(UEFI) Dell XPS 15z L511z modded BIOS - and HOWTO

[TimeWalker]

More about advanced options here: http://www.bios-mods.com/reviews/unlocke...15z-l511z/
Re: restart instead of shutdown. This used to happen to me too when I installed Windows 8 back in October (hibernate wasn't working either). With updates that Microsoft have issued over the course of 10 month the issue seems to have fixed itself.

[kasar]

that article need some updates at least relating the descriptor and intel ME section.

I noticed the pledgie still there and it almost raised the 200€ when I repaired my motherboard a long time ago, so closing it and refund the money to the people if it isnt already done is recomended.

I also finally was able to overclock the system by hacking the ME firmware, so finally it is not a partially sucess anymore

[TimeWalker]

I don't have the rights to edit it, so it's up to you to submit refined news to Wiz.

[kasar]

ok, ty, I'll pm him

[Brabbelbla]

Alright, I went ahead with BMP and updated my L702X VBIOS, with the procedure as described earlier by TimeWalker and Ashp. Everything seems to work: brightness controls do, higher resolutions in Clover work, it is running stable. Haven't tested for actual performance differences, [and I don't have an external monitor to test the mDP port]. For everything appears to work, I attached my VBIOS. As the actual trick (pull settings from stock VBIOS, changing 1 line, removing 3 others, apply to new VBIOS) is so little work, and this thread officially is about the L511Z, I did the same with the L502X and L511Z VBIOS'es. I am confident they should work, but I am in no position to test as I do not own those models, so for those: use at your own risk.

The VBIOS is part of the BIOS capsule, and has GUID 29206FC2-9EAB-4612-ACA1-1E3D098FB1B3, and can be integrated using Andy's PhoenixTool. I did the L702X BIOS myself, including unlocked advanced menus and the Power Management fix for Hackintosh. Thanks to those who came up with the knowledge for that, wasn't me.

Still occasionally trying to read up on the other topics now, especially jkbuha's post, I just feel so ignorant

EDIT: Tested the mDP port, it works.

[kasar]

I updated my intel Video BIOS to v2137 and made some small tweaks to keep the mDP port working.

been using it for so long without issues, is there are any advantage of using the v2158 instead the older version?

like more compability or better performance?

just wanted to know to see if it makes sense to update it again or skip all the trouble just for a higher version number with no advantages at all

I wish there were some kind of intel video bios changelog somewhere, but I cant find it at all

[Brabbelbla]

Basically, I don't know. v2137 is already combo SNB/IVB and AFAIK already does what I wanted: native resolution in Clover and pre-boot Hackintosh. Performance, maybe; I do not know how much and if Intel hasn't badly screwed up v2137 it should not be much.

On compatibility: almost all settings from the stock VBIOS have been carried over (one option was replaced by another between v2104 and v2158, three others did not exist anymore), so this probably is the most 'vanilla' update you will ever come across. But if your version already does what it should, there is no real point, I think.

[TimeWalker]

Nicely done, @Brabbelbla!
With v2158 I especially like seeing this bit which in it's nature is a huge controversy

[thorbsd]

just wanted to know to see if it makes sense to update it again or skip all the trouble just for a higher version numer with no advantages at all

I love updates, so I think you should update and integrate all your tweaks into the download that is available here

Basically, I don't know. v2137 is already combo SNB/IVB and AFAIK already does what I wanted: native resolution in Clover and ...

Does v2158 support a mode of 1920x1080?

[kasar]

I love updates, so I think you should update and integrate all your tweaks into the download that is available here

sure

well, I just patched the table of the 2137 with the original vbios settings acording with what jkbuha said

@kasar - I don't have time to do this now (and I dont have a HDMI/DP connector to test at the mo) but if you do, could you try the following:

1) From your original v2104 bios, could you copy range 0xc20-0xd1f into the clipboard
2) Paste it into your new v2130/v2137 bios
3) Reboot & cross fingers.
4) If fail, boot through recovery & flash original bios?

that made the minidisplay port work again with the new vbios.

so I will do it again with the 2158

here is it (untested anyway):