senso

If you deem it necessary you can swap the wireless card, for one with AC support, if you go for any Intel, you need to do a regedit mod and change/create the ScanWhenAssociated and set it to zero or you will get lag spikes, and whatever Intel says ALL their Centrino WiFi cards suffer from this bug/feature, I have had all the Centrinos from the N1000 up to the N7265 AC and they all behave like wonders after doing this. Here is a tutorial: https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Windows-8-and-8-1-Knowledge-Base/Debugging-latency-spikes-and-lag-on-certain-Intel-Centrino-wifi/ta-p/1471018

And here is the recipe: So, first, this is ONLY for the Toshiba P50-A with the 745m GPU and i7-4700HQ CPU. Start with updating your BIOS to the latest available version, which is 1.90: http://support1.toshiba-tro.de/tedd-files2/0/bios-20141113153531.zip Grab a USB pen, any size will do, and format it in FAT32, donwload BOOX64: (To enter BIOS/Boot menu spam F12 at boot) http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?81vegw2aw0pxcib And place it inside two folders with the following structure: x:\EFI\BOOT\bootx64.efi Flash that BIOS, reboot your laptop, disable secure boot and boot via the USB pen. This is what you should see: setup_var will complain about a mismatch in a GUID, but ignore it, it worked for me at least, and it will happen for everytime you use setup_var, also, _ will not be in the -_ key, grub assumes an US layout, so press Shift+? to get the _ char, also remenber to press up, so you get the last used command, its faster to use it. Now, using the command setup_var we will change a lot of variables so we can unlock the cpu current limit, some might not be trully needed, but thats how I made it. You can also use just setup_var 0x123 to read the variable, or setup_var 0x123 0x23 to set it to 0x23, this is just an example. I will add a comment on what each line does, DONT coppy any text after the * Used values/vars: setup_var 0x24 0x01 * make sure hyper-threading is on setup_var 0x25 0x00 * make sure all cores are enabled setup_var 0x26 0x00 * overclocking lock: set to disabled setup_var 0x27 0x00 * limit CPUID: disabled, I think this one is to limit what cpu's might be used if you want to upgrade setup_var 0x23 0x01 * execute disable bit : set to enabled setup_var 0x28 0x01 * Intel Virtualization Technology : set to enabled setup_var 0x34 0x01 * hardware prefetch : set to enabled setup_var 0x35 0x01 * Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch : set to enabled setup_var 0x36 0x01 * CPU AES : set to enabled setup_var 0x37 0x02 * Boot performance mode : set to Turbo Performance setup_var 0x38 0x01 * EIST : set to enabled setup_var 0x39 0x01 * Turbo Mode : set to enabled setup_var 0x5B 0x00 * Energy Performance : set to Performance setup_var 0x2B 0x01 * Package power limit lock : set to disabled setup_var 0x3A 0xFF * Cpu Power Limit1 : set to max setup_var 0x3C 0xFF * Cpu Power Limit1 Time : set to max setup_var 0x3B 0xFF * Cpu Power Limit2 : set to max setup_var 0x68 0x00 * Platform power limit lock : set to disabled setup_var 0x69 0xFF * Cpu Power Limit3 : set to max setup_var 0x6A 0xFF * Cpu Power Limit3 Time : set to max setup_var 0x6B 0x64 * Cpu Power Limit3 Duty Cycle : set to max, this is a duty cycle, 0x64 is 100 decimal, so 100% duty cycle setup_var 0x40 0x01 * CPU C states : set to enabled setup_var 0x53 0x01 * ACPI CTDP BIOS : set to enabled setup_var 0x44 0x02 * Configurable TDP Level : TDP UP setup_var 0x45 0x00 * Config TDP LOCK : set to disabled setup_var 0x2C 0xFF * 1-Core Ratio Limit : set to max allowed by CPU setup_var 0x2D 0xFF * 2-Core Ratio Limit : set to max allowed by CPU setup_var 0x2E 0xFF * 3-Core Ratio Limit : set to max allowed by CPU setup_var 0x2F 0xFF * 4-Core Ratio Limit : set to max allowed by CPU setup_var 0x30 0x00 * VR Current value lock : set to disabled setup_var 0x31 0xFF * VR Current value : factory this one is 0x027, this is where the bios is limiting the CPU to the maximum 39A, set it to 0xFF to a sweet max 254Amps setup_var 0x234 0x01 * AC Brick Capacity : set to 90Watts(its the maximum), so it wont throttle down setup_var 0xD1 0x00 * BIOS lock: set to disabled setup_var 0xD3 0x00 * BIOS interface lock: set to disabled setup_var 0x305 0x08 * iGPU base memory set to 256MB, I like it with more RAM, smother when using lots of browser tabs, or in Altium or Solidworks And thats all! Write exit to reboot, and then do a full shutdown so all the settings stick. Now go grab Intel XTU, if you already have it installed, remove it, and re-install(make sure to right click and run the installer with admin rights, so it will run in background at startup and apply all your settings). This is my XTU window, with some undervolting already done, just remenber to set the current to something over 60-70A and its fine. DON'T forget to clean and repaste your laptop, mine will hit 80ºC with a package TDP of 50-52Watts, I have my heatsink clean, and I have repasted it with Grizzly Kryonaut, at least use Artic MX4. Have fun. Cinebench and HWmonitor for proof:

