[TUTORIAL] XPS 15 9550/9550 BIOS Advanced Options

With this tutorial we can access and modify advanced BIOS options in modern Dell Laptops with UEFI BIOS ( XPS 15 9550/9560).I personally tested on my XPS 15 9550 and its working properly so far.

:::WARNING:::
CHANGING VALUES INCORRECTLY MIGHT BRICK YOUR LAPTOP. KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE IN ANY WAY IF YOU END UP BRICKING YOUR LAPTOP.PROCEED WITH CAUTION.​

First we have to Extract our BIOS from the laptop.Then we can change values.
STEP 1 => EXTARCTING BIOS:

1:
First we need some tools.Download the following tools:

1.Universal BIOS Backup Toolkit 2.0 http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/universal_bios_backup_toolkit.html
2.UEFITool NE A43 https://github.com/LongSoft/UEFITool/releases/download/A43/UEFITool_NE_A43.win.zip
3. Universal IFR Extractor: http://bios-mods.com/pub/donovan6000/Software/Universal IFR Extractor/Universal IFR Extractor.exe


2:
Run Universal BIOS Backup ToolKit 2.0.exe as Administrator. Click Read and wait for few minutes.After successful message Click Backup and save the .rom file.In my case it is DellInc.-1.4.0.rom



3:
Run UEFITool_NE_A43.exe Go to File> Open Image File.Open the .rom file we saved earlier.

We should see something similiar to following image:


Now go to Action> Search ... > GUID and enter "899407D7-99FE-43D8-9A21-79EC328CAC21" and click search.

You will see a match in search tab:




Double click on " GUID Pattern....." message below,Right click on text " Setup",Click " Extract as is..." and save file as " setup.bin"





4:

Run Universal IFR Extractor.exe and select the setup.bin file we saved earlier and click Extract. Save the file.



We have successfully extracted our BIOS Options.Now open this "setup IFR.txt" file with text editor.You will find add the variable adderss and options in this.

STEP 2 => MODIFYING VALUES:

Open the "setup IFR.txt" we exported earlier.I can see all the variables and their values like this:
***THIS IS AN EXAMPLE***

Code:

0x34373             Grayout If: {19 82}
0x34375                 Variable 0xB35 equals 0x1 {12 06 35 0B 01 00}
0x3437B                 Setting: Intel(R) Speed Shift Technology, Variable: 0xD8 {05 91 09 02 0A 02 58 02 01 00 D8 00 10 10 00 01 00}
0x3438C                     Option: Disabled, Value: 0x0 {09 07 21 02 30 00 00}
0x34393                     Option: Enabled, Value: 0x1 {09 07 20 02 00 00 01}
0x3439A                 End of Options {29 02}
0x3439C             End If {29 02}
0x3439E         End If {29 02}

***THIS IS AN EXAMPLE***
What this means is,if we write 0x1 to variable 0xD8,Speed Shift will be enabled.Follow the below instructions to change BIOS variable:
1) Download EFI Shell: https://www.firewolf.science/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/EFI-shell.zip
2) format a flash drive with FAT32 filesystem
3) put efi file from zip file into Boot/bootx64.efi on your flash drive
4) boot from flash drive. you will get uefi shell
If it is not booting - Go to bios, boot sequence - and add custom entry pointing to that efi file. then reboot, F12 and choose your custom entry

Write the following and press enter:

Code:

setup_var 0xD8 0x1

Now we changed variable 0xD8 to 0x1 and speed shift is enabled in my laptop.
You can now try changing other variables if your are curious and let us know.

****CHANGING VALUES MIGHT BRICK YOUR LAPTOP.YOU CAN REMOVE CMOS BATTERY TO RESET BIOS TO DEFAULT IF YOU ARE STUCK ON DELL LOGO AFTER CHAGING VALUES****

 

On my laptops the SpeedShift variables were as follows (research then use at your own risk after consulting your lawyers and IT specialists):

9550 0xD8
9560 0x4BC"

Great to see this thread, speedshift on that laptop is already documented by @goodwin_c http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/dell-xps-speed-shift.796891/page-5#post-10400525

You really need to push home the check 1st

I think you can hold the power button for 30 seconds to start the BIOS reset (charge lights will flash during) to avoid opening it up.

