[890FX Dlx3] HOI-HOI-HOI! Mmmmery christmas from the "mad scientist"!

[Ket]

I know I haven't been around much for a while now, real life, christmas, and such real world things have prevented me from being here. However, I come with a gift! Due to lack of movement on Asrocks part to refine the 890FX Deluxe3 BIOS I figured I would fix up everything I can. I've been sitting on this for some time (since BIOS 1.7 in fact) but figured I would be "nice" and give Asrock a chance. Well, their time is up so here it is, my modded 890FX Deluxe3 BIOS. This BIOS has been made with absolutely no affilliation with Asrock, however I have personally fully tested it on my Deluxe3 and its working perfectly.

Changelog:

Based on official 1.9
- Added 6 CPU microcode patches
- Replaced P6 table
- AHCI table updated to 3.0.9
- Add LLC option

These changes (in my testing) have improved max stable FSB, HTT and CPU frequency over the vanilla BIOS. I haven't tested memory but as I have not touched the memory table theres no reason to think memory clocking has improved.

DL Link

Here is a slightly updated 1.9 mBIOS:

Changelog:

- Updated 4 CPU microcode patches
- Add support for new CPUs;

Athlon II X2 225
Athlon II X2 270
Athlon II X3 420e
Athlon II X3 450
Athlon II X3 455
Athlon II X4 615e
Athlon II X4 645
Athlon II X4 650
Phenom II X2 560
Phenom II X4 970
Phenom II X6 1045T
Phenom IIX6 1075T

Do bare in mind I can't test these CPUs because I don't have them. The changes have been made which equate to these CPUs being supported on paper. People who go out and get these CPUs combined with the Deluxe3 will just have to let others know how it all pans out.

DL Link

[richierich]

nice work

[Hemi]

which bios version did you mod.

[arroyo]

@Ket

Ket, why did you change your Asrock 890gx Extreme 3 for Asrock 890FX Deluxe3. I was hoping to see some Ket powered bios for 890gx. Asrock stock bioses are totally useless. Is it hard to mod bios like you? Can you try to fix 890gx like you did for 890fx?

Full respect for what you did for P5Q community!

update...

I will try to mod Asrock 890gx Extreme 3 by my own. Can you give me some advide how to do that? I have some questions:
- For replacing P6 table and adding "CPU PATCH" i should use MMTOOL, right? I'm using MMTOOL v3.22 BKMOD version, is it good?
- What motherboard bios was the source for new P6 table and CPU PATCHes
- Did you fix checksum for this bios somehow?
- LLC option was available since 890FXD1.82. Did you based on this version of bios or a bios from here with updated AHCI-Rom to v 3.0.9?

[Ket]

The BIOS version I modded is 1.9. I just updated 1.9 with the changes I made to earlier BIOS versions.

@ arroyo; 890GX was just one board I was considering getting, I ended up getting the 890FX instead. From what I last saw, Asrock have made the 890GX BIOS about as good as its going to get.

[arroyo]

Can I just extract 'P6 Micro Code' ROM (module 11) from your bios and inject/replace it to 890GX bios using MMTOOL. Will it work? I'm asking because in 890GX bios there are only four CPU PATCHes, and you have them 10. What was the source-donor bios for them?

Also I cannot found memory table on any asrock bioses for AM3 motherboards. For P5Q memory table was in module 15. Am I right?

[Ket]

Yeah you can just extract the P6 table and inject it into a 890GX BIOS. The P6 table in my modded BIOS is actually from a Deluxe 4 and the 6 additional CPU patches are from a Crosshair IV Formula BIOS. Memory module data does have a ID of 15, but like you with the Asrock BIOSes I'm stumped at what module might be being used instead. If I had to use a educated guess I would say its probably the module with ID 40 and 60, or maybe module FA, but I can't be certain.

ED - Forgot to clarify, ID15 is what memory compatibilty modules are for intel based AMI boards, not AMD. Hence my guess at module 40 & 60 or maybe FA being the one for AMD. I'm pretty certain its not the modules with ID E1 as that just caused a non booting board. If only modders could get access to the compilers and decompilers for BIOS code, modding would be much simpler.

[arroyo]

Hurray! I've done it. I've created a monster BIOS.

