Change serial number in SPI-ROM 2011 15" MBP

I'm facing a bit of an issue right now with a 2.5GHz Late-2011 15" MacBook Pro, EMC number 2563. Basically, what I'm trying to do is change the serial number on its logic board, but so far my attempts have been unsuccessful. This is what I've done so far: I removed the ROM from my MacBook's logic board, and put it into my EPROM programmer. I then used that to dump the ROM, and opened the resulting file in a hex editor. I located my original serial number in the file, and changed it to the desired number. I made sure not to add any extra spaces or anything, and made sure the string was still located at the same offsets as the original. I saved the file, and wrote it back onto the ROM. Here's the problem I'm having, however. When I boot the system up and boot Apple Hardware Test, the serial number comes up as blank. I tried Blank Board Serializer to write the number that way, but it just had an error and wouldn't do anything. I then went back to the file I modified, changed the serial back to the original, wrote it back to the ROM, and when I booted it, it detected it just fine and worked exactly like it did before. Why does it detect the number as blank when it's changed? A dump of the ROM is attached if that helps anyone. The original serial number, still present in the attached dump, is C02HD0QRDW47.

what does OS X report the serial as? if you don't have an OS X install, you can just boot from install media and use the built-in system profiler.

if that reports your custom serial#, but AHT doesn't, i'll ask:

your new serial number, is it generated from a utility, hand-modified from an OEM serial, or a genuine serial from another mac?

Well, the thing is I can't actually boot OS X (even in Safe Mode, and can't boot an installer), as the GPU is bad and just results in a blue screen whenever OS X boots. The serial I'm using is a genuine one from another MacBook logic board.

lol i can only imagine one reason why you'd change the serial on a board with a bad GPU...

have you tried simply reflowing the GPU? i've done tons of them with a high success rate, >80%. i just use some nvidia reflow profile i found online.

i'll have to think about what it means that AHT doesn't recognize your new serial.

flash the modified serial to the board, check AHT
read your modified dump back
write your original serial back into the modified dump
flash your twice modified dump back and run AHT

does that read the serial?

I've already tried reflowing the GPU. Twice, actually, and neither time improved it whatsoever. And I, too, have reflowed quite a few MacBook GPUs with a fairly high success rate as well... And yeah, you probably know exactly why I'm changing the serial . Anyways, I'll try that when I get the chance, but I really don't think it'll make a difference... As I said before, I modified the SN in the original dump, flashed it, resulted in blank SN, re-modified the already modified dump with the original SN, flashed, detected like it should.

oh, i must've missed that. my thought process was perhaps integrity of the dump was being lost somewhere, but if your twice modified bin DOES read the original serial correctly, then poopoo on my idea.

i've changed quite a few serial numbers in my day (for educational purposes) lol, and i've never had to clean the ME region, but have you attempted that?

What is the ME region? As far as I know, I haven't messed with that.

ghostlyhaks.com/blog/apple-efi/25-clean-me-region

the intel management engine basically controls the hardware components at a sub-os level

do you have a good working mac right now? i've never checked the serial in AHT after changing it, i've mainly explored iCloud interaction

it would be interesting to see if changing the serial on a good working mac still doesn't show in AHT, only in system profiler
if push comes to shove, i've got a 2011 mbp13 laying around i could try, but alas i'm lazy currently

I've got plenty of working Macs, but none that I really feel like taking apart and messing with the EEPROM on... I'll give cleaning the ME region a shot and see what happens, though.

lol. taking off the bottom lid isn't exactly taking apart (-; i've got a 2011 mbp13 right here maybe i'll give it a whirl

let me know how the ME cleaning goes

The 15" models have the ROM chip on the other side of the board, so you have to take the whole board out to get to it. Anyways, I just finished flashing a dump after modifying the serial and cleaning the ME region, and still get the same results. I did, however, manage to check the serial from within OS X (using SIngle User Mode, as I can't load the UI due to a bad GPU), and it read the modified serial number correctly. Since that's the case, it seems as though the serial had been written OK, but something with the low level tools like AHT or Blank Board Serializer where they just can't read it for whatever reason. I just need to count on it being able to be read when the people in the Apple Store load their diagnostic tool on it… Unfortunately I may just have to take it in as-is and just hope it reads it OK.

Here's what AHT shows.

that's very curious. i'm going to change the serial on this 2011 mbp13 and run AHT and see for myself. i wonder what makes AHT think that serial is no good?

is that genuine serial from a same spec mbp? i know that some system info is numerated in the serial, i wonder if the serial contradicts some of the system hardware.

i wonder if this is all for naught.. if they look at the bottom case (-;

The serial I used is from the exact same model, with the exact same specs.

well dang. ok i'm going to eat some dinner right quick, then i'll change the serial on this mbp13.

do you mind sharing the old and new serials with me?

Original serial was C02HD0QRDW47, new one is C02GM06ZDW47.

i'm running through the serials. you're right VERY similar, same order number. one was built in late2011 and the other built in early 2012

don't know if that means anything to AHT. still looking

can you try changing serial to this:

C02HE1RSDW47

see if AHT cares

well i have unfortunately confirmed that the AHT (and likely other hardware level interfaces) pull the board serial from locations other or in addition to the EFI

Hello

escuse me for my english, i am french

I have the same problem
I want to do the same thing
For the same reason
I have a laptop without mainbaord
I have a mainboard GPU worries (blue screen)
the laptop and the mother board are of the same year but différent serial number
I am putting two identical serial number
I have a suitable flash tool

with you succeeded?
I have the same worries "?" in AHT

Thank you for your help