[OFFER] MSi Z68A-GD65 (G3) Bios Mod (fully updated)

BIOS/UEFI Modding Offers: Already modded special BIOSes
1

Hello, after all the experience i did with my Z68A-GD65, this post might be useful if someone needs it (since i dont find such a particular way i wanted), this is the bios i created with the knowledge from this forum.

What included is just NVMExpressDxe5 and Samsung_M2_DXE for samsung ahci, also the latest Intel ME 8.1.70.1590. Why not update all the microcode and stuff? cause of the padding. any padding removed = poof corrupt. is NVMExpressDxe5 and Samsung_M2_DXE for samsung ahci, Updated Uefi GOP for Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge iGPU, Updated Realtek OROM and UNDI DXE, and mCode for Ivy Bridge to mCode 19 (best for OC) (Just found a way to update all of them without Corrupting/Removing the Padding, so Padding is the same 1:1 as stock bios). Just flash this bios and DONT update bios+me (if you’re from bios 25.6) because it would corrupt your bios. If you want to Fully Update the module 1:1, you could use Intel FPT to flash it.

Best way to flash it is by downgrading to bios P.1 and flash it via m.flash (the very first bios for ivy bridge support), then update it to bios only 25.6, then do Bios+ME update using the same 25.6 bios after updating to 25.6 bios, so that backup bios would also be updated (cause if you dont have 2nd gen cpu or ch341a/b programmer you’re doomed if bios mod flash fail), then update to my modded bios only (do not use bios+me update as it will corrupt the bios). You could update it manually using intel fwupdate for the ME.

In case bios fail but you did update to 25.6 from P.1, and re update using Bios+Me option with the same 25.6 then the board would be able to boot from ivy bridge cpu since the backup bios are now on me 8.1 (stock backup bios is me 7 which doomed me to buy a pentium g630 XD) with the bios LED blinking.

GUIDE TO UPDATE BOTH DUAL BIOS (Might work for other MSi “GD” series motherboard if bios update only update 1st bios chip)

WARNING: MAKE SURE 2nd BIOS IS NOT USED.

Bios LED Indicator:
No Blink = Main Bios is used
Blink 1 per second = Main bios failed/corrupted, and now 2nd Bios currently used
Solid LED= Both bios failed

  1. Update to the bios and me that have bios+me update option (in this case for Z68A-GD65, bios 25.6)

  2. Now that both bios updated, purposely corrupt the main bios (while it’s using main bios, just try to update and power off the pc while it’s updating/in progress)

  3. Now that 1st bios let the board use 2nd bios (led blinking in a normal pace)

  4. after all booting normally, do not enable “Multi Bios Auto Update”, just proceed to update the bios to the latest (Bios only, no bios+me)

  5. After success, update to the modded bios (must not be corrupt), and then go to bios again to set the settings you did

  6. Boot up to windows (make sure led bios is still blinking as it’s the indicator of the board using 2nd bios), update the ME using intel fwupd, reboot to windows again, then dump the bios using intel fptw.

  7. reboot to bios, and then enable “Multi Bios Auto Update”, save and reset/reboot, let the backup bios recover the main bios

  8. once everything complete, main bios is used (dual bios led not blingking) go to intel fptw and flash the backup bios dump you did earlier, and dont forget to do -greset on intel fptw after flashing complete

Congrats, both bios now have NVMe modded bios + latest intel me, since you did flash the bios modded bios and update the ME using 2nd bios by corruping the 1st bios, dumped the 2nd bios infos, and flash it to 1st bios while manually updating the ME cause bios+me option for modded bios is wack. Enjoy :smiley:

EDIT: Sorry for alot of edit, i was in rush to do final exam on college while writing this, wml :stuck_out_tongue:

Update, using Clean bios instead of my own dump:
E7681IMSMOD.rar (5.3 MB)

Edit by Fernando: Thread title shortened

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Update:

  • Microcode Updated (mCode 19 for Ivy Brdge, mCode 28 for Sandy Bridge)
  • GOP Updated
  • Network OROM and UEFI Updated
  • Intel ME Updated to Latest

Bios Dumped from my Z68A GD65 G3, so it should be safe to flash, as long as Intel FPT is used for flashing (use -greset after flashing, and dont forget to reset CMOS or restore default after you could go to bios after flashing). Bios uploaded above now came from clean bios and modded, no pad file destroyed, so it’s not my personal bios, safe to use (flash all region with just -f on intelfpt).

3

Update: Found Beta Bios 25.93B, for those who want to try, i provide the very same mods as the 25.8 ones on this beta bios:
BetaBiosMod.rar (5.1 MB)

Flash with intel fpt to update all region, this is a clean bios not initialized/dumped ones.

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Update:
This should be the latest update i ever done. Both for 25.8 and 25.9B3 included in the file.

