[Solved] How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

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jefazo92
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[Solved] How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by jefazo92 »

Hi everyone, I am trying to change the DMI BIOS information in my Windows 7 VM (Virtualbox). I have read the Virtualbox User Manual (Ch 9.9 p. 261). However, I don't understand the format being used to change the information nor how to change the BIOS release date in particular since there are 4 lines (2 for BIOSRelease and 2 for BIOSFirmware). Besides wanting to know how to set the BIOS date, I would like to ask you as well:
  • In the lines given, is it require to write < VM-name > with angle quotatoin marks? in some other tutorials I've seen the VM name encased in double quotation marks "VM-name". I thought that that the angle quotation marks were to be omitted but I'm not sure if I have to do that here or not.
  • What's the difference between BIOSRelase and BIOSFirmware? What about the number 1, 2, 3, 4 at the end of the commands? What do they mean? And how may I change the date?
  • What are the DMI BIOS information types (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4)?
  • Do I need to run these commands in the same directory as where the VMs are found or since the VBoxManage command is already added to path I can run the lines anywhere I want?
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DMI BIOS information (type 0) commands
DMI BIOS information (type 0) commands
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scottgus1
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Re: How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by scottgus1 »

jefazo92 wrote:is it require to write < VM-name > with angle quotatoin marks? in some other tutorials I've seen the VM name encased in double quotation marks "VM-name"
Don't use < > 's. Double quotes are fine, and are needed if the VM has a space in the name. The VM names are case-sensitive, too.
jefazo92 wrote:What's the difference between BIOSRelase and BIOSFirmware?
Good question, I personally don't know this one.
jefazo92 wrote:What about the number 1, 2, 3, 4 at the end of the commands? What do they mean
This one I'll guess about. They might be major and minor version numbers, like Virtualbox's "6.1" is the major number and ".36" is the minor number.
jefazo92 wrote:What are the DMI BIOS information types (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4)?
I don't think they mean anything, merely that numbers can go there.

Please note the warning in the manual that numbers may need special treatment to get recognized.
jefazo92 wrote:Do I need to run these commands in the same directory as where the VMs are found
No. Run them wherever vboxmanage will work. The "VM name" will run the command on the correct VM.
fth0
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Re: How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by fth0 »

Regarding the meaning and contents of the parameters in 9.9. Configuring the BIOS DMI Information, I'd suggest to read the Wikipedia page about the System Management BIOS as a short introduction, then follow one of the links within that Wikipedia page to the System Management BIOS (SMBIOS) Reference Specification.

The specification contains the answers to your questions.
jefazo92
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Re: How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by jefazo92 »

Thank you very much @scottgus1 and @fth0 but I'm still being unable to change the release date. I want it set it to that of my host machine (14-07-2021) but I'm unable to do so. I've tried dd-mm-yyyy and mm-dd-yyyy with -, /, and nothing in-between the numbers but nothing has been working so far. Currently, the release date is 19990623 according to "wmic bios get ReleaseDate" in my Windows 7 VM.
fth0
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Re: How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by fth0 »

jefazo92 wrote:I've tried [...]
You didn't follow the specification, did you? ;)
jefazo92
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Re: How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by jefazo92 »

fth0 wrote:
jefazo92 wrote:I've tried [...]
You didn't follow the specification, did you? ;)
Yes I followed the specification. I've even tried

Code: Select all

VBoxManage setextradata cuckoo1 "VBoxInternal/Devices/pcbios/0/Config/DmiBIOSReleaseDate" "string:14/07/2021"
and it does nothing to it. The Bios date is always set to 23/06/1999 no matter what I do.
jefazo92
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Re: How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by jefazo92 »

I'll move this post to the general one in the hopes somebody who has experience changing the BIOS date can help me out.
mpack
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Re: How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by mpack »

Cross posting is against the forum rules, any such posts will be deleted. I'll move this topic to "Using VirtualBox".

Though it must be said - the people you would want to hear from have already posted.
Martin
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Re: How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by Martin »

Did you try writing the DmiBIOSReleaseDate in the MM/DD/YYYY format?
in your example that would be 07/14/2021
mpack
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Re: How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by mpack »

mpack wrote:Though it must be said - the people you would want to hear from have already posted.
I stand corrected!
jefazo92
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Re: How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by jefazo92 »

Martin wrote:Did you try writing the DmiBIOSReleaseDate in the MM/DD/YYYY format?
in your example that would be 07/14/2021
Martin you are a genius! I tried the mm-dd-yyyy format only with dashes but not with forward slash. I can't believe I tried all formats but missed that one with slashes :shock: Thank you very much :D ! I hope in the next revision the date format can be specified (or provide examples which would be even better) since I tried all manner of forms:
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mpack
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Re: [Solved] How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by mpack »

Thanks for reporting back, and thanks to Martin for the great get.
fth0
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Re: [Solved] How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by fth0 »

jefazo92 wrote:Yes I followed the specification.
FWIW, the specification clearly tells you that the following is the only allowed format (for years >= 2000):
Martin wrote:Did you try writing the DmiBIOSReleaseDate in the MM/DD/YYYY format?
in your example that would be 07/14/2021
jefazo92 wrote:I can't believe I tried all formats but missed that one
I was just trying to teach you to look it up yourself, because the formats of all SMBIOS values are described in the specification.

PS: One of my favorite proverbs: "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."
jefazo92
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Joined: 3. Mar 2022, 16:00

Issue trying to change BIOS release major version and minor version

Post by jefazo92 »

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to change the SMBIOS release major version and minor version. I have used the commands in Virtualbox User Manual (Ch 9.9 p. 261) to see how to do this. However, I don't know if I'm using the wrong format because the changes are not being set in the VM. I would appreciate it if someone could tell me what I'm doing wrong so that I can change the major and minor versions. Below you can see the formats I've used (all of them have failed to try and change the SMBIOS version from 2.5 to 1.41:
Attachments
biosversion.png
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Last edited by jefazo92 on 27. Jul 2022, 22:44, edited 1 time in total.
mpack
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Re: [Solved] How can the BIOS release date be changed for a VirtualBox VM?

Post by mpack »

New topic merged because I see it as the exact same discussion, only the choice of DMI variable has changed. I also expect that the answer will be exactly the same: get the format from the manual, then do that.
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