[M18x R2] - 'unlocked' BIOS versions

[sy5tem]

Hiya guys,

I'm on bios A05 (locked as it came with the laptop), I currently have no problems whatsoever with the laptop. Is there any safe way to update the bios

to A08 unlocked or should I just leave everything as it is...

i think you either have a m17x , or a m18x (not m18x r2) ? the A08 here is for m18x R02 !

[Yuval Vilensky]

few weeks ago i have flashed my bios within the os with the tools provided and everything is fine was easy as pie. i was on a03 thats the firmware i got when i ordered my m28xr2 and thats why i was able to flash hustlefree.

now the question should i use this unlock options or not? i play games most of the time and dont run benchs so your input will be appriciated.

[gomson]

i think you either have a m17x , or a m18x (not m18x r2) ? the A08 here is for m18x R02 !

I def have M18X R2...

[Guest]

For those that did not know, I upgraded my M18x R1 with a motherboard for an M18x R2 and it's working like a champ. It had A08 and I blind flashed it down to A03, then Brother svl7 hooked me up with the A03 BIOS and new OROM. It's a pretty sweet rig thanks to svl7. I am still working on dialing in the 2920XM so it will overclock as well as the R1 motherboard. I'm not quite to the 4.9GHz I was at before, but things are looking good. Have a peek... [LINK]

@svl7 - I bought you some more beer, bro... least I could do to show my appreciation for all you do for us. Hopefully, other folks are giving something back in return. [LINK: Buy svl7 a brewski]

[svl7]

Thank you very much!!

Great board you got there...

[Goophy629]

Anyone know if the A03 is the "latest" BIOS for a M18x R2 equipped with A01 stock BIOS?

Anything like A05 or 06, etc?

Thanks~

[svl7]

There's A08 in the first post... but you I recommend A03 since else it will be difficult to switch back to anything else (which is modified). Read the links in the first post for the reasons.

[Guest]

I recommend that, too. Here's a nice example of how special UEFI, secure boot and all of this new hardware/firmware based signature and certificate "security" feces really is...

XPS8500 Reinstalling Windows8 pro on unformatted new hdd from Dell - Windows 8 - Software & Operating Systems - Dell Community

No need to worry about such idiocy with A03.

[Pirx]

Hi svl7,

I just registered here in order to be able to ask the following question (I was referred here by Mr. Fox over at Notebook Review): I have a Dell Precision M6400, and I would like to mod the M6400 BIOS to get TRIM support. Would you have any advice on how to accomplish this (or whether that might even be possible)? Phoenix' CBROM.EXE can't deal with Dell's BIOS, it seems. In addition, the M6400 I have has a Q43 chipset (I think...), so I'm not even sure if there's any hope to get this to work the way I want it. On the other hand, my guess is that the M6400 isn't that different from similar-generation gaming rigs from Dell or Alienware, so maybe you or someone you know of has done something like that before.

Many thanks for any advice you can give!

[svl7]

Hi svl7,

I just registered here in order to be able to ask the following question (I was referred here by Mr. Fox over at Notebook Review): I have a Dell Precision M6400, and I would like to mod the M6400 BIOS to get TRIM support. Would you have any advice on how to accomplish this (or whether that might even be possible)? Phoenix' CBROM.EXE can't deal with Dell's BIOS, it seems. In addition, the M6400 I have has a Q43 chipset (I think...), so I'm not even sure if there's any hope to get this to work the way I want it. On the other hand, my guess is that the M6400 isn't that different from similar-generation gaming rigs from Dell or Alienware, so maybe you or someone you know of has done something like that before.

Many thanks for any advice you can give!

Hi Pirx,

Your system is already pretty old, as far as I know there's no trim support on the 4 series chipset. The IRST orom in your bios is v8.0.0.1039... that's a couple of generations older than the current one.

I won't be able to do anything in this case, and as I said, I doubt that it's even supported by the chipset.

Raid Trim support is definitely not supported hardware-wise.

[Pirx]

Alright, at least that's a definite answer. Thanks very much!

[Goophy629]

Yeah, I noticed that and knew the A08 problem, just wondering if there is something like A05 that doesn't block downgrading.

Anyway, would love to try the A03 and see how my 3920xm works lol~

PS: I'm new to this forum and don't have permission to download the attachments yet, so is the following link the same thing?

Downloads

exact download link:

http://downloads.techinferno.com/BIOS_Mods/Alienware/M18x_R2/M18x_R2_BIOS_A03_-_%5Bunlocked%5D.zip

Could someone compare the SHA1 and confirm if they are the same?

