Razer BIOS Mods - Potential to Unlock All Hidden Options

Can we use this procedure to downgrade bios?

 

If you have an older bios rom, generally yes.

 

Excellent guide! I'm sad Razer decided to lock down their bios with secure flash. It was so nice to be able to read, modify, and flash all within windows but at least there is an alternative out there!

Does this new secure flash lock exist on the 240hz/9750H RBP or just the models with 10th gen chips? I was looking forward to purchasing the RBP whenever they refresh with tiger lake/ampere but the secure flash lock puts a damper on it

 

I successfully flashed the BIOS chip on my Razer Blade 15 Advanced (Early 2020) and enabled BIOS options with a good boost in performance. Using a CH341A and a Windows 7 laptop I read the BIOS, edited it as per the two guides on NotebookReview (including this one) and flashed the BIOS back onto the chip with AsProgrammer. The file size was about 16MB and the total time took 9:45 to flash. The BIOS chip on the motherboard is the one that has the white line around it, and is accessible without removing the heat sync.

 

Very nice guide. I MOD my RB15 2020 base to unlock TDP and undervolt. It is a little different from advanced model. Have to use flashrom under linux and choose GD25Q128C chip (GD25B127D on board) to dump bios and to flash. Overclocking menu is not under advanced for 2020 base model, so need to mod bios file to add this to main menu.
R20 around 3400 after mod and liquid metal repaste.
Also unlocked memory overclocking menu, but dont know how to set it up. It shows all 0 value.

 

Same on my RBS13 2020, it doesn't look like it reads out timing info, or at least doesn't show. It only shows main timings.

I've exposed the two XMP profiles as well but no matter what I do the laptop refuses to boot. I think you'll have to somehow find the exact timings that are used (or supported) maybe by reading out the SPD somehow?

I wasn't really into further overclocking the mem personally, it's already very fast for me. I gain more by reducing voltages because the laptop is so small, however the memory might be an exception to this rule.

 

Same for me and it does not show any timing information on any of the profile. It refuse to boot for whatever mem setting I input. Waiting for someone to figure it out.

 

So need some clarification please. I might be doing this to my 2020 blade advanced w/OLED screen when it arrives.

The screen shot posted with the bios Mod2 that only shows Core Voltage offset setting in the BIOS.

Some questions please:

1.) How does the CPU Cache offset get set?

2.) Can i continue to use ThrottleStop to set "Intel GPU" and "iGpu islice". Also can i continue to use it to set/lock turbo power limits?

3.) What would be a good starting point offset with the 10875H processor so that i can also use Boost mode in Synapse?

4.) If I set a CPU voltage offset in bios that is unstable and wont boot, will the bios reset the value so i can try again or do i need to re-flash?


Thank you for any help!

 

1. Through BIOS, (Think its called uncore or ring)

2. The point of modding is (partly) is to no longer be reliant on third party tools. The BIOS can set iGPU and unslice domain.

3. Same answer as 2.

4. You dont need to reflash, but highly likely you'll have to reset the cmos settings by detaching lithium and cmos battery for 30 seconds.
Here is where throttlestop still comes in though, first see what the limits are, then permanently set them in bios.

 

So once the bios mod is done, i can continue to use throttlestop (if i want to) for undervolting?

 

My throttlestop is still functional yes if I ever want to use it for some reason. It reflects the voltage offsets exactly like you'd set them in BIOS.

However, I don't know how the unit reacts when you start doing it both in BIOS AND throttlestop. I personally wouldn't use both for that purpose just to be safe.

 

My throttlestop overrides BIOS setting

 

3400 in CB R20? Very nice! I squeezed out a little more than 3240 but I think if I had liquid metal instead of Arctic Silver 5 then it would help with thermals. Stress tests between 85’C low end and 95’C on the high end. Early 2020 Razer Blade 15 Advanced with i7-10875H and 2070S MQ. Any undervolting I’ve done tonight (-25 to -100 result is BSOD, -150 required pulling battery and CMOS battery to clear bad settings). Tomorrow I can try more options, right now my best bet is to figure out how ‘tf IMON Slope and related settings even work. Followed an older guide for a Razer Blade Pro and has values of 50 and 31999 which doesn’t seem to match what the 10875 can do but idk how to change it until I understand how it works. I think the TDP Throttle is 35W and a max of some crazy 107W to 135W for <60sec at a time? Also trying to figure out PL1 and PL2 being set at 60000 and 90000 but the values below are set at 0 which disable the setting and I don’t want to have to CMOS reset again tonight as I have to work tomorrow.

 

I can confirm that removing the CMOS battery works to reset the BIOS.

