Friday, December 9th 2016

AMD BIOS Signature Check re-enabled with ReLive, Locks out Polaris BIOS Modders

by
Raevenlord
 Discuss (70 Comments)
If you are using a modded BIOS on your AMD Polaris card, and try to install AMD's excellent Crimson ReLive drivers, you might be in for a surprise. This is because AMD re-enabled their BIOS signature enforcement with these latest drivers. Basically, if you modded your card's BIOS in search of higher overclocking, more voltage or customized fan settings, the hash in your BIOS is no longer recognized by AMD the driver, since it differs from the factory values.

On detecting such a modded BIOS with an invalid checksum, the Crimson ReLive driver won't load, meaning that the system will run with the VGA fallback driver only, without 3D acceleration and Radeon Settings will not start. However, you can force your modded BIOS to load on Crimson ReLive if you're willing to jump through some hoops.
Overclock.net user asder00 posted a pretty nifty guide that enables the user to install a modded version of Crimson ReLive's 16.12.1 drivers, with a modified kernel that doesn't include the BIOS hash check. His work, based on lordkag's own, makes use of the mentioned modified kernel driver and Pixel Clock Patcher, enabling you to access Crimson ReLive's features even with a modded BIOS:

asder00's workaround:
  • Download the modified kernel driver here
  • Download the Pixel Clock Patcher here (needed for the windows driver signature workaround)
  • Navigate to the AMD driver extraction directory, usually "C:\AMD" then go into" Win10-64Bit-Radeon-Software-Crimson-ReLive-16.12.1-Dec7\Packages\Drivers\Display\WT6A_INF\B309333"
  • Extract the modified kernel driver in the "\B309333" directory overwriting the file
  • Uninstall current AMD drivers normally and DO NOT REBOOT when asked
  • Reboot with advanced options like so:
  • Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard and click the Restart button.
  • Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings and click the Restart button.
  • When your computer restarts you'll see a list of options, press F7 on your keyboard to select "Disable driver signature enforcement".
  • This is needed only ONE TIME to successfully install the modified kernel, in the next reboot the driver signature enforcement will return to normal.
  • Install the driver normally with setup.exe in C:\AMD\Win10-64Bit-Radeon-Software-Crimson-ReLive-16.12.1-Dec7
  • DO NOT REBOOT WHEN ASKED
  • When the installation is finished run the atikmdag-patcher.exe (this will take care of driver signature for windows so we no longer need to disable the enforcement with F7)
  • Press yes to patch the file
  • When finishes reboot the PC and enjoy your modified bios
The patch has currently only been tested on the x64 version of Windows 10. AMD could, in a future driver version remove the active BIOS hash checking from their driver suite (which they historically did before) but whether that will or won't happen is something only those at the red team know.
Source: Overclock.net Forums

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70 Comments on AMD BIOS Signature Check re-enabled with ReLive, Locks out Polaris BIOS Modders

#26
gupsterg
Simple answer you are still stuffed up the proverbial rectum :D .

The driver only checks the Legacy section signature, you modify that section of ROM for clocks, voltage, etc and if you don't update signature to reflect changes you get no driver load. Regardless you have UEFI or Legacy motherboard and/or disable/delete UEFI/GOP module in vbios making it Legacy only vbios.
Posted on Reply
#27
deu
To the people acting up over this:

Imagine you're AMD: You are to put out a new driver/utility that will dynamicly alter the frequency of a given GFX; IF someone have modded a BIOS and set a higher 'default=xxxx', then your utility when trying to moderate the mhz according to the given game will either criple the performance in the game and create an outrage (both by AMD-boi and the green-camp of sh**-talk) EVEN worse the OC modded bioses will pushes this OC mhz up and your utility adds 10% extra to give best performance = BSOD. They have NO idea of know what a modded bios does; I could make a modded bios that was coded in a way that would work normal and well WITHOUR chill, but with it turned on recked the GFX. I am 100% AMD appreciate the OC'ers and modders and what they have done with the optimizations but the fact is that some functions require version control to be able to ensure the experience. modders can do what they have always done, but at own risk. So either you accept the change or you accept the change and mod around it but b****fits is not an option (unless you want to come off as a child.)
Posted on Reply
#28
Bones
qubitWhy are AMD being such killjoys? It's your card, you're free to do what you want with it.
Simple - Fewer warranty claims.
Posted on Reply
#29
qubit
Overclocked quantum bit
BonesSimple - Fewer warranty claims.
Sounds very likely. Still, it's just in their interest, not ours. It wouldn't surprise me if NVIDIA do the same.
Posted on Reply
#30
W1zzard
qubitIt wouldn't surprise me if NVIDIA do the same.
NVIDIA Pascal BIOSes are properly locked down, you can't flash them to the card if modified.
Posted on Reply
#31
R-T-B
W1zzardNVIDIA Pascal BIOSes are properly locked down, you can't flash them to the card if modified.
Another reason for me to stay on Maxwell then.
Posted on Reply
#32
AsRock
TPU addict
qubitWhy are AMD being such killjoys? It's your card, you're free to do what you want with it.
Replacing the cards costs money. Sure their are honest people out there but i bet most go for the RMA and scream they been done wrong if they do not get a replacement.
qubitSounds very likely. Still, it's just in their interest, not ours. It wouldn't surprise me if NVIDIA do the same.
I thought the newer nV cards were temp regulated ?.
Posted on Reply
#33
sutyi
...and for about 99.9% of Polaris users life goes on.

