Hi everyone, as resquest I’ll offer this modded bios for improved performance and testing. Everything works well, I flashed this bios using the USB Flashback feature, other methods don’t work. These are the updated features:
- AMD CPU updated microcodes (F41, FA0, F20). (Thanks to Plutomaniac). - Updated AGESA module to ver. 1.5.0.7 - ASmedia 106x OROM to ver. 0.97 (can be updated to ver. 0.951 or ver. 3.80 with UBU, thanks to SonicX and CodeRush). Is up to you what module version fits best. - AMD RAID 4392 to ver. 3.3.1540.19 - AMD RAID 4393 to ver. 3.3.1540.19 - AMD EFI RAID to ver. 1.0.0.49 - AMD EFI Utility to ver. 1.0.0.49 - INTEL LAN PXE OROM to ver. 1.5.81 (Boot Agent GE) - EFI INTEL PRO/1000 to ver. 7.3.20 - Inserted two M.2 SSD boot modules: SAMSUNG_M2_DXE & NVMeExpressDxE (For Samsung SM951 AHCI and NVME versions).
PD: I have included the MOD2 Bios wich only changes the ASmedia 106X OROM to ver. 3.80, (for the lazy people that don’t want to use UBU) to test if it has better performance than ver. 0.97. I discovered that the ASmedia OROMs 0.97 and 3.80 don’t show at post when are enabled, the Intel OROM too. So, I’ll include another MOD Bios with ASmedia OROM 0.951 for you to test it. I think a device has to be connected (HDD, SSD, Modem) upon the OROM to show at post.
ULTIMATE BIOS MOD
Hello guys, long time has passed. Now, I’ll offer this ULTIMATE modded Bios with the following updates: -Added the AMD AHCI module v3.3.2.0 to improve boot times. -Updated the NvmExpressDxE to ver. 2 for better M.2 SSD compatibility (Thanks to Fernando). -ASmedia 106x OROM to ver. 3.80 -INTEL LAN PXE OROM to ver. 1.5.84 -EFI INTEL PRO/1000 to ver. 7.4.36 No updated at this time: The AMD microcodes are the same as the 2016-03-16 latest Debian package, no newer AGESA module in the latest manufacturer bios (keep searching). The other modules in the UBU data base as the v1.69.2, except the LAN modules. PD: You will get a faster start-up with this Bios (AMD AHCI module), that’s why I called it “Ultimate”. I’ll update the ULTIMATE bios with the latest NVME module #3 and remove the AMD RAID module 4392 (not needed, because the 4393 is newer and faster) to save space. Done, enjoy!!
Regards!!
EDIT by Fernando: Title customized (now matching the other offers)
If you find this topic helpful and wish to make a donation, you can do it to this Paypal account: [email protected] ; thank you Here’s the file:
Thx i will let you know how it works out. It works great!! Putting back O.S. thrue boot usb did not work. So i had to boot up using normal SSD. And put O.S. on M.2 samsung evo 960. But besides that everything went great. Is booting form M.2 like a rocket. Thanks so much to the creator of this mod.
M.2 Crosshair V Formula-Z mod bios it works great!!
Also, for someone interested to update the ASmedia 1042A USB controller I’ll post the latest firmware (140124_10_10_04), thanks to Fernando for dumping it and Staveley to fix its size. This mobo has 3 ASM1042A USB controller chips, with current firmware 130704_10_02_01. This update helps with file transfer speeds, you have to create a bootable USB stick drive or SD card (for DOS) and paste the contents of this file. Then, you just run the included bat file to upgrade your firmware (u.bat to update & d.bat to check the firmware).
Here’s the file:
Edit: Don’t forget to disconnect all your USB devices (except your USB pen drive) before flashing…
Thanks, I’m grateful that this Bios works as I planned. Also, is good to know it works with other M.2 SSDs than Samsung SM951 (original plan), I’ll maintain updated this Bios with new module updates and microcodes when they appear in the future. As I understand, you used your already installed WIN10 on SATAIII SSD, and ran the WIN10 DVD (ISO) to install it on M.2 Samsung 960 EVO, right. So, what PCIe slot did you use, the x4 or the x8?, What PCIe card?, Did you install it in UEFI or Legacy?. I think you used this PCIe card with heatsink included:
PD: I encourage all people that have downloaded this Bios to share their results in this post, specially a test with M.2 AHCI SSD (boot, loading times, speed, etc…). Thank you!!
