BIOS Updates forum

Hi,

- First sorry for my bad English.

I need a little help for try a cpu microcode update...i think!

I have a Gigabyte GA-G1975X-C, is very nice MB, but do not have a bios with support for Core 2 Duo. Others MB with 975X Express chipset have support for Core 2 DUO.

The "Idea" is take a cpu code from other 975X MB with support for core 2 duo, and replace this code on last BIOS update for G1975X-C MB.

Q1. Is it a good Idea? OR Forget it, is crazy Idea!!

Q2. How?

I read a lot posts, and tried use cbrom and ctmc, but had no success.

Look what appers in the last bios from GigaByte:


No. Item-Name Original-Size Compressed-Size Original-File-Name
===============================================================================
0. System BIOS 20000h(128.00K) 14CFDh(83.25K) g1975xc.BIN
1. XGROUP CODE 0FDC0h(63.44K) 0AE27h(43.54K) awardext.rom
2. ACPI table 03783h(13.88K) 013A5h(4.91K) ACPITBL.BIN
3. EPA LOGO 0168Ch(5.64K) 0030Dh(0.76K) AwardBmp.bmp
4. YGROUP ROM 070B0h(28.17K) 04D17h(19.27K) awardeyt.rom
5. FNT1 ROM 02F8Ch(11.89K) 0221Ch(8.53K) font1.awd
6. FNT2 ROM 0371Eh(13.78K) 0212Ah(8.29K) font2.awd
7. FNT3 ROM 026EAh(9.73K) 01890h(6.14K) font3.awd
8. GROUP ROM[ 0] 061D0h(24.45K) 02879h(10.12K) _EN_CODE.BIN
9. GROUP ROM[ 1] 06740h(25.81K) 02B2Ah(10.79K) _FR_CODE.BIN
10. GROUP ROM[ 3] 06620h(25.53K) 02B5Ch(10.84K) _GR_CODE.BIN
11. GROUP ROM[ 4] 06AF0h(26.73K) 02B75h(10.86K) _SP_CODE.BIN
12. GROUP ROM[ 8] 05040h(20.06K) 02649h(9.57K) _B5_CODE.BIN
13. GROUP ROM[10] 050C0h(20.19K) 026E0h(9.72K) _GB_CODE.BIN
14. GROUP ROM[11] 05FE0h(23.97K) 02B73h(10.86K) _JP_CODE.BIN
15. PCI ROM[A] 0F200h(60.50K) 09594h(37.39K) ICH7RAID.BIN
16. PCI ROM 10000h(64.00K) 09A15h(38.52K) b169d.pxe
17. LOGO1 ROM 00B64h(2.85K) 00520h(1.28K) dbios.bmp
18. PCI ROM[C] 04000h(16.00K) 02287h(8.63K) ITE8212.ROM
19. GV3 01AADh(6.67K) 00B75h(2.86K) PPMINIT.ROM
20. OEM0 CODE 02549h(9.32K) 01B13h(6.77K) dbf.bin
21. GROUP ROM[24] 00132h(0.30K) 0011Eh(0.28K) SPECIAL.FNT
(SP) NCPUCODE 09400h(37.00K) 09400h(37.00K) NCPUCODE.BIN

Total compress code space = 67000h(412.00K)
Total compressed code size = 5F0E9h(380.23K)
Remain compress code space = 07F37h(31.80K)

** Micro Code Information **
Update ID CPUID | Update ID CPUID | Update ID CPUID | Update ID CPUID
------------------+--------------------+--------------------+------------------
SLOT1 0A 0F32 | PGA423 2C 0F25 | SLOT1 02 0F37 | SLOT1 17 0F34
SLOT1 17 0F41 | SLOT1 05 0F43 | SLOT1 03 0F49 | SLOT1 04 0F4A
SLOT1 06 0F44 | SLOT1 03 0F47 | SLOT1 05 0F60 | PGA478 07 0F61
PGA478 0F 0F62 | SLOT1 04 0F64 | PGA478 07 0F65 |


If I can extract the file NCPUCODE.BIN, do an update, insert the file again and update the BIOS, maybe works, so do not discover how.

PS: I tried use: cbrom32 biosfile /nc_cpucode extract, and other combinations, but just free address on ROM, don´t extract any file.

Any help is very welcome, thanks!
Glaucio

Hi, here I am again, I believe my English is pretty bad, no one answered me.

