MSI GT73VR BIOS: unlock, mod, factory restore, clear CMOS and prevent common issues

I can confirm that I've found the baidu post.

 

Thanks all for your explanations.
Still struggling to find the baidu post but I shall find it eventually.

 

Looks like FPTW64 from CSME v12 is required to even read the GT75 Titan bios. The one on win-raid for cmse v11 seems to be failing (works on GT75VR not on GT75).

http://www.mediafire.com/file/b7g58727c58osdp/

I cant run this. It says cannon lake chipset.......

 

@Paloseco Your version of RU has bugs.
You need to use the newer bugfix version that doesn't crash.

http://ruexe.blogspot.com/

 

Thanks. I have a link to the blogspot page of RU in the tutorial so hopefully everyone will get the latest version already. However, I can't see any newer version than 5.20.0328 BETA on the website. Which one is the latest then? Because I can't see any post on year 2018 yet.

 

@Paloseco That's the newest one. Hell that one still crashes sometimes. Just not instantly as soon as you go to UEFI variables.

 

Maybe you can get a core dump and send it to the developer...

 

Hello, would the steps work for modding the BIOS of a MSI GE62 7RE?

 

It should if you follow the steps, however the BIOS is different, it's the E16J9IMS.321

https://www.msi.com/Laptop/support/GE62-7RE-Apache-Pro

 

Yes I know I have to use my model's BIOS , thanks, I will try it later.

BTW, I was checking the BIOS with AMIBCP, and in mine it doesnt show "MSI VGA MODE", it shows "Switchable Graphics" instead. That should still be fine right? Its just because they are different BIOS. I had also this "Switchable Graphics" with a previous MSI GE62 model, with a modded BIOS from Svet.

Spoiler: Image

I dont plan on touching it, but asking just in case.

 

Yes because that model probably switches dynamically from one graphic card to the other without rebooting. You can check on Device Manager if both Display adapters are available at the same time. On my GT73VR I need to reboot to switch between integrated and nvidia. There's a physical button for that that yours doesn't have, or alternatively do it from the BIOS if you unlock it:

 

I enabled the option, but it just let me pick muxless, so I hide the option
Also how to increase the 45W power limit? Is this option?

Spoiler: Image

If I want to set it to 50W ,i should input 5000 ,right? And Im guessing the PL2 Power is the turbo boost 60w limit?

The guide was really well done, with pictures and appropiate explaining.

 

No idea

 

PL1 and PL2 values above 45W (62w for PL2) are IGNORED on all 7700HQ processors via both MSRs and MMIO's. You can **NOT** exceed 45W PL1 for longer than 28 seconds. PERIOD. End of story. Good game, well played, no rematch

You can trick the CPU into REPORTING it is using less power than it actually is by changing IMON SLOPE in the BIOS to a value LOWER than 100 (100 = 1.0x).
I tested this on a 7820HK I TDP locked to 45W manually and it worked. I haven't seen anyone try this on a 7700HQ even though I've mentioned it many times. You can combine this with changing IMON OFFSET to negative 31999 (-) with IMON SLOPE=50.

 

Hey Falken
I get it, so what about increasing the 28 seconds? Thats locked too?

I have a option in the BIOS named "IMON Scaling support", even if I enable it, it doesnt show any window to change the value:

Spoiler: pic

Where is the setting supposed to be? Been browsing the BIOS but I cant find it.

 

IMON scaling support-never saw that do anything, oddly enough.

 

I found IMON SLOPE. What would be a safe value? 90?

Also,do those options do anything on a locked CPU?

Spoiler: settings

https://imgur.com/C6ldvcE
https://imgur.com/davdLMM

 

There is no such thing as an unsafe value. You can use anything you want.
Experiment and do whatever. I have an unlocked cpu so i can't help you.
This setting isn't something dangerous like voltage.

 

*Its the option ins this section, right?

Power & Performance --> CPU VR Settings --> Core/IA VR Settings

*And about BCLK overclocking ,is it possible? Where can I find the setting? I wanna try a small overclock, like 102

*Intel Speed Shift is disabled by default. Should I enable it or keep it disabled?

 

Don't bother BCLK overclocking unless you want to live dangerously. It's as dangerous as RAM overclocking. need MEMtest86 on flash drive boot to EFI, and do 1 loop to make sure you don't destroy your entire operating system. If your bios has an "OC" section you change the BCLK right there. if not, you're screwed.

