Unlock Zebronics Z55

[StrikerZ987]

So I've this Zebronics Z55 motherboard, and an i7 870 with turbo boost.

With the stock bios, I cannot enable turbo boost with which my processor can go up to 3.7ghz but since I cannot enable it because there's no option to do it as its a locked bios. The bios version is 080015 AMI.

I'm not able to find any image of bios anywhere, if anyone can tell me how to dump it, I'll do it, I tried AMIWIN tool but it says "error cannot get flash information", so I'm really stuck right now.

Help me out please, it's urgent.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Please check BIOS main page, do you see ME FW version listed? If not, download HWINFO64 and on the large window, on left expand motherboard, and inside that go to ME section and find the ME Firmware version listed. Once you know the ME FW version, probably V7 or V8, go to this thread and in section "C" download the matching version ME System Tools package
https://www.win-raid.com/t596f39-Intel-Management-Engine-Drivers-Firmware-amp-System-Tools.html

Inside you will find a flash programming tools folder, and inside that a windows or win/Win32 folder. Select that Win folder, hold shift and press right click, choose open command window here (not power shell). At the command prompt type the following command, and then zip and upload the created file for me >> FPTw.exe -bios -d biosreg.bin

If for some reason there is no ME FW, show me image of HWINFO motherboard section expanded so I can confirm. And then download this universal BIOS backup toolkit instead. This may give false positive antivirus warnings, ignore or disable before downloading and using. Screen may freeze and you cannot move the window while it runs, just click read and then when it's done click backup and zip and send me that file. The first method should be done before going this route, since that way will be an easier mod/reflash if there is ME FW

[StrikerZ987]

Please check BIOS main page, do you see ME FW version listed?  If not, download HWINFO64 and on the large window, on left expand motherboard, and inside that go to ME section and find the ME Firmware version listed.  Once you know the ME FW version, probably V7 or V8, go to this thread and in section "C" download the matching version ME System Tools package
https://www.win-raid.com/t596f39-Intel-Management-Engine-Drivers-Firmware-amp-System-Tools.html

Inside you will find a flash programming tools folder, and inside that a windows or win/Win32 folder.  Select that Win folder, hold shift and press right click, choose open command window here (not power shell).  At the command prompt type the following command, and then zip and upload the created file for me >> FPTw.exe -bios -d biosreg.bin

If for some reason there is no ME FW, show me image of HWINFO motherboard section expanded so I can confirm.  And then download this universal BIOS backup toolkit instead. This may give false positive antivirus warnings, ignore or disable before downloading and using.  Screen may freeze and you cannot move the window while it runs, just click read and then when it's done click backup and zip and send me that file.  The first method should be done before going this route, since that way will be an easier mod/reflash if there is ME FW

Couldn't find any ME thing in bios or HWINFO. Tried installing ME drivers, it said "Platform not supported", so probably it doesn't have ME.
Here's a screenshot of the motherboard section.


Here's the file you asked for with Universal Bios backup in the attachments

Also one more thing I forgot to tell, the turbo works in 27 cpu ratio. But in BIOS the max ratio i can set is 22, so please unlock it to 27 so that i can use turbo

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Thanks. For the turbo, you may need to enable C1E or Speedstep, one of those may need enabled to run full turbo, or all disabled etc. I see C1E option is hidden from you, so we'll have to unhide that one. Or, sometimes if you disable turbo you can set higher max multi, depends on how the BIOS is setup.

With i7-870 you can't use 27x, this is by Intel Design, here is stock spec allowed >>
Frequency 2933 MHz
Maximum turbo frequency -
3600 MHz (1 core)
3467 MHz (2 cores)
3200 MHz (3 or 4 cores)

That's not good no Intel ME, makes it hard to flash mod BIOS probably! We shall see, let me look into the BIOS and get back to you.
I see it's AMI though, so we can probably find working version of AFUDOS that will let you flash in mod BIOS.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Here is mod BIOS with few settings unlocked and updated microcode, 80015M is settings changes only, 80015M2 has updated CPU microcode for your CPU only (+ all settings changes same as the other)
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=78447840185355369900

I also included many versions of AFU/AFUDOS/AFUWIN etc. It should be version 3 that works, 4 might but I doubt it, 5 definitely will not work. So try all the version 3 ones, and then if no luck try the V3 ES from DOS using the following command (replace AFUxx with actual name of file) >> AFUxx.exe biosname.rom /GAN

For the Non ES V3/4, use this command >> AFUxx.exe biosfilename.rom /P /B /N /K

[StrikerZ987]

Here is mod BIOS with few settings unlocked and updated microcode, 80015M is settings changes only, 80015M2 has updated CPU microcode for your CPU only (+ all settings changes same as the other)
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=78447840185355369900

I also included many versions of AFU/AFUDOS/AFUWIN etc.  It should be version 3 that works, 4 might but I doubt it, 5 definitely will not work.  So try all the version 3 ones, and then if no luck try the V3 ES from DOS using the following command (replace AFUxx with actual name of file) >> AFUxx.exe biosname.rom /GAN

For the Non ES V3/4, use this command >> AFUxx.exe biosfilename.rom /P /B /N /K

Ok I flashed it, the ratio shows (13-27) now in CPU-Z, before it used to be (13-22). Thanks for your hard work. But even on extensive work, the ratio never goes above 22 and in hwinfo, it still says turbo is disabled

One question more, is it a bug that Active Processor Cores option in Bios shows only 3 options (All, 1, 2) while my processor has 4 cores? I literally asked everyone in Toms hardware no one replies about this bug thing, maybe you could help

[Lost_N_BIOS]

You're welcome, did you use the microcode updated version of BIOS?
And which AFU worked for future reference, and which command switches did you use?

