Z820 Firmware update bricked machine

[SDH]

I'm curious... did you desolder a specific motherboard chip, buy a new one, reprogram it, and solder back on this new one to your original motherboard? Can you provide info on what chip that was and a pic of where it is on the motherboard?

Regarding the serial number... HP made that easy but I don't know about changing the UUID or MAC address on the motherboard. It is my understanding that a motherboard's W10/W11 "digital license" is based on the original UUID (not based on the serial number) so you might need a new Windows OS license if you have lost the UUID too. I've had to do that after doing eBay-recycled motherboard transplants if the one I got happened to have been "branded" at the factory for Linux instead of Windows. Below is a pic of a quick search I just did, and I chose "Z420" just because those are so common. Same method works on the Z620 and the Z820... See below:

Get info on how to change it...

[r1_rn22]

This. As the computer was working before and just freezed because of the BIOS update, I didnt suspect any other problem than the BIOS update itself. So I checked the file size of the BIOS -> 16384 kB, means there needs to be a 128 MBit Flash somewhere. I found it next to the ME/AMT Flash override connector:

The type is Winbond 25Q128, a standard serial flash IC. I put that one in my programmer and flashed the

BIOS file onto it, and resoldered the new flash.

It boots and runs normally, except for the board serial number, and the ME Engine in manufacturing mode.

The only missing thing right now is the serial number of the board, and the MAC adress of the AMT controller.

[r1_rn22]

CTRL-A in the BIOS main screen, and I could enter the chassis serial number, and modify the UUID

I assume, the last FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF of the UUID represent the MAC adress, correct?

Only one thing is now not working, the 2nd ethernet port. But, I dont need that anyway, the AMT NIC still has FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF and no way to modify that, even in the ME menu.

[DGroves]

since you know your way around hardware go here and ask the forum moderators for help on the ME/mac address issue

 you want the special forums/ME section

https://winraid.level1techs.com/

[r1_rn22]

Thank you for your suggestion, I will do so.