Jump to content

HP 8710w can't extract vBIOS


Recommended Posts

Hi,

I'm having trouble dumping the vBIOS from an HP 8710w laptop. The GPU is a Quadro FX 1600M:

sFDQP1X.pngm17amzi.png

When I try to save the file in GPU-Z, I get BIOS reading not supported on this device.

When I try to make a vBIOS backup in NVFlash (both DOS and Windows), I get ERROR: Supported EEPROM not found:

3TiY0wg.png

Any ideas?

BTW here are pics of the MXM board: Front Back

I'm not knowledgeable enough about this, but can anyone identify the EEPROM chip? I'm wondering if this board doesn't have one and stores vBIOS with system BIOS like laptops with soldered GPUs, that's why GPU-Z and NVFlash are throwing errors whenever they try to access the EEPROM.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If any, it'll be the Atmel (AT88SC0808C, "U1"). For one it's the standard location and second is elimination; the other two SOICs are clock and ... something else (forgot). The weird thing is that it's the 8kb version, so 1kbyte, whereas Dell version vbios needs 64kB ... the spec-sheet is ominous; Atmel CryptoMemory, 8-Kbit :sorrow: .

So ... wouldn't have guessed they did this with MXM, but seems you're right; no vbios on board. Of course, it could be in a non-soic8 eeprom, but that'd be highly unusual and still begs the 'why?' for the secure eeprom (nefarious purposes, of course).

Might try bios extraction tool or RWEverything and pull from memory.

Hmmm ... if assumption is correct, that also means it wouldn't run on any other system. Test?

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If any, it'll be the Atmel (AT88SC0808C, "U1"). For one it's the standard location and second is elimination; the other two SOICs are clock and ... something else (forgot). The weird thing is that it's the 8kb version, so 1kbyte, whereas Dell version vbios needs 64kB ... the spec-sheet is ominous; Atmel CryptoMemory, 8-Kbit :sorrow: .

So ... wouldn't have guessed they did this with MXM, but seems you're right; no vbios on board. Of course, it could be in a non-soic8 eeprom, but that'd be highly unusual and still begs the 'why?' for the secure eeprom (nefarious purposes, of course).

Might try bios extraction tool or RWEverything and pull from memory.

Hmmm ... if assumption is correct, that also means it wouldn't run on any other system. Test?

Dang that sucks. I don't have any other system to test the card in. No idea how to do the BIOS extraction tool/RWE thing. I'm only trying to get the vBIOS so I can undervolt it with NiBiTor. These GPUs run HOT.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's an AMI, so MMTool would've been nice. Doesn't work here, though; the .bin may be packed with rompaq ... try ADDCC v3, that can decompress it. Combined with RWE (PCI Option ROMs) it may be possible to find out the vbios section.

But really, it's fairly impossible task to mod it. If you have F.20 version bios it's even worse; 'enhancements' ... pure evil, right there.

Best bet is to extract the bios as it's been written to the chip, bypassing all HP shenanigans. Ran into this gizmo (SOIC8 clip), hook to programmer and you should have the unadulterated bios, including NiBiTor-editable vbios. Extract vbios, mod it and insert back to bios. Then simply program the chip in situ. Procedure also nullifies the F.20's 'no downflash' policy.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.