Behold the FrankenBIOS

My FrankenBIOS 2.50 for Asrock 890GX link

Instructions how to make your own monster BIOS:
1. Take newest bios from Asrock 890GX Extreme 3 (890gxextreme3_250_309)
2. Take newest ASUS Crosshair IV Formula bios (1102)
3. Open Crosshair bios in MMTOOL_3.22_1B_21Fix-BKMOD and extract "P6 Micro Code" to file
4. Open Asrock bios in MMTOOL_3.22_1B_21Fix-BKMOD and replace a whole Asrock "P6 Micro Code" part with Crosshair stuff
5. Save and flash your 890GX Extreme 3 with this FrankenBIOS

Don't believe? It's working. Really!

[Ket]

See first post for a newer version of the 1.9m BIOS.

[Ket]

Hurray! I've done it. I've created a monster BIOS.

Behold the FrankenBIOS

Instructions how to make your own monster BIOS:
1. Take newest bios from Asrock 890GX Extreme 3 (890gxextreme3_250_309)
2. Take newest ASUS Crosshair IV Formula bios (1102)
3. Open Crosshair bios in MMTOOL_3.22_1B_21Fix-BKMOD and extract "P6 Micro Code" to file
4. Open Asrock bios in MMTOOL_3.22_1B_21Fix-BKMOD and replace a whole Asrock "P6 Micro Code" part with Crosshair stuff
5. Save and flash your 890GX Extreme 3 with this FrankenBIOS

Don't believe? It's working. Really!

My BIOS has more patches in Just DL and extract the P6 table from the newer mBIOS I just uploaded for the ultimate experience of compatibility and OCing potential. Where did you get that version of MMTOOL from? I can't find any newer than 3.22.

[arroyo]

From what I've read on several forums, you don't need all patches to add support for new processors. The newest patches already contain information about older processors. I see that you have left oryginal patches with CPURev.ID 0414,041B and 1020. All the rest is from Crosshair. Not necessary i think to left the old ones.

Got MMTool from HERE

I will check if OCing abilities has improved. From what I see now... nothing has really changed in this field. My max OC (on 1.4V CPU) and max HTT remains the same.

My FrankenBIOS 2.50 link

[Ket]

You don't need all patches no, but leaving them in maximises compatibility, and you can never have enough of that I dunno how much you know about BIOS modding, but maybe together we can find a way of identifying and replacing the existing memory tables in the Asrock BIOSes because for lack of a better word - their crap.

[arroyo]

My experience with bios modding...AWARD only
I've managed to fix Foxconn MARS bios to work on Foxconn P35A-S without any issues with voltages. You could flash P35A-S with Mars bios, but all voltage readings were faulty. You have set 1,3V on NB and mobo gave 1,7V. Stuff like that. With digital multimeter and Modbin6 I've fixed all voltage settings in bios file. That was 98% working Mars bios for P35A-S ("Terraforming Mars Project") The problem is that my flat was robbed and I've lost my old computer equipment.

I don't know about AMI bios modding but I learn fast. I will look at your work.

[arroyo]

Ok I've got some news about bios modding for AMD:

Updating CPU Microcode for AMD is useless. Microcodes only have information about clock and name of new processors. Nothing else. If you want to perform a BIOS mod for AMD, you must transplant bios module called AGESA.
What is AGESA? Link

The main problem is that AGESA contains information about CPU Module, Memory Module and HT Module. It's distributed by AMD and should be the same for all motherboard vendors. Probably you can change the same AGESA module across for all AM3 motherboards. Replacing AGESA is simple but you must be 100% sure that mobo vendor has already implemented in his part proper communication protocol to new Agesa version.

Agesa looks like is the part of 1B Single Link Arch BIOS.

First of all it's not that easy like it was on Intel boards, because all memory settings, voltage settings are in this Agesa stuff. Information how to set them are in vendor part. New CPU ID in P6 without proper Agesa is useless.

Still digging for more information. Usefull links:
http://www.rebelshavenforum.com/sis-...2;t=000115;p=1
http://www.rebelshavenforum.com/sis-...2;t=000100;p=5

Guys from www.bios-mods.com learning how to transplant beating heart of AGESA from Crosshair IV to M4A79XTD:
http://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Threa...-AGESA-3-7-0-0
http://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Threa...port-X6?page=2

[Ket]

All that is mostly accurate, but for me putting in the microcode patches has helped with maximum stable FSB and HTT clocks. It could be as simple as Asrock didn't put in a necessary CPU patch to properly identify some Phenom 2s on the Deluxe3, but like I say, for me the CPU microcode patches have helped. As for that 1B SLAB module... you are looking at some real down and dirty work with that. Adjusting things in the main BIOS is very tricky and one wrong move can fubar everything. Stuff like this is why we need compilers and decompilers to take stuff apart properly and get a much better idea.

