[tested & working] M17x R3 *unlocked* BIOS A10

[svl7 5647]

This is a modified version of BIOS A10, with all the hidden menus made available.

The archive with the BIOS and the necessary files to flash it are attached to the post.

After flashing, go to the BIOS menu and load the default settings, save, exit and reboot.

As always with such modifications, you alone are responsible for your system and what you do with it.

If you flash it, please report back and let me know whether everything is ok. (I'm sure it is, but I don't have an M17x R3 myself to test it )

The menus look exactly the same as all the previous "unlocked" R3 BIOS versions.

Tested and confirmed to work, thanks @Staff Sargent !!

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Please consider a donation if you like this modified BIOS.

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UPDATE: Had to correct some things, this works fine.

Keep in mind that A10 is no longer officially available on Dells support site, I don't know the reason for this, they might have to fix some things.

Update 2: BIOS is available again on Dell's site, nothing changed between the version which was on there earlier and now... lol.

M17x R3 - [unlocked] BIOS A10.zip

Edited April 29, 2012 by svl7
some corrections

[Michael 1315]

wow Marco! you're fast!!!

[mw86 1362]

wow Marco your the fastest and the best modder nice work as always

[Staff Sargent 105]

is it just stuff to tweak the system or anything really cool unlocked?

Thinking about upgrading my bios but not sure I really need to since everything but graphic switching is working top notch.

[mw86 1362]

is it just stuff to tweak the system or anything really cool unlocked?

Thinking about upgrading my bios but not sure I really need to since everything but graphic switching is working top notch.

for some non XM users on M17x R3 specific (m18x works same too) have benefited from increasing stock cpu amps and watts but the watts dont raise much so biggest benefit is the amps being increased as turbo speeds dont drop as much after since most time they only have droppped in past due to these systems amp limits set. See what Widezu did here and one user benefited hugely in rendering projects from it all from non xm. http://forum.techinferno.com/throttlestop-discussion/1166-unlocking-tpl-all-cpus-m17x-r3-2920xm-overclocking-potential.html

[Staff Sargent 105]

OK its all stuff I don't get into really with system then. I can stick with the stock bios then. Its funny when I had systems that cost 20% of this one I wouldn't hesitate to upgrade the bios now that it cost so much I am a little worried to try it LOL

[mw86 1362]

OK its all stuff I don't get into really with system then. I can stick with the stock bios then. Its funny when I had systems that cost 20% of this one I wouldn't hesitate to upgrade the bios now that it cost so much I am a little worried to try it LOL

i hear ya thankfully we have one of the best tech support policies around

[svl7 5647]

[MENTION=305]Staff Sargent[/MENTION]: I only made the hidden menus visible. There is some interesting stuff in case you want to overclock or tweak your system a bit. If you're curious about what exactly is in there, check out the -2.html#post10874"]screenshots of the BIOS menus Dane took a while ago, should still be all the same in A10.

[mw86 1362]

Staff Sargent you dont need to benchmark to make use of the settings that are unlocked some awesome stuff hiding in there Thanks for posting a link to those pics SVL7

[Staff Sargent 105]

will take a look, just read over my post, guess being sick is taking the adventure out of me lol. I downloaded the file and will see what happens. maybe tomorrow I will install it and see.

[mw86 1362]

will take a look, just read over my post, guess being sick is taking the adventure out of me lol. I downloaded the file and will see what happens. maybe tomorrow I will install it and see.

if your tinkering and the system wont boot from a bios setting resetting the cmos is at most all youd have to face and that's not likely only way i see that is raising baseclock to high and you can do that on the stock bios. I hope you feel better Staff Sargent.

[Staff Sargent 105]

installed it but don't see anything I didn't before. I know it installed but it didn't unlock anything for me.

[svl7 5647]

Sorry, seems I messed something up. Give me a couple of minutes, I'm going to fix it, I think I know what it is.

[svl7 5647]

So, modified the first post and added a new version, assuming I didn't mess up this time all hidden menus should now be available, just as in the previous unlocked BIOS versions.

[Staff Sargent 105]

will check it out after I get some sleep.

[mw86 1362]

maybe other are waiting on a ext release since they took the A10 of the Dell website... maybe we'll have more takers on A11...

[bigtonyman 19]

Depends on what it does. A08 works just fine for me pesonally . I have the mentality with BIOS's that if ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[mw86 1362]

Depends on what it does. A08 works just fine for me pesonally . I have the mentality with BIOS's that if ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

exactly same goes with Drivers lol... updating Drivers are famous for making a stable system bsod into eternity or if you McAfee you release a virus definition update that essentially renders countless XP systems as bricks hahaha lmao

[Staff Sargent 105]

well tested out the unlocked version again and it works. Not sure what most of it does LOL but it works.

[mw86 1362]

sweet any questions let us know we"d be glad to help you... no need to change much but somethings will give a lovely boost

[Staff Sargent 105]

Didn't really get into OC or benching but having read there was hidden features I had to take a look. of all the laptops I have own this is by far the only one that even had as many options before unlockin it. I want to do a repast before I start messing around with settings as I don't want to damage anything.

am I correct in think that if you disable something in the BIOS that its also not powered? like the wired network, could I disable that and it not be powered up to save a little battery life. yeah I know it wouldn't be much but disabling a few things could possible in the end mean more time. Like the Bluetooth radio having that enable would suck power, I have it disable in the BIOS and turned off any auto run process since i don't use it anyway.

well mega tired so I am not sure that made sense but something that I always wondered about.

[mw86 1362]

Didn't really get into OC or benching but having read there was hidden features I had to take a look. of all the laptops I have own this is by far the only one that even had as many options before unlockin it. I want to do a repast before I start messing around with settings as I don't want to damage anything.

am I correct in think that if you disable something in the BIOS that its also not powered? like the wired network, could I disable that and it not be powered up to save a little battery life. yeah I know it wouldn't be much but disabling a few things could possible in the end mean more time. Like the Bluetooth radio having that enable would suck power, I have it disable in the BIOS and turned off any auto run process since i don't use it anyway.

well mega tired so I am not sure that made sense but something that I always wondered about.

yes it will save power and windows will have less to do in background. they will draw minimum poer... no more power savings unless physically removed. definitely i disable ethernet,bluetooth, wihd etc usually unneeded from day to day for me.

[svl7 5647]

Thank you for testing Sarge!! Really appreciated.

[Staff Sargent 105]

I have to try and remember all this stuff, having to start from factory, normally takes me about 8 hours if I just sit and tweak windows and install software. Going to wait until next month to repast and start messing with the bios, I don't have a good place to tear down that far and I would like the extra 5-10 degrees in case I push things to far.

I know there are settings I could use that would improve things I just really don't have much experience tweaking settings. Always had cheap laptops and really couldn't do anything besides the basics. I wanted to tweak and mess around with my alien just didn't know there can be so much tweaking possible I don't know where to start. Windows I have covered for the most part, AMD/ATI drivers not so much. BIOS have not really done anything with one in like 10 years LOL.

I need to find a alienware tweakers guide for dummies

[mw86 1362]

we sort of have one http://forum.techinferno.com/alienware-m14x/1532-[guide]-alienware-overclocking-overvolting.html