[Request] EVGA Z490 Dark Bios Unlocked

BIOS/UEFI Modding BIOS Modding Requests
41

Yes, it may be! OK, let me get this BIOS sorted for you
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Please dump your BIOS for me via step #1 below, I need to check something in your NVRAM so I can hide HD Audio cleanly
You need V14 ME System Tools package - This is copy/paste spoiler I keep for other users, ignore most of it and do step #1 only and send me the file.

If you have already modified the BIOS in ANY way, you will need to re-flash it back to factory defaults using factory method (NOT FPT)!!!
Additionally, please remove all BIOS passwords, disable secure boot, and disable TPM or Encryption if you have enabled. Do this before moving on to below

If you do not have Intel ME drivers installed, install them now from your system driver download page, then start over here after reboot.
Check your BIOS’ main page and see if ME FW version is shown. If not then > DOWNLOAD HWINFO64 HERE <

Once HWINFO is open, look at the large window on the left side, expand motherboard, and find the ME area.
Inside that section is the ME Firmware version. Take note of the version. (ie. write it down or get a screenshot)

Once you have that, go to the thread linked below, and in the section “C.2” find and download the matching ME System Tools Package for your system.
(ie if ME FW version = 10.x get V10 package, if 9.0-9.1 get V9.1 package, if 9.5 or above get V9.5 package etc)
> DOWNLOAD " ME System Tools " packages HERE <

Once downloaded, inside you will find Flash Programming Tool folder, and then inside that a Windows or Win/Win32 folder (NOT x64).
Highlight that Win/Win32 folder, then hold shift and press right click. Choose “open command window here” (Not power shell! >> * See Registry file below *).

If you get an error, reply to this post with a screenshot of it, OR write down the EXACT command entered and the EXACT error given.

((If “open command window here” does not appear, look for the “Simple Registry Edit” below…))

Step #1
Now you should be at the command prompt.
You are going to BACKUP the factory un-modified firmware, so type the following command:
Command: " FPTw.exe -bios -d biosreg.bin "

>> Attach the saved "biosreg.bin ", placed into a compressed ZIP/RAR file, to your next post!!! <<

Step #2
Right after you do that, try to write back the BIOS Region dump and see if you get any error(s).
Command: " FPTw.exe -bios -f biosreg.bin "
^^ This step is important! Don’t forget! ^^

If you get an error, reply to this post with a screenshot of it, OR write down the EXACT command entered and the EXACT error given.

Here is a SIMPLE REGISTRY EDIT that adds “Open command window here as Administrator” to the right click menu, instead of Power Shell
Double-click downloaded file to install. Reboot after install may be required
> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD CMD PROMPT REGISTRY ENTRY <

If the windows method above does NOT work for you…
Then you may have to copy all contents from the Flash Programming Tool \ DOS folder to the root of a Bootable USB disk and do the dump from DOS
( DOS command: " FPT.exe -bios -d biosreg.bin " )


Or, if your BIOS can save a copy from within BIOS, you can do that too, or if you know workign AFU version for your BIOS, save with that would be OK too

42

http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=06762712414594338328

Here you go, that should be it, let me know if there are any issues with it!

43

Thanks! No dice! Not sure I can hide the audio one cleanly, so may require a few failed tests
I have an idea though, maybe change the suppression to same as the others instead of trying to modify it’s current “thing”, I think that will do it cleanly, but we shall see
Give me a few minutes and I will have BIOS for you

44

Definitely, excited to try it out, If it it too much of a hassle to hide it, you can just leave it enabled and ill just ignore it and not touch it if that works.

45

Well if you wanted to leave it, then BIOS at post #4 is what you could use, but to me that’s not ideal Up to you though. I prefer to make it so it’s not going to lock up on other users, and we get anything still else missing too (if you wanted)
Hey wait! Are we talking about the same thing here, on HD Audio? Are you referring to the HD Audio inside >> Advanced >> PCH-IO Configuration >> HD Audio?

46

Oh, I believe i am referring to Advanced >> PCH-IO Configuration >> HD Audio. I apologize that was a miscommunication on my part.


and will Power Down be visible in the system agent sub catagory?

47

So, you confirm, or not, that is the one you meant, correct? @ Advanced >> PCH-IO Configuration >> HD Audio
If yes, OK! On the power down stuff in System Agent, yes, it will be visible eventually, if not immediately, you’ll have to show me what you can see in there once we unlock
Or you can look now with BIOS at post #4, then sent me screenshots via F12 to USB showing all content from top to bottom, inside ALL submenus at System Agent, don’t forget root page inside there too
Make sure I can see all submenus at root level in there, and then all contents of all submenus (so I see ALL settings you can see in there). I’ll wait and let you do this now, that way I can do those edits all at same time as these

* Edit - Or, if you want, just do root of PCH-IO Configuration + PCH-IO Configuration >> Memory Configuration (Root + ALL Submenus and settings) >> Target is >> Memory Thermal Configuration, so if you want you can just show all contents inside there.

