MSI Z87-GD65 "Unlock" hidden BIOS Options

@June_Da_Pek - on TDP, change those values, and see if anything changes at AIDA64 (Change to more, and change to less than you see at AIDA64, for test, to see if actuallly any changes are applying or not).
If not, more or less, doesn’t change this, then I will look, maybe some hidden setting at debug is locking this to that amount, or some other related setting you still can’t see that I need to make visible for you.

I am sorry, but for these TDP, thermal/wattage controls etc, I can’t really advise on what works, what doesn’t, how to change or set anything, I don’t use any of that so don’t know myself.
I do know how to make BIOS settings visible though, so if anything missing from above area I will fix for you, thanks for images. Any setting or submenu you see missing in BIOS vs AMIBCP at new Advanced area let me know

Here is BIOS with un-grayed Intel TXT And, while doing, I see some TDP & related settings were also still hidden from you, please let me know if you see them now (if any gray, or still missing, it’s OK, let me know and I will fix!)
Unsuppress Intel TXT Setting (Fixed from Edit #1) + Add Configurable TDP Level, Config TDP LOCK at same Page (Advanced >> CPU Config)
Add following at Advanced >> Performance Tuning >> CPU Config
PP0 Power Lock Enable
PP0 Power Limit Enable
PP0 Power Limit(1/8 Watt)
PP1 Power Lock Enable
PP1 Power Limit Enable
PP1 Power Limit(1/8 Watt)

http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil…949111975469448

Could also be, maybe always off/wrong, due to you are using mobile CPU on desktop? Maybe something we can’t fix, some internal CPU coding for mobile is missing/different than desktop
That, or mobile CPU silicon has internal locks/different things relating to this to not let it go so high or it would melt laptop (maybe you can’t change, even in desktop, due to set in silicon)

I try the new version just now, and I am sure that TXT option is optional,but it can not be saved. I mean when I set it to “enable” and save then restart to BIOS,the option is always “disable” like the pic
For TDP issues,I don’t see
PP0 Power Lock Enable
PP0 Power Limit Enable
PP0 Power Limit(1/8 Watt)
PP1 Power Lock Enable
PP1 Power Limit Enable
PP1 Power Limit(1/8 Watt) in Advanced >> Performance Tuning >> CPU Config, and it is also unable to unlock the TDP lock

In this pic,the 1st option can not be saved,when saved and exit, it will be reduction.The options “Power Limit value (watt)” to “Power Limit 2 value (watt)” is can be read correctly by AIDA64, but cannot be executed correctly.The options “1~4 Core Ratio Limit” cannot be saved,Its value depends on the “CPU Ratio” option from “OC” homepage,when the value from OC homepage is Auto,then the “1~4 Core Ratio Limit” will depend on the default value of CPU.

PS:I think maybe we should to update the ME FW to 9.1.37.1002_1.5MB_PRD_RGN ? I am sure this version can run well in this mainboard.

@June_Da_Pek - OK, thanks for letting me know, this means needs changed at debug and or NVRAM too (this will remain enabled, hope that is what you want)?
Yes, it’s set to disabled in debug (maybe NVRAM too, didn’t check until you confirm you want enabled, then i will set enabled everywhere).
May also be stuck due to your CPU may not support that function, could be why it goes back to disabled. Do you know if your CPU supports it for sure, or not?
That (CPU = mobile) may also be why TDP Package setting wont stay what you set too.

For the other settings, thanks, looks like they also need set access level in AMIBCP too (didn’t do last time thinking may not be required).
You can do that, or I can if you want? Let me know. If you do it, pick two of those settings and set one to user and one to supervisor, and see which shows up in BIOS, then you know, set rest to one that works.

Core ratio settings, that is normal, you can’t set higher than main core value, and some CPU’s you can’t set only what is allowed by Intel CPU designed.
I am not a pro at “Settings” I can only do BIOS modifications, I can’t really help advise what settings work with what hardware, what doesn’t work, what you can/can’t set, what you can/can’t use, I can only make settings available to you.
I think, probably, 99% of the issues you are having here are due to using a mobile CPU on desktop BIOS. Get a desktop CPU and problems will be MUCH less for you.

Highest ME FW you can have is already there 9.0.31.1487 - see warning for 8 Series and FW 9.0-9.1 here in middle of info area at Section B
Intel Management Engine: Drivers, Firmware & System Tools

Let me know, if you want me to make the AMIBCP changes about PP0/PP1 settings, or you can do it? And, if you wnt TXT hard enabled, let me know, I will do.
If you do go ahead with AMIBCP PP0/PP1 access level test changes, let me know which one works (User/Super) and I will make those changes too when i do the next Intel TXT edit.

