Unlocking the R0070J4 BIOS

[Sml6397]

EDIT: I have successfully modified my BIOS image, look at post #6 for the result.

Hello, I have an R0070J4 BIOS and wanted to enable the hidden Intel menu. I have backed up my BIOS properly and added compatible platform data from an official R0030J4 BIOS update. I am having issues repacking the BIOS (I am using PhoenixTool to unpack/repack the BIOS and am only modifying TEMPLAT0.ROM (with HxD), I am NOT applying any SLIC mods, etc.). The file size of TEMPLAT0.ROM is 35072Bytes before and after I add the Intel menu in HxD, but the PhoenixTool says the file size is "4 bytes too long" . Is there any way I could fix this without disabling the "Preserve Module Size" option (which results in a success + more modifications (byte by byte compare) than I made)? Also, can I get someone more experienced than I am in BIOS modding to add the Intel menu to this BIOS image? I want to compare your work with mine to see if I am doing this right (so far, i have been emulating the BIOS in PBE). I removed the "Multi-Processing" option (Intel menu contains this option as well, so no loss) in the advanced menu to make more room to add the Intel menu without changing the file size (Core Multi-Processing Jump Table Offset for Advanced Menu: hex search in TEMPLAT0.ROM: 530D , offset 0x02A6).

EDIT: I HAVE SOLVED THE ISSUE AND POSTED A TUTORIAL ON HOW TO DO SO IN THIS THREAD (post #4).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Manufacturer: Sony
-Notebook Model: VGN-N250E/b
-Motherboard Model: MBX-160 MS71 Rev: 1.1
-Bios revision: R0070J4
-Bios Type: Phoenix BIOS (new-style)
-Bios Download Link: (EDIT: Look below at post #6 for the correctly modified image "bios_mod.wph" and the flashable backup "bios.wph")
-RW Everything Report Download Link: [attachment=5604]
(Please take the .doc file extension off of the RW report (uploading purposes))
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[555LE]

Hello, I wanted to unlock my Sony Vaio VGN-N250E/b's BIOS (R0070J4). I have modified the NVRAM registers to enable VT-x and AHCI (I have upgraded many components including the CPU). Thank-you.

last
ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/PUB/DOWNLOADS/BETA/R0104J4.EXE

[Sml6397]

Thank you.

Hello, I wanted to unlock my Sony Vaio VGN-N250E/b's BIOS (R0070J4). I have modified the NVRAM registers to enable VT-x and AHCI (I have upgraded many components including the CPU). Thank-you.

last
ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/PUB/DOWNLOADS/BETA/R0104J4.EXE

[khoanb1]

^? This is an executable file, not a bios image. Could I get a modified BIOS image that will enable me to change more settings and also matches my current BIOS version, not R0104J4?

Hello, I wanted to unlock my Sony Vaio VGN-N250E/b's BIOS (R0070J4). I have modified the NVRAM registers to enable VT-x and AHCI (I have upgraded many components including the CPU). Thank-you.

last
ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/PUB/DOWNLOADS/BETA/R0104J4.EXE

Hello, what are you looking for to modify? If you only want to enable VT and AHCI, simply use SYMCMOS utility without modify the BIOS image

[doney]

Hi i'd like a modified R0070J4 image too if theres one going please?

[Sml6397]

Hello Doney,

EDIT: Here is the modified BIOS image. You will only need the "bios_mod.wph" file from this archive. The "bios.wph" file is a CONFIRMED FLASHABLE image in case you need it as well.

Remember to take proper precautions when flashing your BIOS and that even if the image is safe, the flashing process can always have an error if you are not careful.

I have included an archive [attachment=6160] with pictures of the modified BIOS image (emulated in PBE). NOTE: These images are outdated, I have added new parent menus as well as a few new sub-menus and options.

Hi i'd like a modified R0070J4 image too if theres one going please?

[zondajag]

^? This is an executable file, not a bios image. Could I get a modified BIOS image that will enable me to change more settings and also matches my current BIOS version, not R0104J4?

Hello, I wanted to unlock my Sony Vaio VGN-N250E/b's BIOS (R0070J4). I have modified the NVRAM registers to enable VT-x and AHCI (I have upgraded many components including the CPU). Thank-you.

last
ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/PUB/DOWNLOADS/BETA/R0104J4.EXE

Hello, what are you looking for to modify? If you only want to enable VT and AHCI, simply use SYMCMOS utility without modify the BIOS image

This bios is for the sony mbx-160 ms72 rev 1.0. Can you see if there is a 2GB memory limit put in place or is that hardware based?

[Sml6397]

Hello zondajag,

The 2GB limit actually does not exist. Sony made an error on their product specifications page.

You can install up to 4GB (2x2GB) of RAM in this notebook. Only 3 of the 4 gigabytes will be useable though (this is due to a hardware limitation of the chipset).

Furthermore, this notebook's FSB can be either 533MHz (default) or 667MHz, depending on which CPU is installed. When I installed the Intel T2700 CPU (supports VT-x and is 600MHz faster than the default T2250 CPU), the FSB increased from 533MHz to 667MHz. You can also install faster RAM to match the faster FSB speed.


Source: This notebook is my primary computer and I have performed a plethora of hardware mods on it.

[zondajag]

Hello zondajag,

The 2GB limit actually does not exist. Sony made an error on their product specifications page.

You can install up to 4GB (2x2GB) of RAM in this notebook. Only 3 of the 4 gigabytes will be useable though (this is due to a hardware limitation of the chipset).

Furthermore, this notebook's FSB can be either 533MHz (default) or 667MHz, depending on which CPU is installed. When I installed the Intel T2700 CPU (supports VT-x and is 600MHz faster than the default T2250 CPU), the FSB increased from 533MHz to 667MHz. You can also install faster RAM to match the faster FSB speed.


Source: This notebook is my primary computer and I have performed a plethora of hardware mods on it.

I tried installing 4GB of RAM and the laptop wouldnt boot. Tried 4gb of pc2-5300 then 4gb of pc2-6400, each time it only accepted one of the two ram sticks. I think the specific revision of MBX-160 MS72 Rev 1.0 of the laptop is a bit different. The laptop I have is a Sony VGN-N38E. The beta firmware in the link from Sony worked fine but I can't get the laptop to boot with more than 2GB of memory installed. I had upgraded the processor to an Intel T7200 CPU which with the SSD makes this laptop pretty good with windows 7, however the 2x1GB memory sticks will be a limiting factor as web browsers get more RAM greedy.

[Sml6397]

Hello zondajag,

I have the VGN-N250E notebook. It has a MBX-160 MS71 Rev:1.1 motherboard.