I would also seize the chance of opening the PSU and changing the power cord, its just tin plated steel/iron in almost all of the power bricks so you can indeed have a 1v or more Vdrop across the cable with such loads. 330Watts at 19v are 17.3A. If you guess a 1v Vdrop that means that the cable as a resistance of 0.057Ohms, that might be indeed what is happening.

Intel XTU doesn't give you any option, right? Sandy Bridges are a bit limited and with an HM65 chipset I don't think there is much you can gain, unfortunately.

Well, nobody cares about this but here it goes... Using the IFR dump from the setup, and using setup_var I poked a dozen vars regarding lock's and limits, went into Windows, re-installed Intel XTU and all my ratio's where already preset to 36,35,34,34 and I got an extra option CPU max current, that was set to 39A, set it to 150A(just because), ran Cinebench R15, low and behold it peaks at 50.x watts on load, doesn't throttle the clocks, and stays nice and fast at 3.4Ghz, got a sweet 670 score on cinebench, on par of what is expected from this CPU. IF anyone wants I can write what vars and values I changed to be able to remove this limitation, I know that its a crappy laptop that as no place in this forum of power houses I would still like to be able to upgrade the microcode at least, and maybe the SATA controller oROM, but its better than nothing.

Usually Nvidia cards are more power efficient, but I dont think going for a 970 is the best ideia, I would settle for a 960/R9 380, you will be limited by both CPU(its just a dual core) and by the link speed, dont expect to fully utilize a 970, I would go for a much cheaper 960 or a r9 380, also buy a QUALITY brand name PSU, dont cheap out for a no name one just because it says 600Watts.. Something like a XFX 420Watts or a Seasonic SII 500Watts will set you with a decent PSU, the seasonic is a bit quieter than the XFX's.

Pinging @Prema, maybe he can shed some light into this. I tried to send a PM, but it says I cant send you one :/

Well.... A friend of mine had 980 SLI in his desktop, went to repaste the graphics(they are stock cooler ones from Asus) and one of them simply died, I have already re-flashed the VBIOS but the only difference was in the serial number(only one byte was different, I think its the serial number), I might talk to him about donating the gpu, BUT I cant confirm that the gpu is still alive, I think it was a static shock when he took it apart, the card kinda boots, the fan spins, but no image, and only appears on the PCIe information in bios sometimes, maybe its a dead gpu..

In my Asus before I took the time to unlock all the BIOS menus I just used AMIBCP to change all the values I wanted in the optimized defaults and then I flashed the BIOS, loaded the optimized defaults and got around the locked menus that way, thats why I wanted to poke around with the AMIBCP first. I have tried TS already, and I cant change any setting with it, and I dont understand the limit reasons window, its half filed with yellow and red bars even when not doing anything, if I stress test/run cinebnech all that stays in the limit reasons is EDP in red. EDIT: Oh, and I also need to set the menus visible to User in the AMIBCP, if not only a tiny portion of them appear after unlocking the chipset tab(and others if there are more hidden/locked tabs in the BIOS). EDIT2: I got the setup, ran IFR, and I will attach the IFR report, I tried to update the micro-code and Fptw says that it failed to unlock the write-protection for the BIOS region.. Also, IFR says that I have this menus: Form Sets -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Offset: Title: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0x3A809 Main (0x6) 0x494FF Advanced (0x1C) 0x51569 Chipset (0x1E) 0x5AEC9 Boot (0x20) 0x5B976 Security (0x3B) 0x5C8BF Save & Exit (0x4F) But if I go into the bios I have: Main Security Power Management Advanced Boot Exit And from the IFR file the CPU config and power configs are inside Advanced, if I could run AMIBCP in this bios file it seems like it is just a job of setting all the menus to visible for user. Damm, this is one is hard to chew :/ BIOSTOSH.zip

I can't upload the file, so here it is, from my Gdrive. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-ML4gZbTMLTRUFMeWZidndVX1E/view?usp=sharing

Any ideas why AMIBCP wont show the usual menu structure? Maybe @Prema or @svl7 migth know a bit more than this? If anyone can help me with this I will pay you guys a couple beers Best regards.

