Hello all,
I would like to flash the BIOS of my ThinkPad E545 with an unlocked BIOS to allow increasing the TDP and thermal limits which are currently a major limiting factor in performance. I've tried loading the BIOS into the Pheonix BIOS editor but I get the error 'No BCPs Found!', so I'm not sure where to go from here.
Ideally I would like to unlock the advanced options menu of the BIOS fully so I can have more control of the performance, but if the whitelist could be removed as well that would be great!
Here is my BIOS dump:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SqsunNS...sp=sharing
Edit: I should mention, I have a CH341A programmer which I can use to apply the flash if necessary
For anyone who may be looking into helping me out, I looked through the ROM in UEFITool, and I found these two EFI modules which contain user interface elements for the advanced menus:
PlatformHiiAdvancedDxe
PlatformHiiAMDDxe
None of the user interface elements present in these segments of the BIOS are currently visible in the unmodified BIOS, so I assume these are related to the advanced menus. It seems the first one is the general advanced settings for non-platform specific (either intel or AMD) controls, and the second module is for AMD specific controls, such as Power controls, northbridge and south bridge controls, etc...
Unfortunately I have no idea how to enable the menus represented by these Hii elements, so any help is greatly appreciated!
(11-15-2021, 02:29 AM)Maxinator500 Wrote: [ -> ]Oh! Look what do I have: automatic patching script.
Thank you for the link. I just ran that tool and started comparing the patched vs original BIOS, and it seems that the Checksums do not match.
Have you tested this particular BIOS mod? If not, is there a way I can safely test it myself without risking a permanent brick? I'm very concerned that since the checksums do not match this BIOS will produce a brick.
Are there perhaps any BIOS simulators that let you test a BIOS with a software program instead of loading it onto your own EEPROM first?
(11-15-2021, 12:10 PM)HP_ENVY_User_32 Wrote: [ -> ]Have you tested this particular BIOS mod?
There were no tests. I also do not think that it is possible to test bios safely.
(11-15-2021, 12:44 PM)Maxinator500 Wrote: [ -> ] (11-15-2021, 12:10 PM)HP_ENVY_User_32 Wrote: [ -> ]Have you tested this particular BIOS mod?
There were no tests. I also do not think that it is possible to test bios safely.
Gotcha. Aside from the fact that it has not been tested and cannot be tested safely, what do you think about the checksums not matching?
As I understand it, a checksum mismatch will cause a brick, do you know why the checksum of the patched bios does not match the original?
(11-15-2021, 01:03 PM)HP_ENVY_User_32 Wrote: [ -> ]what do you think about the checksums not matching?
What checksum are you talking about?
(11-15-2021, 01:07 PM)Maxinator500 Wrote: [ -> ] (11-15-2021, 01:03 PM)HP_ENVY_User_32 Wrote: [ -> ]what do you think about the checksums not matching?
What checksum are you talking about?
When I open the original and patched bios in a hex editor, I have the ability to compare file checksums. There are several different checksums, and I have compared the 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit and 64-bit checksums, and regardless of the type of checksum analyzed the original and patched bios roms do not match.
(11-15-2021, 01:15 PM)HP_ENVY_User_32 Wrote: [ -> ]When I open the original and patched bios in a hex editor, I have the ability to compare file checksums.
Thinking in this direction, it turns out that none of the ever created modifications for bios did not have the same checksumm with the original and they are all should not work.
(11-15-2021, 01:24 PM)Maxinator500 Wrote: [ -> ] (11-15-2021, 01:15 PM)HP_ENVY_User_32 Wrote: [ -> ]When I open the original and patched bios in a hex editor, I have the ability to compare file checksums.
Thinking in this direction, it turns out that none of the ever created modifications for bios did not have the same checksumm with the original and they are all should not work.
Good point. I just checked some modded BIOS roms from this site that were functional and their checksums did not match the original.
How do I go about flashing this within windows? Do I use Pheonix WinPlash, or do I need to flash directly with a CH341A?
I get the following error when trying to load the patched BIOS into WinPhlash:
'Corrupted Interface Descriptors in New BIOS file
Part Table Signature not found in the interface
Error Code -161'