Vaio VGN-AR840e - Phoenix R2090J8 - 02/26/2008

[kizwan]

For Sony VAIO notebook, the different model is not important. What important is the BIOS version. If Sony VAIO A use BIOS R2090J8 & Sony VAIO B use BIOS R2090J8, it means both model use the same BIOS. Sony have a habit not to provide download link to the BIOS file, unless there is an update. So, the only way to obtain the BIOS is to use a backup tool. However, you won't get a flashable image because backup BIOS is missing platform data/signature. Will need to use this method to add the missing platform data.

Is it safe? Unfortunately I'm unable to ensure that flashing with the modified BIOS won't bricked your computer. There will always other factors that can interrupt the BIOS flash & bricked your computer.

[AHMED HOSSAM]

i knew about the platform data and that the bios is the same . but RICHARD has created the backup using the backup tool and most of the bios backup modules differs from the modified bios which make it sure that this is not the same bios.

i don`t knew the reason for making the modules of the original bios and the modified one are completely different like this .
but i`m sure that if the modified bios was the same as the notebook`s bios , there wouldn`t be any changes in the file except templat00.rom .

also i have removed the platform data from your modified bios before comparing it with the backup .

infact , i can`t confirm that this bios won`t brick his notebook as i can see alot of changed modules .

[kizwan]

AHMED, my previous post is direct reply to Richard.

Backup BIOS will always different than original one. I did a comparison while ago between original BIOS & backup BIOS. I found there will be slight different between the two. However, I'm no longer have the files to show you here.

If I recalled correctly, Richard didn't backup the BIOS on his computer but downloaded it from here (first post). If we follow the chronology carefully, that post is older than the samozen's post. In samozen's post, he mentioned the first hippotek's backup BIOS R2090J8 bricked his notebook. In samozen's post also, he mentioned hippotek have gave him working backup BIOS R2090J8. And samozen already tested it & it works.

There is only one version of BIOS R2090J8. There is no other R2090J8. However, all necessary precaution should be exercise. Please ask Richard to backup the BIOS again.

[AHMED HOSSAM]

KIZWAN : well , i understand the issue now
but i think RICHARD has made the backup from his notebook as he edited post 18 and said

Running naked for anti-virus protection. Uninstalled AVG, and voila, I could run the BIOS utility as Administrator. I am attaching my resulting ROM file, labeled PhoenixTechnologiesLTD-R2090J8.rom, which is 1MB in size.

Hope this will help us get over the hump toward unlocking my Sony VAIO VGN-QR840e BIOS.

Richard



also the backup will differ from the original in the bootblock and the holes ( GAP ) and maybe in the romexe ( if you changed the bios setting and not setting to default before making the backup ).

but i think that the bios which samozen provides is an update ( normally changes are made to the modules in this bios to fix problems in specific model ) so it was normal that i found alot of changed modules

and also it`s normal that i say this bios would brick RICHARD`s note book as i didn`t knew that this was an updated bios not the orignal .


RICHARD : please make another backup of your bios and post it here

[nesnfsn]

My BIOS is posted @ post # 18. What more do you need? Here it is in a compressed RAR file.

Will modded file provide hardware virtualization? AHCI for storage? RAID? Any overclocking options? Assignable amounts of memory toward the nVidia 8400M GT video chipset? Other perks?

Note that the original BIOS has RAID as an option, albeit going unused as I have installed Linux on 1 HDD and Win 7 Ultimate 64 on the other. So no reason to using Striping.

Just curious what can be safely gained through modding my Vaio BIOS.

Richard

[AHMED HOSSAM]

HI RICHARD ,

I don`t want anything else , i just wanted to make sure that the modified bios won`t brick your notebook

here is your modified bios depending on the backup file you attached in the last post .


  VAIO AR-840 MODIFIED BIOS.rar (Size: 1.09 MB / Downloads: 25)

you can see the new INTEL unlocked tab and the new menus inside it .




flash the bios using the phlash16.exe from this link http://www.mediafire.com/?o8js3h762ssfaos

please replace the original bios.wph found in the last link with the one i have modified for you and flash from dos .

the previous link was taken from this thread
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/550...ost7098492

please flash the modified bios and i`m waiting your reply .

[nesnfsn]

HI RICHARD ,

I don`t want anything else , i just wanted to make sure that the modified bios won`t brick your notebook here is your modified bios depending on the backup file you attached in the last post .
***
flash the bios using the phlash16.exe from this link http://www.mediafire.com/?o8js3h762ssfaos

please replace the original bios.wph found in the last link with the one i have modified for you and flash from dos .

the previous link was taken from this thread
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/550...ost7098492

please flash the modified bios and i`m waiting your reply .