 

Theres an OC option, but I can only see the clock, not modify it. I thought such small overclock would be safe, but guess im gonna pass then.

 

DO NOT BLAME ME IF YOU BRICK YOUR LAPTOP BY DOING THIS.
this is at your own risk!! EXPERIENCED USERS ONLY.

The purpose of this is to 1) bypass 45W TDP limit on your CPU permanently to avoid any power limit throttling, 2) disable MSI "overvolting" by setting core IA AC DC Loadline to "1".
THIS HAS BEEN TESTED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE SUCCESSFULLY ON GT75 TITAN. (same basic instructions work on the older "VR" series, but a different version of FPTW64 may be rquired). No one has tested this on GS65, but MSI uses the same bios structure in their laptops and same basic type of EC code so it should work.

DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

First, please uninstall Dragon Center.
Dragon Center adds hidden throttling options to your Bios that the normal end users has NO access to.
if you want fan control, use "MSI Silent Option".
You can do EVERYTHING Dragon Center does, by using :

1) MSI Afterburner.
2) Throttlestop 8.60.
3) MSI Silent Option.
4) MSI SCM for hotkeys.


THERE IS ZERO REASON TO USE DRAGON CENTER. ZERO. ZERO. ZILCH. IT JUST THROTTLES YOUR LAPTOP.

Ok boys. at your own risk:

1) UNLOCK YOUR BIOS.
2) Set CPU power and performance->CPU VR Settings->Core I/A Domain ->IA AC / DC loadline, = 1
**THIS SETTING DISABLES MSI AUTOMATIC OVERVOLTING WHEN THE CPU IS AT HEAVY LOAD**. When setting this to "1", you must **NOT** undervolt your processor anymore!

3) Set VR Current Limit to 800 (this will prevent "EDP Other" or CPU Current throttling.
4) make sure TDC is DISABLED and value is set to 0. MSI Dragon center messes with this option behind your back.

5) brownie points: if you want to never, ever, ever, EVER EVER EVER reach "power Limit" throttling of 45W, set IMON SLOPE to 50, IMON OFFSET to 31999 and IMON OFFSET PREFIX TO NEGATIVE. Yes, negative. Then you can draw 100W of power and the CPU will only report about 35W. VERIFIED AND TESTED.

To unlock your bios follow the instructions here starting on the first post and adding my information:
(this thread actually):
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...-cmos-and-prevent-common-issues.812372/page-8

Get the INTEL CSME SYSTEM TOOLS V12.
https://www.win-raid.com/t596f39-Intel-Management-Engine-Drivers-Firmware-amp-System-Tools.html

For older GT73VR and GT75VR, v11 works, but if you get an ERROR on your GT75 Titan, that 'unsupported platform" with v11, use v12. IT WILL WORK.

Run FPTW64 as administrator: FPTW64.exe -d MSIcancerbiosbackup.com -bios
Download UEFITool and Universal IFR extractor from Paloesco's post I inked above.
Download RU from the website as the one paloesco had previously linked in his tools had BUGS which would cause your entire laptop to shut off on "UEFI Variables"

http://ruexe.blogspot.com/

Make a backup copy of your bios dump you made. Save it somewhere.
Download AMIBCP 5.0.2 from https://forums.tweaktown.com/gigaby...-info-benchmarking-stability-tools-print.html
somewhere over there. 5.0.2 works on the older VR series also so it is safe. Note: USING 5.0.1 will CORRUPT THE APTIO BIOS CAPSULE ON THE GT75 and GS65 series !!!

Now, first things first.
Run UEFITOOL on your bios backup that you made. Open image file click the backup you made.
Click FILE->SEARCH->Text Enter "Bios Lock" in the text search.

At the bottom you should see "bios lock found at pe32 something". double click that.
A menu tree will appear at the top with a PE32 field already highlighted. RIGHT CLICK THAT AND choose extract as is. Name it whatever, like "extractedfield.bin" or something.

Close UEFItool and open universal ifr extractor. open the file you just extracted. . the words UEFI should be in GREEN. If so, good. click extract. And save it as the suggested txt file name. Should be no errors.

Now open that new text file in windows notepad.
Edit->Find, search for BIOS LOCK
You should see it, then some HEXADECIMAL variable.
WRITE THIS VARIABLE DOWN ON PAPER. Example: 0x8AA. Ignore the part in brackets.

Now, follow paloesco's instructions on making a boot disk with RU
Once you make a flash drive boot disk with RU, you need to disable secure boot, boot to your disk and boot into RU.

