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#145497 - 2005-08-11 10:32 PM General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
thepip3r thepip3r Hey THIS is FUN Registered: 2005-03-02 Posts: 350	I'm wondering if any technology is available to talk to the BIOS from the OS? Is there anyways to query/modify BIOS settings from the OS?
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#145498 - 2005-08-11 10:43 PM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Mart Mart KiX Supporter Registered: 2002-03-27 Posts: 4673 Loc: The Netherlands	Hmmm...interesting one. For sure it can be done. Toshiba does it with a tool to upgrade the BIOS while running the OS. It's not a command prompt utility but a real Windows application. I think this is not something that can or at least should be done by script because it affects the working of the computer and can easily screw up the working of the OS and obviously everything running on that OS. _________________________ Mart - Chuck Norris once sold ebay to ebay on ebay.
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#145499 - 2005-08-11 10:58 PM

Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can

Shawn

Administrator

Registered: 1999-08-13
Posts: 8611

Sure there is .. its called WMI ... here's some VBS code:

Code:


'script written by KB http://userpages.umbc.edu/~kbradl1/

Dim oBIOS, oArrBIOS
Set fs = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject") 
Set outFile = fs.CreateTextFile("bios.txt", True) 
Set oArrBIOS = GetObject("winmgmts:").ExecQuery("Select * From Win32_BIOS Where PrimaryBIOS=true")	'get the primary machine bios chip properties

For Each oBIOS In oArrBIOS
	outFile.WriteLine("Manufacturer: " & oBIOS.Manufacturer)
	outFile.WriteLine("Name: " & oBIOS.Name)
	outFile.WriteLine("ReleaseDate: " & FromWMIDate(oBIOS.ReleaseDate))
	outFile.WriteLine("PrimaryBIOS: " & oBIOS.PrimaryBIOS)
	outFile.WriteLine("SMBIOSBIOSVersion: " & oBIOS.SMBIOSBIOSVersion)
	outFile.WriteLine("SMBIOSMajorVersion: " & oBIOS.SMBIOSMajorVersion)
	outFile.WriteLine("Status: " & oBIOS.Status)
	outFile.WriteLine("Version: " & oBIOS.Version)
Next

Set oArrBIOS = Nothing


Function FromWMIDate(sDate)
	Dim iDay, iMonth, iYear
	iDay = Mid(sDate, 5, 2)
	iMonth = Mid(sDate, 7, 2)
	iYear = Mid(sDate, 1, 4)