I made some progress, I’ll post it, maybe it can help some folks, or someone can guide me to a solution.



First I found the tool called AWDLS.EXE ver. 1.4 [50 kB], :


Using it in the bios I have here, all modules uncompressed well, including the NCPUCODE.BIN. Seems it would work but when I tested using c:\cbrom biosfile /NC_CPUCODE release and c:\cbrom biosfile /NC_CPUCODE NCPUCODE.BIN it showed the CPUCODE incorrectly.



My second try to extract the NPCUCODE.BIN, think is this module, I will explain step by step because I couldn’t figure out the logic in it.


1) Using MMTOOL_3.22_1B_21Fix-BKMOD.EXE on a asus with chipset 975X - E7200, extracted the microcode to a file called core7200

2) Used the cbrom1.82 with the following command. “c:\cbrom.exe biosfile /NC_CPUCODE core7200”



A Msg showing up combining bios files and the NCPUCODE.BIN was created with the same size showed by “cbrom.exe biosfile /d”

The strange thing is that nothing changed in bios files. If I get the file ncpucode.bin extracted with this process and compare it to the one created using AWDLS.EXE, they are quite different.

Someone can help me? Point a direction so I can test it? I thought changing the files using an hexadecimal editor but I couldn’t find what need to be replace or changed.

Thanks!

Glaucio

like i wrote a million times before in this forum: the microcode updates are not mandatory. the bios will run without them and the cpu will just work fine without them.

the cpu detection routine is NOT inside the microcode update. it's a part of the main bios and has to be adapted (re-coded or patched) accordingly.

flash the latest bios from the mainboard manufacturer, read the manual if the cpu is supported or even test the cpu in the mainboard. if it isn't working request a bios update from the manufacturer or buy a new mainboard.

Sorry, i don´t see any post write about you say now!

Well, after much time spent on this subject, received a sad news is so complicated. I did update the BIOS with the new Micro-Code, and as you know, it did not work.
My BIOS was this:

C:\bios>CBROM32.exe G1975XC.F3v2 /d
CBROM32.exe V1.95 [12/14/07] (C)Phoenix Technologies 2001-2007

******** G1975XC.F3v2 BIOS component ********

No. Item-Name Original-Size Compressed-Size Original-File-Name
================================================================================
0. System BIOS 20000h(128.00K) 14CFDh(83.25K) g1975xc.BIN
1. XGROUP CODE 0FDC0h(63.44K) 0AE27h(43.54K) awardext.rom
2. ACPI table 03783h(13.88K) 013A5h(4.91K) ACPITBL.BIN
3. EPA LOGO 0168Ch(5.64K) 0030Dh(0.76K) AwardBmp.bmp
4. YGROUP ROM 070B0h(28.17K) 04D17h(19.27K) awardeyt.rom
5. FNT1 ROM 02F8Ch(11.89K) 0221Ch(8.53K) font1.awd
6. FNT2 ROM 0371Eh(13.78K) 0212Ah(8.29K) font2.awd
7. FNT3 ROM 026EAh(9.73K) 01890h(6.14K) font3.awd
8. GROUP ROM[ 0] 061D0h(24.45K) 02879h(10.12K) _EN_CODE.BIN
9. GROUP ROM[ 1] 06740h(25.81K) 02B2Ah(10.79K) _FR_CODE.BIN
10. GROUP ROM[ 3] 06620h(25.53K) 02B5Ch(10.84K) _GR_CODE.BIN
11. GROUP ROM[ 4] 06AF0h(26.73K) 02B75h(10.86K) _SP_CODE.BIN
12. GROUP ROM[ 8] 05040h(20.06K) 02649h(9.57K) _B5_CODE.BIN
13. GROUP ROM[10] 050C0h(20.19K) 026E0h(9.72K) _GB_CODE.BIN
14. GROUP ROM[11] 05FE0h(23.97K) 02B73h(10.86K) _JP_CODE.BIN
15. PCI ROM[A] 0F200h(60.50K) 09594h(37.39K) ICH7RAID.BIN
16. PCI ROM[ B] 10000h(64.00K) 09A15h(38.52K) b169d.pxe
17. LOGO1 ROM 00B64h(2.85K) 00520h(1.28K) dbios.bmp
18. PCI ROM[C] 04000h(16.00K) 02287h(8.63K) ITE8212.ROM
19. GV3 01AADh(6.67K) 00B75h(2.86K) PPMINIT.ROM
20. OEM0 CODE 02549h(9.32K) 01B13h(6.77K) dbf.bin
21. GROUP ROM[24] 00132h(0.30K) 0011Eh(0.28K) SPECIAL.FNT
(SP) NCPUCODE 0D400h(53.00K) 0D400h(53.00K) NCPUCODE.BIN