In RU, you then need to follow the instructions shown by Paloesco and go to UEFI variables. And look for "setup."
there should be two. A small one and a large one. The small one is wrong. You want the large one.
Once you go to the large one you need to page down (i forgot if its control page down or not) through all the HEXADECIMAL OFFSETS on the left, until you get to the PROPER HEXADECIMAL OFFSET FOR BIOS LOCK.. Example: if yours was 0x8AA, then you would look for 08AA (leading zeros are basically placeholers.

Press enter on that hex offset and change the "01" there to a "00". Should be pictures and more info in paloesco's thread.
Click write value (forgot the key, might be control W). It will say its written successfully.

use the next menu to exit RU and restart your laptop.

Now:
Boot to windows, Open AMIBCP 5.0.2, open that bios backup you originally made with FPTW64. Click on Advanced and change everything that you want unhidden to "SUPERVISOR".
You also need to change each and every submenu and option that you want unhidden as well. Most boring thing you will ever do in your life.

DO NOT USE AMIBCP 5.0.1 on anything newer than the GT73VR (GT75VR "may" be safe for this also), YOU WILL CORRUPT THE BIOS CAPSULE !

Once that's done, save your settings, flash your bios capsule back with FPTW64.exe -f msicancerbiosbackup.bin -bios
Shut off the laptop, wait 10 seconds, power it on, go in your bios and have fun.

BETTER HAVE A SPI PROGRAMMER (SKYPRO RECOMMENDED) available to flash your bios chip if something goes wrong. The Bios chip is SPI Bus isolated, meaning it is SAFE to read and flash with a programmer, as long as AC power and battery connector are all DISCONNECTED.
Note that the thunderbolt 3 chip is NOT SPI ISOLATED. Doing a read on this without desoldering the chip can DAMAGE The chip.

You only need to worry about this for emergencies aka bricks
On the MSI GT73VR, the bios chip is under MXM video card (crappy area, but at least there's no confusion.
On the GT75VR and GT75 Titan, the bios chip has been moved by the fan location for the GPU. There is ANOTHER CHIP next to the bios chip. And I do NOT know which chip is which! if someone here knows, please post--it will be helpful to some people.

This unlock method HAS BEEN ALREADY TESTED as working by another user here on his GT75 Titan.

Doing this on the GS65 stealth is UNTESTED. It SHOULD work, but it has only been confirmed on the Titan. Finding the actual correct bios chip will be harder than following instructions to unlock your bios menus.

 

Thanks for the guide Falken. About this:

According to this, MSI overvolts the CPU on load. But can we still undervolt it? (with less agressive undervolt I guess)
Lets say the MSI Auto overvolt is +.100mV (made up number). Whats the advantage of this over doing a -.100mv? That you dont need to undervolt via software like XTU or TS? What if you wanna keep the .-100mV on all CPU states? Do you know actually how much does MSI overvolts?

Completely different topic: Is it safe to send a dumped BIOS to someone? Like can they get laptop's S/N or embedded windows CDKeys?

 

The MSI overvolt (IA AC loadline) is based on resistance and applies to the CPU VID. The higher the cpu load (current draw), the higher the overvolt. Alienware and Clevo do this also.
Most DESKTOP motherboards ignore this setting (CPU VID) when using STATIC (override) voltages. (meaning CPU vcore can be different than CPU VID). our laptops do not.

The problem with our MSI laptops is, MSI also uses "loadline calibration" to compensate for vdroop. The vdroop can be seen if you set IA AC loadline to "1" and IA DC Loadline to "180", but it will NOT be the real voltage at all (because the "hidden" loadline calibration will STOP the actual voltage from dropping to the VID point shown).

the IA AC DC loadline=1 (setting BOTH to 1; DC Loadline must be also set to 1, rather than auto, so the VID is more or less accurate; leaving it at auto will show immense 'VID droop, as above, which will be a fake droop, since Loadline calibration (internal, and hidden) is "preventing the real voltage from dropping to the VID if DC=180). is what removes the MSI voltage boost. Or more precisely, IA AC loadline=1 is what removes it (Default=auto=180 or 179).

The difference between UNDERVOLTING via negative voltage offests, is that undervolting applies to BOTH IDLE AND LOAD VOLTAGE. Meaning: it is possible to be STABLE at load, but BSOD at idle, because the idle voltage is undervolted too low.