This is why it never go above 32 on heavy load, set a single core load with CPU-z or other app, then you should see 3.4-3.6
Maximum turbo frequency -
3600 MHz (1 core)
3467 MHz (2 cores)
3200 MHz (3 or 4 cores)

You may need to enable or disable C1E and speedstep as mentioned, or disable speedstep and then disable C1E too but leave C3-C6 enabled.

On the Active processor cores, that may be simply due to how they setup the options. Test 1 and then 2, and see how many cores show up in CPU-z, with hyper-threading disabled for the test so no confusion. Maybe they (company) hates odd numbers, and thought no one should use three cores Or yes, could simply be a bug, or due to out of date BIOS. I see 0-7 available as option choices, but to get a look at the actual code only allowing All/1/2 I'd have to dig deeper into this BIOS than it's worth doing (Takes a lot of time, tedious, since this is old limited BIOS)

[StrikerZ987]

You're welcome, did you use the microcode updated version of BIOS?  
And which AFU worked for future reference, and which command switches did you use?

This is why it never go above 32 on heavy load, set a single core load with CPU-z or other app, then you should see 3.4-3.6
Maximum turbo frequency -
3600 MHz (1 core)
3467 MHz (2 cores)
3200 MHz (3 or 4 cores)

You may need to enable or disable C1E and speedstep as mentioned, or disable speedstep and then disable C1E too but leave C3-C6 enabled.

On the Active processor cores, that may be simply due to how they setup the options.  Test 1 and then 2, and see how many cores show up in CPU-z, with hyper-threading disabled for the test so no confusion.  Maybe they (company) hates odd numbers, and thought no one should use three cores  Or yes, could simply be a bug, or due to out of date BIOS.  I see 0-7 available as option choices, but to get a look at the actual code only allowing All/1/2 I'd have to dig deeper into this BIOS than it's worth doing (Takes a lot of time, tedious, since this is old limited BIOS)

I used the updated microcode version.

I already had AFU on my usb, dunno what version it is but it doesn't have the /GAN command.

I used this command to flash "afudos /imod.rom /pbnc /n". I tried disabling and enabling C1E and speedstep, no luck. About the active processor cores, I checked it. Using 1, only 1 core is enabled and Using 2, only 2 cores are enabled and using All, all 4 cores are enabled. 

I tried using prime95 for doing heavy load on CPU, no luck in turbo, it stays at 2.93ghz. All 4 core turbo works at 24 ratio and only 1 core turbo works at 27 as mentioned but my bios has limited me to 22. I took some pictures for you from BIOS to clarify it.






Here you can also see  the Ratio settings my bios has limited me to. And by default Turbo is disabled, checked using Intel's tool and hwinfo and ThrottleStop, they all report that turbo is disabled.

[Lost_N_BIOS]

Sounds about right on the cores, probably either a bug, or too old BIOS and they never added three core option, or hated odd numbers. You don't need 3 core anyway

Probably this is due to missing turbo function setting, and they never updated BIOS. Maybe you can find a newer BIOS for this system, or contact them and ask? I looked around previously and couldn't find any. Single core it's normal to hit 27 multi, that is only way you can, rest will be less, 22-24 depending on loaded cores. Since you don't have the turbo setting to enable/disable, then you can't adjust higher than stock 22 manually. And it doesn't help this BIOS does not have EIST and C3-C6 options either. Nothing much more you can do here.

[StrikerZ987]

Sounds about right on the cores, probably either a bug, or too old BIOS and they never added three core option, or hated odd numbers.  You don't need 3 core anyway

Probably this is due to missing turbo function setting, and they never updated BIOS.  Maybe you can find a newer BIOS for this system, or contact them and ask?  I looked around previously and couldn't find any.  Single core it's normal to hit 27 multi, that is only way you can, rest will be less, 22-24 depending on loaded cores.  Since you don't have the turbo setting to enable/disable, then you can't adjust higher than stock 22 manually.  And it doesn't help this BIOS does not have EIST and C3-C6 options either.  Nothing much more you can do here.

Ah, rip, I'm stuck with this mobo then. I tried contacting the company several times, everytime they just ask for serial number and give a lame excuse for bios like "We'll send you a bios update soon", and an year has passed, nothing. And I called three times. So yeah. But thanks for the help atleast I got some of the options unlocked and the microcode updated. I appreciate it man.