Thanks~

[monopoly]

svl7 and others,

With my M18R2 I have gone from A08 to A03 Stock. It took 134 Beeps.

However, now when i try to go from the Stock A03 to your A03 Modded witht he 11.6 OROM I am getting a InsydeFlash v5.13 error of "Load File: New ROM Size does not match this platform". The ID is "M18xR2" and Version "A03" are in both the Current and New BIOS Sections. It appear the a mod needs to be done in the Platform.ini (?). The Main file is QBR10Ec.fd in the Zip; (altho the platform name and version in the Platform.ini area is Void.)

I am not sure what goes where. Please help me out here with the edidting and/or renaming. Also, any other changes i might need to make.

Thank you.

[svl7]

is the following link the same thing?

Downloads

exact download link:

http://downloads.techinferno.com/BIOS_Mods/Alienware/M18x_R2/M18x_R2_BIOS_A03_-_%5Bunlocked%5D.zip

Yes, A03 unlocked. You can grab it from the front page.

svl7 and others,

With my M18R2 I have gone from A08 to A03 Stock. It took 134 Beeps.

However, now when i try to go from the Stock A03 to your A03 Modded witht he 11.6 OROM I am getting a InsydeFlash v5.13 error of "Load File: New ROM Size does not match this platform". The ID is "M18xR2" and Version "A03" are in both the Current and New BIOS Sections. It appear the a mod needs to be done in the Platform.ini (?). The Main file is QBR10Ec.fd in the Zip; (altho the platform name and version in the Platform.ini area is Void.)

I am not sure what goes where. Please help me out here with the edidting and/or renaming. Also, any other changes i might need to make.

Thank you.

134 beeps... oh wow.

The file size is correct, this must be a weird issue caused from downgrading to A03 per USB recovery method... Not sure what would be the best solution for this. I do know a way of flashing but that wouldn't really solve this issue for other users who experience the same. Let me think of something.

[Guest]

That sounds like either the same or similar thing that I experienced, svl7. I wonder if doing that somehow "unlocked" my motherboard into an engineering mode or whatever state you mentioned. Would be interesting if monopoly's board is the same.

[Alexander Kim]

Yes, A03 unlocked. You can grab it from the front page.

134 beeps... oh wow.

The file size is correct, this must be a weird issue caused from downgrading to A03 per USB recovery method... Not sure what would be the best solution for this. I do know a way of flashing but that wouldn't really solve this issue for other users who experience the same. Let me think of something.

Hey, svl7! Is there any safer method rather than blind flashing from A08 to A03? Can you make a program? I will make some donate to you

[monopoly]

svl7,

OK, I will certainly await your solution. machine is running ok, but seems that I am only half way there now.

@Mr.Fox, (FYI, this is dcroller from the other board).

Cheers

[svl7]

Well, I'm really not 100% sure what's causing this, and therefore I can't tell you how to fix it.

[johnksss]

Well, I'm really not 100% sure what's causing this, and therefore I can't tell you how to fix it.

You get a "Thanks" demotion for this.

J/K

[monopoly]

I simply have to agree with that, LOL !

[johnksss]

Yeah, I have undeniable faith that he will figure it out! Then we can all feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

[monopoly]

Yeah, I have undeniable faith that he will figure it out! Then we can all feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

Thanks for the reassurance Johnksss, I have no doubt that he will figure something out. Good to meet you, btw.

[Optimistic Prime]

Hi guys, I just blind flashed from A08 to A03 so I thought I'd post my results here. Everything seems to have went fine, 135 beeps.

[Goophy629]

Hi svl7, thanks for the unlocked BIOS, I just flashed it in my M18x R2 and running normal.

But, when I enable the extreme mode(disable factory 1-3 level), and set the 4 settings to 4.2, 4.0, 3.9, 3.8, and vid 22, long power limit 80, short 90, time window 28. after saving the setting and re-boot, all these setting would disappear and back to non-flex disabled, extreme mode disabled....

In the A03 unlocked BIOS, there are two Advance pages, I tried changed either one at a time, as well as both, but no cure....

I also noticed there is a Advanced CPU settings under the Power tag, where I see a TDP setting...looks like it locks the CPU to 55W long power limit and 65W for short?

[Goophy629]

Well, I just restart a few times and it seems to work now. And looks like I can't have non-flex and turbo enabled at the same time, or they will both disable themselves automatically... was thinking to have a 3.2~4.3 LOL~

Anyway, still testing it with various of settings~