48

I can confirm that it is in PCH-IO

For the memory setting, I think we are better off just exposing that one setting as a whole, and i can show you screenshots after the bios has been made.

49

I will expose all missing, the bugs you ran into with the other submenus is not normal/usual thing, no worries. Give me screenshots of what I mentioned above while using BIOS from post #4
I need to see all that before I can know what is visible already once you change the “Hide Item”, so I can know what needs to be further revealed. I can’t tell on my end, so you have to send images.
Please use F12 to screenshot to USB, and then max compress into zip or 7zip
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@seranidy - Edit - Here, use this, the three problem subs should be hidden once you change Hide Item setting >> http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil…967083638317470
Then we can work out PowerDown and anything else you need

For now, the way I did this, when you do NOT have “Hide Item” changed from default (to reveal everything it reveals), those problematic menus will be visible - So ignore them, and enable the hidden items via that setting, then they will be gone.
This is cleanest way to hide these, without you having to possibly go through more test for maybe no positive outcome in the end.

50

@seranidy Can you do a recap on what has happened with the past couple bios mod attempts? I’m having a bit of trouble following.

51

http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=04918469635140377668

Here are the screenshots from the most recent bios you have sent, In System Agent.

Turns out that Power Down setting isnt what i thought it might be, Could you also take a look at this setting for us?

One Of: LCT Relaxed Reset, VarStoreInfo (VarOffset/VarName): 0x731, VarStore: 0x1, QuestionId: 0x19, Size: 2, Min: 0x0, Max 0x1, Step: 0x0 {05 94 2D 1C 2E 1C 19 00 01 00 31 07 10 11 00 00 01 00 00 00}
0x37241 One Of Option: Enabled, Value (16 bit): 0x1 (default) {09 08 8F 00 31 01 01 00}
0x37249 One Of Option: Disabled, Value (16 bit): 0x0 {09 08 90 00 01 01 00 00}
0x37251 End One Of {29 02}


Thanks again!

52

@Lost_N_BIOS I just tried the very first one you posted, seems like rank interleaving is turned off on this one somehoow. Performance is like 1k off in Geekbench.

53

@Sparky_s_Adventure - Please wait, or you can use BIOS at post #49 if you want, do not go into the following submenus RC ACPI, Connectivity, HD Audio (in PCH-IO), they will be hidden once you change the “Hide Item” setting to reveal everything else, but first two will be visible by default now
* Edit - On rank interleaving, can you see it to enable, or not? If not, I will find and make visible * Edit - Never mind, it’s not contained in this BIOS as a setting, I searched interleave and interleaving

@seranidy - Thanks, I will check this all out tonight. So, what does Power Down “help” say when you hover/select it? I will look at LCT Reset, what do you mean though, you need it visible?

54

Edit: maybe the rank interleaving thing is OS related? I’ll try increasing maximum memory.

55

LCT Reset, if you are able to make it visible that would be perfect, “Apparently that is evga’s form of Trace Centering” -Sparky

When you select PPD, you get 2 options, either BIOS or PCODE.

56

@Lost_N_BIOS Can you modify this bios in the exact same way as you did with the very first bios? Hide item configurable.
https://cdn.evga.com/BIOS/Z490/E499_flashtool_106.zip

57

@Sparky_s_Adventure - Rank and Bank Interleaving is a BIOS option, just not in this BIOS. It’s not something OS related.
So you would have to ask them to enable both, if you feel they are disabled now, or ask them to add to BIOS on next release.
Here is 106 w/ ONLY “Hide Item” made visible, no other changes - http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil…874889453782069

@seranidy - Here is BIOS from post #49 w/ LCT Relaxed Reset + Long Fly By Mode both made visible (IF you can see some separate “Memory” menu?)
If you cannot see “Memory” tab/section on it’s own, then this mod will change nothing, and I’ll have to make “Memory” visible to you first (This why I ask for images, usually up-front, of ENTIRE BIOS )

Actually, no mod here! Those should be visible to you once you change the Hide Item setting.
If they are not, please show me images of the entire (ALL submenus and settings) inside “Memory” tab of the BIOS, take those via F12 screenshot to USB, with the Hide Item option changed from default (so everything is visible)

58

@Lost_N_BIOS I’m thinking it is OS related, because it worked fine on my previous install of windows.

59

@Sparky_s_Adventure - Ohh, yeah, the benchmark results could be OS related, possibly if OS is loading a different CPU microcode now vs before, or maybe some other app/driver is causing it to bog down during test etc.
Software versions may also differ too, so keep that in mind if you are thinking of results from a older version of the benchmark vs a now newer one.

60

Sorry for the lack of updates, (Very busy this week/weekend), Just to clarify, you just want screenshots of the memory tab? or the memory sub menu in which category?