	FromWMIDate = iDay & "/" & iMonth & "/" & iYear
End Function

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#145500 - 2005-08-11 11:05 PM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Mart Mart KiX Supporter Registered: 2002-03-27 Posts: 4673 Loc: The Netherlands	Ok, ok, talking to the BIOS can be done with WMI. But as far as I know it's only reading the info. Writing it is something I've never seen and as I said would be undesirable imho as it affects the operation of the computer. I should learn to read better. Didn't see the stuff about query just the modify thingy _________________________ Mart - Chuck Norris once sold ebay to ebay on ebay.
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#145501 - 2005-08-11 11:08 PM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Shawn Shawn Administrator Registered: 1999-08-13 Posts: 8611	Thats cool Mart, I saw the stuff about query and didn't see the stuff about modify.
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#145502 - 2005-08-11 11:23 PM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Bryce Bryce KiX Supporter Registered: 2000-02-29 Posts: 3167 Loc: Houston TX	I have seen making changes to the BIOS from inside windows. My MB at the house has the ability to tweak BIOS CPU settings on the fly via a windows app. But i am sure that this is a feature set of my motherboard. Edited by Bryce (2005-08-11 11:24 PM)
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#145503 - 2005-08-12 12:04 AM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
thepip3r thepip3r Hey THIS is FUN Registered: 2005-03-02 Posts: 350	Ok, so it seems that the consensus thus far is that reading is possible but writing is specific to the mobo vendor? If that's the case, then the following question is directed at Shawn; is the information in the script you listed ALL of the information possible to query for? Here's the section I'm asking about: Code: For Each oBIOS In oArrBIOS outFile.WriteLine("Manufacturer: " & oBIOS.Manufacturer) outFile.WriteLine("Name: " & oBIOS.Name) outFile.WriteLine("ReleaseDate: " & FromWMIDate(oBIOS.ReleaseDate)) outFile.WriteLine("PrimaryBIOS: " & oBIOS.PrimaryBIOS) outFile.WriteLine("SMBIOSBIOSVersion: " & oBIOS.SMBIOSBIOSVersion) outFile.WriteLine("SMBIOSMajorVersion: " & oBIOS.SMBIOSMajorVersion) outFile.WriteLine("Status: " & oBIOS.Status) outFile.WriteLine("Version: " & oBIOS.Version)Next What my question specifically pertains to is whether you can query to see if the BIOS password is set for access to the BIOS. If so, is it encrypted/can it be read? Edited by thepip3r (2005-08-12 12:06 AM)
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#145504 - 2005-08-12 12:16 AM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Les Les KiX Master Registered: 2001-06-11 Posts: 12734 Loc: fortfrances.on.ca	Why not just browse it with a WMI browser? _________________________ Give a man a fish and he will be back for more. Slap him with a fish and he will go away forever.
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#145505 - 2005-08-12 12:16 AM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Shawn Shawn Administrator Registered: 1999-08-13 Posts: 8611	Here's the Win32_BIOS class: Win32_BIOS Granted - it is sketchy and generic eh ?
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#145506 - 2005-08-12 12:19 AM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Shawn Shawn Administrator Registered: 1999-08-13 Posts: 8611	Having said that - I do know vendors can create custom WMI schema extentions, for just about any class ... cant say I know of any for BIOS though.
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#145507 - 2005-08-12 12:41 AM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Mart Mart KiX Supporter Registered: 2002-03-27 Posts: 4673 Loc: The Netherlands	Looking at the info behind link there is no option for seeing if the BIOS password has been set and if so reading it encrypted or in plain text. _________________________ Mart - Chuck Norris once sold ebay to ebay on ebay.
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#145508 - 2005-08-12 01:29 AM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Shawn Shawn Administrator Registered: 1999-08-13 Posts: 8611	Just as a matter of interest, Dell has developed extentions. Goodle "dell omci"
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#145509 - 2005-08-12 01:40 AM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Lonkero Lonkero KiX Master Guru Registered: 2001-06-05 Posts: 22346 Loc: OK	well, isn't the windows bios enabled by plug and play bioses? I mean, all the acpi and sh*t are controllable in about every motherboard out there. right? _________________________ ! download KiXnet
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#145510 - 2005-08-12 02:38 AM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Les Les KiX Master Registered: 2001-06-11 Posts: 12734 Loc: fortfrances.on.ca	I tried goodling ( http://www.goodle.com/ ) but didn't get any hits. _________________________ Give a man a fish and he will be back for more. Slap him with a fish and he will go away forever.
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#145511 - 2005-08-12 02:41 AM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Lonkero Lonkero KiX Master Guru Registered: 2001-06-05 Posts: 22346 Loc: OK	smart ass... _________________________ ! download KiXnet
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#145512 - 2005-08-12 02:45 AM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Shawn Shawn Administrator Registered: 1999-08-13 Posts: 8611	woops ... another one of them web squatter/leeches there with a really slow website.
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#145513 - 2005-08-12 04:10 PM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
thepip3r thepip3r Hey THIS is FUN Registered: 2005-03-02 Posts: 350	Hmm... so it looks like there's no way to validate whether our PCs have their BIOS password set then. Thank you for the information then gents. I learned something new anyways. =D
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#145514 - 2005-08-12 04:13 PM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Lonkero Lonkero KiX Master Guru Registered: 2001-06-05 Posts: 22346 Loc: OK	how many dc's you have anyways? this information is kinda manual-approach-is-the-best-way stuff. _________________________ ! download KiXnet
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#145515 - 2005-08-12 04:29 PM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Mart Mart KiX Supporter Registered: 2002-03-27 Posts: 4673 Loc: The Netherlands	Quote: how many dc's you have anyways? this information is kinda manual-approach-is-the-best-way stuff. Who is talking about DC's? Just see PC's Maybe sneaker net should be reanimated for this job at thepip3r's location _________________________ Mart - Chuck Norris once sold ebay to ebay on ebay.
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#145516 - 2005-08-12 04:38 PM Re: General technology question; don't think KiX can do it if any can
Lonkero Lonkero KiX Master Guru Registered: 2001-06-05 Posts: 22346 Loc: OK	oh, I've been playing a networked anagram game for some 2 weeks now... it's taking it's toll for sure. _________________________ ! download KiXnet
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