![REQUEST] Sony Vaio VGN-AR11M BIOS UNLOCK

[hoggie]

Wonder if anything can be unlocked for my Sony Vaio AR11M?

latest bios: BIOS Update R0130J6

If needed here's the sony web page https://www.sony.co.uk/support/en/product/VGN-AR11M

Thanks in advance

[Sml6397]

Hello Hoggie,

I will take a look at your BIOS image to see what can be unlocked.

~Steven

[Sml6397]

Hello Hoggie, 

The BIOS mod is complete! The modified BIOS image archive can be found at the bottom of this post.

I have unlocked the INTEL menu, and a few keyboard timing settings under the Advanced Menu. The INTEL Menu contains a vast array of tweakable settings that I think you will find particularly interesting.

Precautions/Disclaimers:

Please remember to take proper precautions when flashing your BIOS. Even if the BIOS image is safe, the flashing process can still fail. Make sure that [if applicable] your notebook is fully charged (100%), that the power adapter is properly connected, and that the chance of a power outage occurring is as minimal as possible. Do not interrupt the flashing process. If possible, it is good practice to have a working CRISIS recovery disk handy when flashing your BIOS. Use the flashing instructions for your particular computer brand. DO NOT DO ANYTHING UNNECESSARY!!!

I take absolutely NO responsibility for ANY damages that may occur to you, your computer, your personal belongings, your neighbor's cat, or any other personnel or equipment as a direct or indirect result or consequence of your, or any one else's, use or misuse of any of the files that are in this archive at the present or at any time in the past or the future. You assume full responsibility for any damages or inconveniences that may occur by choosing to flash, or otherwise use or misuse, this image or any of the other files within this archive.

Have fun!

Please remember to post the results of the BIOS flash!

HASH VERIFICATION (md5file.com):
MD5: f10c25f337bccc20ec6bf84b643009ee
SHA-1: 7e31f95bbaf330896109fc81e0764334d1ac69d0

[hoggie]

Hi,

thanks for unlocking the bios, I am having problems reflashing the bios as when I try to do it on windows XP using winphlash it comes back saying aborted as its the same bios as already installed.

When I try to do in DOS from USB stick with PHLASH16 /S /X /FORCE it wont do it either

Any suggestions appreciated

Thanks

[Sml6397]

Hello hoggie,

Try renaming the BIOS image to "bios.wph" (without the quotes).

~Steven

[bobcov]

Hello hoggie,

Try renaming the BIOS image to "bios.wph" (without the quotes).

~Steven

Hi, Steven
     When I tried to flash a bios for Sony vgn-fe31m/41m after renaming it to bios.wph and using the same switches you mentioned,  I get "Platform signature not found in the interface" which some people say is an indication that the bios to be flashed is older than the present bios. I read that some people got around that by using the windows phlash program in advanced options and ticking the box to disable this behavior. Is there any way to do that with the dos version or do I need to build a windows boot usb and run windows phlash? Or, is each bios custom for each machine and I need to save mine and upload it?  I have VGN-FE41m with bios  R0200J3 and I am trying to flash the file R0170J3. I found the R0170j3 file on this board, supplied to members with the 31m and 41m machines.
     This is a great board for saving "obsolete" hardware. Thanks for any help or suggestions.

-Bob

[hoggie]

Hi,

yeah I should have added I had already renamed the it to bios.wph

here is what I get when trying to flsh the bios from DOS & USB:




I think you can ONLY use sonys winphlash on windows xp & it wont let you have access to 'advanced options' from default, unless someone has sonys winphlash with that option enabled?

When I use a non-sony version of winphlash with advanced options enabled I just get errors.

thanks

[Sml6397]

Hello hoggie,

For this error, enter DOS mode. Type 'dir' (without the quotes). Do you see a "bios.wph" file? If not, type 'C:'. This will take you under the C:\ directory. Now type 'dir'. You should see a "bios.wph" file. If not, the file is not under the root directory of the flash media, and the phlash program cannot find it. If this is the case, move bios.wph to the root directory of the flash media and try flashing again in DOS.

~Steven

[bobcov]

Hi,

yeah I should have added I had already renamed the it to bios.wph

here is what I get when trying to flsh the bios from DOS & USB:




I think you can ONLY use sonys winphlash on windows xp & it wont let you have access to 'advanced options' from default, unless someone has sonys winphlash with that option enabled?

When I use a non-sony version of winphlash with advanced options enabled I just get errors.

thanks

Once you get the path to the file straightened out, I will not be surprised if you get "Platform signature not found in the interface" error. I hope you do not, but that is what I get in DOS and with winphlash. But I have not tried Sony's version and I will go look for it, edit the phlash.ini file and enable advanced and see if that works. I am using a WinPE boot cd since I do not have Windows even installed yet.

UPDATE: Well, thank you for reminding me about Sony's version of Winphlash. It upgraded the bios without errors after I booted to WinPE environment and ran the program from a USB stick with the program and the bios file in the same directory. The file containing Sony's original R0J200J3 bios and the "good" version of WinPhlash is in a package called PHBSYS-01101528-UN from Sony.  I also edited the Phlash.ini file to enable advanced settings, but the advanced box never appeared on the menu.  The phlash.ini settings look like this:
[UI]
Advanced=1
SaveEscdMode=1
DetectBitLocker=0
ForceUpdate=0
;DetectBitLocker=1

[Main]
RetryCount=3
UpdateMode=3
FormatVersion=2
UpdateFlags=8009a2
UserFlags=8001a0
UserMask=d121a4
PSIFlags=820
UserMode=ffffffff
BackupFile=bios.bak
ImageFile=C:\R0170J3.WPH

I just put this here in case some other straggler needs it.  This was my answer to ""Platform signature not found in the interface" 
Thanks again for reminding me to try the Sony version WinPhlash. That was the key. The unlocked bios is running. Now, I just need to see if this machine will run stable enough to be a linux firewall.

[Sml6397]

Hello bobcov,

Thank you for confirming the BIOS mod and posting all of this information for others.

@hoggie,

Please try following the procedures outlined in bobcov's post. Please tell me if you still run into problems.

~Steven