Total compress code space = 67000h(412.00K)
Total compressed code size = 630E9h(396.23K)
Remain compress code space = 03F37h(15.80K)

** Micro Code Information **
Update ID CPUID | Update ID CPUID | Update ID CPUID | Update ID CPUID
------------------+--------------------+--------------------+-------------------
SLOT1 0A 0F32 | PGA423 2C 0F25 | SLOT1 0C 0676 | PPGA 0C 0676
PPGA 0B 0676 | SLOT1 0B 0676 | SLOT1 02 0F37 | SLOT1 17 0F34
SLOT1 17 0F41 | SLOT1 05 0F43 | SLOT1 03 0F49 | SLOT1 04 0F4A
SLOT1 06 0F44 | SLOT1 03 0F47 | SLOT1 05 0F60 | PGA478 07 0F61
PGA478 0F 0F62 | SLOT1 04 0F64 | PGA478 07 0F65 |



So I quit, because the manufacturer is not interested in doing any update for bios that supports the new CPU's. For this microcode update i Have great help from Rebels Haven Forum (NightForce and Rayer).


CP Very thanks for this explanation.

Cp, one more question, maybe stupid question..... You know exactly what is the module that makes this detection of the CPU?

0. System BIOS 20000h(128.00K) 14CFDh(83.25K) g1975xc.BIN
1. XGROUP CODE 0FDC0h(63.44K) 0AE27h(43.54K) awardext.rom
2. ACPI table 03783h(13.88K) 013A5h(4.91K) ACPITBL.BIN
3. EPA LOGO 0168Ch(5.64K) 0030Dh(0.76K) AwardBmp.bmp
4. YGROUP ROM 070B0h(28.17K) 04D17h(19.27K) awardeyt.rom
5. FNT1 ROM 02F8Ch(11.89K) 0221Ch(8.53K) font1.awd
6. FNT2 ROM 0371Eh(13.78K) 0212Ah(8.29K) font2.awd
7. FNT3 ROM 026EAh(9.73K) 01890h(6.14K) font3.awd
8. GROUP ROM[ 0] 061D0h(24.45K) 02879h(10.12K) _EN_CODE.BIN
9. GROUP ROM[ 1] 06740h(25.81K) 02B2Ah(10.79K) _FR_CODE.BIN
10. GROUP ROM[ 3] 06620h(25.53K) 02B5Ch(10.84K) _GR_CODE.BIN
11. GROUP ROM[ 4] 06AF0h(26.73K) 02B75h(10.86K) _SP_CODE.BIN
12. GROUP ROM[ 8] 05040h(20.06K) 02649h(9.57K) _B5_CODE.BIN
13. GROUP ROM[10] 050C0h(20.19K) 026E0h(9.72K) _GB_CODE.BIN
14. GROUP ROM[11] 05FE0h(23.97K) 02B73h(10.86K) _JP_CODE.BIN
15. PCI ROM[A] 0F200h(60.50K) 09594h(37.39K) ICH7RAID.BIN
16. PCI ROM 10000h(64.00K) 09A15h(38.52K) b169d.pxe
17. LOGO1 ROM 00B64h(2.85K) 00520h(1.28K) dbios.bmp
18. PCI ROM[C] 04000h(16.00K) 02287h(8.63K) ITE8212.ROM
19. GV3 01AADh(6.67K) 00B75h(2.86K) PPMINIT.ROM
20. OEM0 CODE 02549h(9.32K) 01B13h(6.77K) dbf.bin
21. GROUP ROM[24] 00132h(0.30K) 0011Eh(0.28K) SPECIAL.FNT
(SP) NCPUCODE 0D400h(53.00K) 0D400h(53.00K) NCPUCODE.BIN


0.System Bios? 1. XGROUP CODE? Maybe GV3 (PPMINIT.ROM)?

Thanks!