  • OROM VBios SNB-IVB: v2171
  • TRIM mod Intel RaidDriver v12.9.0.2006 + >“Universally TRIM modified” Intel RST(e) RAID ROM v12.9.0.2006 with TRIM in RAID0 support

Z68AGD65G3 LatestMOD P80+P93.rar (7.0 MB)

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@Koekieezz

Hi
I also have the same mb as yours, and it still works more than well.
Today I was trying to install a nmve using the free pcie slot on the mobo, but the result was not good at all.

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/Z68AGD65_G3/support#driver

Searching I came here to your post. Could you give me some assistance?
After the modding is it possible to boot from a nvme mounted in the pcie?

regards

6

@Bepi
Welcome to the Win-Raid Forum!
If you want help from a specific supporter, you should use the @username feature.
Good luck!

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@Fernando

Thank you for the information, im new and a bit confused from all these new info that i read about firmware. :slight_smile:

8

After having flashed the modded BIOS you should be able to boot off an NVMe SSD.
Within the start post of >this< thread you can find a guide about how to do it (look into “Step 4”).

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9

@Fernando

thank you for this information, im looking at it.

Is it sure to mod a bios? or you can have some issues later?

Also im discovering a new world here. :slight_smile:

Maybe is it possible resolve some issues? I have the white sata ports 1-2 that dont find nothing if I put a ssd drive there. They are white colorful, so i meant thats the raid one.

immagine
immagine1059Ă—386 36.2 KB

I appreciate your help

thank you

10

So you’re not here cause of NVMe mod itself, all you have is disk detection issues with your 2.5" SSD on the SATA Ports, correct?

The “white” SATA ports supports standard 6Gbps AHCI or RAID mode by the Z68 chipset, for single disk boot set it to AHCI in bios.
Check SATA cables or the ports for pin isolation, these are old boards and moisture/dust can be an issue, if the disk itself is OK and tested in another system.
The Marvel ports only supports disk drives, not ODD and can also provide ACHI or RAID.

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@MeatWar

hello , thank you for your reply,

to tell the truth i’m here mainly because of the NVMe issue, the pc although old now, is still my main pc, since i have so many disks and strangely the two ports 1-2 don’t work for me, i’ve been looking for a pcie adapter to put a m2 disk in it. Obviously nothing works

I will try with an air compressor to blow the dust off the sata ports, to see if by some miracle they work again.

Now I would also like to do the bios change, to use the new m2 drive, but at first glance it seems like a non-trivial operation, which needs a bit of study.

All help is welcome. :slight_smile:

thank you

12

To flash the bios only just flash it as usual using M-Flash, just don’t use Bios+ME option.

It is recommended to downgrade to bios P1 (the very first release that supports ivy bridge), update it to 25.6 (use bios option only), and update again using the same 25.6 bios you just use for updating, but this time using Bios+ME option, to make sure that backup bios is updated, so that in case anything bios related fails, the backup bios is ivy bridge ready.

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13

@Koekieezz

HI,
My bios is currently this

immagine
immagine836Ă—250 49.7 KB

if I understood the procedure correctly using the bios tool

immagine

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/Z68AGD65_G3/support#bios

It is recommended to downgrade to bios P1 (the very first release that supports ivy bridge), update it to 25.6 (use bios option only), and update again using the same 25.6 bios you just use for updating, but this time using Bios+ME option,

I do not understand which one to use precisely

    • 25.6 2012-08-16
    • P.1 2012-04-16

is the difference from my current one so great that I have to downgrade? or just a risk of failure of the upgrade?

(use bios option only) … but this time using Bios+ME option,

is this for writing to both bios? having an emergency one

once I am sure I have two working bios, which one should I try to load out of all the ones you posted?

  1. E7681IMSMOD.rar (5.3 MB)

  2. BetaBiosMod.rar (5.1 MB)

  3. Z68AGD65G3 LatestMOD P80+P93.rar (7.0 MB)

thank you for help

14

the downgrade to P.1 is necessary to make the dual bios actual getting updated, it needs a trigger and based on my past test, it is indeed the trigger, but if you find any alternative to trigger both dual bios update, please let us know.

As per why? Because even if you know your main bios is the latest, you never know if your 2nd bios is actually still shipped with old non ivybridge bios, or it is already hve, because i bought the board and it does have the latest bios, BUT the 2nd bios is the old ones, so i need to buy a cheap pentium sandy bridge to boot onto it using the backup bios.

If you do actually understand the logic of my steps, it’ll be great, the point is, the way i did it like that is to make sure that 2nd bios is actually flashed with the modded bios without the need of external programmer. If both bios chips are flashed using the update method that triggers it, you could purposely fail the flash of main bios, and then when the board start, the LED near the bios chip should be blinking, which indicates that 2nd bios is on use.

