HP Z820 / NVMe Support

[pengc99]

I have a HP Z820 which is an X79 board and AMI BIOS. I've been trying to bake in NVMe support into the firmware for a while.

I was able to extract the stock BIOS image (attached), open it in UEFITool, insert the NvmExpressDxe_Small.ffs module and repackage it back up (also attached).

The problem is flashing it back into the system. The stock flashing utility doesn't like the file and it fails verification during the flashing process. 

I've tried a variety of methods, including using the HP Crisis Recovery Mode, flashing from inside the BIOS/UEFI menus, and flashing from Windows using the HP flashing tool and they all fail. 

Does anyone have any idea where to look next or what to approach next? There are sellers on TaoBao selling BIOS modification services for the Z820. While i'm not above paying for it to be done, I would love to learn how it's done and how to get the file to pass verification.

[pengc99]

Since no one has responded, I would like to post a $100 PayPal bounty if you can mod it and explain your process and tools used to mod it.

[Timw]

It would be amazing to get a bios on z820 that had nvme support and also some over clocking options.
I’d be prepared to contribute some money to that as well.

[Polaris]

It would be amazing to get a bios on z820 that had nvme support and also some over clocking options.
I’d be prepared to contribute some money to that as well.

Hi Timv,

Per attached is a said "NVME bios for HP z820", which I got from a Chinese webpage.

I tested it on my HP z820 by trying to flash my BIOS rom from its current BIOS (ver. 3.96) interface , but it actually gives a failure - it complains this BIOS (attached) is either damaged or missing, although I exactly followed its instruction to put it into a USB drive (root folder) that connects to my HP z820.

In fact, I did not have this issue (cannot boot from my NVME SSD) before when my BIOS version was 3.94. However, since I have upgraded it to 3.96 last week, it could no longer boot into my NVME SSD. I think the cause of the issue is that my previous BIOS v3.94 was a modified version with NVME driver added, and the latest official BIOS v3.96 has disabled that feature, and it also disabled the possibility which allows you to flash a modification one via its BIOS interface.

Kindly let me know if this modified BIOS works for you.

Good Luck

[gnappoman]

Hello the file you attached is the original 3.94 bios, the 3.94 bios with nvme enabled, or the bios you find on the chinese site?
Would you please post your previous bios which had nvme working (3.94)?

Did you try the the Crisis Recovery Jumper procedure?
https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Business-P...-p/6658619

here is a korean forum where they modify the 3.94
https://www.2cpu.co.kr/lec/3314
https://www.2cpu.co.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=QnA&wr_id=787488