GIGABYTE Modified Bios

[virtualfred]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Hi everyone. New member as of today 9/2/2013. I haven't flashed a BIOS mod for at least 10 years, so I'm out of the loop.
So many posts about MEI as far as embedded code in the BIOS, and also as a firmware update. I thought MEI was software only, without the need for BIOS or FW. Here is the output of my running MEInfoWin64.exe:
Why all the MEI fuss with embedded code or FW updates when you can simply run software?
Best Regards, namitutonka

Hi and welcome

MEI software/driver and ME firmware are different and complementary components, ME firmware is stored in BIOS while MEI drivers is a Windows software with a driver.
Lastest versions for our MB are : Intel Management Engine Interface 9.5.13.1706 and Intel Management Engine Firmware 8.1.40.1416 :

[namitutonka]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Thank you for your reply virtualfred. I've been following many of your posts concerning our common motherboard, the GA-Z77X-UD5H rev. 1.1

[namitutonka]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Hi and welcome

MEI software/driver and ME firmware are different and complementary components, ME firmware is stored in BIOS while MEI drivers is a Windows software with a driver.
Lastest versions for our MB are : Intel Management Engine Interface 9.5.13.1706 and Intel Management Engine Firmware 8.1.40.1416 :

[ATTACH]6180[/ATTACH]

virtualfred,

I'm wondering, would the output of running my MEInfoWin64.exe become identical to your output IF I installed the BIOS: GA-Z77X-UD5H BIOS F16 mod2 by Morpheus67? (this is the mediafire DL Z77XUD5H_mod2_f16.zip from the Sticky: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Started by Acebmxer, 03-29-2012 <dl class="pagination" id="pagination_threadbit_48085" style="margin-top: 0.25em; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 5px; position: relative; display: inline-block;"><dd style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">123...208</dd></dl>

)
Am I correct that installing the "Intel Management Engine Interface 9.5.13.1706" is a firmware update completely separate from flashing a BIOS update?

I'll try to search for an Intel Management Engine firmware update tool as well as a Gigabyte BIOS flashing tool. :)


I'm beginning to become a bit less confused, but still on shaky ground.

Kind Regards, namitutonka

[MacG32]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Is there any way to get this BIOS, GA-X79-UP4 - F4b, re-modified from the beginning with:

Intel RAID for SATA 11.6.0.1702 to 12.7.0.1936
Intel UEFI SataDriver 11.6.0.1702 to 12.7.0.1936
Intel RSTe RAID for SATA 3.7.0.1049 to 3.8.0.1009
Intel RSTe EFI SataDriver 3.7.0.1049
Marvell 88SE91xx Adapter 1.0.1.0025
Intel Boot Agent GE 1.3.95 to 1.5.40
Intel (06E0) CPU Microcode 008 added
Intel (06E2) CPU Microcode 20C to 20D
Intel (06E3) CPU Microcode 308 added
Intel (06E4) IvyE CPU Microcode 416
Intel (06D7) CPU Microcode 710

and no modifications done to the original splash logo, please? I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you in advance.

[virtualfred]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Is there any way to get this BIOS, GA-X79-UP4 - F4b, re-modified from the beginning with:
and no modifications done to the original splash logo, please? I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you in advance.

Original splash logo is back : GA-X79-UP4 F4b mod2 (exactly the same as mod with original splash logo)

[virtualfred]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

I'm wondering, would the output of running my MEInfoWin64.exe become identical to your output IF I installed the BIOS: GA-Z77X-UD5H BIOS F16 mod2 by Morpheus67 ?

Yes almost the same, Morpheus67 included ME firmware directly in BIOS keeping original splash logo, while i'm using F16 mod with new splash and apply ME firmware separatly... GBe firmware can be updated separatly : Amurtigress's How To.

Am I correct that installing the "Intel Management Engine Interface 9.5.13.1706" is a firmware update completely separate from flashing a BIOS update ?

Yes almost... MEI 9.5.13.1706 isn't a firmware but a software with Windows drivers and services.

I'll try to search for an Intel Management Engine firmware update tool as well as a Gigabyte BIOS flashing tool. :)
I'm beginning to become a bit less confused, but still on shaky ground.