Please help me to do those operating what you mentioned,cause I may not understand you correctly, my native language is not English, my English is very poor T^T
I don’t know anything about NVRAM,It has very little information in Chinese forum…but I am sure that all 49xxhq CPUs supported Intel TXT, I test it in my another Colorful H87 mainboard.And I am also sure that ME FW 9.1 can run well in Z87 GD65.
In fact ,I don’t understand what “pick two of those settings and set one to user and one to supervisor” means = = which 2 settings ?
Please help me to do those operating T^T

OK, I can do. What I meant for you to maybe do was AMIBCP changes, I assumed / thought you’ve used AMIBCP before to change “Access Level” to User or Supervisor.
That is all you need to do now on the PO0 / PP1 type settings. And this is what I means about “Pick two” As example, below I “picked two” As in choose two settings for initial test, to see which setting (User or Supervisor) allow you to see the option in BIOS
Or you can just do one setting, make two BIOS, one with User set on setting, and second BIOS with Supervisor set on same setting. I mentioned to do two settings at once, with different setting applied, because it’s easier and quicker, you only edit one BIOS to test two things at once (User and Super, which shows in BIOS)

PP0 Power Lock Enable << Set Access Level >> User
PP0 Power Limit Enable << Set Access Level >> Supervisor

Then flash BIOS, boot to BIOS, and see which one of the above setting you see. Once you know user/super which one works, set the others that are missing all to same one user or super.
I can do for you if you want, don’t worry if you still don’t understand what I mean.

NVRAM edits, yes, I assumed I would need to do those for you. Those kind of edit very hard to explain too, sometime I need to make a guide about NVRAM editing

Your English is OK, at least what you write to me is OK, but yes I know maybe you don’t always understand what I write to you, it’s OK

So, you confirm Intel TXT and that CPU, functions properly in your other board? If yes, OK, I can force it enabled. How do you check this function is working in windows, does HWINFO64 show it enabled as a CPU feature?

ME 9.1 may run fine on Z87 chipset, but you can’t insert it into BIOS safely due to this BIOS was not made for 9.1. I linked you to the warnings and issues that causes.

Oh,I fully understand what you said right now,but I still think I need you help on modify the BIOS,cause maybe I can not fully understand the guide to upadating ME FW …
I want to know something about NVRAM…
And I am really really sure this CPU’s TXT can running very well,CPUz will show me if it will work (On CPU-z >> CPU >> Instruckions)
So…can you help me to make 2 version BIOS’ with ME 9.0 and ME 9.1 ?

ME FW is already up to date to latest you can use. Here is quoted warning from the page I linked you to about this


On Intel TXT, so you see this option working in CPUz with your other board and this exact CPU model and stepping? If yes, OK, I will force to Enabled at all areas+NVRAM too.

OK,I know it.
I am sure, and please help me to do that about NVRAM

@June_Da_Pek - Please test first, which of these do you see (PP0 Power Lock Enable) or (PP0 Power Limit Enable)? at Advanced >> Performance Tuning >> CPU Config
If still neither, it’s OK, I will send you new package with more to try until we find correct method to make visible. Then I will do rest all at once + Intel TXT / NVRAM-All
https://ufile.io/vc6fh0xq

I see those 2 options about PP0 at Advanced >> Performance Tuning >> CPU Config

You see both now?? But you didn’t before, correct? that is odd, should only one show up, but I guess maybe either method works OK

Yes,I see both of them.
For the previous version,maybe I need to change back to the previous version to confirm it again?

OK, thanks for confirming. You don’t need to check back to other version, you posted images at #22 and neither was there, so it’s OK, both ways will work of what I did this time so I can use either one.

* Edit - @June_Da_Pek - Here, please test, if Intel TXT still auto-disabled on reboot, then you will need to send me FPT BIOS region dump so I can edit entire NVRAM and send back to you for FPT BIOS region reflash.
https://ufile.io/bn1n44nf

I think… you should teach me how to send you the FPT BIOS region dump… It doesn’t work,still auto-disable after reboot…
And I think we had a mistake on this plan,Intel controll the Instruction Set via microcode.I did a modify on my H87,and I set Enable on Intel TXT ,CPU-z will sow me TSX was supported in Instruction area after reboot ,
Some old news reported Intel update the microcode to fix some bugs about TSX,the update will imprison TSX. I mean maybe we should to confirm the version of microcode…

OK, thanks. Then yes, maybe we need to dump via FPT and reflash via FPT, so I can mod the entire NVRAM. If that does not work, then you CPU does not support this, or there is some hardware needed for that on this board that’s missing.
Yes, you may need to be using a certain microcode, I assume latest would be fine, not some older one. Not sure what we did about microcodes, but if you wanted me to put in some older one, then that may be the issue with this.
Lets do that before doing the FPT stuff, in case it’s not necessary. Please link me to the BIOS you used on the H87 board, and I will check what microcode is there.

I checked back, microcode in current BIOS for your CPU is latest for 40661 CPUID (rev 1B), shown on page one, post #7

The file what I used for modify :
microcode https://ufile.io/6872v5lo
full binary https://ufile.io/hcehiga3

I don’t need microcodes. Please give me the BIOS only, that you used and tested TXT on H87 with, that worked. Or, just tell me what microcode you put in there, if you modified it (What revision of 40661 microcode)?
Never mind, i checked your all.bin file, it’s rev 12 from 2014. Maybe there is a bug in latest revision I used, or Intel blocked something now, that wasn’t blocked back in 2014?
Please wait, I will re-edit late BIOS I sent you with this microcode

It’s 40661 ver12,I used to put it in Z87 mainboard ,but the TXT is also doesn’t work

I think we should probably try other versions of the BIOS,cause I found ver15 can set different CPU ratio for each cores,then maybe old version BIOS can enable the TXT… MSI is so difficul…

Yes, I see that is revision. You said this revision works with H87 board, but not Z87 (This board, or some other)? Did you put it into last BIOS I sent you, or you wait on me to do that?

Yes,I put it into last BIOS you sent to me.