Razer BIOS Mods - Potential to Unlock All Hidden Options

Hey, I unlocked some settings but I have a couple of questions. First, the only way I can seem to see the options is to remove my NVME and I don't really understand how to fix this. Second, does anyone know where I can set the multiplier for the 9750h? I would like to limit the multiplier to like 37 for thermal reasons. Mid- 2019 Razer blade 15 with 2070 Max -Q

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Guide for bios mods with a programmer on a Razer Blade 15 2020 Advanced.

In this guide I describe as MOD 1 how to get around the TDP restriction that comes with all Razer Blade 2020 Advanced.

MOD 2 is related to bios undervolt since undervolting through software is not possible anymore since bios 1.03.

This gave me incredible 40% speed increase in CPU performance!
My cinebench r20 score jumped up from 2900 to 4100!

The bios of the 2020 Razer Blade Advanced is locked.
The only way to modify the bios is to do it with a programmer.
These two mods are only the mods I applied.
Once you have a programmer, you can modify/unlock nearly endless bios settings.

All of this worked for me, but you do all this at your own risk!
Cost of the mod is less than 10$, financial risk of bricking your machine is 3000$!

Most of the information in this guide is combined information of these two threads and I copy pasted/modified some phrases of them:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...f-your-razer-blade-w-no-pl-throttling.827919/
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/razer-bios-mods-potential-to-unlock-all-hidden-options.830993/

Thanks to stranula and David Kirchik who did similar mods through software with unlocked bios versions in older blades.
I recommend to read these threads.

Disable/delete ThrottleStop and/or Intel XTU before proceeding with BIOS tweaks and mods. You’ll BSOD due to lack of voltage after completing them quote from Hackness, “ThrottleStop's Core and cache's undervolt offset and the BIOS undervolt offset need to be cleared before setting the AC and DC loadline to 1, only very little undervolt is allowed on the cache with AC and DC loadline to 1, around -40, otherwise it'll crash straight away with voltage offset like -160mV on the cache.”

Your CPU will pull much more power after MOD 1.
I applied Liquid Metal Conductonaut to the CPU and GPU to lower the temperatures directly when I bought the Blade so I don’t know if temps will be ok with stock thermal paste.

Undervolting with MOD 2 is recommended in any case, with or without MOD 1.
Undervolting was the initial reason for me to dive into this after Razer locked the voltage with bios 1.03.

With liquid metal temps are absolutely ok with my Razer Blade after these 2 mods, even with a 100W vbios that I flashed in addition to the 2080 Super Max-Q.
If you want to repaste your CPU too, you can find a lot of videos how to do it on YouTube.
If you repaste, I recommend to do the same on the GPU in the same process since you removed the vaporchamber heatsink anyway you´ll get access to the GPU as well.


Lets get started.


1. Buy a CH341A programmer together with a SOIC8 Clip to extract the bios directly from the bios chip and for to flash the bios to the chip after modification. You can buy such a device at ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/JW-USB-Pro...OP-Clip-Adapter-EEPROM-BIOS-FLAS/233635841518 . Any other CH314A programmer will work.

2. Watch some YouTube videos to learn how to use such a programmer and especially how to connect the cable from the clip to the programmer. Its not complicated, but better inform yourself in addition to this tutorial how to handle this great tiny device.

3. Connect the SOIC8 clip to the programmer.
A picture where you can see how to connect the clip to the programmer is attached with name “programmer” http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/programmer-jpg.187050/. The Blade 15 2020 has a W25 bios chip so this is the correct way to do it for that bios chip.

4. Buy a TX5 Torx tool for the screws of your Razer backplate.

5. Download driver and software package for the programmer. https://mega.nz/file/PkhxCQ4B#m5u-HjDf7jezczlQOL82z3T4WkXqCVpAGSpoZHP4ZTI

6. Download AMIPCP5 (needed to modify the bios file that was extracted with the programmer). https://mega.nz/file/294TnCxL#6nP9uXuaspg1ercJREvydKnbWFdc6GRIo3YFhWLRdzw

7. Get an additional PC/Notebook, install drivers for the programmer and download the AMIPCB5.exe to that device. You need this additional laptop to read and flash the bios.