Ahmed - I finished flashing modded BIOS.wph file. Computer still working.

Now I have to edit the Default.txt file with a registry entry of 0285. Not clear on step by step what I am supposed to do. Readme First TXT file not really clear. I had checked the xls file, and confirmed that R2090J8 for most Vaio computers uses 0285 for its registry entry.

Please explain before I reboot with symcmos and do next task. Here's my confusion. I know (as best as we can) that my VT registry entry is 0285.

So what do I do with all of the data in Default.txt? Do I only modify only 1 line? Do I delete any or all of the other lines in Default.txt?

After I have done whatever it is that you explain to me that I have to do to the Default.txt file. I save that file, as "new.txt"? Is that correct? Then I am supposed to copy new.txt to my USB flash drive, reboot, and run write.bat, which engages symcmos.exe, and writes new.txt to my BIOS. Correct?

Then, I would be done, and I reboot. Correct?

Thanks,

Richard

[AHMED HOSSAM]

no you shouldn`t do this .
ONLY USE THE SYMCMOS TOOL IF YOUR NOTEBOOK HAVE THE OPTION ( VT ) BUT IT`S HIDDEN OR LOCKED BUT NOW THE OPTION IS UNLOCKED AND YOU SHOULD FIND IT IN THE CPU CONTROL SUB-MENU .

just enable the ( 'VT Capability' ) option and then the virtualization should work properly .

i should have told you from the start that you only have to flash your bios and don`t edit the token ids using this tool .
i have attached the image with the modified bios files .....the image show you the new menus that you should see.

just enable the 'VT Capability' from the cpu control sub-menu .

---

these image show you how the menus should be .
and the second one show you the VT option ( virtualization ) which could be enabled .

tell me if you don`t see this in your setup utility .

[nesnfsn]

no you shouldn`t do this .
ONLY USE THE SYMCMOS TOOL IF YOUR NOTEBOOK HAVE THE OPTION ( VT ) BUT IT`S HIDDEN OR LOCKED BUT NOW THE OPTION IS UNLOCKED AND YOU SHOULD FIND IT IN THE CPU CONTROL SUB-MENU .

just enable the ( 'VT Capability' ) option and then the virtualization should work properly .

these images show you how the menus should be .
and the second one show you the VT option ( virtualization ) which could be enabled .

tell me if you don`t see this in your setup utility .

Ahmed:

Under Intel, CPU Control Sub-Menu is EMPTY. No optional settings.

MCH Control Sub-Menus, have PCI Express Size, PCI Express Graphics Port, Port ASPM Support, then MDA Support and Lane Width Support (whatever these do).

ICH Control Sub-Menus have PCI Clock Run, Pop Up Mode Enable, Pop Down Mode Enable

ACPI Control Sub-Menus have Active Trip Point, High Fan Trip Point, Passive Cooling Trip Point, Passive TC1 Value, Passive TC2 Value, Passive TSP Value, Critical Trip Point, FACP - RTC S4 Flag Value, FACP - PM Timer Flag Value, HPET Support and HPET Based Address, ALS Support, FMA Support, and MEF Support

Workaround Control Sub-Menus have Enable ME Devices, Port 80h Cycles, DB-800 Clock Chip, CK-505 Clock Chip, Spread Spectrum Mode, and Video Request.

Those are the optional settings under Intel. Missing anything under CPU Control Sub-Menu. No ACHI for storage (not sure if option). BIOS still has Show / Hide for RAID, but no longer have options for RAID.

These are the changes I can see.

Richard

[AHMED HOSSAM]

well , you have the INTEGRATED DEVICE CONTROL menu ( LOCKED ) under the ICH CONTROL SUB-MENU.

also the MERUM CPU CONTROL menu under the CPU CONTROL SUB-MENU .

the first menu ( integrated device ) contains the AHCI option .
the second menu ( MEROM CPU ) contains the VT option .

these menus have routines which locked it (i thought these menus will be unlocked once the INTEL tab is unlocked but it seems i should do this the hard way )

i will mod it now..........the new bios will be ready in half hour

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are you sure you didn`t see these menus under the ICH menu !




infact , there is no routines hiding the integrated device menu .

if you didn`t see it , then i would move it`s contents to another menu .