With IMON settings untouched and default BIOS settings (but the rest of this guide followed with Registry, Windows, and Synapse tweaks) and changing the undervolt/oc from -0 to -100 was booting, no immediate issues. But when I set it to -150 the laptop wouldn’t boot and the keyboard lit up and then boot looped every 30 seconds. With the IMON settings changed as well, the undervolt/oc on -0 was fine, no BSOD. -25 was BSOD after Cinebench R20 test (2800) and -50 froze the laptop when you hit run.

 

I noticed this as well when I used the programmer. Windows pulled a 10MB file, which I edited and when I hooked the programmer I figured it’s best to do another dump and sure enough 16MB. So I decided to modify that file instead which in AsProgrammer showed different HEX values at the beginning of the file. So I edited the 16MB file and flashing it onto the chip with no issues. Took about 10 minutes to flash it to the chip.


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If anyone can figure out how to unlock the real TDP vs faking TDP would be even better, that would fix the wattage calculation ;-)

Surprised to see some people drop undervolt barrier after IMON stuff, mine hasn't changed in that regard. Maybe the undervolt was never really stable?

For me I need to drop at least -15mv for fake stability vs real stability (fake stability is appears to be stable but in background WHEA loggers and recoveries happen and only crash certain applications)

i.e. i thought -80mv was rock stable for hours even a day, until I started looking closer and saw cracks.

 

Hi can i ask if you used one of the black and green programmers linked on this thread and if so, did you do the 3.3v mod first?

Also, if you undervolted, can you share what you were able to achieve with core and cache?

Thanks

 

Mine was black and gold, which I assume is the 5V model from reading here. I did not test the voltage with my multimeter tho. And I haven’t been able to find a successful undervolt where temps are lower without a BSOD yet, but last night was the first time I was able to start experimenting. Once I got a boot loop I stopped, might try more tonight after work.

 

I noticed something similar, it would appear stable but random HYPERVISOR_ERROR BSOD at idle or while in a game which isn’t very fun. CMOS reset fixed it and lowers my CB R20 score lol


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That’s what score, temps, and frequency I was running after IMON settings were modified but no undervolt.

 

My base model is 10750H. When testing CB R20, it is running at all core 4.3ghz. After tricking with TDP, I cannot undervolt for even -1mv, which leads to error in throttlestop benchmark. Then I tried increase voltage by 30mv, which increased R20 score a little bit. Temp is fine after LM repaste showing 85-87 during CB R20 test.

 

That's not bad! With -0 undervolt it's running CB R20 around 3.0Ghz turbo and then drops to 2.4ish and got a score of 2100~, was able to undervolt in the bios -50 so far (TS doesnt do anything, only option that works is disabled turbo) and that boosted it to 2800~ in CB R20 with 75-85'C thermals. Going to push it more this weekend and see what luck I have.

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Got over 3800 in CB R20. But still for the life of me I can not get undervolting menu to show up in BIOS no matter what.

 

How did you get 3800? My best is 3245 and I'm starting to settle with 2900~ with custom bios and -50mV undervolt and Synapse Running on full turbo with all the other options checked besides IMON settings. What are your temps on that 3800 run?

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Edited my 1.04 rom and flashed but the menu does not show up like some others have experianced.

 

I just copy the IMON settings posted in this thread to eliminate PL throttling. The max temps are in the 70's posted in the picture. Of course, the CPU is pasted with LM.

 

8- core vs 6 core ... There is some difference. I have 3450 with no mod on studio 2020

 

Was able to get my 1.01 bios flashed back and thankfully uv restored. Guess i'll stay on this until someone figures out how/why this mod doesn't work on some systems. My unit has the original 1tb nvme drive also. Maybe some way of modifying the bios that doesn't rely on the menu's, but flips whatever bits necessary to allow tools like TS to work again.

2020 rb15 adv oled

 

I will probably try and do the same with v1.01 instead of 1.03

 

i will say i think i hit the silicon lottery with this unit though. without undervolt the system was hitting 95/97c after a bit in some of the more demanding games i have and with a 125v core and 90v cache undervolt i never see it go over 90c. Just surfing and light stuff seeing 34-36c which is pretty good in my experience. Fans are dead silent too. I noticed if i connect my tb3 doc which has a 2k monitor on the display port, it will add about 5-7c to the temps, which makes sense.

 

Do you know what score you got before you did any mods? Before I modified mine the temps were about the same between 90-95’F with Turbo and High settings in Synapse with Ultimate Performance in W10

 

Ok success -

Took stock 1.04 rom and only changed the "Optimal" value of "Overclocking Lock" to "Disabled". Flashed it then booted into the BIOS and loaded "Optimized" settings with F3 and saved.

