[HowTo] Get full NVMe Support for all Systems with an AMI UEFI BIOS

[nidd]

Hello,

I am a total modding noob and new to this forum.

A few weeks back I started a little project when I got a gifted used Dell Inspiron 3847 from work, which I have been upgrading since with cheap parts bought from Ebay: Upgraded to Win10 pro, better CPU, silent fans, maximum amount of ram, better Nvidia graphics card. It already came with a 250GB SSD which I would now like to replace with a NVMe SSD in a PCIe 1x slot. I know the PCIe 1x slot is not optimal, but it is a fun project nevertheless.

However the firmware/bios does not support a NVMe SSD boot even with the latest bios version A11 for this Dell Inspiron 3847, which brings me here.

I have read a lot, and I found the right software “ME System Tools v9.1 r7” which matches the ME version on my mainboard with the help of HWiNFO64. And later I found the MECLR1 jumper on the mainboard to unlock the flash. Then I created a efi shell boot usb stick, which I was able to start from after disabling secure boot. And then I used the efi shell usb stick boot to dump the whole flash and also only the bios part. Also when I do fpt.efi -I now, the info of that output displays read/write access with “yes” for the different areas of the flash when the MECLR1 jumper is in the other, non default, position.

So I dumped the whole flash which results in a 8MB file and I dumped only the bios part which results in a 4MB file.

Does it matter if I work on the full flash or just the bios part of the flash as long as I would correctly write them back later for the purpose of adding nvme boot support ?

With UEFITool_0.28.0_win32 I loaded the full and just the bios part and added the nvme module NvmExpressDxe_5 after the last entry just as described in the guide.

Could somebody please be so kind to verify my work before I do the critical part and attempt to flash it back ? I hate to get it wrong after all the many hours I have put into this upgrade project. I checked the padding areas which the unmodified and the modded nvme boot version side by side, they look the same, but I do not want to chance it.

dell_inspiron_3847_firmware_full.zip (6.9 MB)
dell_inspiron_3847_only_bios.zip (4.7 MB)

For flashing the full or bios file back I will use fpt.efi -F filename or fpt.efi -F -bios filename from the efi shell usb boot stick, correct ? Which one is preferable please ?

Thanks a lot

[MeatWar]

Well, as i saw that you used the tips i gave to another user, this also applies to you in the matter of flashing mods.
Every machine has its own method difficulties to apply a mod… image modification and security usually prevents the flashing, the FPT tool has its own cmds and should learn it.
The best option is only flashing the bios region (-bios -f), avoiding tampered with the rest of the firmware regions, ME DESC GBE EC…
Now be aware that you should be prepared for anything… this mod world.
What we can check is the correct volume insertion of the NVMe DXE module, other than that is all up to the user to take risks, no one can assure you of 100% in a mod, at least me, i will never assume that to no one.
I checked your bios_region mod file and seems correctly inserted in the right volume, with original pad file still present as the original, so seems ok to flash.

[daltonfcm]

Hello! Very nice guide! Congrats!
Before try this on my MB Asus m5a97 evo rev.1.01, I need to know if the process is the same for *.ROM bios files ???

[Fernando]

@daltonfcm
Welcome to the Win-RAID Forum!
The suffix of the BIOS file doesn’t matter. Only important is, that it is an AMI UEFI one.
Good luck!
Dieter (alias Fernando)

[marlboroboy]

hello sir good evening from philippines any tutorial for asus p7h55m 1st gen lga1156?

[Koekieezz]

@marlboroboy

p7h55m

non uefi board could read these:

[Experimental] NVMe Option ROM

I’ve created a modded version of the VMware NVMe Option ROM to use memory-mapped I/O (MMIO) instead of index-data register pair (IDP) access to the device. Note that IDP is optional and is not implemented by most devices. The modded Option ROM should be compatible with all PCIe NVMe SSD’s and modern operating systems, such as Windows 10 and Linux. Please use the included OpRomCfg to configure vendor ID and device ID because other tools might damage the Option ROM. NvmeOpRom.zip (6.52 KB) Imp…

[Guide] NVMe-boot without modding your UEFI/BIOS (Clover-EFI bootloader method)

EDIT by Fernando: @all visitors of this thread: Since the thread opener Nyctophilia hasn’t been online for a very long time and his guide may not be up-to-date anymore, I recommend to read >this< additional statement written by our Forum member sibliss. Users, who have any problems or questions regarding the guide, may post them directly @sibliss until Nyctophilia is back. [image] Advantages: + Theoretically, it should work on every BIOS and UEFI. Not restricted in terms by the BIOS/UEFI-ven…

[nidd]

Hello,

today I flashed my uvme bios mod as posted earlier from within an efi usb boot stick with
fpt.efi -F -bios biosfilename
and then installed a pcie 1x nvme adapter with a new nvme ssd.
Then I did a
sc.exe config stornvme start= boot
in the old windows installation and then proceeded to
restart from a linux usb stick and copied the sata attached ssd’s data over to the nvme ssd.
Then I shut down the computer, disconnected the sata ssd and booted from the nvme ssd.
I also used the windows 10 tools to extend the windows partition on the nvme ssd.

