***NEW*** Prema Mod Alienware 15. 15 R2 / 17 R2 and R3 Performance vBIOS

Folks, this is hot off the presses. Prema has worked hard to make these new Alienware machines run better than Alienware intended. A few people have been testing it for him to help get all of the kinks worked out, and now it's ready for everyone to enjoy.

AW1x R2 (2015)

Prema Mod 970M and 980M vBIOS for AW 15 and 17 R2!

• Power throttle disabled for good
• Over-voltage slider enabled and adjusted (up to the maximum of 1.2v)
• Activated and adjusted thermal slider (to keep it cooler if desired)
• Core overclock slider raised
• Fixed 3D voltage base-line in order to stabilize OCs (based on average ASIC score)
• Thermal protection @ 92c (once 91c are breached the system throttles volts and clocks in order to protect it)
• Protection against Furmark and Kombustor GPU burnout (AVOID those software even with stock vBIOS)!

Be sure to express your appreciation for Prema's efforts if you get good results with it so he will have an incentive to keep up the great work. You'll find a convenient link to do that on the same page.

Sample 3DMark Suite Performance: Alienware 17 R2 | 4710HQ | GTX 970M

[ DOWNLOAD IT HERE ]​

Note: DO NOT use this vBIOS with an MXM 970M or 980M. It is for BGA models only. If you have an older Alienware with MXM modules, Prema has a vBIOS for you also, but it's not this one. (You will need this one.)

[parsehtml]<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lXF50iK_zyQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/parsehtml] ***UPDATE 11/10/2015***

 

I downloaded it but I can't open the rar file because it is asking for password and I can't find it. By the way I have a bigger problem. I tried extracting my vBIOS for backup with GPU-Z. The screen gone bad like there was moving white and black lines all over the screen for about a minute and I got real scared I didn't even clicked "ok" to the warning pop up window. I restarted the machine to see the GeForce drivers were reporting errors and my screen was flashing, it is like brightness was switching between 70% and 100%. I uninstalled the drivers with DDU and reinstalled. Now drivers are working but my screen is still flashing! What would you suggest? Maybe installing that prema vBIOS would fix it? But I can't even open the rar file since I can't find the password.
EDIT: my specs are 4720hq and 980m and I just ran a firestrike test. I didn't wait for the score. During the graphics test 1 I should be getting fps around 45-60 but now I can only get around 30. I need help urgently did I destroy my 980m?
EDIT2: I just found the rar password and installed prema vBIOS. Screen is still flashing and I did a firestrike test, this time full test and I scored 4734! http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/8226414?
I scored 9154 last night. What do I do? OMG I'm going crazy.
EDIT3: I'm really sorry for my stupidity. I didn't plug the AC adapter I shutdown the computer and waited a bit, then booted the pc. Now I think flashes are gone. I did another firestrike without any OC and I scored 8317.
Prob last EDIT: I tried using MSI afterburner and I OC'd the core clock by 200 MHz and the mem clock by 400 MHz. I just scored 9647 on firestrike! Great performance boost while maintaining nice temps (max 87 for 1 second, avg 80)Thanks! Although I couldn't figure out why GPU-Z is constantly reporting the PerfCap reason to be util.

 

really want to try it out but scared of bricking my system(like last time a02 to a00). Currently have a02 now and waiting for other peoples feedback on the new bios.

 

No worries, it's just a vBIOS and won't touch the BIOS (so no brick risk, like some people had with Dells BIOS updates).

 

I did not know that! anyway, there are 4 files(970mpmoc.rom, nvflash,nvflsh64.sys,update) inside the folder which one do i open?

 

There is a 'README' file with instructions. It essentially takes one double click with the mouse.

 

Hi Prema. I have been testing the vBIOS and I am truly amazed with the performance boost. I'd like to ask you if a vBIOS update goes bad is there a way to recover? Do you simply reflash a vBIOS?

 

In the rare scenario that it crashes during the flash (should not happen at all with this latest nVflash) you just repeat the flash until it finishes successfully.
Worst case: If you have a fully deleted chip you may have to uninstall the nVIDIA driver and flash in Windows safe mode.

 

Great news! Thank you for your effort on this.