That one change makes the 1.04 rom act just like the 1.01 rom and I can now undervolt with TS just as before - woot!

With undervolt (no TDP mod) of 120mv core and 90mv cache seeing Cinebench r20 score of 3813. Synapse CPU set to boost and GPU to Medium.

 

Was this using AMIBCP? Can you post a screenshot? Going to try this on the 2020 10875H

 

All things being equal, I'm seeing about a +5c increase in idle temps between 1.01 and 1.04.

 

Can you post a screenshot of your AMIBCP setting? I can't find the option in mine. I'm assuming you're using that to change the settings and then access the option in the BIOS.

 

Yes i will but from your screenshot it is under "Power & Performance > CPU Power - Management Control > View/Configure CPU Lock Option"

 

Awesome thank you! Currently flashing the BIOS with my CH341A. Does anyone know a way to use AsProgrammer to keep the chip unlocked so I can flash the BIOS mods within Windows without the Secure error?

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Success! Changing this setting in AMIBCP 5 and flashing with a programmer lets me change settings in TS and actually take effect!

Did you change any PL settings or IMON settings to get 3800 in CB20?

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No I left everything else stock. I did use the CPU Boost setting on Synapse 3.

 

Sorry if this has already been answered but is it possible to mod bios v1.03 to allow underclocking? Or is the only way to fix underclocking is to flash bios v1.01? and is there any way to get bios v1.01?


edit: to clarify I'm talking about specifically the Razer Blade 2020 (Base edition) although it seems the advanced is on a different bios version

 

If you have a locked bios then you need a programmer. But with earlier posts you can unlock the feature in BIOS and flash the modified bios and change the lock setting

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Got it. Alright thanks. I was just curious because I'm on v1.03 and I didn't backup my v1.01 bios so I was worried i'd be stuck. I do have a programmer so I'm definitely going to give it a try today and get back to everyone here with results. Thanks.

 

I used a CH341A, AsProgrammer, and AMIBCP 5.x. Good luck!

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Overclocking lock (undervolt in TS or XTU) and CFG lock can be disabled in 1.03 base model. I just tested.

 

So i've been thinking about putting my undervolt values directly into the bios (Since i cannot get the menus to show up).

I can see where to add the Core, but the Ring Section (Presumably Cache) does not have a voltage offset parameter like the Core section does. I will post screenshots in a bit to explain, but if anyone has directly added Core/Cache offset values to the bios please explain how you set the CPU Cache value?

 

I have the same question actually! I can manually adjust the CPU Cache in ThrottleStop but not in the BIOS. Any changes to BIOS result in the same value for Ring Section and Core.


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it may not be exposed in the bios and only linked to core offset. if this is the case the only way be through software, which is fine i guess as TS is pretty bulletproof and has other nice features.

 

Do you think it's possible to use AMIBCP to make that menu viable by changing it to USER like with the Overclocking Lock option? Question is what one is it?

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well, no, if they aren't exposed in the bios at all, enabling the menus wouldn't help either. really hoping someone finds it hidden somewhere, but i've looked and if it is it's not obvious.

 

Hi all.

First of all thank you all for this immense amount of know-how.
Just my add - the only way I could flash my chip successfully was with main battery and CMOS battery out, otherwise it would Flash the chip, but would not start. Maybe it's because I haven't modified my programmer to do proper 3v3 yet.

I did the TDP and IMON settings - I am not happy about "tricking" it regards the power draw, there has to be a way of increasing the 60/90w limits somehow while still reporting proper power draw...right?
Best C20 run was 3720, but at 96C cpu temps - hot!

This works fine with UV of -80 on core and cache.
I tried more, but weirdly dont hit hard limits, just tend to loose score in C20 with anything smaller than -80

I am on my second Blade as my first was RMA'ed because of dead pixels and USB C charging not actually doing anything - I still have the usb issue, laptop eats 45-50w at idle. And with 80w USB c dock barely charges (4-10w)

Replacement unit also has a dead pixel - Razer After Sales support is abysmal (just so you know)
Took 3 months total to replace a unit with 2 of those months with extra 3500$ for the replacement unit hanging in the air

Ok...but not about that.

Wanted to share my experience with Liquid Metal and the heatsink on this laptop - the first one I had, I ended up replacing the heatsink as after 2 months or so with LM my temps started to climb back up and this is what I saw - my conductonaut had fully "dried" up and was impossible to remove without planing (scratching with straight knife)
Thus I am quite skeptical about doing it again, anyone has some long term report on this?