Lenovo M700/M900 BIOS mod to Coffee Lake CPUs

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dkun9x

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Jul 21, 2021
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hi, i has M700 tiny with G4400T, i flash your default bios vs mod bios but it not work, and i forget backup my bios before flash your bios, now my M700 when pluggin power cable, it auto turn on but no display and numlock keyboard, try your default bios vs mod bios but it same, how can i save my M700?
and what happen when i put i7-9750H mod on M700? is that broke and cannot repair?
 

mobilenvidia

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Sep 25, 2011
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hi, i has M700 tiny with G4400T, i flash your default bios vs mod bios but it not work, and i forget backup my bios before flash your bios, now my M700 when pluggin power cable, it auto turn on but no display and numlock keyboard, try your default bios vs mod bios but it same, how can i save my M700?
and what happen when i put i7-9750H mod on M700? is that broke and cannot repair?
Oh how important BIOS backup is before doing any of this

Do the BIOS flash without the battery
You may have settings getting stuck
You are flashing with an EPROM programmer ? as Software Flashing may not have same effect from a backup
 

dkun9x

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Jul 21, 2021
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Oh how important BIOS backup is before doing any of this

Do the BIOS flash without the battery
You may have settings getting stuck
You are flashing with an EPROM programmer ? as Software Flashing may not have same effect from a backup
i try use CH341A tool with ASProgrammer vs CH341programer but it same, not work!
 

mobilenvidia

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Sep 25, 2011
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yes, when do anything, i remove the battery from mainboard, i very sure i write bios success, but it still not work...
Give this ago from M800 Manual

Recovering from a BIOS update failure
To recover from a BIOS update failure, do the following:
1. Remove any media from the drives and turn off all connected devices and the computer. Then,disconnect all power cords from electrical outlets and disconnect all cables that are connected to the computer.
2. Remove the computer cover. See Chapter 7 "Installing or replacing hardware" on page 51.
3. Locate the Clear CMOS /Recovery jumper on the system board. See "Hardware locations" on page 1.
4. Remove any parts and cables that impede your access to the Clear CMOS /Recovery jumper.
5. Move the jumper from the standard position (pin 1 and pin 2) to the maintenance position (pin 2 andpin 3).
6. Reinstall the parts and cables that were removed.
7. Reinstall the computer cover and reconnect any cables that were disconnected. See Chapter 7"Installing or replacing hardware" on page 51.
8. Turn on the computer and insert the BIOS update disc into the optical drive. Wait a few minutes. Therecovery process begins. After the recovery process is completed, your computer will shut downautomatically.Note: If the computer does not start up from the disc, select the disc as the startup device. See"Selecting a temporary startup device" on page 37.
9. Repeat step 1 through step 4.
10. Move the Clear CMOS /Recovery jumper back to the standard position (pin 1 and pin 2).
11. Repeat step 6 through step 7. Then, turn on your computer.
 
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lkytal

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Aug 20, 2021
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Thanks for this great thread, I was able to boot Kabylake CPUs on my M700 by following your guides. I have some questions and I'd be grateful if you can give me some ideas.

1. You overwrite the later half by M710/910's bios as M700 does not support Kabylake natively, I've wondering would this trick works for other PCs? I have a Dell 3040m with also supports Skylake only.

2. I can't update ME or VBIOS using Coffeetime. Click "replace" in Coffeetime, the program does start replacing and will finish without error, but the version of ME or VBIOS remains unchanged (and interestingly all other things like updating GOP can work correctly). Does this ever happen to you? Do you have any clue for solving it?

3. Following your guide my M700 can boot into BIOS or boot from a USB stick correctly, however, once I plug in my SATA disk the M700 will boot without video output, any ideas? Besides, If I load "OS default" beforehand it can boot but won't show anything until the operating system started.

Thanks!
 
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mobilenvidia

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Sep 25, 2011
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Thanks for this great thread, I was able to boot Kabylake CPUs on my M700 by following your guides. I have some questions and I'd be grateful if you can give me some ideas.

1. You overwrite the later half by M710/910's bios as M700 does not support Kabylake natively, I've wondering would this trick works for other PCs? I have a Dell 3040m with also supports Skylake only.

2. I can't update ME or VBIOS using Coffeetime. Click "replace" in Coffeetime, the program does start replacing and will finish without error, but the version of ME or VBIOS remains unchanged (and interestingly all other things like updating GOP can work correctly). Does this ever happen to you? Do you have any clue for solving it?

3. Following your guide my M700 can boot into BIOS or boot from a USB stick correctly, however, once I plug in my SATA disk the M700 will boot without video output, any ideas? Besides, If I load "OS default" beforehand it can boot but won't show anything until the operating system started.

Thanks!
1. Yes should work pretty well on any Skylake based (100 series) Mobo, but don't hold me to that
Just BACKUP your BIOS before trying, I'm getting more and more that forget that part and Doh!

2. I just left the ME as it was, as updating gave me grief, but CoffeeTime updated the VBIOS with no issues
In the end does it really matter are you missing anything ?