Thanks for the guide.

The biggie would be enabling the menu options in the BIOS to allow us to change values without having to boot into EFI shell each time.

 

for the 9560

Code:

Suppress If: {0A 82}
0x36BBB             Variable 0xDFC equals 0x0 {12 06 FC 0D 00 00}
0x36BC1             Setting: Intel(R) Speed Shift Technology, Variable: 0x4BC {05 91 B3 01 B4 01 DC 01 01 00 BC 04 10 10 00 01 00}
0x36BD2                 Option: Disabled, Value: 0x0 {09 07 04 00 30 00 00}
0x36BD9                 Option: Enabled, Value: 0x1 {09 07 03 00 00 00 01}
0x36BE0             End of Options {29 02}
0x36BE2         End If {29 02}

setup_var oxDFC ox1


Would that enable the option in the BIOS?

 

I dont know.didn't try it.I already bricked mine once and had to reset by removing CMOS battery.You can always try if you are brave enough

 

I've already gave detailed instruction of extracting BIOS and getting variables.That speed shift change was just an example.I think people who will follow this will surely know what they are doing.
Also i tried holding power button to reset BIOS,didnt work for me.I had to remove CMOS to reset.I also read on forum Fn+Power button resets the bios too and it didnt work for me either!

 

Good to know, shame it doesn't work holding the power button, but at least you got out of the brick!
what did you do wrong to brick it?

(never assume we know what we are doing )

 

I am having throttling problem after few months of buying this laptop.Never had a solution except uninstalling Intel DPTF and Using ThrottleStop.So i enabled "CPU DTS" value from BIOS and it stuck on Dell logo ...Strange.Also more stranger thing is when i checked value of "DPTF" variable,it was disabled by default but we all know it isn't!

 

Can somebody post a download for the xps 9550 1.4.0 ROM Bios file ? I updated to 1.6.1 and can´t suspend the laptop anymore... directly resets... i need to downgrade it directly from Bios upgrade option , can´t downgrade it anymore... so i want to force a reflashing with the 1.4.0 . Or if there is any other option to downgrade, i appreciate the reply ... can´t find anything on google about it... Would appreciate it, thousand thanks !

 

Dell has a page with many older drivers and bios saved. Search my posts for a link.

 

I know what Dell has on it´s website... i am asking for an extracted .rom file from 1.4.0 bios for 9550... the ROM file... is what i need...can´t do downgrade with their tools... i need an extracted ROM and then force the flashing with other flashing tool ....

 

Any version before 1.5.1 is fine ... can be even 1.2.x , i don´t mind... as long as is a previous version, i am happy, thanks again!

 

I dont think anybody has .rom file of older BIOS.even if someone has,there could be chance of bricking your Laptop.
There is an option in BIOS to allow dogwngrading bios version.Did you check that?

 

Hi ,

in the XPS 9550 2016/2017 is not possible to flash a "ROM" file anymore ,or at least not this extension . If you got stucked in the BIOS 1.6.1 ,no worries, you can downgrade to any BIOS version ,check carefully this tutorial ,it´s really simple and easy : https://github.com/wmchris/DellXPS15-9550-OSX/blob/10.13/Additional/bios_upgrade.md

