ASRock Z370/Z390 Taichi (and some others, actively modding!) Firmware with Intel Management Engine Disabled

[rugabunda]

Just a FYI, the firmwares website appears to be down; its asking for login credentials. Really great work BTW! Thank you so much for all you do! I'm actually considering buying one of the boards you've fixed up, to avoid all the bs involved with hard modding everything.

 

[R-T-B]

Just a FYI, the firmwares website appears to be down; its asking for login credentials. Really great work BTW! Thank you so much for all you do! I'm actually considering buying one of the boards you've fixed up, to avoid all the bs involved with hard modding everything.

It was my router going batshit and swapping one of the wan and lan ports. It should be back up now.

 

[Caring1]

Unless Asrock have changed things, post code 18 is pre memory, northbridge initialisation.
Obviously fixed by the microcode.

 

[d1ngBaT]

Hello! I have an 8700k and a z370 Taichi, I was able to flash 1.80 ME disabled, however I am unable to update to the 3.10 ME disabled.

I was wondering if you knew a way to confirm whether or not ME has been "neutered". As well as this, do you think it would be possible to get a neutered version for 1.30?

Thanks for the great work!

 

[R-T-B]

Hello! I have an 8700k and a z370 Taichi, I was able to flash 1.80 ME disabled, however I am unable to update to the 3.10 ME disabled.

I was wondering if you knew a way to confirm whether or not ME has been "neutered". As well as this, do you think it would be possible to get a neutered version for 1.30?

Thanks for the great work!

I had some issues with 3.10 myself (new integrity checks they added somewhere), but I was able to flash it as follows:

1.) Flash official 1.80 (not modded one).

From there, you can flash the ME disabled 3.10 image. I don't entirely understand why that works myself, but the process worked for me. Still toying with it a bit.

 

[d1ngBaT]

Would you be able to come up with a quick guide? I think bios 1.30 modded would be perfect for me as they disabled the option to disable hpet in the bios

 

[R-T-B]

Would you be able to come up with a quick guide? I think bios 1.30 modded would be perfect for me as they disabled the option to disable hpet in the bios

Sorry it took so long for me to reply to this, I've been swamped with things in real life.

I'll see if I can't get a guide together or (more realistically) a modern bios with that option added back in the near future.

 

[MrGenius]

Disabling HPET in the BIOS doesn't really do anything anyway. Since it's disabled by default. Unless you enabled it to begin with. In which case you already know exactly how to disable it with BCDedit. All disabling it in the BIOS does is make it so you can't enable it with BCDedit. Which is pretty stupid. You want to be able to turn it on and off without having to go into the BIOS. Thus, having a kill switch in the BIOS for it is pointless. There's never been a good reason for it.

 

[R-T-B]

It's disabled as the default timer. It can still be explicitly referenced if it's on, but I don't think anything does that.

So yeah, basically what he said.

 

[Mork_vom_Ork]

I had some issues with 3.10 myself (new integrity checks they added somewhere), but I was able to flash it as follows:

1.) Flash official 1.80 (not modded one).

From there, you can flash the ME disabled 3.10 image. I don't entirely understand why that works myself, but the process worked for me. Still toying with it a bit.

Thats the same i was imagine with ASRock Professional Gaming i7 with BIOS v3.10: you can NO longer flash the same BIOS again - otherwise you will get a message, that same version of BIOS is already flashed to the board. NEVER had this on my Z270 Super Carrier.

Also ASRock seems to have changed the "security flash check fail" routine again. I am no longer able to flash an "UBU"-modded BIOS to the the board via "instant flash". The old patch builin into the UBU-Tool (UEFI BIOS Updater) is no longer valid. Also i wasn't able to flash my modded BIOS v3.10 with Intels FPT-Tool, even when in the descriptor region all settings for READ/WRITE are set to YES.

Once again R-T-B: any help is appreciated, cause we both had a great time on my SuperCarrier project. You remember?
Regards...
Mork vom Ork

 

[R-T-B]

Oh yes I remember... unfortunately my hobby time had been limited lately.

I will see if I cannot take a look soon. It seems exceptionally odd that even FPTW with the descriptors in rw mode would fail, but I'll have to look into that to see whats up.

My only advice for the moment is to downgrade prior to 3.10 with official firmware, and then attempt a mod flash version.

 

[Mork_vom_Ork]

What i also noted: you can't re-flash a BIOS, which is already the current one flashed. If you try, you will get a message like:
"That version is already flahed and current. Please select a newer BIOS to flash."

I NEVER had this on my ASRock Z270 Super Carrier, nor on my ASRock Z170 Extreme7+. So if you want to re-flash for exaple v3.10 while v3.10 is currently the active BIOS, than you first have to "downgrade" with older BIOS file or "upgrade" with newer BIOS file. Otherwise you won't be able to re-flash the current version. So not only that they changed their "security flash check failed!" routine, it seems, they also implemented a "That BIOS is already flashed and current. Please select a newer file to flash." routine.

 

[R-T-B]

Are you saying you can't prepare a modded image, downgrade to something official pre 3.10, and then flash the newer modded 3.10 one?

Slightly confused there. I know they changed a lot. Unfortunately that is the only work around I have discovered for now. I hope they do not close it.

 

[Mork_vom_Ork]

what i say is the following:
with my ASRock Z270 Super Carrier i was able to get one original BIOS from ASRock website, modified this one with some patches like new VBIOS, new SATA.efi, new LAN.efi and new microcodes.
Using UBU also applied a patch to the BIOS in a "capsuled" region, so that flashing modded BIOS files with ASRocks instant flash method would be possible.
With my new Z370 i am no longer able to flash those UBU-modded BIOS files: always getting "secure flash check fail" error. Now i have to flash those modded BIOS with "FPTW64 -F -BIOS modded_bios.rom".