3. I had some issues when I started fiddling with BIOS modding, with no Video on DP port 1, did work on port 2 and SATA didn't show in BIOS but worked fine in windows (Don't recall not being able to boot from it)

I should get back into this, but Covid has made Coffee Lake CPUs not worth it, paying far too much for even an i3
So much so I'm toying with a Rocket Lake based 1lt, Intel Tiger Canyon NUC would be nice but hens teeth are more easy to find or a Chinese one like MinisForum TL50, but 12GB soldered a bummer as won't be dual channel but great other specs
Rocket Lake also means 8k60 (DP) future proofing
 
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Tico007

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Jul 15, 2021
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No logro hacer funcionar de forma correcta una m900 tiny
Bios modificados
Problemas:

CPU FAN ERROR 0135

SATA 1:NONE

Bios originales ya sean bajados directamente de la lenovo o adquiridos por terceros:

Problemas:

FAN se vuelve loco y ni carga el bios.

Bios de una M710Q:

Funciona pero da los mismos problemas de las bios modificadas.

Si conoces la forma de arreglar estos errores?


CPU FAN ERROR 0135


SATA 1:NONE


el BIOS BACKUP esta defectuoso.
 

lkytal

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Aug 20, 2021
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1. Yes should work pretty well on any Skylake based (100 series) Mobo, but don't hold me to that
Just BACKUP your BIOS before trying, I'm getting more and more that forget that part and Doh!

2. I just left the ME as it was, as updating gave me grief, but CoffeeTime updated the VBIOS with no issues
In the end does it really matter are you missing anything ?

3. I had some issues when I started fiddling with BIOS modding, with no Video on DP port 1, did work on port 2 and SATA didn't show in BIOS but worked fine in windows (Don't recall not being able to boot from it)

I should get back into this, but Covid has made Coffee Lake CPUs not worth it, paying far too much for even an i3
So much so I'm toying with a Rocket Lake based 1lt, Intel Tiger Canyon NUC would be nice but hens teeth are more easy to find or a Chinese one like MinisForum TL50, but 12GB soldered a bummer as won't be dual channel but great other specs
Rocket Lake also means 8k60 (DP) future proofing
Thanks for your reply. I switch to a M710q which boots correctly. Except that before booting into windows, either DP port has video outputs. How you managed to make your second DP port to work? Thanks.
 

mobilenvidia

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Sep 25, 2011
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Thanks for your reply. I switch to a M710q which boots correctly. Except that before booting into windows, either DP port has video outputs. How you managed to make your second DP port to work? Thanks.
I didn't make it work, they just did
I did have to fiddle with the BIOS battery, found results in flashing BIOS with battery removed
Originally did have DP out issues (lack there of) but seemed to sort it self I grew more confident
It could be related to VBIOS/GOP as well
 

mobilenvidia

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Sep 25, 2011
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I"m back the M900 is once again running the i3-9100T it did earlier
Once I got the Dell 7070, I put the CPU in there and it worked, then updated BIOS which may have corrected any Microcode wrong doings

With the i5-6500T in the M900 updated to latest BIOS
Grabbed the latest M910 BIOS
Merged the M910 BIOS into second 1/2 of M900 BIOS
Ran CoffeeTime app over it
Took out BIOS battery
Flashed the Modded Coffee Lake BIOS
Put 9100T in M900, turned on machine
4x reboots later, up pops the Lenovo Splash screen
One caveat Display port One didn't work, so running off Display port 2, seem to remember this happening in earlier flashes as well
This may correct it self later with Windows (not booted past BIOS)

While poking about in modded BIOS I noticed setting for UEFI BIOS update via Windows, turned this off
Should Windows update flashing BIOS with M900 version and breaking things

Hope this helps someone

1639246954106.jpeg
 
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mobilenvidia

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Progress so far
Remade modded BIOS once I discovered I didn't update the VBIOS in Coffeetime
Didn't make any difference to Display port one working at first boot
Do get the double beep at boot to tell me serial number is missing etc, does this every boot, but continues on
Shoved in the NVMe drive that came with Dell 7070, booted to windows no issues
Display port 1 also works
Rebooted with TV in Display port 1 and display worked as it should during boot splash screen
 

svqj

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Dec 18, 2021
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Hello. New here coming from a Google search. I hope my newbie off topic(ish) post won't be annoyance. Apologies in advance if I irritate some.
I have a Thinkcentre M910q running 6500T CPU with 520 graphics.
Since I connected this tiny PC to a 4K TV as a media machine, I would like to upgrade to a CPU with UHD graphics capable one.
I have 12GB dual channel RAM and hoping to keep these (8GB+4GB Samsung 2400T SODIMMs)
I am thinking of buying from aliexpress a modified 8th gen (or 9th?) mobile CPU but don't know which eprom/BIOS programmer tool to buy and also never done anything like this so trying educate myself as much as possible prior.
Could a fellow m910q owner point me a post (if any) a step by step instructions page or post?
Many thanks in advance
 

