[Guide] CoffeeLake CPUs on Skylake and KabyLake mainboards

guys
to use qqls, which version of microcode is recommended to use?
latest (EA) or something like BE?

Latest (EA) works fine for me.
Previous also worked fine.

so an update on micro code version;
on my M9E using the latest microcode (EA) I couldn’t boot on on memory speed higher than 2133 but using the (BE) version at least I can boot on a 2666 speed with some loose timings.
might be some other factor in play or its just my board but using older micro code was a better choice for me.





YES I NEED THE LINK FOR THE AUTOMATED PROCESS

Do you know if there’s any chance to run 1440 CPUs with ME enabled?

I’ve checked that PTT isn’t working with ME disabled, so TPM is not working for Windows 11.

Happy to report my results. i5 9600KF R0 stepping confirmed working with ASUS Maximus VIII Ranger. No isolation required. Just the SKT_OCC mod. Will do the board level mod in sometime and share with you all.

Z170 Coffee Lake2.PNG



BIOS file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j4WP7ks…iew?usp=sharing

Built with Coffee Tool 0.99

Need to flash with programmer. Use FD44 to extract board data. If flash fails with programmer, flash with USB BIOS flashback after erasing BIOS chip with programmer.

Also,

ASUS Maximus VIII Ranger SKT_OCC mod. Confirmed working. No modifications required on CPU.

Maximus VIII Ranger SKT_OCC mod_CFL.jpg

[quote=Wolf Larsen|p141306]I am using the M9E with an i9-9900K with 16t active. Everything works fine. The BIOS modified by Svarmod is here:
…]

Hello, I have already shorted all neceserry pins on my mobo Asus rog maximus ix extreme, I downloaded your .bin file but can you tell me what I should do now? It cant upgrade bios from .bin file right?
I need to test some coffee lake cpu’s and dont hew 3xx series cipset motherboards, so I really dont want to study how to do it all form scratch. Thanks a lot

Mod attempt using ASRock Z170 Pro4 and i7-9700KF.
I’ve tired both the CPU pin mod using conductive paint as well removing pin mod and trying SKT_OCC grounding short. Both methods result in identical behavior with all fans spinning up for about half a second before stopping. Booting completely stops, I can still boot with my 506 microcode CPU (6th gen) without issue.

Bios mods are made using Coffee Time 0.92, 0.99 is too hard to get past virus checks, I find like 5 Trojans in 0.99… Downloaded from this site… False flag probably? Not sure.

I’ve tried with multiple bios configs and microcodes for this processor (it’s latest rev).

All soldering, shorting done using video microscope…

Anyone able to give me some advice? I’ve looked over like 70 pages if this forum without much info for the early ASRock 100 boards…

Half second usually indicates software problem. That’s about the time IME needs to identify an “incompatible” CPU, resulting in shutdown. Have you checked whether FD got flashed correctly/UEFI was unlocked? I did experiment with an B150M Pro4S which was locked, but relatively easy to unlock thanks to giant contacts on its old audio codec. Wouldn’t recommend that board for 8-core use, though.^^

@maxif Hi. Now you don’t need to use this file because you can modify any BIOS you want by yourself with CoffeeTime_0.99. Anyway, the best way(the most reliable method) to flash modified BIOS file is to use a SPI programmer like CH341A. You can try to use Asus FlashBack or another software method but it probably won’t work due to the ME firmware and then behavior will be as @Skelinger said “… all fans spinning up for about half a second before stopping…”

Thanks, Im looking at it. I dont get one thing. I saw I should use test clip, clip it on bios chip and connect to that spi programmer, that clip have like 4 pins at each side but my bios chip is like 11pins from each side, will it work?

I don’t have a MIXE at Hand, but you most likely got the wrong chip. At least on the MIXH Asus’ has used the very same 2×-4-Pin-Package they (and most other mainboard manufacturers) have been using ever since. Also I would not know any BIOS ROM in a DIP22 package at all.

20210723_193440.jpg

Just for clearence, Im really looking for bios chip? If yes, than Its 100% bios chip, because bios is written on it. What chip should it be clipped at if its not this chip? It have dual bios, maybe its because of it?..

Searchresults differ for each user (if I actually use quotationmarks, my 5th hit is a 64’ Stratocaster :-D), please link to the picture directly or just post a photo of your chip.
In generally, yes, you are supposed to be looking for a BIOS ROM but your description does simply not match one.

sorry, Cant insert url directly, limit is 0. But I figured it out with attachment. You can see bios chip there.

@maxif Why use a clip if the motherboard has JSPI (SPI header)?
https://www.elmorlabs.com/forum/topic/spi-header-pinouts/

I see, I think I already know what chips it are. I will still order that clip, Its package with that bridge from that JSPI to socket on that usb programmer stick which is still needed. I was looking at wrong chip. Abbout the coffeTime, the point is to get all buttons green right? :smiley:

Thanks for the advice. Ended up not trusting my previous attempts to flash even though they appeared to work fine, picked up a CH341A (my local shop had a kit on hand). Initially got the same half second spin up issue when trying to boot. Idiotically I found my ME firmware version was too high…

9700KF is running super solid now. I think the bios programmer wasn’t actually needed as the instant flash in the UEFI seemed to work fine… I’ll try this again and see.

Thanks again.

I tryed to mod bios with asus flashBack, I somehow expacted isuues, I will wait like half month for that SPI programmer so dont want to wait that long. Problem is that it takes modified bios, install and now do tthat thing with a half second spin and turn off. I wanted to try it aggain with diferrent specs, but now It doesnt start flashing bios at all,. No matter what version I will put there. I also tryed to downgrade it to older original version but it do nothing too. Its locked or something? Broken? Can I do something now without SPI programmer?

Flashback does adhere to locked regions. So normally you can flash modified BIOS, but are stuck with unmodified descriptor leading to the described shutoff by IME. For MIXA, there is a mod which does removes this protection an thus transforms flashback into a full SPI flasher. I would guess that similiar is possible for MIXE, but i cannot say anything about the contacts involved.

Also note that, as with any SPI flashing, this will overwrite serial number, MAC, etc. with whatever is in the flash file. So one should start modding based on a full dump, which cannot be created by flashback, thus requiering some other access anyway.

P.S.: The red marked winbond chips in your added picture should contain the UEFI, the multipin chip above could be the one responsible for flashback.