[REQUEST] Unlock BIOS for Gigabyte Aero 15x v8

[Lost_N_BIOS]

You're welcome, hope you can follow along, read the linked guide (expand spoiler at end of that thread) and then use info I gave you above. See if you can do same edit and come out with same BIOS, if you can then great you were able to learn how to do for next BIOS update!

[Raizan]

Hi @Lost_N_Bios

Sorry for letting the thread hang but I bought two programmers and none arrived after waiting a ton of time at the freight forwarder. I'm happy to see that another user could help you out.

Got a question though, is there anyway to get a unlocked bios for my computer without the programmer? (Since you provided a bright red warning on the one you managed to pull out)

First Edit: I have read 4 times page number 3 of the thread and I can't even understand if he got all the menus and items unlocked or just the ones he was looking for... I will search what is AMIBCP meanwhile.

Second Edit: By the way, I see many downloads from the first bios you upgraded. I come from several threads trying to make my laptop worth the money it cost back when I bought it.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/...ns.816143/
And so many other users too for what I can see.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Hey Raizan - sorry to hear your programmers never arrived!! Raise heck and get refunds, then order again from another seller, or maybe locally if you can find.

Post #29 shows the final edits I made. I unlocked all BIOS, swapped original for hidden on Main, Advanced, Chipset, Boot, and Save & Exit.
In that BIOS, I forgot to update microcodes again I will do those for you guys too, once we confirm stock method flash mod BIOS OK.

As mentioned at that post, still no one has tried to flash in simple mod BIOS with standard method and see if it's allowed or not. Does this BIOS have Qflash? If not, we can try simple edit, I'll update a microcode or something for you, then you try to flash using standard method and then we'll know if mod BIOS can be flashed that way or not. If not, you will need a flash programmer

This test BIOS I already made, at post #10, try to flash that from DOS with the stock Qflash. That BIOS was only meant as a "test" to get started, not a mod BIOS. So I'm not sure why there would be so many downloads, maybe people don't read anything?

Anyway, flash that and see if you get error while trying to flash. If there is error, show me image of exact error and I can try to modify the AFUDOS to avoid that error. Post #11 user seems to confirm he was able to flash that BIOS in, but he didn't specify how he flashed it. To confirm it's flashing, check your current in-use CPU microcode either on the BIOS main page, or with AIDA64 or HWINFO64, then flash that BIOS and check again and see if microcode changed or not. if it did, then flash mod BIOS was successful and yes that means I can make complete mod unlocked BIOS for anyone to flash using standard update method.

[margroloc]

I wrote the nbr thread linked in post #32.

I think an unlocked bios is the holy grail for this machine that people have been talking about for a long time, and this is by far the most promising thread. Thanks for all your insight Lost_N_BIOS. I would love to help get this bios unlocked but the discussion so far is hard to follow given I have 0 experience with bios modding.

I downloaded the test bios you linked in post #10 (P65V810.B08) but I'm not sure how it could be flashed. I have never heard of Q-flash before. There is no option to update the bios from within the bios if that is what you were referring to, and if I try hitting END during post or hitting F8 from within the bios nothing happens either (F8 prompts to reload old bios settings).

Here are the files extracted from the bios update executable downloaded from the gigabyte website. (link)
There is clearly a matching "P65V810.B08" file in the BIOS -> BIOS.BIN folder, which the OP also attached in his first post.

I'm assuming that in order to flash the test bios from post #10 I should just replace that stock "P65V810.B08" with the one you made, and then run SmartFlash.exe?
I haven't tried to do that yet but I assume that the recovery process if something goes wrong would be to use an external bios flasher?

For reference here is the bios chip on the aero15x v8 (silkscreen labeled BIOS1): Macronix MX25L12873F
It's easily and immediately accessible just by popping off the bottom cover.


EDIT: According to the datasheet this bios chip runs off 3V on pin 8 (2.7-3.6V, page 4) so it shouldn't need a 1.8V adapter with the CH341A USB programmer and sop8 test clip (which afaik supplies 3.3V on the zif socket). This is the programmer I ordered https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R8S8V4H , will report back with findings.
EDIT2: Looks like CH341A programmer versions up to and possibly including 1.31 don't have MX25L12873F listed. Version 1.34 does have it listed. "AsProgrammer" also has the chip, found it linked here: https://www.onetransistor.eu/2018/11/use...ndows.html

[headkaze]

If anyone needs unlocked BIOS, send me your programmer dump, or ask and I will make a stock BIOS edit however that can only be used if the standard method of updating BIOS on this system will allow mod BIOS to be flashed in (This is still unclear in this thread, no one has tested and let me know)

Any chance you could make an unlocked stock BIOS edit of the latest for 15x v8 (FB0A)?

Can we use FPTW.EXE to flash a custom BIOS or would we need to use AFUDOS.EXE with /GAN flags to force an unsigned flash? I noticed when I made a dump using FPTW.EXE the binary is only 8 MB whereas the official BIOS file is 16 MB in size. Why the discrepancy?

[headkaze]

I followed the How-2-Rip-It-Open-Yourself guide here and have made an stock unlocked FB0A BIOS. I'm not sure if it is correct though? @Lost_N_BIOS can you confirm my edits are okay? It was very similar to the previous BIOS and so I pretty much just pasted in your edits.

EDIT: Removed attached file. See post below.

[headkaze]

Moved to here

[mathiasb]

"So basically what you need to do is run UEFITool 0.26.0 and "Replace as is..." the AMITSE PE32 image section with the (unzipped) one attached (Section_PE32_image_AMITSE_AMITSE.zip)."

When I right click the section all the replace options in the context menu are grayed out (the same regardless where I right click). Any idea why? UEFITool NE alpha 55 (Feb 10 2019).

[headkaze]

NEFITool NE alpha 55 (Feb 10 2019).

As per the instructions you need UEFITool 0.26.0.

[mathiasb]

NEFITool NE alpha 55 (Feb 10 2019).

As per the instructions you need UEFITool 0.26.0.

Thanks. I replaced the section as per the instructions. In AMIBCP 5.02.0023 I cannot find "Menu 2", however. Per the instructions, AMIBCP 5.02.0031 looks the same.