >.<
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Thanks mate - good to be back Yes I've dumped the whole chip and backed it externally - you never know if/when you need these things!
Sorry I meant XTU - would be good to see if alternate ME configuration gives better o/c stability.
I compared your modded ME firmware from the L502x page (L502X_OVERCLOCKING_PATCH_BY_CAPITANKASAR.rar right?) but something's wrong. I'm not sure it's the modded file - looks more like the original unmodded ME file. For instance, the clock selector register (offset 0x7C89-8B) is set to 011A33, but to enable o/c it has to be set to 011A34. Are you sure this is the modded, not original file?
Re: clover - I'd need to check how the FSB is set via CloverUEFI, but this is most likely the ability to pass kernel params to the OS. Win32/64 doesn't allow this, AFAIK...
Oh yes - the logo! I completely forgot about that - well done!
Re: email notifications - now you mention it, you're right. I only get notifications thru tapatalk, not email. Might be the forum itself that is not sending out notifications...
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Ok. Some ME parameter optimisation later and the L511z works at FSB=105MHz. Not much more though as the laptop shuts down on any larger values. Stress testing holds out well (so far). One important point is that I had to remove the MEM overclocking in the bios from 1600 to 1333 to increase stability.
I've attached the modded ME region for the L511z together with a screenshot of the steady state performance. Note that the i7-2640m is 2 cores, hence the lower performance than a quad-core. Still, not bad for the highest performing 15z on geekbench....
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