[arroyo]

You have right Ket, but I cannot stop until I do what I've planed. It doesn't look that hard, because there are some ready compilers/decompilers for 1B.

Things to do in 2011:
- decompile properly "1B Single Link Arch BIOS" (using ami_1b_splitter.exe - link)
- check what AGESA version Asrock puts in their BIOSes (3.7.0.0 or later)
- get latest AGESA version from Crosshair IV
- transplant latest AGESA to Asrock 890GX
- become a HERO-BIOSTransplant-MotherFather

--- update ---

I've decompiled Asrock 1B SLAB module. AGESA is only two portions of 1B SLAB module (AGESA_CSEG - 13KB and AGESA_DSEG -3 KB). It is easy to replace them with never version from other vendor. AGESA_DSEG is almost empty - nothing intrested. AGESA_CSEG looks like this:



I've checked what is in the P6 patches. I will look closer on them with IDA when I'll go home, but I'm afraid that the new 'P6 Micro Code' is useless without proper AGESA version. They look different than in Intel. They are seriously smaller than the Intel ones.

[Ket]

I can't say what, but something deffinately changed with the tweaks I made. Max stable FSB and HT clocks don't just change. I'm kinda stumbling around with AMD AMI BIOSes atm, not much info at all. Just a matter of lots of googling I guess tho

[Hemi]

Ket, I flashed to your mod bios 1.9
I was hoping your mod would fix the cpu volt problem i am having on my 1090. For some reason my cpu volts are not stable with 1.90 if i set volts at 1.36 they will climb to about 1.46 or higher with a load (prime95) Makes it very hard to overclock with that much change. I would like to try a mod 1.80 and see if anything changes. I known you are busy with the holidays and such, and it would be fun to try. It would be nice if Asrock would support this better than they do, it could be the best amd board out there.

[Ket]

Have you set LLC to "Normal" in the BIOS? If its left on "Auto" or "Light" it does some crazy things with vcore.

[Ket]

For any lurkers considering helping me and arroyo on the modded BIOS front, after some research it transpires that while you don't have to update the P6 table with CPU microcode patches as arrayo suggested, it is recommended that you do so. The reason for this is so the AGESA module knows what paramaters to set for the CPU. No, before anybody thinks it, removing CPU microcode patches won't magically give your CPU unlocked multipliers.

[Ket]

Arroyo; you will probably have problems with ami splitter, nomatter what I do the app keeps spitting this error at me; "unable to phrase header correctly. not enough memory to create 1b data structure!" IDA Pro (free version) won't disassemble the 1b module either because the processor module z80 isn't included with the free version. The saying up sh|t creek without a paddle comes to mind.

[arroyo]

@Ket
I've got no problem at all with splitting Agesa from 1B. Try to use latest version of splitter (AMI BIOS 1B Module Extraction and Insertion Utility):
http://sites.google.com/site/pinczakko/download
First you must extract 1B using MMTOOL to uncompressed format.

I'm trying to get a spare BIOS chip and flash it to regular Asrock 890GX bi in case I will mess up my board. I think MSI will be a good donor for AGESA. The are updating they bioses every month with new AGESA Microcode. Crosshair IV Agesa part on the other side is not looking like the Asrock or MSI one. It's modified somehow.

I hope you Ket or people from bios-mods will find Agesa replace way. AMD AMI Bios structure is like a woman mind ... no way to understand my a man.

[Ket]

Thats what I've been doing, that utility just won't break the 1B module down. I'll try re-extracting and see what happens, but it probably won't make a difference.

ED- Re-extraction of 1B worked, looks like MMTOOL might be a bit fickle when it comes to extracting 1B.

[Hemi]

Flashed back to your Mod 1.90 / set LLC to normal and all is good. Thanks alot for that tip. I did try a couple of those settimg, i guess i missed normal. Right now i am running prime95 at 4.1 at the same volts as before any lower an i will throw an error. I need a new waterblock to get my temps down way to high 58 to 64 after a while running prime. With a good block i should be able to run 4.2

[Ket]

Theres another BIOS I'm working on, based on 1.9 still. It'll be highly experimental but if you have a spare BIOS chip for your board I'll email you a copy of the new mBIOS when its done.