When 2nd bios is on use, immidiately go into bios, disable Multi Bios Auto Update option so that whenever your 1st bios fails the 2nd bios will be in use instead of reflashing the 1st bios using the 2nd bios data.

Want both of your bios using the mod? repeat the same steps, but this time stop at step 5. while 2nd bios is in use (make sure LED near bios chip is blinking) and you could enter the bios, still disable multi bios auto update, then you update the bios with the mod, and after it finishes, boot to windows if you need to update the ME Firmware, if you dont, you just need to either adjust your personal non OC settings or adjust everything including oc, save and exit and go to bios again, enable Multi Bios Auto Update, and your 2nd bios will copy all of its content to 1st bios, there you go both of your bios udpated and modded and else.

The third is the latest one.

1 Like
15

@Koekieezz

If you do actually understand the logic of my steps, it’ll be great,

I understood what you did, it is a very smart solution to overcome the limitations of the system itself.
but isn’t there another way to actually select which bios to use?
I would prefer to have a modded bios, and a vanilla one so that I can always revert to the original if needed.

Here on the site I found a lot of things to read, even technical things, to understand. Reading your post you said you also updated other parts of the bios.

I understood that the nmve driver is added , but besides that what do you update? if indeed you need to update anything.

s NVMExpressDxe5 and Samsung_M2_DXE for samsung ahci, Updated Uefi GOP for Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge iGPU, Updated Realtek OROM and UNDI DXE, and mCode for Ivy Bridge to mCode 19 (best for OC)

all these elements, which I honestly don’t know what exactly it is about.

thank you.

16

Well it’s (cmiiw)
UEFI GOP = the Graphics Output Protocol driver for the igpu
Realtek OROM and DXE = the ROM driver and DXE driver or realtek to be able to operate on uefi or legacy/csm
mCode = microcode, i put the best microcode for overclocking.

if you need the latest microcode i might be able to replace it, also the realtek orom and dxe is abit outdated, but it was on purpose because when i try to save any settings it just wont save, return to an old one and it worked like a charm, but if you want to experiment, i could replace the modules to the latest version 2.70 OROM and 2.066 UEFI, as per now i didn’t have the board as it is broken internally, due to age i guess, but yeah that were my discoveries back then.

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@Koekieezz

hello, thank you for your answers.

So my mb has always had a curious problem, it does not accept in any way to boot from hdd/ssd if it is set in ahci mode. It only works in ide. I had read at the time that it was a bug. Never fixed perhaps. Or is it my sample that doesn’t work.
Day before yesterday, I got the nvme adapter and plugged it into the pcie, and windows10 was unable to see the drive, I had a driver that I tried hard to update to see if it worked, but to no avail. I removed the adapter.
I was reading here on the forum that at the very least, it should see it as a non boot disk.

I saw that on the msi site, you requested the latest firmware available for the platform. I was thinking if I used that firmware version, modded with the nvme drivers, will I be able to boot the drive? starting with the drivers of the version I currently have installed, without downgrading.
I would like the safest possible procedure because I don’t want to break the motherboard.

I’m seeing a lot of videos talking about it, I’ve also seen videos where they use an alternative bootloader , clover.

What are your thoughts on that?

regards

18

I vaguely remember that it was an issue to me too, but i used the latest bios (which i mod after) and latest beta bios, i could let it work on ahci mode… Seagate barracuda 1TB (old model from 2013 i use till today, formatted into GPT and did a clean install with my 850 Pro (both drives are gpt) ), and team mp34 i tested just before the board broke down.

You could maybe try to use either of both bios mod to see if it’s working or not.

But i want to ask you this, is your gpu UEFI compatible? I remember having a hard time to figure out which is which, but i am able to use full uefi and ahci mode on the board as far as i remember, or maybe auto? I kind of forget about it… Sorry :pray:

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@Koekieezz

my gpu is a 1060 extreme , i was wondering but after how long did your mb break down? wasn’t the beta bios to fault?

I would still like to use this PC as a mule :slight_smile: when I decide to buy another one. I am attached to it. At the moment it is also giving me problems with a new ssd from crucial, since I installed it it gives me continuous bsods.

As soon as I try to enable ahci, it won’t boot.

(both drives are gpt)

part of the problem is that if I format in that way, the system does not see the drives. Not even USB sticks.

My plan would be to use the latest beta bios, or perhaps the 25.8 I currently have, with nvme drivers and see if it finally recognises my m.2 drive

20

It was on 2022, probably 3-4 month after i post this, and no the beta bios is perfectly fine, in fact i ran the beta bios XD.

I suddenly remember that it happened due to the Marvell sata ports is in fact the problem (wont do AHCI). You could disable the Marvell sata port (i forgot which option is that, maybe Settings → Advanced → Integrated Peripherals → External SATA). the thing is, that marvell sata port causes it. When i disable those, i am able to launch AHCI and Full UEFI.

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