Toshiba Satellite L500 & L505 (with Socket G1): Support for Stepping K0

[simone.pri]

Hello,
i have just bought an Intel Core i5-560M (SLBTS)
I own a TOSHIBA Satellite L505-13Z that as stock mount an Intel Core i3-330M (SLBMD).

Toshiba sell another version of this laptop, the TOSHIBA Satellite L505-13N, that mount an Intel Core i5-430M.
They share the same Motherboard so i think that i5-560M is fully supported by my MB.

The problem is that when i try to boot my PC with the new CPU the PC screen remain black, and no post message are showed.
So i think that BIOS miss the microcode for that CPU.

Here is the link for download the BIOS:
BIOS Download link

Some other info about BIOS:
BIOS type: Phoenix EFI
BIOS name: Phoenix SecureCore Tiano
BIOS version: 2.1
motherboad: NSWAA

Can you give some hint for add microcodes? I have no idea about how to do it.
Really thank you for your support.
Simone

[simone.pri]

After a check whit SLIC Toolkit it's seems that my bios is an Award BIOS.
   
But when i boot my pc the post say phoenix technologies ltd
how this can be possible?

[DeathBringer]

Someone have tried to install Core i5-520M (SLBU3, stepping K0, CPUID:20655) without success.
Current BIOS of this laptop have no microcodes CPU support Arrandale core stepping K0. So you can’t install your Intel Core i5-560M (SLBTS, stepping K0, CPUID:20655) without upgrading microcodes.
CPUs with Arrandale core stepping C2 (CPUID:20652) are supported only:

1. i3-330M (SLBMD)
   
2. i3-350M (SLBPK)
   
3. i5-430M (SLBPN)
   
4. i5-520M (SLBNB)
   
5. i5-540M (SLBPG)
   
6. i7-620M (SLBPD)
   

P.S. Motherboard is LA-5322P (NSWAA). Microcodes for stepping K0 can be taken from this BIOS.
P.S.S. I've found another thread with this problem:

I already tried to modify bios, and all 7 times i have no changes..
I tried to enable support for K0 arrandale processors .. CPUID 20655 , but without any luck , it won't start with K0.
But microcode's which i added was 100% working , and i also recheck bios dump about 3 times after flashing it via programmer.
May be you can help me with cpu upgrade? Or i should create another thread in right section on forum?

[simone.pri]

Hello DeathBringer, thanks for your help.
So if I try to buy an i7-620M it should work right???

PS: how can i take microcodes from the second BIOS that you have attacched???

[DeathBringer]

i7-620M SLBPD (not SLBTQ) should work.
P.S. Second BIOS is a donor for specialists only.

[LosSantosPro]

Hi, I attempted to take the donor BIOS and use its microcode, but because your latest microcode in your stock bios (Rev 08) is 6KB in size, however any higher Rev, ie Rev 09 is 7KB in size, and Toshiba has not left any padding so I cannot insert any newer microcode

Just thought I'd let you know it has been attempted.

[simone.pri]

Hi, I attempted to take the donor BIOS and use its microcode, but because your latest microcode in your stock bios (Rev 08) is 6KB in size, however any higher Rev, ie Rev 09 is 7KB in size, and Toshiba has not left any padding so I cannot insert any newer microcode

Just thought I'd let you know it has been attempted.

I, really thank you for your availability, is there any way to extract the supported microcodes from the bios??
I'm planning o buy a i7-620M (SLBPD) and i want to be sure that it will work.
PS: I suppose that if not possible to add microcodes is also not possible to unlock some feature that are locked in my bios right??

EDIT:
ok, on ebay the SLBPD costs about 100€ so i will buy the SLBPG that cost only 30€
I hope will work.

