(UEFI) Dell XPS 15z L511z modded BIOS - and HOWTO

[TimeWalker]

What could possibly be the part that is being flashed to EC? I have disassembled the wph using Phoenix tool and looked with MMTOOL, but I'm inexperienced in this matter.
I know the offset where DTS1 is written/read, I know the offset where the fan level is written and I know the value it seeks (0x3C) to enable the fan.

Code:

OperationRegion (ECRM, EmbeddedControl, Zero, 0x0100)
                    Field (ECRM, ByteAcc, Lock, Preserve)
                    {
                        Offset (0x55),
                        OTPC,   8,
                        VGAT,   8,
                        CHPT,   8,
                        CPUT,   8,
                        SYST,   8,  // Logic board temp
                        DTS1,   8,  // CPU Package temp from DTS
                        DTS2,   8,  // PCH temp from DTS
                        SYCS,   8,
                        Offset (0x5E),
                        HWSN,   8,
                        CTYP,   8,
                        FCNT,   1,
                        FTST,   1,
                            ,   3,
                        FADJ,   1,
                        TCTL,   1,
                        FATO,   1,
                        DAC1,   8,
                        DAC2,   8,
                        FLVL,   8, // FAN0 ON/OFF
                        CTL1,   16,// ?????
                        CTL2,   16,// 0000
                        FANH,   8, // FAN0 RPM H Bank
                        FANL,   8, // FAN0 RPM L Bank
                    }

In theory it should be easy enough to alter this value and crank it up a little... of course if EC part of the rom can be altered at all.
Could possibly be inside:
DigitalThermalSensorSmm 77A6009E-116E-464D-8EF8-B35201A022DD_1_621
IT8518SioSmm 6E9947D6-43A4-446A-A63C-91139F2C1DB5_1_829

[jkbuha]

Probably not inside those modules. IIRC, they simply provide the data (ie: temperature) to another module which checks if the pre-established threshold (3C) has been reached. The logic wouldn't be in the setup module, but the code to change this value (from advanced settings) would, which is why we need access to this settings table.

Here's where it gets interesting. As an update I've searched long and hard but I didnt find the VSS table definition in the BIOS files - the way to check is to search if '$VSS' is present in the code. HOWEVER I've taken a BIOS dump from Windows using the Universal BIOS backup, and voila! $VSS appears in the dump file. That means that the VSS table is present but in encrypted form in the BIOS ROM files.

@kasar - did you manage to speak with pyr0?

[fuwu1245]

After two days' wating
Dell give me a new motherboard for free...
now my laptop is alive again
I want to know if there is a suitable and modified A11 BIOS for L502X?

[kasar]

@jkbuha

nope, he didnt replied my message

I really want this bios menus unlocked but I feel stuck with my current skill levels, I dont even understand the half of the whole topic >.<

I really feel like a naab now lol



@fuwu1245

yes, there are some tested modded bioses for L502X
I modded them for gpu voltages (it improve stability, gpu overclock,fix crashes sometimes, and reduce temps)

but the advanced menus are not unlocked yet

here you have the link to the mod

http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-xps...-more.html

just download the desired version ^^

[jkbuha]

I really want this bios menus unlocked but I feel stuck with my current skill levels, I dont ever understand the half of the whole topic >.<

I really feel like a naab now lol

duuude - we're almost there now - I can almost touch the settings table ...
All we need is one final push and we have it!

@All - Get me some feedback pls on what I reported re: $VSS - I need to know where this table is stored in encrypted form in the rom file as I can dump it from RAM! This is the final step to getting this bios unlocked!

[humanitybg]

I am really sorry but can someone tell me if I can just download one of the bioses and use it directly or do I have to mod it somehow using the attached files? I've got the latest A11 bios installed. Will using the 540/550 bios give an improvement in gaming? What's better for performance, under or overvolt? I'm sorry for the newbie questions but I am actually interested in this. I'd really appreciate it if someone helps.

Cheers mates,
-d.lesov*

[kasar]

I am really sorry but can someone tell me if I can just download one of the bioses and use it directly or do I have to mod it somehow using the attached files? I've got the latest A11 bios installed. Will using the 540/550 bios give an improvement in gaming? What's better for performance, under or overvolt? I'm sorry for the newbie questions but I am actually interested in this. I'd really appreciate it if someone helps.

Cheers mates,
-d.lesov*

what laptop you have?

for xps 15 (l502x) you can use the link I provided In my previus post, if you have a xps 15z (L511Z) then you can use the ones from the first post.

anyway be sure what you flash before flash it, flashing incorrect model bioses on a different laptop will result in a brick.

[humanitybg]

I am really sorry but can someone tell me if I can just download one of the bioses and use it directly or do I have to mod it somehow using the attached files? I've got the latest A11 bios installed. Will using the 540/550 bios give an improvement in gaming? What's better for performance, under or overvolt? I'm sorry for the newbie questions but I am actually interested in this. I'd really appreciate it if someone helps.

Cheers mates,
-d.lesov*

what laptop you have?

for xps 15 (l502x) you can use the link I provided In my previus post, if you have a xps 15z (L511Z) then you can use the ones from the first post.

anyway be sure what you flash before flash it, flashing incorrect model bioses on a different laptop will result in a brick.

I own a XPS15z, that's why I asked. Will the 550/540 bios provide increase in performance?

[kasar]

I own a XPS15z, that's why I asked. Will the 550/540 bios provide increase in performance?

ah, ok, then use the ones from the first post.

yeah, if I am correct the 15z have a 525m, and the 550/540 clocks are higher, if your GPU can handle those clocks you will notice an improvement, anyway ask jkbuha better, cause he is the one who relased those mods ^^

I just did the l502x GPU ones

[jkbuha]

humanitybg - use my latest A11. They have the GT525 rom (not the 540/550) but will allow you to overclock more and have faster & cooler performance. Games on Win8 run very smoothly at full res.

As kasar said, follow the instructions carefully in the first post!