For the XPS 9550 2016 model , in my case , the perfect BIOS that works really smooth and all the Intel technologies are working fine is the BIOS version 1.5.1 .
To find old BIOS it´s easy , just google "XPS 9550 BIOS 1.4.0" or "xps 9550 BIOS 1.2.25" , depending on the version you are looking for .
Thanks to that tutorial now is possible to downgrade to any BIOS you like ,check which fits you more ,but for Windows 10 users i recommend 1.5.1 , is more stable and works really fine . I know is a pain in di ars all this, i searched everywhere... not even on the Dell website is coming the solution.... i am wondering how this guy knew about this solution...or maybe is an old method and i didn´t know...anyway, the point is that if 1.6.1 gives you problems, go back to 1.5.1 . 1.4.0 i saw it a bit faster in the start up , and 1.2.25 a bit faster too, but it might not go too smooth with Windows 10, so if you wanna avoid black screens and blue screens and all this, better go for 1.5.1 that is really stable . If you guys need to ask more questions, i am here to reply anytime. Cheers and good luck with your XPS 9550 ,enjoy it !

 

So if the normal updating is not working, follow these steps :
1. Create USB Recovery Stick
Format USB stick as FAT32, place Firmware Update EXE file on the root of the stick and name it BIOS_IMG.rcv

2. Goto Recovery Boot
ensure that the laptop's battery is charged up to at least 10%. Verify that the laptop is powered OFF and disconnect the AC adapter.

Insert USB Stick,press and hold the CTRL + ESC keys on the keyboard, then plug in the AC adapter to the laptop.

Release the CTRL + ESC key on the keyboard once you see the BIOS recovery screen.
On the BIOS Recovery screen, select Reset NVRAM(if available) and press the Enter key. Select Disabled and press the Enter key if you wish to save the current BIOS settings.

Select Recover BIOS and press the Enter key to start the recovery process.

 

Hi...
During update of the bios there was a glitch and now during the boot laptop stucks on dell logo, when I plug the power it turns on even without me pressing power button, the battery is dead so when I press Ctrl+Esc and go to bios recovery mode it doesn't let be flash bios. when I remove the battery it goes to diagnostic mode all tests pass succesfully except battery when rebooted it stuucks on dell logo.
And I don't know why it got's really hot, fans doen't turn on, but during the diagnostic they worked. I'm thinking that there is problem with bios and want to flash it through SPI programmer but can't find dump anywhere maybe someone can share his so I can try to flash it on my chip.

Thanks.

 

Have you tried holding the power button for 30 seconds to initiate BIOS recovery?

 

Yes I done it, strange thing that it doesn't react to power button at all even in diagnostic mode I can hold it forever and it never powers off...

 

So basically I need a full bios dump, it this wouldn't help then there is hardware problem.

 

Has anyone tried other variables? Or done this with the 9360? I want to try overclocking the LPDDR3 from 2133 to 2400 when I enable speedshift. Anyone foresee problems besides possible instability?

SpeedShift
setup_var 0x4AD 0x1

Overclock RAM
setup_var 0x412 0x960

these are some settings available for memory frequency

0x40318 End If {29 02}
0x4031A Suppress If: {0A 82}
0x4031C Variable 0x412 equals 0x2 {12 06 12 04 02 00}
0x40322 Option: 2133, Value: 0x855 {09 08 68 05 01 01 55 08}
0x4032A End If {29 02}
0x4032C Suppress If: {0A 82}
0x4032E Variable 0x412 equals 0x1 {12 06 12 04 01 00}
0x40334 Option: 2200, Value: 0x898 {09 08 69 05 01 01 98 08}
0x4033C End If {29 02}
0x4033E Option: 2400, Value: 0x960 {09 08 6A 05 01 01 60 09}
0x40346 Suppress If: {0A 82}
0x40348 Variable 0x412 equals 0x1 {12 06 12 04 01 00}
0x4034E Option: 2600, Value: 0xA28 {09 08 6B 05 01 01 28 0A}

Also I want to mention that the Suppress If: {0A 82} line appears before every advanced menu setting, and if that could be changed, then we could modify any variable we wanted from within the bios, as the options would no longer be suppressed.

 

Would it be possible to undervolt the gtx 960M using this? Does anyone know the values?

 

What do you mean you can't suspend your laptop? Are you getting BSOD with 1.6.1? What version of 9550 do you have? Do you have a 4K touchscreen? i5 or i7?