 

thats what i dont understand. :/
"
HOW-TO: - Double click 'ModMe.bat' in Windows and follow on-screen instructions
- Repeat with 'ModMe2.bat' in order to flash the second GPU in SLI systems
(Wait for the very brief 'update successful' message before rebooting the system)
(Use EVGA Precision or NVIDIA Inspector for overclocking/overvolting)"

There is no modme.bat in the files unzipped.

 

Excellent. Been running a modified vbios for a bit. But will give this one a try and see how it handles things. May finally be able to handle not being on an amplifier 24/7 again with my 980m


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

THX! Was named accidentally 'update.bat'...

Just fixed that...

 

If it had not been renamed to "update.bat" the "ModMe2.bat" file would have been for flashing the second GPU in an SLI system, so a flash attempt using that batch file would have errored out anyway.

 

Thanks alot for the hard work guys, now i just need to find a custom bios and i would be set. what is the password by the way?

 

Check the Home Page for Prema Mod and you will see it.

 

I have tried using the nvflash --list command in both uefi and legacy mode (from a dos usb drive) and, even with prema's version of nvflash a message tells me that "No NVIDIA display adapters found" on my system, therefore I can't backup my original vbios, testing the vbios mod is a no-go for me until then. Does anyone have a workaround ?

 

cheers thanks

 

Device Manager > Find Nvidia graphics adapter > Disable, then try again. Works in Windows, there's no need to flash from DOS.

 

If you have a gtx 980m could you please share your stock vBIOS with me? I am a newbie to this OC stuff and I couldn't manage getting a backup stock vBIOS. Currently I am using the prema vBIOS but the fact that I don't have a backup makes me uncomfortable.

 

Do you get any kind of error saving the original vBIOS using the latest version of GPU-Z?

 

so which file do i run? can anyone help me with the steps i dont understand :/

 

Maybe @Prema is mistaken. I just downloaded both packages for 970M and 980M and the file is still named "ModMe.bat" right now.

Either right-click and run the batch file as Administrator or right-click > Edit and run the command shown inside the batch file in an Administrator Command Prompt. See screen shots below. If you set yourself up as administrator and have UAC disabled as I always do, you can just probably just double-click the ModMe.bat file.

 

Awesome, I'm gonna try this out when I get home! Thanks @Prema.

Is it easy to flash back the original vBIOS if you need to?

 

GPU-Z tells me dumping the bios isn't supported on my laptop.

 

Yes, really easy. Save your original vBIOS in the same folder as the Prema vBIOS (using a different file name) and run the same command from an administrator command prompt except substitute the name of your saved vBIOS ROM file instead of using the name of Prema's mod ROM file. If you open the administrator command prompt from the folder where nvflash and the vBIOS files are saved the path part of the syntax will already be correct and all you will have to do is type out the command.

OK, I have seen that before on BGA Optimus and Enduro machines, but I cannot remember what to do to bypass it. It has been too long and I don't have one to test with, but there is a workaround. Maybe someone that has worked through it can tell you what they did. Sorry that I cannot remember what the trick is for that right now. If you haven't already done so, try disabling the NVIDIA GPU in Device Manager and try again. That may help. (Just right-click and select "Disable" and then try to dump it with GPU-Z.)

 

Disabling the GTX980M in the device manager did the trick.

 

I'd like to ask a question to you if I may. I wasn't able to save my stock vBIOS. If I get the stock vBIOS from another AW which has the same config as mine, can I use it? This is probably a dumb question, I'm new to this kind of stuff.

 

Cheers, thanks!

 

actually when i downloaded it, the windows batch file was named "update" re downloaded it again and i got what you posted. Would love a short video on how this should be done its kinda confusing for new people(like me) who are into this sort of thing. also, what is this i read about backing up vbios? how is this done?

 

Yes, as long as it is the same GPU you have it will be fine. It doesn't need to have the same CPU.

I am uploading one to YouTube for you.

Edit: check the opening post for the video as well.

[parsehtml]<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lXF50iK_zyQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/parsehtml]

 

So I ran a stress test after benchmarking (stress was just running heaven on a loop under 8x ultra extreme). The laptop crashed after about 30 minutes, and when it rebooted the 980 is gone from the system profile, device manager, and anywhere else I've looked. . . Just upgraded to windows 10 prior, any thoughts?