The IA AC loadline setting functions on RESISTANCE only.
Meaning: at full idle, you would have no VID Boost.
The higher the load and the higher the CPU current you would have a lot of VID boost (if IA AC were default or 180).

On Clevo laptops, IA AC loadline=1 is basically unusable because the Clevos do NOT have built in loadline calibration to prevent vdroop. So you would get immense vdroop and insufficient voltage if you tried that on a clevo.

Basically, tl;dr: IA AC loadline=1 due to MSI using its own built in loadline calibration, will almost NEVER give you an idle BSOD (unless your voltage is so low you cant load windows). But CAN give you a full load BSOD or crash.

Undervolting can do either or (depends on silicon lottery), but is FAR more likely to give you an idle BSOD, when the full load BSOD is "barely stable or borderline".

 

I see, thats useful since the full load = ok, idle=BSOD happened with my old laptop quite fast, so I had a very small UV.
Is there a way to undervolt each CPU step or at least full load voltage only?

 

Impossible.

 

Some very good info in here I'll be sure to reference this if some wild issues with any MSI laptops arise.

 

For those afraid to brick their bios;

left alt, right control, right shift, F2.

 

alt +f2 on left side
ctrl+shift on right side

I had used this on the past and this not allow to show all the features that we need like core offset or BD-Prochot, anyways this combo needs to be pressed simultaneously.

 

What does this do? reset CMOS?

 

Show all hidden options in BIOS

 

Hi,
I didn't unlock my bios with your guide, I don't want to take the risk of bricking my laptop
But with Alt+F2 and Ctrl+Shift I can see all hidden menu and modify them like core max oc ratio = 35 in proc overclock feature but it seem that it doesn't work. Whatever I do in the Bios or XTU the max frequency doesn't change (check with CPU-Z or HWmon). XTU give me either blue screen or error (can't apply).
Is it possible to overclock msi laptop ?
Thanks


MSI GE62 6QF
i5 6300HQ 2.3 GHz (Turbo 3.2Ghz)

 

You have a Locked down Cpu. Read previous posts how to lower power consumption.

 

Thank you for the quick response
I read previous post and tell me if I wrong, for now I can't overclock my laptop but I can disable the TDP and the overvolting.

 

Locked means Locked!
See post #64. Undervolt is your options. TDP tweak may or may not work. Test it.

 

In what case power limit appear? Because even on heavy load my cpu is only 22W Package TDP, I don't need to unlock it, right?
IMON OFFSET tell me out of range 31999 (0-255)
and I didn't find IMON OFFSET PREFIX

For overvoltage I try it but I still get thermal throtling at arround 80° with msi afterburner in game, it is normal?

Is it a software lock (BIOS protection) or hardware in cpu itself?
I have 2 others option in CPU section: Overcloking lock and CFG lock, but it doesn't change anything.
I don't understand why msi put overcloking section in their BIOS if we can't.

Thanks.

 

Your processor is a different generation and your bios has different code. You need to read the help strings to the right and find out how IMON SLOPE and IMON OFFSET work for you. This guide is ONLY for the GT73VR and *NEWER* Titan series laptops (Stealth Thin may work), not for yours. If you have IMON SLOPE, set it to a value of 50, if and only if 100 is 1.0x (read the help next to the options). In this case if 100 is 1.0x, 50 is 50%, meaning the CPU will report its using half the TDP. Imon offset should be set to negative (NOT positive). setting imon offset to a positive value makes the CPU report HIGHER TDP than its actually using. PROCHOT is probably set as a hardware lock (you can call it software, as BIOS is basically software) for 80C. Your system is NOT made for overclocking at all. You have literally the cheapest version laptop of skylake possible to even buy.

You can't just read what someone says without looking at your own Bios and checking the values for yourself. This is one reason why these options are hidden from the end user. Most people just want results and are not willing to do the work to study why results work. Your CPU is also a very low end value CPU so all throttling and other restrictions will be very tight on it. Also the cooling may be insufficient as well. If you are getting 80C already, you are not going to be able handle more TDP anyhow, without repasting, and judging from how you ask questions, I don't even know if you know how to repaste (don't ever try repasting without experience and taking an LOT of time to learn the basics!)

 

When you are TDP capped HWInfo reports it as "Core # x power limit exceeded = Yes " ,right?

If so, steps (3) , (4) and (5) from post #72 doesnt work on a 7700HQ on a Ge62 unfortunately

 

5 has been tested to work.
Are you sure you used a NEGATIVE imon offset rather than positive?

