Hi to all. Trying to modify an AMI 4.6.4 bios from QNAP.

I would like to add support for i7-3770S cpu. I tried with the MMtool 4.5 and inserted the new microcode. Flashed the bios but when installing the i7-3770S cpu it doesn't continue booting the bios (blank screen). However when I put back the initial cpu e3-1275 v1 continues normally.

I theorise the following:

1) The new microcode even though it is inserted it is not read properly... (seen in another forum that the last hex of the microcode file should be 0000's)

2) I see through UBU 1.78 that the vbios files of the bios is a Sandybridge 2098, so I do not have support for the Ivybridge cpu that I am installing.

3) Dead i7-3770S cpu?

4) Something else that I am missing?

Thank you for your input and help. Help a man learn fishing, so he doesn't ask fish :)

Also that I have not managed to find an answer to the issues I came across while experimenting with BIOS editing.

1) The initial untouched QA61AR22.rom has 19 cpu microcodes in UBU 1.78, when updating them through UBU they drop to 12.

2) When inserting with MMTool 4.53 the 306A9 cpu microcode for i7-3770S support and check the microcodes through UBU 1.78 I see the first 2 original microcodes and then only the 306A9 whereas there should be 20 (19+1) microcodes if I edit the untouched ROM file, or 13 (12+1) if I edit the updated cpu microcode file from UBU.

3) The modded version of MMTool has not an insert or delete function in patch tab when I load my my bios. Any reason for that? I came across with the terminology or capsulated bios and wonder if that's my case.

Again thank you all for your input and help :)

Update.

Managed to update from 2098 the 2119 vbios with the fool proof tutorial of @SoniX . Unfortunately could not update to newer versions of vbios as during the apply all process the program was unexpectedly crashing or the newer version had too many parameters that needed changing, but even if I tried to I could not get to a point to save the new bios (most likely due to my inexperience).

I have updated through the UBU tool the cpu microcodes with the excellent tutorial of @Fernando and inserted the microcode for 306A9 updated version for the support of a i7-3770S that I have bought.

The motherboard booted with the new bios and the old CPU a E3-1275v1, but did not boot with the i7-3770s (got 4 beeps). I saw through the AIDA and CPU-Z that my south bridge is a C206 with North bridge Sandybridge WS. Through googling I show that the C206 is able to support 3rd generation CPU's.

Is there something else that I am missing? My Intel ME is version 7 but I could not see it in the Bios file. I see that my bios is UEFI v 2.0 in the bios menu, but when comparing with other pictures from the forum taken with the UBU tool I don't see EFI modules in mine.

Forgot to write that when I see the cpu microcodes of the original untouched bios it seems that I have the first microcode 206d7v05 in position 1 and 8.

Thank you all for your help and guidance to enlightenment :)

What is your Chipset? Check with motherboard tab of CPU-z if you are not sure.
You may need ME FW V8, and this is not something you can update from V7 to V8 yourself, this needs to be done by manufacturer because many other things are also updated not just ME FW in these cases.

And yes, you probably also need updated vBIOS too, at least to something IVB compatible if you are using onboard graphics. But really you need IVB ready BIOS from QNAP most likely..

On microcodes, there is many duplicates, that are removed when you update with UBU, that is why you see less. MMTool 4.50 can edit microcodes in this BIOS, but does not properly see them all due to alignment, so should not be used here (use UEFITool or UBU)
Your BIOS is not encapsulated. Microcode position in the list of microcodes does not matter.

Yes, your ME FW version, at least in the BIOS you attached, is 7.1.30.1142

@DeathBringer - may be able to tell if you can use this CPU on this system once you give chipset info and he'll probably ask you to check some other things as well.

@cash365
This BIOS hasn't support for Ivy Bridge.
Adding microcode doesn't add support for new CPU.

Hi to all and thank you for your input :) The bios attached here is the original bios from QNAP.

@Fernando Is the ME firmware specific to the SPI chip? I show from a bios that I downloaded from @GooballDiesel post that there is a newer v14. Could I change it to that?

@Lost_N_BIOS Chipset Sandybridge WS with C206 as a South bridge. I show that they support 3rd generation cpu's. Yes the MMtool 4.53 does not see well the microcodes whereas the patched 5.02 does. However with the later I cannot insert or delete file only with the 4.53 version. I saw in a post here I think that some microcodes are split. Could it be that with the original bios?

@DeathBringer Yes the bios did not had any support for Ivybridge. I did modify the original bios and I am attaching that version also to see if you have any recommendations or if my editing was not successful.

@cash365
You tried to add microcode only. And you need to analyse and to patch all(!) modules in BIOS with CPU initialisation.

@DeathBringer Yes you are correct the last two days I tried to install only the CPU microcode. Today I compiled a modded bios which I uploaded with the new microcode (306A9) and the vbios 2111v for desktop 1155 cpu, but did not boot again with the i7. I got though a boot with the Xeon.

What does a bios need to accept a new cpu except a microcode and vbios?

@cash365
At least you need disassemble, analyse and try to add support for Ivy Bridge in MemoryInit, CpuPei and CpuDxe modules.
Copy & past from other BIOS will not help.

Good morning to all and thank you for yesterday's input and advice.

@DeathBringer for your input. May I ask if the Kabylake guide of @elisw has that function automated and if that guide could be adjusted? I didn't see in that guide any MemoryInit, CpuPei or CpuDXE modifications, unless those were done from the UBU tool.

@Fernando Does the New UBU tool 1.78 support more than two microcodes in comparison with the 1.69.11.fix that @elisw used?

@Lost_N_BIOS I managed to find an AMI bios of a different QNAP NAS that supports both Sandy and Ivybridge. It seems like that when I read them side by side they use the same addresses for compiling the bios. Thinking of copy paste function as motherboards in configuration relatively same expect the South and North Bridge the one I found with Ivybridge support is an H-61. I am seeing that it has EFI GOP Driver and RAW GOP VBT that my bios does not have and thinking of inserting those in mine.

Is it feasible or am I making assumptions??

This is the bios from the other Qnap nas model that has support of Ivybridge and has EFI modules that I do not have even if in my boot screen it shows that it is UEFI 2.0.

Zitat von cash365 im Beitrag #11

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I didn't see in that guide any MemoryInit, CpuPei or CpuDXE modifications, unless those were done from the UBU tool.

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No but could get one. What would I be looking? I have still the QNAP with the i7 Ivybridge CPU on. WOuld it give me a clue where is the issue?

Zitat von cash365 im Beitrag #13

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I have still the QNAP with the i7 Ivybridge CPU on.

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