[REQUESt] Asus Zenbook Pro UX501VW BIOS Unlock

[GeoHogan]

Hi, first time unlocking bios and everything, but if anyone can help me with a bios unlock that'd be great. Goal is to unlock any hidden menus and enable my dedicated graphics card as the primary gpu/disable nvidia optimus if at all possible, and maybe overclock. Currently on Bios Version 208, but the latest is 301.

Asus Zenbook Pro UX501VW Laptop
AMI EFI
Version: 208
GOP version 9.0.1035
EC version FOSL0900
Link to latest Bios Version http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/N501...1473304806
Will be donating if I can get an unlock and possible mods for this.

Link to what my Bios looks like https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_FmUh...JRazZReVJn

[nnvt]

Hi, first time unlocking bios and everything, but if anyone can help me with a bios unlock that'd be great. Goal is to unlock any hidden menus and enable my dedicated graphics card as the primary gpu/disable nvidia optimus if at all possible, and maybe overclock. Currently on Bios Version 208, but the latest is 301.

Asus Zenbook Pro UX501VW Laptop
AMI EFI
Version: 208
GOP version 9.0.1035
EC version FOSL0900
Link to latest Bios Version http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/N501...1473304806
Will be donating if I can get an unlock and possible mods for this.

Link to what my Bios looks like https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_FmUh...JRazZReVJn

I will unlock it for you but the bios file from the Asus website is not the right one. also, you will not be able to set your DGPU as your primary GPU, in most laptops the DGPU is not directly connected to the display (Muxless). Instead it is connected to the IGPU so disabling the IGPU would result in a black screen.

Instructions to get proper BIOS image:
Download AfuWin > Download
Extract the contents of the zip somewhere
Open "AFUWINGUI.exe"
Press the save button
Choose a name for the BIOS backup and save it somewhere because it's always nice to have a stock BIOS backup
Send me the generated .ROM file

Keep AfuWin as you also need it to flash your BIOS

EDIT: wow your N501VW is almost exactly the same as my N551VW (same specs and release date is almost the same) and your laptop is getting a lot more bios updates than mine (the latest update on mine is 205 from 2015) might have to email Asus for that cause my bios is buggy as [censored] lol

[GeoHogan]

Hi, first time unlocking bios and everything, but if anyone can help me with a bios unlock that'd be great. Goal is to unlock any hidden menus and enable my dedicated graphics card as the primary gpu/disable nvidia optimus if at all possible, and maybe overclock. Currently on Bios Version 208, but the latest is 301.

Asus Zenbook Pro UX501VW Laptop
AMI EFI
Version: 208
GOP version 9.0.1035
EC version FOSL0900
Link to latest Bios Version http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/N501...1473304806
Will be donating if I can get an unlock and possible mods for this.

Link to what my Bios looks like https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_FmUh...JRazZReVJn

I will unlock it for you but the bios file from the Asus website is not the right one. also, you will not be able to set your DGPU as your primary GPU, in most laptops the DGPU is not directly connected to the display (Muxless). Instead it is connected to the IGPU so disabling the IGPU would result in a black screen.

Instructions to get proper BIOS image:
Download AfuWin > Download
Extract the contents of the zip somewhere
Open "AFUWINGUI.exe"
Press the save button
Choose a name for the BIOS backup and save it somewhere because it's always nice to have a stock BIOS backup
Send me the generated .ROM file

Keep AfuWin as you also need it to flash your BIOS

EDIT: wow your N501VW is almost exactly the same as my N551VW (same specs and release date is almost the same) and your laptop is getting a lot more bios updates than mine (the latest update on mine is 205 from 2015) might have to email Asus for that cause my bios is buggy as [censored] lol

lol, its definitely a hit and miss with asus laptops, I figured with the asus N501vw being the higher end model they'd recieve longer end user support

[GeoHogan]

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_FmUh...XNEbGpaNm8
link to my rom

[nnvt]

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_FmUh...XNEbGpaNm8
link to my rom

Thanks, I should have it unlocked in about 10 minutes

[GeoHogan]

thanks, i'll try it out for sure, and when I do, let me know where and how I can donate.

[nnvt]

thanks, i'll try it out for sure, and when I do, let me know where and how I can donate.

I modded your BIOS, I enabled all options that I could enable. Since your laptop is pretty much the same as mine, the chipset tab unlock may not work... I did add one more thing to try and unlock the chipset tab so please report back if it's there or not!

First of all: I am not responsible for any damage you do to your laptop!

Requirements:
AfuWin 3.05.04 > You already have it
A backup of your original rom > You already have this as well
The modified rom > Download

Installing modified rom:

1. Make sure your laptop is plugged in
   
2. Close all windows
   
3. Disable your antivirus
   
4. If you have windows 10, make sure no updates are pending (so it doesn't auto restart during the flash)
   
5. Copy the modified rom you downloaded to the Afuwin folder
   
6. Make sure that the modified rom you copied is EXACTLY 6160384 bytes
   
7. Go back to the admin command prompt in your Afuwin folder
   
8. Type "AFUWINx64.exe N501VWUnlocked.bin /GAN"
   
9. If you get any sort of error like size mismatch, DO NOT flash the bios
   
10. Press Y when prompted
    
11. Restart your laptop and see if it worked
    

No need to donate, I do this for fun! All I want is that you report back to me if the modded BIOS worked (believe it or not, a lot of people don't report back)

[GeoHogan]

lol give me a few minutes to do this. Quick question i'm sending my laptop back to asus for a few keyboard repairs, should I flash my backup ROM before I do?

[nnvt]

lol give me a few minutes to do this. Quick question i'm sending my laptop back to asus for a few keyboard repairs, should I flash my backup ROM before I do?

I definitely would flash the backup rom before sending it back to Asus so make sure you keep that backup rom around (To restore the backup rom just follow the same instructions)

[GeoHogan]

I don't seem to have an admin command prompt in my afuwin folder, unless you mean the "AFUWINx64 program?