And I am very pleased that the nvme bios mod for the Dell Inspiron 3847 works.

Thanks for all the information provided here!

[rctgamer3]

I’ve modded an ASUS B85M-E (3602) BIOS and added the v5 NVME DXE (NvmExpressDxe_5.ffs) to it.
Can someone verify if this modded file by me is safe to flash and will work to enable NVME booting?
I checked the report and generated an UEFITool diff of the original 3602 BIOS and the modded BIOS, the only difference seems to be a removed bit of free space, and the new module.
Thanks in advance, and happy holidays.

[Fernando]

@rctgamer3
Welcome to the Win-RAID Forum!
I have compared the content of your modded BIOS with the content of the original one and didn’t find any mistake.
So the modded BIOS is ready to be flashed. Please read the chapter about ASUS mainboards within the startpost of >this< thread.
Good luck!
Dieter (alias Fernando)

[pietro]

Thank you for acceptance to the forum. Sorry, does the BIOS update v2203 for the P8Z77-M motherboard include NVMe support? A few days ago I bought Kingston K3000. I put it in the computer on adaptor to PCIe slot. However, only Windows sees it, because I cloned my system drive to it (Macrium Reflect).

my comp P8Z77-M, i3-3240, AMI 1708v. 2012-11-09, 8DDR3, Win11 22621.900.

[Fernando]

@pietro
Welcome to the Win-RAID Forum!
The latest BIOS 2203, which is offered by ASUS for the P8Z77-M mainboard, doesn’t contain any NVMe EFI module (I just have checked it). That is why you are not able to boot off it.
My advice: Look into the start post of this thread and simply follow my Guide. It is much easier than you may think.
If you should not be able or willing to do the required BIOS modification yourself, please start a new “Request” thread within >this< Forum section.
Good luck!
Dieter (alias Fernando)

[CRabHead]

Hi there , i was trying to make a MSI B85M-G43 NVME Mod (I know that there is a supposed mod for it but its actually for the B85-G43 version), and the padding thing is missing. Im attaching a screenshot here for reference (top NOT modded, bottom MODDED)

also the bios file uses some weird format called “390”. i saved the file and it showed up as “(biosversionblahblah).390**.rom**”. should i be worried about the .rom thing ?

[MeatWar]

Yes read the guide again related to the pad file verification and methods used. File name can be simply renamed as this is no relevant issue, the pad IS.

EDIT: Try open your eyes a bit more…

Step 2 - BIOS modification (2 alternative Methods):
c) Verification of the successful insertion…

[CRabHead]

Could you provide me the guide related to the pad files? this guide only says to report the issue here.

[CRabHead]

i might be blind (probably i am) but i dont see any solutions than just the cause (wrong bios configuration). If my bios config is wrong or something what am i supposed to do ???

[MeatWar]

Thats why theres 2 methods to do the mod… AMI MMtool and UEFI tool (This is one also to compare)

3 tools to use AMI MMtool 4.x, UEFI tool 0.25 or 0.28, one of then will work and preserve the original pad-file in the mod file.

[Ovec]

Hello, another blind guy here!
I was trying to mod my Gigabyte H81M-S2H. And I stumbled upon something odd, so I just want to confirm it’s alright.
I modded latest bios from Gigabyte website.
When I used the MMTool, it said the “big” version exceeds the volume size (for both “as is” and “compressed” FFS options). The small version went through though. But when I verified it using UEFItool, I found one pad-file missing.

Then I tried modding the file using UEFItool, followed the instruction, inserted the small version, verified again - the pad-file was missing again. Tried both UEFItool 0.28 and 0.25.1, same results.

The odd thing is… I also tried to insert the “big” version using both UEFItool versions and it didn’t say any warnings about size (like the MMtool did). And when I verified the final files, the pad-files seems to be in correct places.

Could this last “variant” be actually ok?

[MeatWar]

You’re excused from this “blind” group…for now, still…

Ok do it again with MMTool 4.x and the small variant, but first remove some DXE
https://winraid.level1techs.com/t1988f16-file-size-exceeds-the-volume-size-while-inserting-NvmeExpressDxE-compr.html#msg27981