What are you searching ?
Stasio put everything meticulously in his thread : Latest Overclocking Programs, System Info, Benchmarking, & Stability Tools (direct link ME firmware 8.1.40.1416 and MEI 9.5.13.1706)

[Biker]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Hi all :)

Any chance of getting the U1L bios for the GA-Z68XP-UD4 updated with the latest roms?

There does not seem to be much love for the Z68 boards on here... :)

[namitutonka]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Yes almost the same, Morpheus67 included ME firmware directly in BIOS keeping original splash logo, while i'm using F16 mod with new splash and apply ME firmware separatly... GBe firmware can be updated separatly : Amurtigress's How To.


Yes almost... MEI 9.5.13.1706 isn't a firmware but a software with Windows drivers and services.


What are you searching ?
Stasio put everything meticulously in his thread : Latest Overclocking Programs, System Info, Benchmarking, & Stability Tools (direct link ME firmware 8.1.40.1416 and MEI 9.5.13.1706)

I was searching for the optimum BIOS and ME firmware for my GA-A77X-UD5H rev. 1.1. Good news... BIOS flashed sucessfully from F14 to Morpheus67 F16.
Was searching for difference between the two available F16's, which you have just explained. Does this mean I no longer have to search for and upgrade the ME firmware, as it is embedded code within the Morpheus67 BIOS?

I have you wonderful people here to thank. I had to go into BIOS after flashing to > Peripherals > Marvel ATAController Configuration, and set the GSATA Controller from AHCI (must be part of optimized defaults) to RAID mode. Until then my two 1TB RAID0 array had disappeared, along with many no longer functioning programs with their missing Desktop shortcuts, one of which was a disfunctional Comodo firewall. Also in BIOS I had to re-Enable Intel Virtualization Technology so that Virtu MVP would work and also be shown as the second display device accompanying my AMD Radeon HD 6670 discrete video adapter. But everything is working fine now.

My very finest and kindest thanks to you all, namitutonka

[MacG32]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Original splash logo is back : GA-X79-UP4 F4b mod2 (exactly the same as mod with original splash logo)

That was super quick. Thank you again very much. No matter what I do, this BIOS hates my computer...lol After the Windows loading screen, my system stops responding all together.

Tried F3x and after setting up the BIOS, it wouldn't even reboot in to the BIOS anymore. I'll be sticking with F3u Mod w/GbE15 for the foreseeable future.

[MacG32]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

...Does this mean I no longer have to search for and upgrade the ME firmware, as it is embedded code within the Morpheus67 BIOS?...

Inside of the ME firmware 8.1.40.1416 is the meinfo64 tool which will give you the version numbers of your current firmware and driver versions. Like this.

[namitutonka]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Inside of the ME firmware 8.1.40.1416 is the meinfo64 tool which will give you the version numbers of your current firmware and driver versions. Like this.

[ATTACH]6183[/ATTACH]

Thanks MacG32. old (two days)and new:

[namitutonka]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

[QUOTE=namitutonka;465102]Thanks MacG32. old (two days)and new:

[MacG32]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Thanks MacG32. old (two days)and new:

You'll need to just update your drivers. Link MEI Driver v9.5.13.1706

Mine are outdated, because of testing various BIOS'.

[namitutonka]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

You'll need to flash your ME firmware and update your drivers. Link ME Firmware v8.1.40.1416 and MEI Driver v9.5.13.1706

Thanks again MacG32.

As you can see there are two differences in MEInfo tool output:
FW Version from 8.1.0.1248 > 8.1.40.1416
Independent Firmware Recovery from Disabled > Enabled

Don't know what Independent Firmware Recovery is.

[namitutonka]

Re: GIGABYTE Modified Bios

Thanks again MacG32.

As you can see there are two differences in MEInfo tool output:
FW Version from 8.1.0.1248 > 8.1.40.1416
Independent Firmware Recovery from Disabled > Enabled

Don't know what Independent Firmware Recovery is.

Actually I am very leery of updating my MEI driver to 9.5.13.1706, as I don't know if it will work like the old one 8.1.0.1263. I thought this driver was chipset specific and my z77x-ud5h rev 1.1 chipset may be different from yours. After all, it does hardware monitoring such as system and CPU temperature. I may be wrong (I need advise here please) but I think that there are different MEI drivers for different manufacturers and different motherboards. Gigabyte only lists MEI (Intel Management Engine Interface) version 8.1.0.1263 for the z77x-ud5h rev 1.1 motherboard.