A bit more digging.. Updated the ME Firmware, but no luck into having a bit more power, had to re-install Intel XTU because it wouldn't allow me to undervolt. After a couple runs of Cinebench R15 I noticed that despite the temperature of the cpu, the total power will not go over 30.4-30-8Watts, in a 47Watts rated CPU, nice way to go.. Without undervolt the best score I can get is 499(the same as my aging i7-2670qm), with 60mV undervolt got a best score of around 540 points, still disapointing. Any ideas if this TDP limit can be overcome? Best regards.

Ok, finally got it, using FTPW.ex with -D dump.rom -bios I got a 4MB file but now the only thing that AMIBCP 4.55 shows me is this: Any version above or under 4.55 will not open the file. Any ideas about what to do next? I Would attach the dump but even zipped it is over the 2MB size limit.

Good evening, so I got a Toshiba P50-A-12Z to use as a work horse, mounted a 480GB SSD, 16GB of RAM, and I already knew that there is something that limits the cpu clock to 2.7Ghz when all cores are used, it is already repasted with Grizzly Kryonaut and it wount go over 70ºC under load, but its BIOS is very limited and I have some hope that I might be able to remove this clock limitation. So, I updated the BIOS/EC to the latest version(1.9 and 1.3EC) and it is an AMI Aptio BIOS, no information about the Aptio version but it as UEFI boot, but no acess to UEFI shell from the BIOS. If i use the lateste 5.05 AFUWIN in Windows the system hangs and must be shutdown in the power button because the keyboard/mouse dont respond anymore. Using a pen with FreeDos(via Rufus) with AFU for Aptio 2.28, AFUDOS 5.05, AFU4.25, AFU4.28, AFU4.33 and anything else that I might be forgetting, I get either BIOS is write protected or cant get flash information. Is there anyway to dump this BIOS? Best regards.

Probably it would work if it was not for the Optimus crap.. Messing around with all the GOP's and what not seems like an almost BIOS re-write and that is way out of my knowledge.

How long ago? It should be done annually, and if you have an air compressor blasting(1-3 secs is more than enough) the vents every month so they won't build up dust will keep it nice and cool.

Clevo batteries only have an EEPROM? All the batteries that I know always have a bq24xxx or a bq25xxxx that will lock-up

So, I have been reading around, and it seems that SOME laptops can be upgraded from a Sandy to a Ivy, I have an N53SM as my work horse and a couple extra N53SM boards, and well, I had to try.. After changing the VBIOS and the microcode to support an i7-3630qm, after doing that the board does "boot" and stays turned on, but there is no image, from what I have searched the HD4000 needs the GoP modules, so I think its a no go to ever have an Invy Bridge working with an HM65 chipset, right?

If it is like in my country they wont even know that it was a problem from flashing the BIOS, dont say anything, if they ask you, just say you used WinFlash to update the BIOS and it failed, its a common problem with WinFlash and Windows deciding that its a good time to reboot.

Laptops also need to be cleaned inside and repasted, and most of them are pretty easy to open up.. OP, say us your full laptop model. Some cpu's are indeed expensive, but it depends a bit on generation, and with some luck, maybe I have some i7 that I can sell to OP a lot cheaper than you can get them on ebay

They will probably just swap your board or re-flash the bios with specific tools.

Have you ever repasted you laptop?

There is VLC for Android, and openElec(but not all of them can run it, because it replaces the stock Android imagem, its the old XBMC), and there are dozens of media players from Android, even the one that comes in the OS is good enough and can play playlists, and youtube is just a matter of using the app or going to the browser. There are always no brand tablets that are rebranded "locally"/per country, try to avoid rockchip based tablets, slow as snails and they heat a bit, with some luck you can get a cheap one with a mediatek.

You could run it standalone, with a display(those low res ones with SPI interface, with like 320x240 resolution), and some buttons, but you would have to code a bit to make it all work.. If you are not an audio-nut, a used Android tablet will fit the bill nicelly, but if it is plugged in all day the battery will probably die and wont hold much of a charge.

Lots of options, from an Android box that can cost from 40€ to 200€ or more, but Android audio stack is a bit crappy.. You can also get an old second hand ipod and install rockbox on it(not so sure about remove control), and there are more music players, from Fiio for example. If you are ok with a DIY solution(more or less), you can use a RaspberryPi, and install openElec on it and use it a media player not just for music, and there is lots of enthusiast high quality DAC's that are plug and play into the Raspberry Pi header that can provide you with some nice 24bits/198Khz audio outpu.