Why MSi uses AMI BIOS and NOT Insyde H2O ?

MSi is Taiwan company .. and Insyde H2O is Taiwan very good making BIOS company too so why they implementing AMI BIOS ?

 

Don't fight each other who will first answer

 

I am not sure there is much to discuss about it I'm afraid haha MSI reps here can probably find more info but it is nothing more than curiosity, and the reasoning behind why they use what they use might be confidential.

Most companies go with what is cost effective. Maybe it is not cost effective yet for them to use another BIOS company?

 

You don't see many Insyde BIOSs in desktop boards, certainly not in the MSI ones, the engineers and company are going to stick with what they know, they have been in the motherboard market a LONG time after all

 

Because most of Taiwanese manufacturers have been a long-time partner with AMI, so not only their engineers are very used to AMI but they also receive great support from them.
ASUS even has their own in-house AMI engineers.

 

What are you basing that on?

Personally if there is a choice between Insyde and AMI, I'd go for AMI every time. At least it's been that way for me so far.

I have to also say I am impressed with the AMI BIOS in my GE60, very user friendly

 

Yeah .. AMI is more user friendly.. more stuff open to enable/disable..
H2O tends to hide almost everything..

 

Insyde BIOS isn't too bad, but they are primarily an UEFI-based BIOS solution provider.
And yes, they are mostly seen locked up because they only provided basic features without fancy options. This however, could also be a request by the manufacturer thus why they are locked up.

US sales office with Taiwan engineering branch office:
They are an Intel-owned company.
http://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...oftware-Announces-InsydeH2O®-UEFI-BIOS-Intel®


Video of an unlocked BIOS with advanced features:

 

Thanks God they use AMI, maybe that's one of the main reasons I like MSI notebooks.

 

I was under the impression the manufacturers got a standard BIOS for the platform and they FUBAR modify it themselves.

Guess I should counter post an overclocked CPU for AMI since you've posted an Insyde example.

Spoiler

i7-4700MQ not only overclocked but unlocked. A suicide run but nonetheless...


DDR3 SO-DIMM overclocked to 2800MTS.

 

Dufus, nice! Did you hack Intel ME to achieve that?

 

You have just knocked me out of the current Universe. I need time to pressure my brain to normal.

 

@Kevin@GenTechPC, not MEFW. Seems Intel shipped their Haswell CPU's with limited unlocked bins fully unlocked and then used the microcode update to lock them. So just a case of applying most of the overclock work before the microcode update is triggered. Don't know if it was fixed up with the refreshes.

Seems there's also a way to extend Skylake locked CPU's bclk above ~103MHz too, maybe that one is more MEFW orientated, idk.

 

That does look fun, not surprised the 5Ghz was a suicide run lol.

Seems intel is more focused on restricting the TDP side of things these days.

 

Hi yes all laptop manufs has to pay annual licenece to BIOS manufs like 5000 bucks.. yeah they provide all necessary soft and flashing softwares locking, unlocking, and laptop engineers modding BIOS utility..
Few years back I contacted AMI like please unlock my BIOS and they told me we don't do it contact your laptop manuf. And they added like we can provide you our BIOS licence for annual pay $7000 and + training they splashed onto me ten grand .. Then asked what laptop manuf I am .. and I responded like; eheheeh yeah bye bye.. :

 

Nothing for a company where it is their bread and butter but yeah a bit restrictive for the individual

 

Insyde, soft brick, soft brick, soft brick, maybe it just hp, Idk. Oh, and workstation bios that are locked up like no tomorrow.

Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk

 

Those manufacturers have to pay AMI support fees every year, but unlike ASUS who has their own in-house AMI engineer since they could afford such, others have to contact AMI directly for support and assistance.

 

Brings back memories. The first laptop EFI BIOS I had was Insyde and Compaq and guess what, during a standard BIOS update it bricked. HP online advice was to send it in and have the mainboard changed out for $300 at my cost. :/

There was already some info showing Acer Insyde BIOS had a recovery method and with a lot of guess work it turned out th Compaq had one as well. Some people suggested HP wanted the extra money by selling new boards but I would not be surprised if they didn't even know the recovery method existed.

 

First 2 support line representatives know nothing about BIOS recovery and others perhaps know but wouldn't disclose it.

Finally I am no more shocked to see 5GHz screenshot on 4700MQ. Will you ever unhide the secret power to do so?

 

If BIOS bricked always use EEPROM flash programmer ..
I had modded Insyde year back with CH341A it is very easy bcos I have chip clip , you just attach it onto chip and flashing is easy..
I think AMI flashing is harder ? Would try to unhide all advanced options in mine current BIOS ..

