50 Posts
0
6843
17 R5, BIOS recovery from 1.11.0 to 1.8.1
Hello, I am trying to recover bios (downgrade from 1.11.0 to 1.8.1)
I followed these links which show similar steps :
But on the step where I CTRL+ESC (HOLD)+ POWER ON, I get the code "3 red, 4 blue" which is :
"Recovery image found but invalid"
and show me to this screen :
My laptop is working fine. I just want to rollback my BIOS back to 1.8.1.
Thanks.
Dr Nightmare
11 Posts
3
November 20th, 2020 09:00
@Lunetrix
I successfully downgraded my bios in a hope to get my fx light to work but I failed. I list what I did here and hopefully that will work with you and some others before our Dell Care friends block it (they seem pretty busy with blocking bios downgrade, But no fx light fix!)
Anyway, I will make the steps as clear as possible for others to follow:
Wait until firmware updates and congratulation my friend you successfully downgraded the bios. You may be able to do this with one Drive if you have another computer on the side (I did not try that). I found this after several trials and I am sure it works for now. Dell does not cache the files for bios recovery (which I think they will patch it soon).
If you found this useful let me know. I would also appreciate a little help with my FX light problem, if you have 17 R5 with light working can you please send me the "AFXCapableDevices" keys or dll file (that would be my last try before giving up)
Dr. Nightmare
Lunetrix
50 Posts
0
November 14th, 2020 13:00
Yeah, I have tried that too and I think the reason why it's still 1.11.0 it's because it didnt detected the bootable USB (since we skipped the HDR step). It booted to HDD and used the default recovery file which is the current version 1.11.0.
Dr Nightmare
11 Posts
0
November 14th, 2020 13:00
I just tried that today, seems like the R5 do not really like the downgrade. You must have your flash drive formatted as FAT32 first, and it must be on the left port I think (make sure to reset you bios to default settings too). My bios did not accept the rcv file that was created from the hdr. However, it accepted the rcv file just from renaming the exe file. everything went smooth but after it finished the version did not change!
Dr Nightmare
11 Posts
0
November 14th, 2020 13:00
I see, but when I tried the HDR step the bios reject it as invalid...
Dr Nightmare
11 Posts
0
November 19th, 2020 21:00
@Lunetrix @BurakYasar @alenvmathew007
Anyway I will make the steps as clear as possible for others to follow:
1. Prepare 2 flash drives, format them to FAT32 with same name.
2. From Dell web site download latest bios file in "rcv" format, (they offer that choice for latest version only). Rename it to "BIOS_IMG.rcv" and put it on flash drive 1.
3. Now download the 1.8 bios exe file, rename it to "BIOS_IMG.exe" and export the hdr file using command as administrator (Command like is ="BIOS_IMG.exe/writehdrfile"). Then rename the hdr file to "BIOS_IMG.rcv" and has it ready on drive 2.
4. Now shut off the laptop, put flash drive 1 in the left USB port, hold SHEFT+ESC and press power button and wait for 2-5 second then release. Now you should see the recovery page.
5. Remove Drive 1 and insert Drive 2. and click on recovery (first option).
Wait until firmware updates and congratulation my friend you successfully downgraded the bios. You may be able to do this with one Drive if you have another computer on the side (I did not try that). I found this after several trials and I am sure it works for now. Dell does not cache the files for bios recovery (which I think they will patch it soon).
If you found this useful let me know. I would also appreciate a little help with my FX light problem
Dr. Nightmare
Lunetrix
50 Posts
0
November 20th, 2020 11:00
@Dr Nightmare
That worked well my bios downgraded to 1.8.1!
And yes my FX lights are still working. What file do you exactly needs?
Write me the Path where I can find theme and PM your email so I can send it to you VIA Email.
Dr Nightmare
11 Posts
0
November 20th, 2020 12:00
Glad it worked for you, I will PM you what I need.
harpuli
3 Posts
0
November 27th, 2020 19:00
hi, i did all steps and downgrade to 1.8.1 without problems but still no undervolting , please help me I do not know what I did wrong. thanks
Lunetrix
50 Posts
1
November 27th, 2020 19:00
You got to do the solution mentioned in this thread :
https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware/m15-R1-can-t-undervolt/td-p/7554257
After, you get Undervolt back. Do it at your own risk.
harpuli
3 Posts
0
November 29th, 2020 13:00
You performed the procedure on an alienware 15 r4?, it worked for you?, how did you convert the 1.8.1.exe file to .rcv, another question when I enter the efi / dell / bios / recovery partition, I only have the BIOS_CUR.rcv file, you copied the 3 files or just the two missing, thanks
pedrazadixon
1 Message
1
December 14th, 2020 11:00
I success downgrade my bios to 1.8.1 based on guides in this thread. but i not recovery the hability for make undervolting after downgrade. any way to recovery this options?
Furniel
1 Rookie
1 Rookie
•
3 Posts
0
May 14th, 2021 22:00
Same issue, successfully downgraded from 1.12 to 1.8.1 but undervolting not available.
Nothing of this helped:
Don't know what to do, 8750h without undervolting is really hot
steve180
1 Message
0
May 15th, 2021 08:00
HI
i have problem with fx lights did you fix yours
steve
Mr.Hoozer
8 Posts
0
May 25th, 2021 15:00
Hello there,
does anyone have the RCV-file for "15 R4" for version 1.8.1? (Best would be a fresh dump from the BIOS or a copy from the file from the EFI-partition. So no "EXE-extraction" is involed at all!)
Because the extraction from the EXE to HDR-file does not work for me! (The HDR-file is always smaler than the original RCV-file of the actual BIOS from the DELL-website! I actually wonder why it seems to work for most others, but not for me and the creator of the original post.)
Thanks in advance for your help!
Furniel
1 Rookie
1 Rookie
•
3 Posts
0
June 25th, 2021 00:00
Found solution how to re-enable undervolting after rolling back to 1.8.1(This solution won't work on 1.12 and 1.11). Thatks to warrior_300(author of the solution)
Post on reddit with propper commands for alienware
Post on reddit with flash creation guide
Guide:
Format a USB drive to FAT32 on a GUID partition map.
Make a folder called EFI in the root of the USB
Inside this, make a folder called BOOT
Download this file and place it inside BOOT
Rename this file to bootx64.efi
Boot into the USB drive (spam F12 at the BIOS prompt and select your USB drive)
Once this has loaded, enter setup_var_3 0x5BE 0x00 to disable overclocking lock
Repeat this with setup_var_3 0x65A 0x00 to disable CFG lock
Enter reboot to exit and restart your computer
You will now find overclocking to re-enabled and CFG lock removed!