HOWTO Modify VMWare BIOS with SLIC 2.1
I wondered how to do this, saw bad files being passed around to be used with bios440.filename, and I answered my own question (in italics) by trying to do this right.
This will take the bois440.rom out, integrate a SLIC2.1 BIN, (optionally bios440.rom can be-reintegrated into ESX/ESXi but Ill pass, and use the VMX parameter file), and activate Windows 2008 R2 in a VM. This allows for 100% unmolested bits in ESX (just a paramter and a file in the VM's dir) and 100% unmolested Windows bits.
I need a hand here. I have ESXi 4.0U1 (b 244038). I would like a Dell ROM for ESX/ESXi 4 that has the Dell SLIC (the rom that you can specify with bios440.filename = fn).
Instead of getting a rom from someone if you could point out the following:
1) How to dump the rom from within a VM.
2) How to modify the ROM dumped to add SLIC 2.1 that will work for Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise Edition.
I think I found out how to do this.
Its better to extract your own bios440.rom file from VMWare as I found the ones being passed around were ancient ((C) 2006)
Things needed:
SLIC ToolKit V3.2 (3.2 latest version as of May 17 10)
http://www.bios.net.cn/Files/soft/biosf ... t_V3.2.rar
I used the HP SLIC route because there is a 2.1 table and certificate available.
(1) First I got ESX BIOS tools (1.0.1 is the latest ver, previous was 1.0.0.6) to extract the bios from ESX(i) 4.0U1
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/archiv ... 12982.html
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thread ... Bios-Tools
http://rapidshare.com/files/329036460/E ... v1.0.1.rar
This with the service console trivially extracts bios440.rom via SCP.
(2) Add SLIC with this tool
http://slics.myftp.org/Tools/Phoenix_SL ... ool133.zip
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thread ... EFI-BIOSes
(3) This tool needs a dump of the ACPI tables (DSDT de-compiled)
The Tool to use from within a VM on the ESX(i) is:
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/announcement.php?f=33
RW (aka RW Everything) (v1.4)
This tool, run form within the VM, and click on the ACPI button, it will do some work.
The click on SAVE ALL, or "CTRL+F2" and you have the everything report you need for Phoenix Tool. (report name defaults to AcpiTbls.rw)
I got the latest two certificates from here:
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/thread ... Collection
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/attach ... 1273695934
SLIC 2.1 BINS 5-12-10.7z
I used the BIN and the certificate from here rather than what was with phoenixbiostool133
Anyways, the new bios440.rom was then loaded into esx using the paramter in VMX :
bios440.filename = bios440_HP_SLIC.rom
Where bios440_HP_SLIC.rom was placed into the VMs directory and the parameter was inserted into the VM via the VMX file. Or with Edit Settings, Options, advanced, general, Configuration Parameters while the VM is off.
(4) Loaded up the VM, used SLIC ToolKit V3.2 and the certificate file from SLIC 2.1 BINS 5-12-10.7z (HP's) to verify against the BIN file now integrated in bios440.rom. Works per SLIC toolkit.
(5) Used:
slmgr -ilc <HP certificate name> to load up the certificate for HP into Windows 2008 R2 Ent.
slmgr -ipk <Dell's 2008r2 BKCJJ key>
Dell's Enterprise key worked on the HP BIN in the VMWare bios with HP's cert. Dont worry about not matching that.
Rebooted VM, when booted back up, everything was activated and nominal.
I tried the WGA validation tool and this passed muster.