[REQUEST] Acer Aspire VN7-791(G) BIOS Unlock

[baucho]

some overclocking features would be really nice in the 1.11 version.... =)

[vodek]

The way how to get access to Advanced and Power menu in BIOS of notebooks Acer Aspire VN7 series.

Necessary program.
1. Any arcers with Zip/7Z support

2. PhoenixTool
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads...EFI-BIOSes
or
UEFITool
https://github.com/LongSoft/UEFITool/releases/

3. Universal IFR Extractor
http://donovan6000.blogspot.ru/2014/02/u...actor.html

4. Insyde EFI Shell
http://brains.by/posts/bootx64.7z

All of programs except arcer you can download here:
https://cloud.mail.ru/public/4cCYzQbh72ip/UEFI%20Tools

Step by step tutorial in English with screenshots:
https://cloud.mail.ru/public/Bhyx/uh41QeAof
или на русском:
https://cloud.mail.ru/public/5F7x98QQzsA...%20Rus.pdf

Update Tutorial for Acer Aspire VN7-x72 series
https://cloud.mail.ru/public/86er/7esPYqaZp

How to do it:

1. Download the BIOS of you model of the notebook from the Acer website.
2. Extract the BIOS update program from the Zip-archive.
3. Unzip the firmware file from the BIOS update program. In fact, it is a self-extracting 7z-archive.
4a. Extract the module with BIOS settings with PhoenixTool.

• Open the firmware file with the extension .FD in PhoenixTool, close the first and the second window "Information", by pressing OK.
  By the way, the first pop-up window "Information" contains the name of the firmware file for BIOS recovery.
  
• With Universal IFR Extractor open the folder DUMP (in the folder with the firmware (.FD file) PhoenixTool creates folder DUMP). You need the filename begins with FE3542FE-C1D3-4EF8-657C-8048606FF670_xxx.ROM and have the biggest size. -> Extract -> Save FE3542FE-C1D3-4EF8-657C-8048606FF670_xxx IFR.txt
  

or

4b. Extract the module with BIOS settings with UEFITool.

• Open the firmware file with the extension .FD in UEFITool.
  
• Ignore the error messages, if any appear, by clicking OK.
  
• Press Control-Backspace to clear field "Messages"
  
• Control-F -> Tab "Text" -> in the search field, enter (without quotes) "SetupUtility" (check "Unicode" check-box!) -> OK
  
• Double click on the search results in the "Messages".
  
• Right-click the GUID Section: FE3542FE-C1D3-4EF8-657C-8048606FF670 -> "Extract as is..." or "Extract body ..." (in this case it does not matter) -> Save with any name, for example VN7-BIOS-Menu.
  
• With Universal IFR Extractor open VN7-BIOS-Menu.ffs (if you select the item "Extract as is...") or VN7-BIOS-Menu.fbd (if you select the item "Extract body...") - > Save VN7-BIOS-Menu IFR.txt
  

5. Open FE3542FE-C1D3-4EF8-657C-8048606FF670_xxx IFR.txt (VN7-BIOS-Menu IFR.txt) in the text editor
6. Enter the search string (without quotes) "Intel Page"
7. In my case (Aspire VN7-791G-71H2, BIOS 1.11), the result is:
0xA76E7 Setting: Intel Page, Variable: 0x258 {05 A6 6B 01 E2 00 0C 00 34 12 58 02 00 10 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00}
0xA770D Option: Disabled, Value: 0x0 (default) {09 0E FD 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00}
0xA771B Option: Enabled, Value: 0x1 {09 0E FE 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00}
To access to advanced menu in BIOS you need to change the value of Intel Page Variable - 0x258 from 0x0 - disabled to 0x1 - enabled.
The value of the above variables may be different from your version of BIOS/model of notebook!

8. Format the USB flash drive in FAT32
9. Create folder EFI in the root, and in the EFI folder create the folder named BOOT
10. Copy bootx64.efi to the folder BOOT
11. Disable Secure Boot in the BIOS:

• Security menu -> Set Supervisor Password -> Enter New Password -> Confirm New Password
  
• Boot menu -> Secure Boot -> Disable
  
• Check Boot Mode -> UEFI
  
• Enable F12 Boot Menu the in Main menu
  

12. Save BIOS settings, restart and boot into Insyde EFI Shell:

GNU GRUB version 2.00 + 20130519

Minimal BASH-like line editing supported. For the first word, TAB lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or file completions.


grub>


13. Enter setup_var 0x258 0x1 in command line
14. Enter setup_var 0x258 in command line to check the value of a variable (0x0 - disabled, 0x1 - enabled).
15. Enter reboot - restart the notebook.
16. Enter in BIOS and you will see Advanced and Power menu with lots of options!
17. Restore the value of the variable Secure Boot if needed.
18. Be careful with the settings! Disabling the built-in video card can brick your notebook...
19. Advanced BIOS settings will be lost if you perform Load Setup Default!

Update 17/09/2016
As far as I understand in VN7-572G BIOS Intel Page renamed to i-Page.

....
0xB43A6 Setting: i-Page:, Variable: 0x258 {05 91 42 14 43 14 0B 00 34 12 58 02 00 10 00 01 00}
0xB43B7 Option: Disabled, Value: 0x0 (default) {09 07 B0 12 10 00 00}
0xB43BE Option: Enabled, Value: 0x1 {09 07 B1 12 00 00 01}
....


Based on:
Доступ к скрытым настройкам UEFI BIOS от Insyde /
Access to the hidden settings of UEFI BIOS by Insyde
http://habrahabr.ru/post/182676/

Новые аргументы в битве с настройками Insyde UEFI BIOS /
New arguments in the battle with the settings Insyde UEFI BIOS
http://habrahabr.ru/post/190354/

Aspire E1-522 InsydeH20 Bios unlock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SkBFkzOW0A

[vodek]

The way how to get access to Advanced and Power menu in BIOS of notebooks Acer Aspire VN7 series.

[manudroid19]

@vodek could we have a image of the hidden menu?? thank you

[vodek]

Advanced menu

[vodek]

Power menu

[jimbomahoney]

Hi there,

I'm trying to do this on my Acer VN7-591G and have followed the above instructions, but the computer seems to hang after booting into Insyde EFI Shell.

I get the shell as follows:

GNU GRUB version 2.00 + 20130519

Minimal BASH-like line editing supported. For the first word, TAB lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or file completions.


grub>

But cannot type anything - the computer seems to have crashed.

As I understand from the instructions, steps 1 through 7 are simply checking the presence of the "Intel Page" and its "var code".

I've followed them and can confirm that my BIOS is also 0x258, but I cannot type this into the shell.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[BDMaster]

Look here :

https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-R...91G?page=3

Same issue as your !
Regards

[jimbomahoney]

Look here :

https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-R...91G?page=3

Same issue as your !
Regards

Thanks!

I'll continue my hunt there.

[TheDarkAngel]

I've done a mistake, i set a too low vcore and now it's not booting, is there a safe boot mode or something to reset the value?