BIOS Patcher is a kind of software that can find and fix errors in your system BIOS (only AWARD BIOS for now) and also it can add or open new features, i.e. some features that your BIOS has but they are closed by manufacturer of your motherboard.
BIOS Patcher scans rom file. If it finds any known errors it fixes the errors. If it finds any closed features it opens it. Also if it is started with any keys for add new features than it should add it.
WHAT CAN THAT PATCHER DO?
Patcher works with BIOSes:
– 1Mbit (128kB), 2Mbit (256kB), 4Mbit (512kB)
– Award 4.5x, Award(Phoenix) 6.xx
– Pentium – Socket5, Socket7, SuperSocket7; Pentium II/III – Socket8, Slot1, Socket370 (PPGA/FC-PGA/FC-PGA2), AMD K7 – Slot-A, SocketA; Pentium 4 (Socket423/Socket478)
– "Asus standart" of packing BIOS modules (in CUSL/TUSL etc)
Patcher can add support of CPU:
– AMD K6/K6-2/K6-III/K6-2+/K6-III+
– Intel Pentium Pro/Pentium II/Pentium III/Celeron
– AMD K7/K75/Athlon/Duron/Athlon 4/Athlon MP/Athlon XP (tested)
– Intel Pentium 4/Celeron-478 (in progress)
Support means not only names of CPUs (which shows with kernel name and can be change) but correct init of L2-cache, FSB, Multiplyer, support of different steppings. There are many thing that patcher makes, and all of them that the manufacturer didn’t make for correct support of CPU.
Note: It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t modify your board for electric compatibility with CPU.
Patcher can make support of big HDD (up to 137 Gb)
Patcher can add much more choice of frequencies in BIOS SETUP
Patcher can add ASYNC mode of memory on VIA 693A,694X,694T (+PCI) and on VIA 693 and less (-PCI), Interleaving (2/4 way), minimal timings (2-2-2-5-2), IOQ Depth (8) and so on.
Also patcher changes default choice on exit from BIOS (from N to Y) in old (AWARD 4.5x) BIOSes, default date is 2003 and others little but useful thing for people who work with a great quantity of boards (people like me :-)).
Also for P4 BIOSes which has Hyper-Threading patcher can unlock the choice of this menu in BIOS Setup for ANY CPU.
Note: It doesn’t add but it’s unlock (open) this menu.
Other things that are in progress now:
– support of 64/128 Mbit memory on P1 platform (Via VPX and i430TX), 256 Mbit on P2/P3 platform (VIA 693A and some of VIA 694X)
– add load by hot key from proper device
– support editing of AMIBIOS and so on.
HOW TO WORK WITH PATCHER?
All is very simple – just copy patcher and rom file to any directory and run:
bp name_of_rom [keys]
Keys:
/c – force name of CPU (it will be shown for ANY CPU PLUGGED INTO THIS BOARD)
/d – don’t delete temporary files
/e – show rom file info. This is like cbrom.exe /d (only info and no patch)
/h – help
/m – manual choosing of things to patch. By default patcher fixes all errors.
/p – add "+PCI" (RAM_freq>CPU_freq) for VIA 693A/694X/694T (testing)
/s – turn off roll back
/v – overcloking (speed optimization) of memory for VIA-based motherboards P1/P2/P3 (testing)
Examples:
"bp 6130.bin /e"
"bp 6via86p.bin /p/c/d"
After patching you should flash your BIOS. HOW? If you don’t know how, maybe you shouldn’t have to do it? 🙂