Now you have to open up your Razer Blade.


1. Switch off your blade and turn it upside-down.
Remove all screws from the backside with the TX 5 screwdriver and lift of the complete cover.
This can afford some force since a thermal pad of the SSD is connected to the cover. Best method is to start pulling at an edge left or right of the touchpad. You will not destroy the thermal pad and you can still use it afterwards, don’t be afraid.

2. Once you removed the back cover you have to identify the bios chip.
It’s quite centered under the LCD flat-cable and the camera cable and you have to lift these cables to get access to the chip.
You can see the location in the picture “bios chip location” http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/bios-chip-location-jpg.187048/.

3. I did not disconnect the main battery for the following steps of my razer and had no issues, but you may do this if that seems right for you. This is just an option.

4. Now plug in the programmer into the USB port of your additional notebook.

5. Connect the SOIC8 Clip to the bios chip.
Connect pin 1 of the clip to pin 1 of the bios chip.
Pin 1 on the clip is where the red cable is.
Pin 1 on the chip is where I made the red dot in the attached picture “pin 1 bios chip” http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/pin-1-bios-chip-jpg.187049/.


Extract the bios


1. Start CH341A.exe on your additional notebook (drivers must be already installed).
Choose the correct chip in the menu on the left side (W25Q128BV is the right one to choose).

2. Press “Read” and the software will read the bios from the chip.

3. Save the bios file and make an additional copy and store it at another place just in case you mess something.


Modify the bios


1. Open the bios file with AMIPCP5.exe you downloaded in the beginning.

2. Depending on what your goals are you may now modify the bios file.


MOD 1 (REMOVE TDP RESTRICTION)

For get around the TDP restriction do the following (can be also read in this thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...f-your-razer-blade-w-no-pl-throttling.827919/ .


· Once your BIOS image is loaded, make sure you're in the "Setup Configuration" tab.

· In the left pane, click the '+' next to the un-name folder.

· Click the '+' for Setup -> Advanced -> Power & Performance.

· Click 'CPU - Power Management'.

· In the right pane, you'll changeable options in "Access/Use" clicking on a line will give you options to change. Copy the option changes from the screenshot to match yours. http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/171129/

· Click 'Power & Performance' copy the screenshot. http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/171130/

· Click 'CPU VR Settings' copy the screenshot. http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/171131/

· Click 'File' and Save.

If that is all you intended to do you may now flash the bios back to the chip.


Write the modified bios file to the bios chip:

1. Your SOIC8 clip is still or again connected to the chip on your switched off blade, programmer is plugged in your additional laptop.

2. CH341A.exe is running.

3. W25Q128BV is chosen for the chip.

4. Click “Erase” in the CH341A Software. It does not work if you do not erase the chip first.

5. Once the chip is erased, load your modified bios file.

6. Once the file is loaded, click “Program”.

7. Wait until write is finished….

8. Done!

9. Remove clip from the chip.

10. Turn your blade around and power on.

11. If you have done everything right it will start up.

Activate TDP settings in the bios.

Press F1 to enter bios and make the following changes to activate the TDP mod:

Changing the IMON settings solve automatic overvolting and also tricking the computer into thinking you're half the wattage you really are. You can do 80-90 watts while the computer thinks its really 10-20ish watts.

1. Navigate to Advanced -> Power & Performance -> CPU - Power Management Control -> CPU VR Settings -> Core/IA VR Settings.
2. Make a photo of your original settings in case you want to revert to these settings.
3. AC and DC Loadline change value to 1.
4. IMON Slope value change to 50.
5. IMON Offset value change to 31999.
6. IMON Prefix to [-] (negative) MUST DO.
7. VR Current Limit value change to 800.
8. TDC Enable set the value to Disabled.
9. F4 save and restart.

I attached a picture “bios settings TDP mod” http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/bios-settings-tdp-mod-jpg.187051/ in addition to the text.