mobilenvidia

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Sep 25, 2011
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Hello. New here coming from a Google search. I hope my newbie off topic(ish) post won't be annoyance. Apologies in advance if I irritate some.
I have a Thinkcentre M910q running 6500T CPU with 520 graphics.
Since I connected this tiny PC to a 4K TV as a media machine, I would like to upgrade to a CPU with UHD graphics capable one.
I have 12GB dual channel RAM and hoping to keep these (8GB+4GB Samsung 2400T SODIMMs)
I am thinking of buying from aliexpress a modified 8th gen (or 9th?) mobile CPU but don't know which eprom/BIOS programmer tool to buy and also never done anything like this so trying educate myself as much as possible prior.
Could a fellow m910q owner point me a post (if any) a step by step instructions page or post?
Many thanks in advance
Just get a Kaby Lake CPU (7xxxT), then you can enjoy HEVC 4k content
Your M910q was made for Kaby Lake
Intel didn't change their GPU till the 11th Gen with 4k60 HDMI (and 8k DP), so all other CPUs in between had the 6x0 UHD graphics
You can get an active DP 1.2 to HDMI2.0b adaptor, Lenovo even made one, or any other should work too

I went for Coffee Lake mod as I had to mod the BIOS to even get to Kaby Lake so may as well go the who hog

BTW 12GB does not = Dual channel, 4+4, 8+8 or 16+16 would be, same size RAM in both slots, can be different speeds (will go at slowest)
Only a small performance hit, that won't even notice with Media watching
 
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custom90gt

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BTW 12GB does not = Dual channel, 4+4, 8+8 or 16+16 would be, same size RAM in both slots, can be different speeds (will go at slowest)
Only a small performance hit, that won't even notice with Media watching
It will do dual channel on the first 8GB total (4+4) and then single channel on the last 4GB (Intel has "flex mode")
 

mobilenvidia

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Sep 25, 2011
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Many thanks. I am stationed in Europe and locally I can get a i5 7400 CPU for about 65$ instead of 7500T. Would this be a significant upgrade or should I go for QNVH CPU from Aliexpress from China with CH341A programmer?

A 7400T is about the same as a 6500T, but the Kaby lake CPU will have better video performance when decoding H265 in 4k
If you or want vPro then you'll loose or not qualify with a 7400T

Those converted CPU's will need the CPU pads modified as as well
6 Core Coffee Lake CPUs and higher need the pads modified as well as a Modded BIOS
4 Core Coffee Lake CPUs and lower just need a Modded BIOS
 
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svqj

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Dec 18, 2021
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Hi again Mobilenvidia. Happy holiday season for all.
I missed my chance to get a 7400 CPU but scored a pair of 8GB Samsung SODIMMS 3200=16GB Dual channel from my local used market for 35euros. I don't even know what vPro is let alone use it TBH.
I am now considering getting an i3-9100F (it is not T version F is 65Watt, would this work with m910Q?). CPU since it seems to be similarly (even lower at some sellers) priced than the 7XXX CPUs in local used market here in Spain.
If I read your posts correctly you are running one on an M900 with a customized M910q bios?
In order to flash this BIOS do I need an EPROM programmer with clip(s) or can I use Lenovo Bios upgrade tool?
Also how does the fan behave with this CPU? Currently mine with 6500T is almost silent. If I upgrade to a newer gen CPU shall I expect more noise?
Would this also apply if I decide to go for one of the "modded Mobile CPUs" from aliexpress especially something like below?
 
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mobilenvidia

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Any 9x00F CPU WON'T work at it has no GPU = NO video out
It probably will boot but you won't see anything, might be OK for a headless version of Win Server
The RAM will run at 2133Mhz or 2400Mhz as this is as fast that Sky, Kaby and Coffee Lake DDR4 support went from memory (pun intended)

And YES an EEPROM programmer as mentioned earlier in posts is really essential
And BACKUP the original BIOS first, so you can go back

If you get a Coffee Lake CPU (8x00 or 9x00 or XEON equivalents (they will work too))
And you have a M900 or M700 you need to Modify your BIOS to M910/M710 first (this is done with HxD program)
Then modify that to Coffee Lake with CoffeeTime program

If going Coffee Lake (both 8x00 or 9x00) the easiest path is
an i3 of either CPU, then you can just plug it with no other mods, i3-9300T being the best and most expensive by far
an i5, i7 or i9, MAY work (but not tested by me) AND WILL NEED the CPU pads modded as well (includes 6core+ XEONS)
Can be a T (35w) or non T (65w), non T I would not recommend as these really need a large Heatsink as they'll run faster/hotter on demand and fan will spin up, small fan spinning fast = noisy
CPUs are expensive now, with COVID everyone seems to be tinkering
I paid US$75 (delivered) for my i3-9100T 2 years ago, now you struggle to get on for less than twice that, hence I bought a Coffee Lake System as in the end cheaper

Not checked but I don't think you can upgrade to Win11 even with a 9x00 series CPU, as TPM will still be v1.2
 
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