I wanted to know if it is theoretically possible to Mod my Asus K55A UEFI/BIOS??? Its an AMI… I was just checking what my BIOS had and I find that there is no EFI IRST SATA module… Here’s a screenshot of the OEM BIOS .bin file from C:… Does it look like it’s supposed to??? I’m looking to modding my BIOS because of some Intel® HD 4000 issues including that Win8.1 Pro doesn’t detect it as GOP also some performance issues with my Samsung 840 SSD… Maybe updating the EFI/OROM IRST SataDriver and GOP driver will help… Thx for any advice in advance!!!
Btw… I have a HM76 / 7 Series/C216 Chipset… And I’m running in AHCI mode… BIOS doesn’t support RAID… And Win8.1 Pro (x64) installed in UEFI mode…
I don’t really understand the question, because your attached picture shows, that you definitively were able to modify the BIOS by updating the Intel RAID ROM module.
You will only need the Intel SataDriver module, if you are running the Intel SATA Controller in RAID mode.
So basically since I’m running in AHCI mode and my laptop + UEFI/BIOS doesn’t support RAID… I don’t need the EFI IRST SataDriver Module and that’s why it’s missing in the UBU screen??? This is my very first attempt at BIOS Modding and I know practically nothing about the process… So please be patient with me… Lol… I assumed that if I installed Win8.1 in UEFI mode… That I needed the EFI IRST SataDriver Module… So my system boots truly with Fast Boot and correctly in UEFI and doesn’t use the Legacy OROM IRST SATA… Or is the EFI IRST SataDriver actually what gives the RAID functionality to the BIOS??? I say this because my system hangs a bit before and at the POST splash screen… With Fast Boot enabled in BIOS and Fast Start Up enabled in Power Options… I have read that the POST should be like 200ms - 500ms especially on an 840 SSD… I mean I can still access the BIOS with F2 with plenty of time to spare… Total Boot Time is around 34,500ms… Main Path time is about 7,500ms… Due to the hang at the POST… And I’m using Hybrid-Boot as well like I mentioned… The other doubt I have is concerning the EFI GOP driver… Win8.1 doesn’t correctly ID the Ivy Bridge HD 4000 (GT2) It won’t install the drivers correctly and doesn’t detect it as being GOP driver… It still uses the Basic Display Driver and causing a lot of issues with blurriness, fonts, icons, HD playback, resolutions, DX10/11… Etc… The Intel Graphics Control Panel doesn’t detect the GOP either… Nor does Aida64, HWinfo64 or GPU-Z… I again, assume that it’s related to maybe needing to update the EFI GOP Driver for IvyBridge… I don’t have a discrete GPU… Only the HD4000 iGPU… Do u recommend I update the EFI GOP Driver as well??? Any other Mods I can make??? Can I ADD an Intel® ME module??? So I can access MEI and have the options to change settings in the ME Interface??? Or a SATA Controller??? Like I said this is my first time doing this… THX!!
Ok thx!!! Now Why won’t UBU update the OROM vBIOS??? Only the 2 EFI GOP drivers… I posted on the UBU thread that Win8.1 detects HD 4000 Dev ID as 0166 but with the OEM Win8 iT’s 0162 and I’m able to update the drivers with no issues… Win8.1 only falls back to driver v3308… Same provided by Asus for Win8.1… And Intel HD 4000 Control Panel doesn’t detect GOP version… Adding to the Dev ID being 0166 I have iisues with graphics…
Yeah I read that UBU was designed primarily for desktops… I hope I can actually mod the Bios successfully… Although I’m going to wait until I’m 100% positive it can be done and not brick my laptop… I did find out thru a local Intel rep that my 3rd Gen Intel hardware has a bug related to USB 3.0 and Graphics… Especially with Asus notebooks… I might just try to see if they can replace it or something… Maybe I’ll just give it to my wife and get myself a desktop or build one… I’ll see what SoniX says first…
@@JSebastian You will need mobile VBIOS to do an update, that is why UBU doesn’t change them. You will also need to keep the settings, since the 2 VBIOSes have some differences. If you take full responsibility, I have uploaded them here, with the settings transfered for each VBIOS. Open BIOS with MMTool and replace 8086-126 with 126mod.bin and 8086-166 with 166mod.bin; you also have a LanDriver.ffs to replace your current Realtek Lan UNDI 0.00A with a newer 2.026 module. To update Realtek UNDI just replace LANDriver from index A9 with landriver.ffs.
