[Request] Asus P9x79 BIOS with NVMe support

Thxs for your feedback Gents! @MeatWar & @hancor

My goal is to avoid reinstalling a new OS and all the software install hustle that goes with it (on an offline PC). Thus the win7 OS migration is my goal.

I sure I did install hotfixes for win7 prior to cloning:
Windows6.1-KB2990941-x64.msu and windows6.1-kb3087873-v2-x64.msu

I even tried out the Samsung NVM Express Driver 3.3 + the data migration tool that goes with it (I am using a EVO 970 PLUS)

But I can not boot after various cloning attempts (AOMEI Backupper):

  • Disk Clone from MBR to GPT
  • Disk Clone from GPT to GPT
  • System Clone from MBR to GPT

Also for each clone attempt I tried the set the CSM BIOS parameter “Boot from PCI-E/PCI Expansion Devices” to “UEFI driver first” (while “Boot Device Control” is set to “UEFI and Legacy OPROM”, “Boot from Storage Devices” set to “Both, UEFI first” and “Secure Boot” on “Windows UEFI mode”)
But not much success either…

Here are my boot options:

I must be missing something to make Win7 UEFI ready but don’t see what.
Any tips would help, thxs!

Eventually I did update my win7 to win10 and was able to keep my program installed and runnin’.
Hats down to you guys @hancor, @Fernando and All from WinRAID Forum for prolonging the life of our hard earned PC hardware with modern performances. You rock.
Best!

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Should just note that it’s easier to use a samsung nvme drive vs crucial (which would need the bootloader software)… my crucial couldn’t work properly even with the bootloader option offered… so, I bought a samsung 970 that addressed the issue and is now working no problem and no need to mess with the bootloader stuff

@cobra11murderer
Im not sure what you’re talking about here, a boot loader is used when the user doesn’t want to mod and flash the bios with the NVMe mod, like Clover for ex. that can load the DXE NVMe driver.
Now if you’re talking of a Boot Rom, the 970 EVO also doesnt have one, as long i can remember, only the 950 Pro and for this model, bios mod is not an obligation.
Anyway, glad you succeed

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sorry when I meant boot loader I mean using something like clover to boot… for the crucial p5 plus no matter what you did it would freeze the system… I flashed the other bios’s in this thread as well to try and address it. It just wouldn’t take. I believe the samsungs have a chip that helps booting idk for certain I saw it on a different forum somewhere. In any case thanks its been great ever since… the crucial is gonna end up in my buds laptop for Christmas so thats a win win

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@lotny @MeatWar @cobra11murderer
Given the interest here’s the latest mod BIOS with updated NVMeDxe5.Ffs insert.

ROM EFI updates

Microcode updates

Compressed BIOS/UEFI file below:

P9X79.rar (4.2 MB)

As always back up your data & enjoy! :innocent:

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Does it fix problem with Crucial P5 Plus? Is any way to fix it available yet?

It’s not confirmed or denied by any other user besides cobra11murderer
We would like to see some other reports to really confirm this “issue” with the P5 Plus.
Since the board has USB BFB feature and maybe you have a different adapter model/brand, why dont you give it a try, regards.

EDIT:

Ok, if you’re willing try this one mod P9X79_4701 after this if still the same behaviour, we’ll backlist this Crucial P5 Plus NVMe as non-candidate to NVMe DXE/Guide in the forum.

EDIT: Thank you for having performed the additional tests with the 4701, this will give future users of the ASUS P9X79 a warning about this Crucial model.
Still we need more motherboard models to confirm this issue on the P5 Plus NVMe.

Then I herby confirm that Crucial P5 Plus nvme ssd does not work with Asus P9x79 on both stock bios and modded one posted by hancor at Oct 23. Mere presense of Crucial P5 Plus ssd in pci-e slot causes freeze when loading OS from sata. After removing it everything comes back to normal.

Same thing with bios mod P9X79_4701

  • windows 10 from sata ssd freezes during load when Crucial P5 Plus NVMe is in PCIe slot.
  • windows 10 installation freezes during initial load when Crucial P5 Plus NVMe is in PCIe slot (all sata drives were disconnected)
  • linux ubuntu from pendrive started ok. Crucial P5 was visible although I did not test it, initialize it as I need to return it to shop.

Hello All,
It’s my first post in this very interesting forum.
I went through the subject but many links no longer work.
Is there already a modified bios version for simple “P9X79” in 4801 version that supports ALSO the bifurcation of the white slot (PCIE X8) in X4/x4. I would like to use it with an ASUS hyper M2 card that has 2 M2 slot. I found a 4701 version but prefer the 4801.
Thanks in advance.