MOD 2 (BIOS UNDERVOLT)

Basically the same procedure like MOD 1, we just unlock other settings in the extracted bios file.
Bios 1.03 and newer have plundervolt protection, so you can’t undervolt with Throttlestop or Intel XTU anymore.
But you can do it with a programmer and AMIPCB 5 and I would recommend to do it, especially if you made the TDP mod since your CPU will generate a lot of heat with that mod without undervolting.

1. Extract your bios as in MOD 1 or use the already extracted or modified bios you have already from the steps above.

2. Open your bios file with AMIPCP5.

3. Make the following modifications to bring up the required options in the bios.

· Once your BIOS image is loaded, make sure you're in the "Setup Configuration" tab.

· In the left pane, click the '+' next to the un-name folder.

· Click the '+' for Setup -> Advanced -> OverClocking Performance Menu.
In the right pane, you'll changeable options in "Access/Use" clicking on a line will give you options to change. Copy the option changes from my screenshot
http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/undervolt-1-jpg.187053/
(picture “undervolt 1”) to match yours.

· Click 'Processor' in the left pane.

· In the right pane, copy the option changes from my screenshot http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/undervolt-2-jpg.187054/ (undervolt 2) to match yours.

· Click 'File' and Save.

If that is all you intended to do you may now flash the bios back to the chip.

4. Flash the bios back to the chip with your programmer like described in the MOD 1 section.
Don’t forget to erase the chip before flashing.

5. Turn your blade around and power on.


Activate undervolt in the bios settings:

Press F1 to enter bios and make the following changes to activate the undervolt:


Only very little undervolt is allowed on the cache if you already did the TDP. Around -40mV is possible with my machine, otherwise it'll crash straight away with voltage offset like -120mV on the cache since the TDP MOD already applied some undervoling automatically.

Lower the Core voltage in 10mV increments and bench in windows with Throttlestops TS Bench every time you lowered the voltage. TS Bench will give you errors if you lowered too much.

1. Navigate to Advanced -> Overclocking Performance Menu -> Processor.
2. Change Core Voltage Offset to the desired value
3. Offstet Prefix to [-] (negative) MUST DO.
4. F4 save and restart.

I attached a picture http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/bios-settings-undervolt-jpg.187055/ “bios settings undervolt” in addition to the text.
Attention, -40mV is the value that works for me.
You have to test and find your own value.

That’s it, enjoy.

I could upload only few pictures per post, so I upload the remaining undervolt pictures in the next post.

 

Remaining pictures for bios undervolt

 

Nice, thanks for sharing, so basically the same 2 procedures. BTW Razer has just released a new EC firmware update which unlocks a 4th "Boost" mode (90W short, 55W normal) for the CPU: https://support.razer.com/gaming-laptops/razer-blade-15-advanced-2020-software-updates

 

I just updated, and I don't see any new options in synapse. Just the same three dots along the CPU and GPU performance bars. Do you have to be on the later bios to get this option? I'm still on 1.01, never updated because I wanted to undervolt.

 

The fact that this exists in EC firmware means it can (and will?) be hackable, hopefully somebody in the community can take a closer look.

 

Hi,

I restored the latest original bios 1.03, checked for updates, did the EC updade and cant see any improvements.
The TPD limit still throttles the CPU to 45W after a few seconds under load and frequency drops to 2.7GHz in Prime95.
Same like before.

I restored the modded bios again.
That gives me permanently 3.4GHz on all cores under full load.

 

That's more or less what I'm seeing too. There must be a synapse update or something that needs to happen to give us the 4th position on the slider like in the pictures through the link.

 

Yes, as noted in photos and text on the release page you need a Synapse update for that. Apparently it's a staged rollout (country-based whitelist). What worked for me was connecting to a Japanese VPN node, then Synapse found an update and I got the new option in Synapse

Still, even with the 90W/55W I only maxed out at about 3070 points Cinebench which is still less than 80/45 with UV back when I had 1.01 BIOS (~3200)

 

Strange. Undervolted and in the "old" high performance CPU mode, I'm getting like, 3200. My all core turbo is about 30-31 during the run. I'm at a -.125 UV.