You can then use UBU to update Intel RST OROM, Sandy+Ivy GOP (select option 2 at that screen, DON’T replace the VBIOS OROM), Realtek PXE and finally, microcode. Actually, it is best to start with UBU, then use MMTool for these final updates.
I will add this again in bold: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
@lordkag Ok thx! Just so I’m absolutely clear with your instructions, 1: With UBU I update IRST, GOP (NOT VBIOS) and Realtek PXE… Also Microcode. 2: With MMTool replace the 8086-0162 & 0166 with your provided mod.bin files, respectively… As well as the Realtek UNDI LanDriver.
Do I have it right? Now, a question: What are the advantages of updating the Microcode? And MOST IMPORTANTLY, what steps can I take to avoid bricking my laptop and/or recover incase of a failed BIOS flash??? I want to be clear that I do understand and assume full responsibility for attempting to mod by BIOS, ok… I’m still gathering all the information from you guys in preparation for modding my BIOS, and I will think it over seriously before I attempt it… I know I’m kind of limited since I’m attempting this on a laptop… So what are the overall advantages or benefits of updating the IRST OROM, GOP, VBIOS and Microcode??? I assume that with a newer IRST OROM I should get added functionality for my SSD, maybe? As far as the GOP and vBIOS I want to make the same assumption… That I might have a more stable and reliable system especially since I’m running Win8.1 Pro on a laptop that was mainly designed for Win7/8…
When you started this thread, you asked, if it is possible to modify the BIOS of your laptop, and the answer was: "Yes, it is possible!" Now you are asking, if the BIOS modding of a quite actual laptop running in AHCI mode will be worth the risk of a bricked laptop. To be honest my answer is: "Probably not!" If you want to know more about the benefit of updating the IRST OROM, GOP, VBIOS and Microcode, please use the search function of this Forum.
There are no good safety steps when modding a BIOS, especially a laptop one. It happened to me too, so you just can’t do this as a leisure “what if” activity.
The steps are the ones you mentioned. The RAID OROM is not used by your system, but it can’t hurt to have it updated. The Realtek UNDI driver is not a crucial component, so it is again an easy update. The GOPs are needed for UEFI just as VBIOSes are needed in Legacy/CSM. While the GOP is an easy update, since they have the same GUID and dependencies as the ones from UBU, the VBIOS is a dangerous step.
You can’t update with a standard mobile VBIOS, because those settings might be adapted for your laptop only, so you could potentially end with a black screen or a bricked laptop. You can updated with my modded ones, but you never know if your current problems are caused by a wrong setting. It is however safer to use the modded ones vs original mobile, since you will have the compatibility covered. I think you have 2 VBIOS to differentiate between 2 lines of laptops, with different components, or to differentiate Sandy from Ivy.
I don’t see a problem in updating microcode, but you never know your luck before you try. You will only benefit from updating VBIOS, GOP and microcodes, but you also have to fear a possible brick with VBIOS. If you you your laptop in pure UEFI mode, just update everything but VBIOS and you have good chances of succeeding.
