Missing boot ROM headers after experiment


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7 years 4 months ago - 7 years 4 months ago #5048 by G.Beard
Hi first post here.

I had an 820-00165 MacBook air 2015 sent in with SMC issue. I did not have a 2015 donor board with an SMC on it so as a little experiment I puled one from an MBP retina 2013. Same chip number, same pinout same circuit, the lot.... So I soldered this thing on and and powered the machine and it worked, well it powers but no chime.

Anyway, just out of curiosity I put an EFi ASD 3s162 image USB in the machine and it LOADED AND RAN :blink: ... Heh, WTF! the 820-00165 2015 MBA reports as a 2013.
Anyway ASD returns "Missing boot ROM headers". Fan runs high and a doubt it will boot into the OS. I have not tried.

I'm going to have to find a 2015 SMC but a part of me wonders if I flash the EFI, will it work. Why is it missing boot ROM headers? Maybe it's looking for a 2013 ROM? Maybe if flashed with 2013 it would go about it's life as such or maybe it would cause power management issues? i don't really intend to do all this frankenstein shit but I would like to know if I can un-fuck this machine after I flow a new 2015 SMC on there.

Any light you can shed on this would be appreciated.

Cheers
Last edit: 7 years 4 months ago by G.Beard.

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7 years 4 months ago - 7 years 4 months ago #5049 by reverendalc
This is just conjecture, but:

Try clearing the ME region on the existing EFI rom.

I know that if you swap EFI chips from two like Macs, it still may not work without doing so.

It's possible part of the system identity as defined in the ME region is linked to a particular (the previous) SMC chip
Last edit: 7 years 4 months ago by reverendalc.
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7 years 4 months ago - 7 years 4 months ago #5054 by G.Beard
As in, like the hand shake thing with CPU right, but with SMC as well?.


The freaky thing is running ASD! (the EFI ASD not the OS version because it would throw a kernel panic).
That kinda suggests to me that ASD is reading some sort of build or version ID / number from the SMC firmaware and searching for a boot ROM header based on that info, ASD looks for and can't find because.. Well it's the wrong one so reports missing.
Thing is, it goes through all the other hardware tests and comes back all OK!
I find ASD running on a 2015 to be quite exciting!!!
Last edit: 7 years 4 months ago by G.Beard.

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7 years 4 months ago #5061 by reverendalc
indeed, indeed.

support.apple.com/en-us/HT201518

looking at firmware and SMC updates, it's clear that (while apple doesn't list info for newer models like that) that the boot loader and SMC accompany each other.
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7 years 4 months ago #5067 by G.Beard
What I'm thinking is maybe that if I flashed with clean ME, and it works, that there may be some other IGPU / CPU power management issue, (if the kernel runs at all) with the OS as a result of incorrect / unexpected platform ID..... or some shit...

Not really knowing what I'm on about too much here but....

If the SMC firmware version is used as an identifier, the BIOS is flashed and then tied to the SMC and CPU / PCH, but the CPU / PCH is not what the OS expected due to the SMC firmware ID not being the norm for the Broadwell platform, then maybe that could really ruin my day?

Now if I'm talking rubbish here please tell me. I guess there is only one way to know for sure though.

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7 years 4 months ago #5068 by reverendalc
We are in uncharted territory here, but I can say with nearly utmost certainty that the OS doesn't care....

OS X is compiled with compatibility for any supported Mac. I've swapped existing OS X installs on HD and ssd without missing a beat.

I'm assuming your KP is coming from incorrect shit being handed to the OS.
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7 years 4 months ago - 7 years 4 months ago #5084 by G.Beard
Hi.

I was looking at a tut for EFI unlock, I don't agree with unlocking stolen boards, but in the tut you have a link to a hex editor. The link says file removed and I can't find that app from Google search. Any suggestion on a good hex editor please?
Last edit: 7 years 4 months ago by G.Beard.

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7 years 4 months ago #5086 by G.Beard

G.Beard wrote: Hi.

I was looking at a tut for EFI, in the tut you have a link to a hex editor. The link says file removed and I can't find that app from Google search. Any suggestion on a good hex editor please?

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7 years 4 months ago #5087 by reverendalc
Off topic...

iHex for OS X
HexD

Is your google broken? (-:
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7 years 4 months ago - 7 years 4 months ago #5088 by G.Beard
Shit!... Did I break my Google? :blush:

I'm probably just very tired or completely retarded, I'll have myself another try.

It's kinda not off topic as I would like to flash the chip on the 820-00165 and change the serial number so was looking for a Hex edit jobbie. I'll Google around and find something.... That is, if flashing a clean ME will even affect the serial. The Clean ME was given to me on another forum
Last edit: 7 years 4 months ago by G.Beard.

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7 years 4 months ago - 7 years 4 months ago #5096 by reverendalc
i use iHex. HexD is popular too.

which OS are you using?

And you're right.... it was pretty on topic lol. I must have been confused to the thread I was replying to or something.

My bad!
Last edit: 7 years 4 months ago by reverendalc.
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7 years 4 months ago #5097 by G.Beard
I have 10.12.1 and a Windows 10 VM for all the stuff OS X does not support.

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7 years 4 months ago #5100 by reverendalc
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7 years 4 months ago #5108 by G.Beard
Alright cool. so if I download from the repo here, will I need to clean ME or is it already done?
Also I believe I need to search for SSN to change the serial number right?

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7 years 4 months ago #5109 by reverendalc
some of them may have clean ME regions, but i wouldn't count on it. most important is to add the serial#.

i'd just try it first, and if no such luck, try cleaning ME region

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7 years 4 months ago #5124 by reverendalc
How is this coming along?

To add serial to repo dump, you must search for <model number> And replace that string with the serial

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7 years 4 months ago #5125 by G.Beard
Well actually this one is a long struggle. I'm using the TL866 to read / program the SPI. I actually read the firmware from another 820-00165 board I have here. My problem is when flashing back to the chip it does not write correctly... It say's it's successful, but when read back again the file is totally corrupted.
I'm running WINdows in a VM, on a Hackintosh so maybe there is some issue with either one regarding USB. I'll try using a Windows to go drive on another machine.

The part of me that wants to figure out why it will not write, is carrying on till I figure it out.
The part of me that wants to get paid for the repairs I have already done, bought a winbond chip pre flashed.

I'll upload the file later if you would have a look that would be good please.

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7 years 4 months ago #5126 by reverendalc
I've been where you are many times, caught between scientific exploration, somebody wanting their shit back, and possibly a few dollars in your pocket too.

Are you still working on the SMC, or just the EFI? I'd love a copy of the eBay dump. I once resorted to an a1502 eBay chip as well lol.

As far as windows in a VM in a hackintosh... I use a hackintosh with windows in VMware fusion or just straight boot to windows... I haven't noticed any difference between them, and honestly I do most of my work from OS X anyway. I've never owned a Mac tho (-:

I would say yes, figure out why it's not working, but test it in a known good environment first before you spend more time troubleshooting something that may not be the cause after all...

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7 years 4 months ago - 7 years 4 months ago #5127 by G.Beard
Last edit: 7 years 4 months ago by G.Beard.

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7 years 4 months ago - 7 years 4 months ago #5130 by G.Beard
OK, figured it out! Had to set status register value in config. Mother FF.... Got there in the end.
Last edit: 7 years 4 months ago by G.Beard.

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