[QUESTION & REQUEST] Dell Precision M65 Laptop BIOS Mod To Add AHCI Option Missed

[laidbacktokyo]

Howdy All,

I truly hope that somebody here could give me a pro advice on the below problem.

1. An aged laptop Dell Precision M65 of Q1'07 with Win7 sp1 x64 installed:

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/1...65/manuals

2. Latest available BIOS Type Phoenix A10 modded to integrate SLIC2.1 installed. Link to the genuine non-modded A10 installer:

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/1...Id=R201729

or

ftp://ftp.us.dell.com/Browse_For_Drivers...BIOS/BIOS/


3. Intel Platform > Napa DC
   Motherboard Chipset > Mobile Intel Calistoga-PM i945PM
   South Bridge > Intel 82801GBM ICH7-M
   
   Storage > IDE Controller [it's yet unclear if this is an IDE controller itself or a SATA150 controller of 2 channels in IDE mode!]
   Intel® ICH7-M Family Serial ATA Storage Controller - 27C4
   PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_27C4&SUBSYS_01C81028&REV_01
   PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_27C4&SUBSYS_01C81028
   PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_27C4&CC_010180
   PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_27C4&CC_0101

4. Intel 82801GBM ICH7-M official data sheet is here:

http://www.intel.com/content/dam/doc/dat...asheet.pdf

On the one hand it says that AHCI is supported by ICH7-M hardware revision. Pls refer to Page 35 > Intel® ICH7 Family Features:

Integrated Serial ATA Host Controller (Desktop and Mobile Only)
— Four ports (desktop only) or two ports (Mobile only)
— Integrated AHCI controller
   (RAID, Digital Home and Mobile only)

On the other hand 2 channel IDE controller is also available. Pls refer to same page:

Integrated IDE Controller
— Independent timing of up to two drives (one drive on Ultra Mobile)
— Ultra ATA/100/66/33, BMIDE and PIO modes
— Tri-state modes to enable swap bay
— Supports ATA/ATAPI-7

5. Yet on the other hand the another official Intel web page here:

http://ark.intel.com/products/27680/Inte...Controller

is saying of:

Total # of SATA Ports                       2
Integrated IDE                                1 Channel
Intel® Matrix Storage Technology     No

although maybe it's just an initial spec of this Intel® 82801GBM I/O Controller as launched in Q1'06.



6. Actually there are a lot of threads over the web concerning a lack of AHCI mode for this laptop and possibility of this ACHI mode as blocked by Dell BIOS to use IDE DVD-Drive in hot-swap mode, however this issue remains uncertain.

The mobo of Precision M65 seems to be same as of Latitude D820 and known as QUANTA JM6.
Pls refer to the below attached pic for its main block diagram. The full mobo detailed tech data PDF file including all circuit diagrams etc is also available to be attached here if requested.

   



Could you please kindly advise me if any mod of this BIOS can switch on the native ACHI if available?

If yes I can upload the modded A10 with SLIC2.1 to some uploading space for further modding aimed to integrate Intel AHCI/IRST.


Any advice/comment is extremely appreciated as my last chance to make this matter clear!  

Any inquiry for extra details is welcome.


Thank you.


Kind regards,






P.S. Anyhow AHCI mode for Intel 82801GBM ICH7-M aka Mobile seems to be possible when some guys likely got it on:

1. under Linux:

https://communities.intel.com/message/88277

I have many clues and many positive results, and I can confirm for every one that under linux there is a patch that switch controller from legacy to native sata support, and changing hw id too from 8086:27c4 to 8086:27c5 and there are some improving overall.

2. and for Sony Vaio laptops with same chipset & Phoenix BIOS under Windows:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/...op.189228/

[BDMaster]

Hi friend,
I cannot help You as I am expert about Insyde Bios, for Phoenix Bios ask to
our expert about Phoenix Steven = sml6397 nickname He is our Moderator too !
Write to him a PM !
Regards

[laidbacktokyo]

Hi friend,
I cannot help You as I am expert about Insyde Bios, for Phoenix Bios ask to
our expert about Phoenix Steven = sml6397 nickname He is our Moderator too !
Write to him a PM !
Regards

Howdy BDMaster,

I appreciate your kind reply so much and will surely follow your advice!