 

Yes, definitely... Ah well... at least now you've got telemetry...
If you have UEFI/Secure Boot/Fast Boot enabled, no telling.
It wasn't broken, but Windows 10 fixed it for you real good...


On a somewhat more serious note, can you see the GPU in the BIOS?
If you have Secure Boot enabled in the BIOS, try disabling it.

 

Windows 10 is running fine on my other computer and saw a 5% performance increase. Can downgrade using my windows 8.1 disc if i need to. Using DDU and doing a fresh nvidia instal right now. Next stop will be Alienware support


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

What about this?

 

Have not checked in bios. Nvidia drivers are installing now. Will reboot and log into bios to check.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Wow. Nope. It is gone from bios as well. Nvidia drivers failed to even start the installation process.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Try reflashing the original vbios. Hopefully that works otherwise maybe that stress testing killed the gpu.

 

Or the windows 10 killed it. The drivers were 353.2


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

How weird. Maybe try a power reset (disconnect AC and battery, hold down power button 30 seconds) and see if it reappears. Also, try resetting BIOS defaults (press F9 in the BIOS).

Were the temps high when it happened? Maybe some strange thermal protection routine disabled it or something crazy like that.

You cannot flash the vBIOS unless the GPU is visible. It's not likely a stress test killed it, especially the type of benchmark that was being used for the stress test. It's not that much stress even for 30 minutes. Unigine Heaven is no more stressful than some of the most demanding games. There may have been some weak component that gave out, like a capacitor or something of that nature, but even that is not very likely. GPUs, SSDs and hard drives can sometimes mysteriously disappear with Secure Boot enabled.

That's not likely. So far Windows 10 has only killed LCD panels on Alienware machines. I doubt it hurt the GPU. Is Secure Boot enabled in the BIOS? If it is, shut it off and see if it comes back.

 

Thank you very much, Mr Fox!

The error i encounter is "bios reading not supported on this device" will disabling the gpu via device manager solve it? i ask this because its not the error you mentioned in the video.

EDIT: I got it to work when i tried it again it prompted me if i wanted to disable the gpu temporarily.

 

Glad you got it figured out. I could not remember what the error message said exactly.

 

Secure boot was enabled. Just loaded default bios configuration. Checking my gpuz log file I had generated during the run to see if it holds more answers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

so now i just the the modme file correct?

 

Disabling secure boot seemed to work. Graphics card is now found in bios.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yes. Double-click it and if the flash completes and tells you to reboot, do that and you're all done. Easy-peasy.

Sweet! Some people think I'm just a crazy old man that doesn't like change, but that Secure Boot cancer is bad stuff. You just got a first-hand taste of that nasty poop.

 

GPU was running at 1423 core and 70 degrees at point of crash. Drivers are now installing and recognized.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yay!


My 980M cards in my Clevo often stop working at that high of an overclock. My screen goes black and the system freezes. The only way I can avoid that is using my 10,000 BTU portable air conditioning to keep the GPUs super cold. At 70°C they'll take a dump on me every time with the overclock that high. They behaved exactly the same when I had them in my M18xR2. It might be the VRMs or MOSFETS getting too hot, and the temperature sensor only tells you the core temperature, nothing else. I would not be running them over about 1325-1350 if I were you. Since it's BGA you cannot just swap it out in a few minutes if you burn one of them out.

Edit: the other thing to remember is with @Prema vBIOS you have to look at the BOOST clock. The @svl7 vBIOS disables boost, but Prema does not. If you have 1423 in the core clock reading on the left side in GPU-Z the boost clock (to the right of memory clock) would have been sky high, LOL.

 

Yeah, that 1423 Core Clock is insane with boost. Look at this... 1336 Core Clock is 1425 Boost Clock using @Prema vBIOS. Keep that in mind or you might blow a gasket, LOL.

 

The clock I'm reporting is what the boost hit that was the final data in the data log from the core reported. But yes the clock before boost was set to 1345 in inspector.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Aw heck, I thought maybe you were really lucky and had a magic BGA 980M that could run beyond 1500MHz on core for 30 minutes. Mine won't even run that high for 30 seconds, LOL.

Still though, that was a really high core overclock you were running and that was a really long time, too.