Also i tried the following: flashed latest BIOS v3.10 for board. Then i patched the descriptor region of that same BIOS file with "HxD" to set all to READ/WRITE = YES.
Tried to flash again the so patched BIOS, but getting message "Same version already flashed. Please select newer file to flash" (or something like that). So i downgraded with instant flash to BIOS v1.70 and re-flashed that modified v3.10 file. This time it works! To verify this scenario i flashed back to unmodified v1.70 BIOS and than tried to reflash that same unmodified v1.70 BIOS - but: same message of instant flash: "Same version already flashed. Please select newer file to flash" - so i selected once again the modified v3.10 BIOS - et voila, it worked again.

This should clarify my last post.

 

[Immotek]

Hi RTB, just wanted to ask a quick question which you may or may not have the answer to!

Given that the intel ME prevents BCLK overclocks higher than around 102.9Mhz on non-K CPU's, will your modified BIOS potentially overcome this limitation.

I'm not into the technical side of things by any means but I understand the ME checks at boot what the BCLK is and prevents very high values. I assume that in your BIOS, once POST has been completed, you could theoretically increase the BCLK (e.g. in Windows) above the 102.9 limit?

Would appreciate your thoughts! Thanks!

 

[R-T-B]

Given that the intel ME prevents BCLK overclocks higher than around 102.9Mhz on non-K CPU's, will your modified BIOS potentially overcome this limitation.

Potentially? Honestly, not certain. It's hard to say because although the ME is disabled as much as possible, some parts are left to their own devices to allow boot to work normally. These parts don't really have privacy implications, but they may affect BCLK. You are welcome to give it a try though.

 

[Immotek]

Thanks RTB. I just tried to use your 3.10 modified BIOS however I kept getting the secure flash error.

I tried it via official 1.20, 1.60 and 1.80 BIOSes with the same issue.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks!

.
With my new Z370 i am no longer able to flash those UBU-modded BIOS files: always getting "secure flash check fail" error. Now i have to flash those modded BIOS with "FPTW64 -F -BIOS modded_bios.rom".

Hi Mork, I've got the same issue that I can't flash the modded 3.10 BIOS using instant flash from any official BIOS, I've tried 1.20/1.60 and 1.80. I keep getting "secure flash check fail" error.

Could you let me know how you overcame this and what programs you used please?

 

[Mork_vom_Ork]

Now i have to flash those modded BIOS with "FPTW64 -BIOS -F modded_bios.rom".
I have attached the files you need just to this post. All you need to do is put your modded BIOS file into this folder, open a command prompt within WINDOWS and type the following command:

FPTW64 - BIOS -F modded_bios.rom

where "modded_bios.rom" is the filename of your modded BIOS file.

 

[Immotek]

Now i have to flash those modded BIOS with "FPTW64 -BIOS -F modded_bios.rom".
I have attached the files you need just to this post. All you need to do is put your modded BIOS file into this folder, open a command prompt within WINDOWS and type the following command:

FPTW64 - BIOS -F modded_bios.rom

where "modded_bios.rom" is the filename of your modded BIOS file.

Amazing, thank you!

 

[R-T-B]

Now i have to flash those modded BIOS with "FPTW64 -BIOS -F modded_bios.rom".
I have attached the files you need just to this post. All you need to do is put your modded BIOS file into this folder, open a command prompt within WINDOWS and type the following command:

FPTW64 - BIOS -F modded_bios.rom

where "modded_bios.rom" is the filename of your modded BIOS file.

Indeed, but that won't flash the Management Engine, so if you want to scrub it that part kinda sucks.

This latest thing ASRock is throwing at us is pretty tough to solve, unfortunately. I have no immediate answers if the tricks I mentioned don't work, but I am looking into it when and where I can.

Sorry I do not have an easier answer.

 

[Shou Miko]

@R-T-B Will u do the P3.20 for the Taichi?

I the option under chipset for disabling red led for bios indication.

 

[R-T-B]

@R-T-B Will u do the P3.20 for the Taichi?

I the option under chipset for disabling red led for bios indication.

Yes, since I own that board I will make time for it soon. Didn't realize they made a release.

 

[Shou Miko]

Yes, since I own that board I will make time for it soon. Didn't realize they made a release.

Someone in ASRock's forum asked if it was possible to disable the red bios led so ASRock made a beta bios P3.11 and I tried it and my setup wouldn't boot something with memory1_intiaialzation_error but P3.20 works like a claim and contains cpu microcode update.

*EDIT* My iphone and me ain't good friends

Also other motherboards like Extreme4, Fatal1ty and so got this feature now.

 

[R-T-B]

Someone in ASRock's forum asked if it was possible to disable the red bios led so ASRock made a beta bios P3.11 and I tried it and my setup wouldn't boot something with memory1_intiaialzation_error but P3.20 works like a claim and contains cpu microcode update.

*EDIT* My iphone and me ain't good friends

Also other motherboards like Extreme4, Fatal1ty and so got this feature now.

Unfortunately at least for this month I will probably only get around to the Taichi. Expect it today or tomorrow, time allowing.

 

[Mork_vom_Ork]

...but P3.20 works like a claim and contains cpu microcode update.

The Z370 Professional Gaming i7 is now also on BIOS 3.20 - and, after my last post about the instant flash behaviour, there is now another feature, that didn't work anymore:
i am no longer able to edit "hidden" menu entries within the BIOS with AMBCP! As soon as i try to save my modifications, i got an error and the BIOSfile has 0kb in size. Didn't find a workaround yet.