 

BIOS brick can happen due to numerous reasons.
1. Defective memory module, before these BIOS updates don't even check parity.
2. Defective SPI chip.
3. Buggy flash utilities.
4. Other H/W failures.

 

AMI is just as easy as Insyde, the SPI chip itself is identical.
It's like you can choose to load Win95 on this Model 123 PC while the other same model of PC gets Linux.

 

I am waiting for CH341A programmer for 55 days already and issued a refund. Had to buy from another eBay seller.
Could you provide me drivers you used? Is it really only x86 Windows supported?

 

I have been programming my GS30 chip now I have it in a socket, usually it's best to go for a programmer based off the chip you have that lists support.

 

Yeah, I can tell that you have some crazy setup.

 

I do tend to always have something a bit different

 

Already unhidden quite a while ago but not so much interest presumably because most people have a hard enough time running stock and/or due to firmware changes.

Did try to get Prema interested at one time and he did try successfully with his 4702MQ IIRC but there was a conflict of interest with his work. Maybe he didn't want the wrath of Intel, idk but have to respect his decision.

As previously stated it's all to do with the microcode update and how that is addressed will vary from one firmware to another. Did you have an HSW and want to try unlocking it?

Yes, very useful. I did buy one some time ago, an EZP2010 because it was available locally. Lots to choose from even Raspberry Pi IIRC. A chip clip would have been nice for those soldered in IC's. So far have not needed to do any external BIOS / EC programming on the GE60.

Often wonder about buggy SW. Strange how an external USB flash drive can be written to so successfully without problems unless removed at the wrong time while the BIOS flash chip fails to program properly relatively often.

Had a quick look at this one just out of interest. GUI seems fairly similar to the EZP2010. Some CH341A drivers here

 

Just search hp caps lock blinking. What I read is that there is some kind of self check "feature" build into to the bios, and it soft brick itself if it sense tempering or w.e. These soft brick either require you to power reset (cmos) or using a USB drive to a "recovery" flash.

Not the hard brick kind that require external flash.

Sent from my 306SH

 

55 days jesus that been lost now.. get locally or i can sell mine I don't need it anymore..
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7oRDh6vMXljNVBLcExoc1EtU0U
should be supported both x86 x64

 

I'll just stick with 10 euros to Svet.

 

https://www.sendspace.com/file/7x3sma

 

I personally don't but I just like knowledge And I know a guy who is good in unlocking BIOSes, he would appreciate for sharing it with him.
For now I assume it is as easy as just modding BIOS with old microcode?

Speaking about drivers, neither link worked for some reason. Can't download it.
EDIT: @Pretator-X, Thanks! Second link worked.
Now I am waiting for a parcel from another seller who sent it with Hong-Kong Post. I live in Ukraine so it's cheaper to buy from chineese eBay seller even if it takes 1 month to arrive or even longer.

 

In reality it is not any unlocking it is just making stuff appeared in bios utility menu.. If you have all necessary soft. and files then it is very easy.. Harder part is when you creating HEX binary which is address to particular function in chipset and then you create label for it which is understandable for us common ppl.. Then you need obviously knowledge in decimal programming ..
The laptop manufacturers, they just leave it hidden that notebook user won't mess with these settings ..
The story is completely different when you buy desktop MB.. there are all setting avail.
But I would really want to know what TRUE story is behind hiding things in laptop bioses ...
PS : if you buying fom china ask them to ship it via EMS.. takes 5 to 7 days..
I had delivered screen quite fast but in here UK obviously they had to hold it for 3 days ..
Maybe checking it under microscope or what .. they even charged me ridiculous additional £30 !

 

Warranty, I guess. They don't want us to mess with settings because it can fasten laptop's death.

 

Yeah but so the desktop's.
It is the same warranty, same way to enter the bios..

 

@James D Basically no microcode update until overclocking set. VID will read half without update and if using high core voltage an update will be required to use VCCIN override. If the BIOS can post without a microcode update being triggered that might be the best place to start. Note that windows can also apply a microcode update

@Pretator-X Much easier to do a CMOS reset on a desktop. While MSI have a lot of functions hidden they have provided an easy means to unhide them without a BIOS mod. I did provide some software earlier to do this with all the usual warnings however people still went ahead and did silly things like disabling the iGD on a muxless system resulting in a black screen and tears. Wonder how may phone calls the manufacturers would have to deal with if not hiding a lot of functions. Also some desktops have hidden functions or some functions not even implemented. It's not a perfect world.

 

@Dufus exactly rather leave it be..

 

Read the other thread, much lulz.