Hacking Express gate (Asus Splashtop)

[jbourke]

set resolution further explored

Hi all,

I have a P7P55D motherboard with ExpressGate enabled on a USB stick. Have learned a lot from those postings, thanks for that!

Anyway I have been trying to find an automated way to set the resolution at 1440x900 instead of the default 1024x768. I can do it from xterm by setting the two DF variables and then restart X (remove /tmp/.X0lock -> startx). I then can choose a whole bunch of resolutions from the settings icon.

I would like to use the /etc/models.d structure but this needs SMBIOS info. When I use dmidecode it says it can't find any SMBIOS or DMI entry points. No idea why but without any SMBIOS info a specific model entry in /etc/models.d isn't going to work.

Alternatively I could put the right values in /etc/models.d/default but this directory is not in any bs*.sqx or va*.sqx files.

So my question is: does anybody know where the contents for /etc/models.d is stored?

Thanks,

John

[SPARTAN]

Hi jbourke,

The models.d info is (to the best of my knowledge) stored in the bin files.
What is advisable to do is just create a new va-*.sqx file that has the /etc/models.d/ directory with the files you want to add in it.

Your dmidecode value should be P7P55D_Deluxe or P7P55D_EVO etc. depending on your motherboard version.

What you are doing there, restarting X manually will mean that the res is reset to default each time you restart. This is because it is stored in an environment settings file which MUST be updated with the new res. You can do that by setting the DF variables and then running "python /usr/lib/dvm-config/runRes.py" which should show you the resolution selection page. Upon confirming your res it will update the environment variables permanently.

You will see that I listed the steps earlier on in this thread here

Regards,
SPARTAN

[gschade]

From having a look at this thread, you people seem to be the best resource I've found so far on Express Gate. So I would just like to ask: Is there any way of completely removing Express Gate?
I'm using an Asus P6T Deluxe V2 motherboard, and I find Express Gate to be a complete waste for a stationary computer system. Would I have to get a hacked BIOS, or is there some way of wiping the memory storing the Express Gate software? (On my motherboard, Express Gate is stored in some sort of EPROM/SSD type memory).

[SPARTAN]

Hi LunarG,
On my motherboard I know that there is an option in the BIOS (Under the exit tab I believe) that allows you to enable/disable ExpressGate:

ExpressGate: Enabled

You could try updating your BIOS to its latest version if that option is not available.

[gschade]

Hi LunarG,
On my motherboard I know that there is an option in the BIOS (Under the exit tab I believe) that allows you to enable/disable ExpressGate:

You could try updating your BIOS to its latest version if that option is not available.

That only disables it, until the bios for some reason should decide to want to reset. I don't know why everybody I've asked about this so far keeps misunderstanding what I'm asking about, but I'm not after "disabling" it, but removing it altogether. Doesn't matter if it voids the warranty, as long as it isn't sure to fry the motherboard.

[SPARTAN]

Hmm, I don't see why your BIOS would choose to randomly reset, unless you are flashing it?
Anyway, if you want to completely remove it then try flashing it with an empty DFI file, that should do the trick. Although I'm not sure how that would affect the BIOS, it may look for certain files on the SSD, and depending on the error checking that is in place it may crash if it doesn't work.

Bear in mind that anything you do other than disabling it will have the possibility of bricking your board. The chances are minimal but you still need to ask yourself if it is really worth it to completely remove it as opposed to just disabling it each time you flash your BIOS/reset your CMOS.

You also should note that you aren't gonna get a performance increase by removing it, or a faster boot time (compared to having it disabled). But hey, its your board

You can probably create an empty DFI file be creating an empty file in Linux, naming it image.img. Creating a header file (you can use my app for that here) and then combine them:

cat header image.img image2.img

then GZip it:

gzip -9 image2.img

and finally rename it:

mv image2.img.gz Image.DFI

Good luck

[imnottheone]

hi im new here and i was wondering if there was anyway to change the express gate to run linux ubuntu beryl insted? thanks

[wiesshund]

I am having an unhappy time trying to change the craptastic default resolution on my express gate.
1024X768 on a 24" widescreen is virtually unreadable.
No idea why ASUS set the res so low.

Anyways i made a file called va-customres.sqx
Inside it i used the files from etc/models.d/(my motherboard model)
which is etc/models.d/M4A79XT_EVO
I added the native resoltion for my monitor in the proper hieghtxwidthxdepthxrefresh format in file 00-defines-zero
(which is where i found the resolution list)
entry looks as such where modified

# screen
export DI_HAVE_RES_DDC='yes'
export DI_HAVE_RES_LIST='800x600x24x60,1024x768x24x60,1280x800x24x60,1280x1024x24x60,1440x900x24x60,1920x1200x24x60'

created a vactl file with the following

#! /bin/sh
     
    case "$1" in
    init|mount)
    echo "Loading Resolution Mod"
    mount -o remount,append:$(pwd)/etc=ro /etc
    ;;
    start)
    echo "Pray this works..."
    ;;
    esac

And a version file containing the entry
customres-dvm-0.0.0.0001

and the etc/dvm-vafiles file
named va-customres-dvm-0.0.0.0001
Containing the entry
customres-dvm-0.0.0.0001

Placed that in c:\ASUS.SYS (i have HDD install version 1.4.10.14)
reboot and enter express gate.
1st menu pops up ok, but when i click to actualy enter, regardless of which app i choose, it begins to load, i see it flick the lights on attached USB devices, and then the caps lock button on the keyboard begins to blink steadily and it sits that way, have to power cycle and restart.

Can any of you see where i went wrong?
I can send the va-customres.sqx if need be.

I tried issuing the commands to add a res on the fly in the xterm i added, and the choice shows up in the set res app, but after picking it and the OS restarting those settings are flushed.

PS i am not much of a coder, so if possible could you type any help you can give in idiots format?

[wiesshund]

Forgot to say that i did mksquash the directories to va-customres.sqx

[sjwoo]

Maybe I'm just not getting it, but I have an Asus UL30-A, and my C:\ASUS.SYS directory looks like this:



No .sqx files, nothing of the kind. How can I proceed? Thanks.

- Sung