Hello, I am trying to get NVME Support working on my P9x79 Mobo version 4801. I have been following the thread here [Request] Asus P9x79 BIOS with NVMe support

but I’m out of my depth on this when I get to this part:

NVMe functionality via ------> NVMe mod to run UEFI NVMe SSDs using module >> NvmExpressDxe_4.ffs dated 04/18/2018 inserted after CSMCORE for this Aptio IV UEFI/BIOS

I have found a copy of the NvmExpressDxe_4.ffs file but I’m not sure where to go from here…

Here is the screenshots from UEFI BIOS Updater (v.180.15):


I would really appreciate some guidance on the next steps. Thanks.

@drjarmin
Welcome to the Win-Raid Forum!

For interested users like you I have written >this< detailed step-by-step Guide.
Good luck!

Thanks @Fernando. I have followed the steps of inserting the NVMe module (NvmExpressDxe_5.ffs) using the MMTool (AMI Aptio UEFI MMTool v5.0.0.7) and saved the result in a new folder (P9X79-ASUS-4801-Mod.ROM.fd).

This is where I’m tripping up… " Don’t forget to re-insert the original capsule and to save the modded BIOS as *.CAP file according to >this< guide written by MeatWar."

I have looked at that thread by MeatWar and cannot understand what I need to do. Is it as simple as renaming the file ‘P9X79-ASUS-4801-Mod.ROM.fd’ to ‘P9X79-ASUS-4801-Mod.CAP’?

The guidance was for him only due to his actions, not general rule.

CAP files are the ones accepted and used with the ASUS USB BFB feature, no other files will be correctly identified and accepted by this Asus feature.

The mod can be directly from the ASUS cap files, that user option (Optional) was to work on the Intel image outside the capsulated Asus file, his choice only, cause boards with USB BFF can be mod and flash like so (Still CAPsulated), no need to extract with UEFI tool.
You have a mboard with USB BFB feature, so use it.

EDIT: You’re lost because you followed a user thread instead and not the dedicated NVMe mod guide on this forum.

@MeatWar - This is the first time I’ve done this hence a bit lost. The reason I was looking at that thread is because the instructions stated:

  • “Don’t forget to re-insert the original capsule and to save the modded BIOS as *.CAP file according to [>this< ] guide written by MeatWar.”

I’m not sure how to ‘re-insert the original capsule and to save the modded BIOS as *.CAP file’.

I was following this thread [HowTo] Get full NVMe Support for all Systems with an AMI UEFI BIOS

I don’t know or understand the process of re-inserting the original cap which is the next step I need to complete in the guide above as it states:

“Don’t forget to re-insert the original capsule and to save the modded BIOS as *.CAP file according to [>this< ] guide written by MeatWar.”

If anyone can give clarity on what to do here I’d be grateful. Thanks.

@drjarmin
Just to make it clear:

Your quoted text is not and was never part of my Guide about how to get full NVMe support (=start post of >this< thread)!
Question:
Did you remove the capsule header of the BIOS at all? Note: This procedure is only required for ASUS mainboards, which don’t offer the USB Flashback feature!
If you followed my guide and inserted the NVMe module into the original (untouched) BIOS *.CAP file, you can simply rename and save the modded file named “P9X79-ASUS-4801-Mod.ROM.fd” as “‘P9X79-ASUS-4801-Mod.CAP” file, but don’t forget to rename it by using the ASUSRenamer tool before you are going to flash it.
If you are unsure, please attach your modded BIOS or give me a link.

Hi Fernando, thank you for looking into this. Yes, I am sure I’m following your guide. Under Step 1 - Preparation, the third bullet is:

*Only for ASUS BIOSes with the suffix .CAP

My motherboard is an ASUS P9x79 and the latest version of the BIOS file from Asus is called “P9X79-ASUS-4801.CAP” which has the suffix .CAP so I followed the steps outlined in that section using the UEFITool as outlined in the guide.

Is this step unnecessary? I’ve zipped the modified BIOS file and attached as you recommended.

Thanks again, I’m new to this and still learning so apologies if I’m overlooking something obvious.

P9X79-ASUS-4801-Mod.ROM.fd.zip (4.6 MB)

@Fernando I’ve followed your steps and ignored the 'Extract the body of the original *.CAP BIOS". After I inserted the module, I got a message “Saving secure capsule as unsigned” in the MMTool (v5.0.0.7). Is that an issue? I’ve attached a screenshot and a copy of the resulting BIOS file.

Thanks
P9X79-ASUS-4801 (Untouched).zip (4.6 MB)