Thanks again

Kind regards,

[gabiz_ro]

I abandoned that task.
When in AHCI mode IDE port isn't available.
And most problematic is ICH7-M that support only SATA I speed.

On some discussion on mydigitallife forum I remember someone digged even more into Dell BIOS and was some routine that check or identify what ICH is based on revision but maybe my memory cheat me at this.Look into Dell BIOS decompose thread.

Linux patch works fine but as I said no optical unit after that.
Even simple patch was DSDT one,some info on projectosx forum.
Just add method,define what you need and works,but only under linux,windows get BSOD since boot device changed.
Don't remember if DSDT patch was working under OSX.
So if you don't use windows but linux and don't need optical drive you may try DSDT patch method.

[laidbacktokyo]

I abandoned that task.
When in AHCI mode IDE port isn't available.
And most problematic is ICH7-M that support only SATA I speed.

On some discussion on mydigitallife forum I remember someone digged even more into Dell BIOS and was some routine that check or identify what ICH is based on revision but maybe my memory cheat me at this.Look into Dell BIOS decompose thread.

Linux patch works fine but as I said no optical unit after that.
Even simple patch was DSDT one,some info on projectosx forum.
Just add method,define what you need and works,but only under linux,windows get BSOD since boot device changed.
Don't remember if DSDT patch was working under OSX.
So if you don't use windows but linux and don't need optical drive you may try DSDT patch method.

WOW, gabiz_ro, it's a nice surprise to hearing your kind comment here.
How r u doing these days? I hope fine.

I remember your nickname because a few years ago I've surely read thru your thread (maybe @ MDL) concerning the brave approaches to settle this Dell M65 BIOS inconvenience... and as far as I remember there was no reasonable solution found...

anyhow, in my case the target is a mix of options mentioned by you above:

1. Windows environment only
(sorry for that)
2. A modular bay DVD-Drive is replaced by 2nd HDD thru HDD caddy
(although I keep in mind an option that maybe this IDE slot won't be available at all in AHCI)
3. SATA150 speed is acceptable
(since there is surely no other option available!)

and I've posted my detailed inquiry here (as well as @ MDL) to get a pro answer of is it possible/reasonable or no.


And what is your opinion on a similar Phoenix BIOS mod for Sony Vaio as linked above by me?


Thanks.

p.s. I don't see a problem to amend Win7 to start normally when boot device hardware switched form IDE to AHCI.

[pseudodeed]

How can i find the slic mod bios?
Or the complete mod bios with AHCI?
Thank you.

[laidbacktokyo]

How can i find the slic mod bios?
Or the complete mod bios with AHCI?
Thank you.

oops. surprise. i guess it's clear that i'm looking 4 answers here... not questions...

anyhow, if u r taking about dell m65... pls take a look here:

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads...Mod-Thread

and


http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads...BIOS-Guide


and so on.


have a fun

[pseudodeed]

Thank you can anybody help me please?
I have a Dell M65 with the Bios from Dell D820 and now i want to Flash back the original m65 Bios.
I have found a mod D820 crossflash on m65. And now i will back to original bios.
Faund on forums.mydigitallife but this People have not any idea how revert the original bios.

I think i Need the Modded bios (all links to moded bios are dead and the creator not Response)
and i hope i can Flash back the m65 bios with readgz, but i can not find this moded bios.
Can anyone help please?

[laidbacktokyo]

Thank you can anybody help me please?
I have a Dell M65 with the Bios from Dell D820 and now i want to Flash back the original m65 Bios.
I have found a mod D820 crossflash on m65. And now i will back to original bios.
Faund on forums.mydigitallife but this People have not any idea how revert the original bios.

I think i Need the Modded bios (all links to moded bios are dead and the creator not Response)
and i hope i can Flash back the m65 bios with readgz, but i can not find this moded bios.
Can anyone help please?

why z [censored] do u post it here again when u already got an answer @ MDL:

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads...n+M65+BIOS