64-bit EFI for Cherry Trail Mini-PC

[davidebeatrici]

Hello!

I have an unbranded Cherry Trail Mini-PC with an Intel Atom x5-Z8300, currently running Windows 10 32-bit.

I would like to install a 64-bit operating system, but EFI is 32-bit only, as there's an error message saying: 

Code:

Image type X64 is not supported by this IA32 shell

There are many similar products that received a BIOS update in order to support 64-bit operating systems, meaning that with some modding it should be possible to add 64-bit EFI.

I attached the original BIOS, which is Aptio V, dumped with AMI Firmware Update and Intel's Flash Programming Tool.

Best regards and thanks in advance.

[davidebeatrici]

Here you can find both the 32-bit and 64-bit BIOS for a very similar Mini-PC, in the third post.

[davidebeatrici]

Good news!

I flashed Beelink's 64-bit BIOS and... everything works as expected!

The only downside is that this BIOS is completely locked up, aside from the date/time and Boot options, even if AMIBCP shows that all of the entries have Default as Access/Use.

Could someone take a look at it and see why most of the options are hidden, please?

Thanks in advance.

[davidebeatrici]

Bad news!

I replaced the microcode in the BIOS with the latest one and flashed it using the EFI shell.

The PC doesn't boot anymore.

I guess I'll have to buy an SPI Programmer and re-flash the working BIOS.

[davidebeatrici]

I managed to flash Beelink's BIOS again using a CH341A programmer, thanks to this guide.

The BIOS chip is a Winbond W25Q64FW, which is 1.8V. The majority of programmers are 3.3V, thus a voltage converter is needed.
I bought the CH341A programmer with a 1.8V voltage adapter and a SOIC clip from here.

I think I'm going to keep the Mini-PC as it is, but if someone posts a modded BIOS I'm available to test it.

Best regards.