PowerSpec BIOS Requests and Questions - AMD

PowerSpec_MikeW

Greetings,

This a thread for our customers to request BIOS updates, or at least ask questions about BIOS updates and if new features may improve them system performance and reliability. Please post here with all questions and requests. We'll add the BIOS updates to this thread as they become available.

Stunna2023

Can we please get a bios update for the g714. 

PowerSpec_MikeW

@Stunna2023

Are you on 1MC?

johnkizer

This might be a dumb question, but…I recently bought a G717. I can see that the BIOS publish date is back in January, and that there have been several BIOS updates published by MSI for what I believe is the same motherboard that's in my device (https://us.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-B650-P-WIFI/support).

However, I also see BIOS update files posted here directly by Micro Center…is it necessary to use Micro Center-published files, or do the ones from MSI also work? Is using MSI BIOS updates "possible-but-risky"?

Thanks for any guidance!

PowerSpec_MikeW

@johnkizer

It's fine, you can generally roll back if there's an issue. We're very concerned about testing memory stability on AM5, which can change negatively on later BIOS versions. You're not likely to have an issue on a new BIOS from MSI, but it's possible.

johnkizer

@PowerSpec_MikeW Thanks a ton for the response! I guess the flipside question might be then…if I'm not noticing any problems, I'm unlikely to need to apply a new BIOS version, would that be fair to say? From scanning the release notes on the MSI site, it seems like the reason for the update is usually some sort of performance tweak, not like a security issue or something like that.

(This is the fastest PC I've ever owned by a country mile, I'm not exactly trying to poke and prod on this thing for an extra 0.02% speed on some benchmark or an extra 1 FPS on some competitive game, that's just not my use case)

PowerSpec_MikeW

@johnkizer

Typically, yes. If it isn't broken don't risk trying to fix it. You will some times see critical vulnerability patches, but that would be stated in the BIOS notes. AGESA firmware may bring better memory compatibility, but I wouldn't expect real world noticeable performance gains.

johnkizer

Got it, thanks! I will say just as anecdotal feedback that at least for my G717 (PRO B650-P WIFI (MS-7D78) motherboard), the latest MSI BIOS 7D78v1F really did speed up what I assume is the memory syncing stuff that was causing some lengthier boot times (went from >60 seconds waiting for the OS to start loading to ~10 seconds). That one may be worth posting for folks in a PowerSpec / AMD configuration for a better experience?

On a side note, is there anywhere written out that has the default fan configuration used by PowerSpec? They seem much better than the MSI defaults, which seem to just have everything cranked full-speed all the time.

Thanks!

PowerSpec_MikeW

@johnkizer

I can check the BIOS and get a customized version as soon as I have some time. The new Ryzen processors and new microcode for the Intel platforms is keeping me busy right now. On that board for a 205 all we'd really change is a couple of things.

1. For fan noise, got HW Monitor. Find the SYS_FAN header that has a value and set it to PWM. Default is DC, which will run full speed.
2. Under secure boot you can set the mode to Maximum Security. Optional.

As for why it's faster, it's refinement to the memory training algorithms. MCR was in a rough spot at launch, we usually kept it off to train the memory on every boot and limit the chances of our customers having an issue, but it has improved dramatically on the Ryzen 7000 series. MCR is memory context restore. Basically instead of training, it just uses what worked last time, which is of course much faster. However if you're on the edge of stability and something changes either environmentally or hardware like capacitor aging it's possible for the system to become unstable. Much less of a problem with much more mature AGESA firmware.

Stunna2023

Still getting a lot of blue screens on my g714. Any fix for this?

PowerSpec_MikeW

Run Memtestx86: https://www.memtest86.com/

Just test 8 to start. Let me know what you see.

Stunna2023

MemTest86-Report-20241015-155035.zip

Please see the attached.

PowerSpec_MikeW

@Stunna2023 Looks like you need a new memory kit. Can you post a picture of the label on one of the sticks?

Stunna2023

Done