Throttlestop stopped working (VBS is disabled)

[Manwe]

Hi, throttle stop has been happily running before unfortunately i can no longer undervolt.

Steps taken:

Check VBS -> is disabled
Disable VT-x in bios -> disabled
Delete ini, shutdown restart -> no change
Undervolt protection in bios -> disabled

I noticed that I can go to positive voltage offsets but not negative

Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H

Any other avenues of investigation I could go for? Thank you for the help!

Edit: I restored my last BBIOS and its working again. The BIOS that bropke it for me mentions this:

3. Modified
1)For LENOVO requirement Modify new BIOS post LOGO.
2)Enhancement to address security vulnerability CVE-2023-39283 CVE-2023-0466 CVE-2023-2650 CVE-2023-39281 CVE-2023-39284.
3)Enhancement to address security vulnerability LEN-144737 CVE-2023-28149 CVE-2023-40238.

In case it helps you understand the issue

 

[unclewebb]

i can no longer undervolt

Next time you have this problem, open the FIVR window and you will likely see two magic words.

Undervolt Protection

This Intel feature prevents you from lowering the voltage. You can still use ThrottleStop to increase the voltage when Undervolt Protection is enabled but you cannot use ThrottleStop to decrease the voltage. The CPU will ignore your request. Most BIOS versions do not give you any way to turn Undervolt Protection off. There might be an option in the BIOS but it might not actually work. Use the ThrottleStop FIVR window to confirm if Undervolt Protection is enabled or not.

I restored my last BIOS and its working again.

Using an older BIOS version is the only solution. If Undervolt Protection is enabled by the BIOS, there is nothing ThrottleStop or any software can do to disable it.

Times have changed. Updating the BIOS should always be avoided. Blocking any automatic BIOS updates is highly recommended.

 

[Manwe]

Thanks for the insight.

The Lenovo BIOS does indeed provide an option to disable undervolt protection but that seems to be meaningless with the mentioned BIOS update.

You say BIOS updates should be avoided but are the security enhancements they address not also important?

 

[AleXXX666]

Blocking any automatic BIOS updates is highly recommended.

it is very well recommended cuz I've bricked one mobo (not laptop) during windows update on win10 was stuck and then it bricked out. Needed to return the PC to the store and it was not my PC. Damn f**k, MS.

 

[unclewebb]

option to disable undervolt protection

The ability to disable undervolt protection in the BIOS seems to be a fake option that does not actually do anything on some computers. After some recent BIOS updates, you might find that undervolt protection gets enabled whether you like it or not.

security enhancements

Lenovo and Intel's latest security enhancements disable the ability to undervolt. You will have to decide what is most important to you. Safe and secure vs the ability to undervolt. Some users are not willing to put up with the excess heat and fan noise that Intel's default voltage creates.

 

[jheanurquia]

Hi, throttle stop has been happily running before unfortunately i can no longer undervolt.

Steps taken:

Check VBS -> is disabled
Disable VT-x in bios -> disabled
Delete ini, shutdown restart -> no change
Undervolt protection in bios -> disabled

I noticed that I can go to positive voltage offsets but not negative

Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H

Any other avenues of investigation I could go for? Thank you for the help!

Edit: I restored my last BBIOS and its working again. The BIOS that bropke it for me mentions this:

3. Modified
1)For LENOVO requirement Modify new BIOS post LOGO.
2)Enhancement to address security vulnerability CVE-2023-39283 CVE-2023-0466 CVE-2023-2650 CVE-2023-39281 CVE-2023-39284.
3)Enhancement to address security vulnerability LEN-144737 CVE-2023-28149 CVE-2023-40238.

In case it helps you understand the issue

View attachment 345846
View attachment 345847

Hi, throttle stop has been happily running before unfortunately i can no longer undervolt.

Steps taken:

Check VBS -> is disabled
Disable VT-x in bios -> disabled
Delete ini, shutdown restart -> no change
Undervolt protection in bios -> disabled

I noticed that I can go to positive voltage offsets but not negative

Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H

Any other avenues of investigation I could go for? Thank you for the help!

Edit: I restored my last BBIOS and its working again. The BIOS that bropke it for me mentions this:

3. Modified
1)For LENOVO requirement Modify new BIOS post LOGO.
2)Enhancement to address security vulnerability CVE-2023-39283 CVE-2023-0466 CVE-2023-2650 CVE-2023-39281 CVE-2023-39284.
3)Enhancement to address security vulnerability LEN-144737 CVE-2023-28149 CVE-2023-40238.

In case it helps you understand the issue

View attachment 345846
View attachment 345847

Hi. I have the same laptop and just today I updated the BIOS to the KWCN44WW version and I can no longer do undervolt and with the KWCN42WW version I could... How did you go back to the previous version of the BIOS?