[DeathBringer]

Toshiba’s support sites for Europe, Australia and Canada offer the same BIOS for all Satellite L500/L505 models having part numbers beginning with PSLJF*, PSLJH*, PSLS6* and PSLS9*. These models are based on Intel HM55 chipset. And they offer another the same BIOS for all Satellite L500/L505 models having part numbers beginning with PSLJ0*, PSLJ3*, PSLJD*, PSLJT*, PSLS0* and PSLS3*. Those models are based on Intel GM45 chipset.
And Toshiba’s support sites for America, Asia and India offer the same BIOS for all Satellite L500/L505 models having part numbers beginning with PSLLF*, PSLLH*, PSLU6* and PSLU9*. These models are based on Intel HM55 chipset. And they offer another the same BIOS for all Satellite L500/L505 models having part numbers beginning with PSLL0*, PSLL3*, PSLLD*, PSLLT*, PSLU0* and PSLU3*. Those models are based on Intel GM45 chipset.
I supposed make a matching for models:
PSLJF* -> PSLLF*
PSLJH* -> PSLLH*
PSLS6* -> PSLU6*
PSLS9* -> PSLU9*
PSLJ0* -> PSLL0*
PSLJ3* -> PSLL3*
PSLJD* -> PSLLD*
PSLJT* -> PSLLT*
PSLS0* -> PSLU0*
PSLS3* -> PSLU3*
I.e. just replace letters J to L and S to U.
I thought the matching models are the same models. But I was wrong - first models use blue motherboards (by Compal) and second models use green motherboards (by Inventec).

[DeathBringer]

Hi, I attempted to take the donor BIOS and use its microcode, but because your latest microcode in your stock bios (Rev 08) is 6KB in size, however any higher Rev, ie Rev 09 is 7KB in size, and Toshiba has not left any padding so I cannot insert any newer microcode

We don't need updating a microcode for CPUID=020652 (Arrandale stepping C2), Windows can do it. We need inserting new microcode for CPUID=020655 (Arrandale stepping K0).
I've analyzed native and donor BIOS. Here are my results.
Microcodes in native BIOS:

Code:

Offset   Size   Version  CPUID
0x370048 0x1400 FFFF0012 020651 (Arrandale ES)
0x371448 0x1800 00000008 020652 (Arrandale stepping C2)
0x372C48 0x0C00 FFFF0006 0106E3 (Clarksfield ES)
0x373848 0x1800 00000003 0106E5 (Clarksfield stepping B1)
from 0x375048 to 0x381AAE filled by 0xFF
Second copy of microcodes starts with 0x3F0E70 and it haven't empty space!

Microcodes in donor BIOS:

Code:

Offset   Size   Version  CPUID
0x38F275 0x1C00 0000000C 020652 (Arrandale stepping C2)
0x390E75 0x0800 00000002 020655 (Arrandale stepping K0)
0x391675 0x1400 FFFF0012 020651 (Arrandale ES)
0x392A75 0x1800 00000003 0106E5 (Clarksfield stepping B1)
0x394275 0x1400 FFFF0008 020650 (Arrandale ES)
0x395675 0x0C00 FFFF0006 0106E3 (Clarksfield ES)
0x396275 0x2800 FFFF0007 0106F1 (Clarksfield ES)
0x398A75 0x3000 FFFF000D 0106E1 (Clarksfield ES)
0x39BA75 0x2C00 FFFF001F 0106E0 (Clarksfield ES)
from 0x39E675 to 0x3A3275 filled by 0xFF

Useful only microcode for 020652, 020655 and 0106E5.
I.e. we can rewrite microcode for 020652 (ver. 00000008) and 0106E3 (ver. FFFF0006) with microcode for 020652 (ver. 00000009) and 020655 (ver. 00000002). Summary sizes are equal, 0x1800+0x0C00 = 0x1C00+0x0800.
Or just rewrite microcode for 0106E3 (ver. FFFF0006) with latest microcode for 020655 (ver. 00000004). Sizes are equal 0x0C00.

[simone.pri]

Hello,
Recently I've successfully upgraded the CPU of my laptop from an i3-330M to an i5-540M. As supposed, all CPU with C2 stepping will works on this machine.
Thanks for your help.
The temperatures seem to be like the old CPU, only when the CPU is fully loaded with the maximum turbo frequencies i can reach 65-70°, but generally it stay within 40-45°.
I will add this upgrade and all information that you have provided in a post into the "Confirmed-CPU-Support-Upgrades" as soon I have some time to do it.
Thanks again for your time.