[HowTo] HP Elitebook WLAN whitelist removal

[RouterN]

Here are some hint for Elitebook WLAN whitelist, as I spend some time with it and I was able do it on F.60 version.

First of all check if your bios chip is SOIC8 SOP8 format (2x4 pins). You need open your notebook and find it, usually it is Winbond or MX manufacturer.
You can install CH341A programmer software and check database with Chip Search button. Software is here https://tosiek.pl/ch341-eeprom-and-spi-f...rogrammer/

If your bios chip is SOIC8 SOP8 buy on ebay two things:

1. SOIC8 SOP8 test clip
   

2. CH341A programmer
   

each cost around 4 USD including shipping from China.

There is no soldering needed, but in most cases you need disassemble your notebook, but in some cases like Elitebook 8540 the bios chip is next to wwan card, so very easy to reach it.

   

If you have this, disconnect power and remove battery from notebook, and read full dump of your bios flash chip and there is big chance your bios can be modded. On some new notebooks there is yet unbeatable protection (like some Acer Travelmate), but I think it is worth try, as 8 USD is not a big amount of money.

Just reminder - you need to be sure you have correct dump of your flash chip, so Read it, then click on Verify to check that your dump is correct, then save it to file and keep backup of this file.

In my case reading or writting is not always working on first attempt. try different thing like connect programmer first to usb, then connect test clip to programmer, or connect test clip to programmer, and then connect both to usb.

Warning!

The image of chip position in CH341A programmer software is wrong in my case (Winbond chip)! Before anything do this:
1. with connected battery or power, use multimeter to find out which pins on your bios chip are Vcc and ground (find first datasheet of your chip on google for pinout)
2. measure on usb programmer connected to usb on which pins is power voltage (in my case 3.3V) and be sure you will connect test clip by correct way to give power on correct pins of your bios chip

Modding your Bios

I will not write any long guide how to mod your bios here, just try these 2 things:

1. Extract your Bios with UEFITool or Andy's tool and find module ErrorLog. Compare your module byte-to-byte with module in attachment here, if it is same, replace it with patched version.

2. Find module SecureUpdating, compare it, if it's same replace it. This module is one of possible protections on HP bioses, without this you can not power notebook with modded bios. You can check if your bios is protected by this method if your dump contains string $SIG. There is another protection, when your dump contains string $HSS, but I do not have patched module for this.

If anything wrong just write back your backup to the bios flash chip.


Good luck

[geniusmiki]

great job!

[hurz]

thanks, works great!
interestingly, my SecureUpdating module was not identical... but replacing it worked anyway

[johniecarney]

Thanks for the excellent guide.