Unlock BIOS advanced features.

[Rudger]

I want upgrade to a SSD and need to active AHCI SATA mode. My BIOS is locked and useless, I can't find this feature during setup.

I have an HP Pavilion g4-2119br Notebook PC and Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bits.

The BIOS is Insyde F.29.

Can anyone tell me how to unlock or where i could find a unlocked and usefull BIOS version?

HP... I'm so annoyed cause this locked BIOS.

I'll remember this before shop another HP product.

Thanks from Brazil

[OsbourneVernonL]

DId you do any research before coming to here to find out if it is at all possible to switch modes? If im not mistaken Hp has been doing this with there advanced bios modes on laptops for a while now especially there non high performances line. Your main issues seems to be the bios and the lack of options, I did some digging and found this post about similar issues others have but be warned doing or following any suggestions from there as at your own risk espicially since you can not manually activate that  feature in the bios your self.

http://www.askvg.com/how-to-change-sata-hard-disk-mode-from-ide-to-ahci-raid-in-bios-after-installin... 

good luck.

[Rudger]

Hi,

I don't see the option for changing the SATA option from IDE to AHCI or Raid in BIOS in HP laptop (InsydeH20 Setup Utility Rev. 3.7).

In BIOS (Insyde F.29), there is no option to change SATA mode. Actually I don't know wich SATA mode is enable (IDE?AHCI?RAID?).

The only setting that I want to change in BIOS is the SATA controller mode from IDE to AHCI.

If I change this at Windows registry (to active AHCI mode):

1.Will SATA Controller mode change automatically to AHCI mode? (That's my doubt).

2.Will my system crash, and I'll need to reinstall Windows?

Thanks for helping.

[OsbourneVernonL]

Sir please check the link below 

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/287470-32-seriously-ahci-mode-bios-laptop-help

[Rudger]

ok...

Seriously? No AHCI in SATA mode bios setup on new HP laptop?!

I won't to give up on this issue

Thanks Osbourne.

I'll think about to give up HP products next time.

Have a nice day.

[OsbourneVernonL]

bro its not just hp products most laptops are leaning towards that line practice Inysde 20 bioses take it to a hole new level, best thing to do is get your self the real asus, msi gygabyte those guys give you the options and leaway that you need when it comes to features.

[Rudger · Accepted solution]

Searching the net I found this: Specially for HP users - Last laptops bios are mostly RSA signed, which means that once modded it can produce a semibrick when you enter bios setup.

And this
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────​─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Form Name: 'InsydeH2O Setup Utility'                                          ​                     [ ID: '0x0023' ]│
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────​─────────────────────────────────────┘
Subtitle: 'IDE Configuration'
┌- Grayout IF:
|    Question [ ID: '0x11' ] == 0x02
|    Question [ ID: '0x10' ] == 0x01
|    AND expression
└- END IF Grayout;
Select option: 'IDE Controller'                 [ VarStore: '0x36', QuestionId: '0x1b',   Help: 'DISABLED: Disables SATA Controll​er. ENABLED: Enables SATA Controller.']
  Option: 'Disabled'                            [ Value: '0'   Default: 'false'    Type: 'int8'  ]
  Option: 'Enabled'                             [ Value: '1'   Default: 'true'     Type: 'int8'  ]
┌- Grayout IF:
|    Question [ ID: '0x11' ] == 0x02
|    Question [ ID: '0x10' ] == 0x01
|    AND expression
|    Question [ ID: '0x1b' ] == 0x00
|    OR expression
└- END IF Grayout;
Select option: 'HDC Configure As'               [ VarStore: '0x39', QuestionId: '0x1c',   Help: 'Set Harddisk Controller Configur​e Type']
  Option: 'IDE'                                 [ Value: '0'   Default: 'false'    Type: 'int8'  ]
  Option: 'AHCI'                                [ Value: '1'   Default: 'false'    Type: 'int8'  ]
  Option: 'RAID'                                [ Value: '2'   Default: 'true'     Type: 'int8'  ]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is a small part of decompiled Setup Menu from Insyde BIOS F.26 Version. It shows the Harddisk Controller is set as RAID by default.

I thought my Insyde BIOS F.29 MAYBE has the same settings as default...

So I just changed the Windows Registry to automatically detect the mode. I reboot the system and it don't crashs.

My BIOS still locked, but I found the answer that I was looking for.

It Worked here, but I don't know about others systems.

Thanks.

[OsbourneVernonL]

I dont get it. You wanted to make use of the sata/ahci mode right? Not raid....?

[Rudger]

You're right. I want to use the benefits of AHCI mode for SATA controllers (NCQ, HotPlug/Swap).

I tought the RAID mode would enable all that NCQ, HotPlug...

But nothing new.

What to do now? I don't know... HP locks the BIOS advanced features to decrease costs of reppairs caused by wrong settings changes on BIOS by newbie costumers. They are right at this point.

HP has tho advert costumers, about locked BIOS, before they shop HP products. They are completilly wrong at this point!

I'm very frustrated.

So I'm looking for sites in Brazil (Costumers Reports kind sites) to tell HP how about I'm annoyed.

Thankyou for all.

Good Luck. Sorry about my bad English.

[Anonymous]

The yard already 2017. A decision still no ...