[Request] Unlocked ASUS H81M-E/M52AD/DP_MB BIOS

BIOS/UEFI Modding BIOS Modding Requests
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Hello BIOS Modding Community,

I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out to request assistance with modifying my BIOS to enable overclocking features and AI Tweaker options. I am an enthusiast looking to optimize the performance of my system, and I believe that a custom BIOS would greatly enhance my ability to achieve this.

Here are the details of my system:

Motherboard: H81M-E/M52AD/DP_MB
BIOS Version: BIOS version 0604
CPU: Intel Core i5-4460
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) / 1600MHz / CL9 / DDR3
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
Cooling Solution: Stock air cooling

Specifically, I am interested in the following modifications:

AI Tweaker Options (Overclocking): I would like to unlock advanced overclocking options in the BIOS, including CPU multiplier adjustments, voltage controls, and RAM frequency adjustments (XMP). The ability to fine-tune these settings would allow me to push my hardware to its limits while maintaining stability.

As my desktop is a prebuilt from Asus, the motherboard is locked. Despite my research, I’ve hit a dead end in enabling overclocking options. The closest solution I found,

Swapping the Bios chip out or reprogram for a MOBO H81M-E Bios version (which has OC AI Tweaker options). However, I’m uncertain about the feasibility of this method.

I understand the risks associated with BIOS modding and am willing to proceed since I have access to TL866 programmer. I am confident in your expertise and would greatly appreciate any assistance you can provide in fulfilling my request.

Please let me know if you require any additional information or if there are any specific guidelines I should follow or if you know a solution to my problem!

Thank you for considering my request.

Sincerely,
[Cosmos]


Edit by Fernando: Thread title shortened

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Many Asus models cross flash have been done with success, you have a programmer so get to it, the motherboard will not die if it doesn’t work. Keep a full dump/backup.
Other than that requires manual mod with AMIBCP regarding the possible and available options that can be unlock, if they are present in the bios code.
You can wait for more users contributions

EDIT: Both have NUVOTON and RTL Gigabit, i would take the chance, usually the base bios code is the same. (The M51AD had Intel Gigabit instead of RLT)

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Thanks for the reply! You are right that many have done cross flash, but in this case due to the MOBO difference, I am not sure if the system will be stable. As you can see in ASUS H81M-E/M51AD/DP_MB - The Retro Web (I know its a M51AD but I cant find a M52AD) is that there is some similarities to ASUS H81M-E - The Retro Web but some that makes me question if its possible.

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For visual I found this For ASUS H81M-E/M52AD/DP_MB Motherboard LGA1150 M-ITX Tested OK | eBay and what I found the only difference is a green light beside ATX power connectors 24-pin.

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Hello everyone,

I hope you’re all doing well. I wanted to provide an update and seek further advice on my project to enable overclocking capabilities on my H81M-E/M52AD/DP_MB motherboard.

Background: As some of you know, I’ve been looking to unlock overclocking options and AI Tweaker settings on my motherboard, which is originally locked due to it being part of a prebuilt Asus system. After some discussion and research within this community, I decided to attempt a BIOS cross-flash with a BIOS chip programmed for the standard H81M-E, which has the overclocking features available.

Current Status: The BIOS flash was partially successful. The system boots, and I can access and adjust the overclocking settings, which was the primary goal. However, there are some significant issues:

  • The Ethernet port is non-functional.
  • The system overall feels unstable and slower than before.

Conclusion and Next Steps: It appears that while the new BIOS is functionally compatible to some extent, it does not fully support all the hardware integrated into my specific model. The difference in hardware configurations between the standard H81M-E and my model likely accounts for these issues.

Given this, I believe the next best step is to modify the BIOS tailored specifically to my motherboard’s model to incorporate only the necessary overclocking features without disturbing other functionalities.

Request for Assistance: I am reaching out to see if anyone has experience with BIOS modding specifically for stability and hardware compatibility, or if someone has tackled a similar issue with the same motherboard model. Any guidance, tools, or references you could share would be incredibly helpful as I navigate this complex process.

Thank you all for your continuous support and advice. I look forward to your suggestions and hope to move forward with a solution that maintains system stability while unlocking the performance enhancements I’m aiming for.

Warm regards,
[Cosmos]

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Expected, besides the LAN there’s always a huge chance of instability/degraded performance. Regarding cross flash, that’s it, no one is going to lose their time, besides yourself, on fine tunning/further mod a cross flashed bios.
Wait for other users contributions to the subject. Good luck.

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@CertifiedCosmos
in H81M-E-ASUS-M52AD-0604.CAP change 0x1C481 from 0x00 to 0x01 and flash it.

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Hi Michael_Code!

Thank you for the specific guidance on modifying the BIOS settings.

Want to double check, is this where I should change FF to 01?

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bild1417×730 46.8 KB

As I undertake these steps, any additional insights or precautions you would recommend would be highly valued. If there are specific testing protocols or diagnostic tools you suggest to effectively evaluate the success of the BIOS modification, please share them.

I will flash the modified BIOS to the motherboard with the help of this video,
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwJS8-GTgRU&t=444s&ab_channel=IMightBeAGeek]

I’m committed to keeping the community informed of my progress and will provide a detailed update once the modification has been completed and tested. Your ongoing support and advice have been pivotal.

Thank you once again for helping me get this far.

Warm regards,
[Cosmos]

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Hi MeatWar!

Thank you for your responses and for the valuable insights shared. Your encouragement and technical advice have given me a clearer path forward with the BIOS modding project.

[Cosmos]

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@CertifiedCosmos, I clearly wrote which file to modify, M52AD.

1 Like
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Hello again!

I hope all is well. I’m here to provide an update on how things are going. With the help from Michael_Code, I was unable to solve my problem, and it’s not because there is anything wrong but because this will be my first BIOS modification, making my capacity of BIOS modding not super high. What I have found is this [Request] [SOLVED] Asus OEM board P8H77-M-PRO AI Tweaker unlock (OEM name CM6870)
I appreciate all the help, but anyway, I do not like to give up, especially since I may be on the right track.

What I have done is used UEFITool and its search function to search for AI Tweaker, found where it is in the BIOS code, and extracted the freeform subtype GUID. This is because I cannot extract the PE32 image with Universal IFR extractor. As mentioned, with the help of Universal IFR extractor, one can then read the freeform subtype GUID where AI Tweaker is through Notepad++. I have also downloaded HxD. This is where I have gotten to now. I have used [YouTube: Bios menu unlock via IFR edit by baRRacuda] and [unable to extract ifr] for assistance.

I could do as the video suggests, where I unsuppress everything, but since I am a bit unsure what that might entail, I am hesitant. My goal is to have the same functional AI Tweaker tab as in the H81M-E, which can be seen in [YouTube: Asus H81M-E UEFI BIOS Overview by Edwin-E] from time 01:23 to 01:31, or a more updated version is [ Asus H81M-E UEFI BIOS Overview by The-Bearded-Gamers-HQ] from time 01:41 to 02:51.

I appreciate any tips!
[Cosmos]