Good marks Transcend, it’s the fastest M.2 SSD NVME from the Samsung’s line. Off course bottlenecked by the PCIe 2.0 limitation, if this mobo has PCIe 3.0 support, I’m sure it will reach 3300 MB/s read and 2500 MB/s write, the maximum performance this drive offers. Anyway, I’m glad you used the PCIe 16x (videocard reserved), I 'd have used too, but I have a dual card SLI config installed, so I have to use the PCIe 4x slot the only available in my mobo.
PD: I have tested the AHCI ver. of Samsung SM951, and confirm that it’s working. The Bios dectects it in the boot menu with full device name and Windows boot manager too, wherever I choose it boots smooth and fast. I followed the excellent guide by Fernando, I’m going to show you how this guide applies to this board bios soon. In the meantime I’ll test the NVME version too, to get both ver. fully supported by this bios.
Update: I finally tested the SM951 NVME and is slightly better than the AHCI version. I’ll post the resulting benchmark…
Ok guys, let’s start this guide to install Win10 on Samsung SM951 (AHCI/NVME). This guide is specially for this MOBO’s Bios and applies to every M.2 SSD again AHCI or NVME using a PCIe x4 adapter card: - First create a bootable USB stick with the tool Rufus, select GPT partition for UEFI, FAT32 file system, and create a bootable disk using an ISO image (select the WIN10 ISO). (Note: you have to re-check these settings, because when you select the ISO file, RUFUS changes them and you have to set them again).
-Choose the following settings in Bios boot menu: Dissable Fast boot, in CSM tap select Boot device control to UEFI only, boot from storage device to UEFI driver first, and boot from PCIe/PCI to UEFI driver first. The CSM has to be enabled all the time. You have to disconnect all your other SATA drives, a better way is simply disable them in advanced settings=>Sata Configuration=>OnChip SATA Channel=>DISABLED. Next time you can enable it after the OS installation. - In Secure boot tap select OS type to Windows UEFI mode. Then in Boot Override select the UEFI USB Stick you connected to the system.
-Boot from the USB stick and when the OS installs and shows the partition allocated, delete the drive’s original partition and install a new one choosing “new”. Then continue the OS installation, you’ll get a bootable M.2 SSD with WIN10 installed. After that you can customise the Bios settings changed before, it doesn’t matter if it’s Legacy or UEFI mode; the drive boots only if you choose “Windows boot manager: (Drive model)”, first in boot priority. Enjoy…
Update: I have tested the SM951 NVME version, but the Bios recognizes it as "PATA SS" and "Windows Boot Manager". Only selecting the Windows Boot Manager the drive boots normally.
I signed up just to say thank you for your work on this, finding and modding my own BIOS for this has been a nightmare I’ve been working with for the last two weeks. This method works and works well. And the instructions are very clear. I hope this reaches up in the google rankings because It took me sometime to find it.
Like Transcend I have the identical: ASUS HYPER M.2 X4 and Evo 960 250 GB’s, here is my Crystal Diskmark: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CrystalDiskMark 5.2.0 x64 (C) 2007-2016 hiyohiyo Crystal Dew World : http://crystalmark.info/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MB/s = 1,000,000 bytes/s [SATA/600 = 600,000,000 bytes/s] * KB = 1000 bytes, KiB = 1024 bytes
Thanks StFenix, I hope you enjoy this new performance level with M.2 drives. This topic is based on Samsung M.2 SSDs, but I’m curious if this Bios works with other brand’s models (Intel, Corsair, Patriot, OCZ, Kingston, Plexor, Toshiba, etc…). If someone has one of those M.2 drives, let me know showing your results here in this topic. I hear that these Samsung modules work with other brands, I just want to confirm it.
Happy new year!! First some questions, do you updated the Bios?, do you follow the OS install instructions?. Also, do you changed the Bios settings as I recommended. I tell you this because if you changed the settings, your drive has to appear at the boot tap in Bios, if so you can install the OS and make it bootable.
Ok, thanks Yeemaster3. I haven’t tried this method, but I think it could work if you update and change the Bios settings and put your DVD-rom to boot first in boot priority, then after OS install you can change it to boot your Intel M.2 drive first as Windows boot manager.
Ok Sentinel, probably the NVMeExpressDXE doesn’t detect the Patriot drives. I’ll update this Bios with the latest NVMeExpressDXE (from CLOVER) customized & provided by Fernando, this new NVMe module offers better compatibility and performance. This could help the Bios to detect your drive, give it a try…
Here’s the file, let me know your results:
PD: I’ll encourage everyone to try this new Bios for such improvements, and use benchmarks to test its performance compared to the other Bios posted in this topic.
