AMIBIOS8 hackers needed for ongoing project
Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 3:40 am
Greets readers,
I recently purchased a Uniwill P50CA Notebook (same as Fujitsu Siemens Amilo A1667G btw) using AMIBIOS8 and found that it contained the most idiot proofed BIOS setup I had ever experienced.
Trying AMIBCP8 RC1 on the BIOS failed. So I developed my own tools and reverse engineered the setup code. Unfortunately, I discovered that no options have simply been "hidden". They are totally absent.
Next I proceeded to obtain AMIBIOS8 binaries of other AMD systems using the VIA K8T890/KT8237R chipsets, and am in the process of determing how to extract relevant controls and insert them into this pathetic BIOS. I'm only going forward with this because the notebook BIOS chip is socketed, and I can pull it out and reflash it with a programmer if I make a critical error in the code.
The question for the audience is: Who would like to help reverse engineer AMIBIOS8 much like Pinczakko did for Award BIOS?
I've gotten the setup code worked out, but there is much to be done to expose the workings of the core. It would help the community greatly by allowing Overclocking/Multiplier, Memory Timings, Hardware Monitor, Fan controls, and other custom controls to be added to dumbed down BIOS...
Please post a message if you are interested in learning/helping, especially if you are comfortable with assembly and have read Pinczakko's guide. This project will take some weeks to months to complete (hobby time only of course), but I think we can have tangible results soon.
I'm writing a tool that will clone MMTOOL, except that it will be able to insert any module, and update BIOS checksum.
If you want a cheap BIOS backup visit http://www.sivava.com/, you can order a programmer in case of inevitable error. They are about $60 including express shipping.
Please let me know if you know an end-user source of EN29F040A or EN29F080A PLCC 32-pin flash chips. They are made by EON corporation.
Cheers,
kad77
I recently purchased a Uniwill P50CA Notebook (same as Fujitsu Siemens Amilo A1667G btw) using AMIBIOS8 and found that it contained the most idiot proofed BIOS setup I had ever experienced.
Trying AMIBCP8 RC1 on the BIOS failed. So I developed my own tools and reverse engineered the setup code. Unfortunately, I discovered that no options have simply been "hidden". They are totally absent.
Next I proceeded to obtain AMIBIOS8 binaries of other AMD systems using the VIA K8T890/KT8237R chipsets, and am in the process of determing how to extract relevant controls and insert them into this pathetic BIOS. I'm only going forward with this because the notebook BIOS chip is socketed, and I can pull it out and reflash it with a programmer if I make a critical error in the code.
The question for the audience is: Who would like to help reverse engineer AMIBIOS8 much like Pinczakko did for Award BIOS?
I've gotten the setup code worked out, but there is much to be done to expose the workings of the core. It would help the community greatly by allowing Overclocking/Multiplier, Memory Timings, Hardware Monitor, Fan controls, and other custom controls to be added to dumbed down BIOS...
Please post a message if you are interested in learning/helping, especially if you are comfortable with assembly and have read Pinczakko's guide. This project will take some weeks to months to complete (hobby time only of course), but I think we can have tangible results soon.
I'm writing a tool that will clone MMTOOL, except that it will be able to insert any module, and update BIOS checksum.
If you want a cheap BIOS backup visit http://www.sivava.com/, you can order a programmer in case of inevitable error. They are about $60 including express shipping.
Please let me know if you know an end-user source of EN29F040A or EN29F080A PLCC 32-pin flash chips. They are made by EON corporation.
Cheers,
kad77