Post your HWinfo screenshot please.
Because you won't get power limit exceeded unless your CPU exceeds 45W of reported power draw.

 

This is the BIOS settings:



This is what HWInfo looks like after some time of gaming:

 

Why are you not doing what I asked you to do?
Show me the actual POWER DRAW of the CPU with max CPU power draw listed, and the power limit flag enabled at the same time. That screenshot shows nothing useful.

 

@Temp1234453 Something's wrong here.
Its impossible for a CPU to report it's using 4W of power...

When I tried emulating your 7700HQ on a 7820HK (by setting Power Limit 1 to 45W and PL2 to 62W), with IMON SLOPE=50 and IMON OFFSET=-31999, it was still reporting 20W of power.

Can you download Throttlestop 8.60 and check there for me? (do a "Throttlestop TSbench 1024M test in TS 8.60, and show the "maximum" package power there.

 

On an older GT73VR with a 6820HK should i set IA AC / DC loadline to 5?

Curently have an undervolt of -125mv on both CPU Core & Cache and its stable both load and idle no BSOD whatsoever - am i better off reseting to normal voltage and set IA AC / DC loadline to 5?

 

Thank you. Not sure why this isn't working for you. It works on the 6 core H chip as well as HK chips which have artificial power limits in Bios on some laptops e.g. eVGA (70W maximum) and those limited by the EC. And it should have worked on your system according to this:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/tdp-and-power-limiting-haswell.766743/

@Temp1234453 can you tell me what exact model laptop you have?

 

MSI GE62 7RE

 

Thank you.

It could be the EC causing this.
The CPU cannot be causing this (see below).
The CPU will not power limit throttle if it is reporting less than 45W. This is impossible.
It's probably the EC.
The EC can read the actual power draw directly right from the voltage lines.

What we actually need to verify this 100% for certain is someone with a "GT73EVR" (7700HQ equipped GT73VR and HM175 chipset) or the rare GT73VR with 7700HQ and CM238 chipset to test this on their system first (IMON SLOPE=50, IMON OFFSET= negative 31999) and see if their 7700HQ can draw unlimited power or not. That's because the GT73EVR (and all GT73VR's) have to have an allowance for exceeding 45W since a HK SKU exists.

this is only a theory.

Someone else needs to test it as I cannot. But what I can tell you is setting PL1 manually to 45W (MSR register via bios power limit 1/2 overrides) or even tricking the EC into thinking an "Unsupported" CPU is installed (PECI power limit override, enforcing CPU TDP limit of 45W) on a 7820HK) still allows IMON SLOPE and IMON OFFSET to bypass the TDP limit.

For example, setting the GT73VR with a 7820HK ,via EC RAM register E3, to an invalid value (let's say, register E3= value=B1, when the default is 90 for gtx 1070 or 91 for gtx 1080) causing the EC to OVERRIDE the bios power limits and force 45W TDP, because the power ID is invalid in EC register E3. But IMON SLOPE and IMON OFFSET still are enough to trick this.

So I'm guessing that you are having this problem because your EC does not have any provision for exceeding true base TDP even by bios overrides tricking the CPU (MSR and MMIO power limits).
What's funny is that PECI can do anything. The only way PECI can be tricked is by soldering resistors directly to the power supply FET's and voltage lines. I would love to have access to a GE62 laptop and look at exactly what is going on. Sorry i can't help anymore with this.

Can someone with a 7700HQ equipped Gt73VR / GT73EVR try setting IMON SLOPE to 50 and IMON OFFSET to negative 31999 and see if you can exceed maximum true TDP without any throttling?

 

You will need to test it a lot to find the stable settings. First remove entirely the undervolt and set everything to stock 6820hk multipliers (x36 in 4 core) and then set the loadline to 5. then try booting up and using windows normally, then stress test it. If you are 100% stable, you can try raising multipliers 1 by 1 and check stability and stress testing. You will most likely need to add close to no mv for x37, but will need to add more and more as multipliers are up.

I need to add almost 100mv if not more ( I forgot how much for 100% stable) for x40 which results in a voltage of around 1.25v max.

 

Thank you.
I dont plan to overclock the cpu right now so it will run x36 in 4 core.
I tried with both loadline set to 1 and 5 and it is stable at stock. Which setting should i keep on my system 1 or 5?
Also the rest of settings wich Falkentyne wrote should be the same right:
- Set VR Current Limit to 800
- TDC DISABLED and value is set to 0.