@lordkag Yeah I have been thinking it over and I decided in just updating the GOP Driver… To be on the safe side… Asus laptops have a very particular configuration when it comes to BIOS and hardware… From what I’ve gathered… I know my K55A-MX1-H-Red came in 3 versions… With i3, i5 and i7… also with NVidia GPU or just HD 4000 like mine… And my model OEM eSupport folder and Recovery .wim comes with installations for a K55A and K55VD… So the BIOS might include some settings for the board that are there for another version of K55A or K55VD but are disabled for mine… Anyways… I just need some help to bypass the Checksum of the modded BIOS… since the original one has .BIN and the latest I have installed is .407… WinFlash doesn’t recognize the modded BIOS file as .BIN, .407 or any other extension or name the modded BIOS has… WinFlash shows Invalid BIOS File… I’m still reviewing all the Guides available on this Forum trying to get the modded BIOS to work… No luck so far… And UBU doesn’t give me the option to rename the updated BIOS…
Why not? You can give the updated BIOS any name you want. The only question is, if the BIOS chip of your laptop will accept the updated BIOS.
From what I see on the Guide for UBU here… When I select option "0" to exit, It’s supposed to give me the option to rename the file… Maybe that’s just for Asus desktop board BIOS files… I have tried renaming the BIOS.BIN file that UBU creates many times and all come up as invalid on WinFlash… Am I doing something wrong by using the downloaded BIOS update from the Asus site??? Or do I need to capture the actual installed BIOS??? I am confused as to which BIOS file to use… Does WinFlash have a command-line switch to backup the current BIOS, like the /nodate option to flash an earlier BIOS version??? I’m lost since the OEM Win8 install has K55A.BIN and the latest update is K55AAS.407
EDIT Ok… Lets make this easy for me… I start with the latest BIOS update from Asus… I run UBU.bat and only update the GOP with option 2 so I avoid the vBIOS and just updates GOP… Then I select option 0 to Exit… UBU creates the BIOS.BIN file… Ok… Now I just rename it to K55A.BIN and try to flash it or do I need to also modify something with MMTool???
@Fernando Ok perfect… Now the only issue is that my BIOS is locked… So the obvious question is how do I unlock it? Unlocked I should be able to access other features Intel® MEI… Thermal management, Power Options… CPU settings maybe… etc… At least I should be able to flash the BIOS Mod… I understand that its a lot riskier trying to unlock the BIOS… But if you have experience with this and you can give me some pointers… I’ll give it a shot! One other thing, the last time I re-flashed my BIOS with the latest update from Asus, I rebooted and decided to enter directly into the BIOS instead of Windows… I noticed that Secure Boot Mode was “Setup” and Secure Boot State was “Disabled” (Greyed-out) but Secure Boot setting “Enabled” does that affect being able to flash a BIOS mod or not? Because HWinfo64 shows Intel® ME Firmware Protected Sector as “Unlocked” and if Secure Boot Mode is “User” and enabled ME FW is locked… Does that matter???
I don’t have any own experience regarding this sort of BIOS modding, because I always have been afraid to get a bricked system after having done it.
I don’t know. By the way: After having flashed a new BIOS (original or modified) you should always immediately enter the BIOS and choose the "(Optimized) Default" and - if applicable - your personal BIOS settings, before you are going to boot into the OS.
Yeah I’m also afraid to brick my system… Maybe I’ll just wait and build a custom rig with a UEFI MB and I’ll have an easier time modding the BIOS… Thx anyways!!! Now one other thing… Do you know why Intel® HD Graphics Control Panel and DxDiag show> Video BIOS 0.0? Instead of GOP Version? I have seen screen shots on the Intel® Community Forum I think that do show as GOP Version… Win8.1 detects the HD 4000 iGPU as being part of the CPU in a weird way… Forces me to use one particular driver and Windows Update doesn’t offer any WDDM drivers… Dx11 doesn’t work correctly… WinSAT D3D Dx10 assessments abort due to not having a WDDM driver… And on the OEM Win8 I don’t have that issue… Does it have anything to do with the vBIOS maybe needing to be updated or because I clean installed Win8.1 instead of upgrading the OEM Win8??? Or might it have anything t do with a BIOS issue?