To be honest a better way would've been to just disable the Chill feature for the ones rolling with a modded BIOS. Graying out the option unable to enable it in the control panel and making a hover-over bubble notification why it is disabled. Or better yet if the installer detects a modded BIOS it prompts the user that the Chill feature will be disabled because of the non-conformant BIOS on the card.
Posted on Reply
#34
wiak
i suspect this signature thing is on in the WHQL drivers, the hotfix/betas might not have it
Posted on Reply
#35
renz496
R-T-BAnother reason for me to stay on Maxwell then.
part of the reason most likely because of warranty stuff. but i also think they double up their BIOS and firmware security because of fake card issue. i have seen this happen with kepler based card.
Posted on Reply
#36
gupsterg
deuTo the people acting up over this:

Imagine you're AMD: You are to put out a new driver/utility that will dynamicly alter the frequency of a given GFX; IF someone have modded a BIOS and set a higher 'default=xxxx', then your utility when trying to moderate the mhz according to the given game will either criple the performance in the game and create an outrage (both by AMD-boi and the green-camp of sh**-talk) EVEN worse the OC modded bioses will pushes this OC mhz up and your utility adds 10% extra to give best performance = BSOD. They have NO idea of know what a modded bios does; I could make a modded bios that was coded in a way that would work normal and well WITHOUR chill, but with it turned on recked the GFX. I am 100% AMD appreciate the OC'ers and modders and what they have done with the optimizations but the fact is that some functions require version control to be able to ensure the experience. modders can do what they have always done, but at own risk. So either you accept the change or you accept the change and mod around it but b****fits is not an option (unless you want to come off as a child.)
Did you know that stock factory ROMs tend to have pretty high GPU MHz OverDrive limits (which WattMan would use)?

Hawaii stock ROM left window, Fiji stock ROM lower right, Polaris upper right.
wiaki suspect this signature thing is on in the WHQL drivers, the hotfix/betas might not have it
Nope, like previously posted Polaris launch driver til v16.9.1 regardless of WHQL/hotfix, etc had ROM signature verification.
Posted on Reply
#37
Jim Bryant
dorsetknobWould not Surprise me if AMD did launch a DMCA cease and desist campaign on ^^^^^^^
They can't. In fact, if someone wants to do a complete reverse engineering of the BIOS they can now in the USA. The Library of Congress has spoken.
Posted on Reply
#38
dorsetknob
"YOUR RMA REQUEST IS CON-REFUSED"
Jim BryantThey can't. In fact, if someone wants to do a complete reverse engineering of the BIOS they can now in the USA. The Library of Congress has spoken.
Its one thing to be legaly allowed to reverse engineer something
but to use anything you learn in another product or same product AND MAKE THAT PUBLICLY DISTRIBUTED/AVAILABLE will no doubt run you straight into patent/trademark laws or even Anti Terrorist Security laws
East Texas has built quite a legal trade in patent /trademark law
its the legal Trade's first or second Stop for lawsuits Especialy for IT.
Posted on Reply
#39
Furbacca
What is it with AMD lately? First i find out they turned off GCN 1.0 card's with April's and higher driver updates, now this. Day ago i just inserted UEFI/GOP code in my original Gigabyte 7970 ghz bios so i can boot quickly into Windows 10. The card is going strong and is amazing overclocker.
Posted on Reply
#40
Jeremy Jenson
Hey, i might need your help in my mod. I have done till step 10 when you said that if i reboot the driver signature enforcement will go back to normal. But the thing is, the graphic card is already uninstalled. So im not sure whether i have to install the graphic with the power running or reboot to install it. I have already tried plugging in the graphic after clean uninstall the current driver, my screen goes black and there isnt any signal coming in.
Kinda need your help in abit
Posted on Reply
#41
Caring1
Jeremy JensonHey, i might need your help in my mod. I have done till step 10 when you said that if i reboot the driver signature enforcement will go back to normal. But the thing is, the graphic card is already uninstalled. So im not sure whether i have to install the graphic with the power running or reboot to install it. I have already tried plugging in the graphic after clean uninstall the current driver, my screen goes black and there isnt any signal coming in.
Kinda need your help in abit
Then start your own thread asking for help, with specific details of the issue and steps you have tried already.
Please don't hijack an existing thread.
Posted on Reply
#42
nguyehung
is this mod nesesery for the next AMD driver?
Posted on Reply
#44
davidm71
Was wondering if I mod an XFX Rx 460 RX-460P4DDGR bios the driver will not install? How come Saphire's Nitro is factory unlocked and that works with the driver? In that case can I take the bios from that card and flash it onto the XFX Rx460 and expect it to work?

Thanks.
Posted on Reply
#45
kruk
davidm71Was wondering if I mod an XFX Rx 460 RX-460P4DDGR bios the driver will not install? How come Saphire's Nitro is factory unlocked and that works with the driver? In that case can I take the bios from that card and flash it onto the XFX Rx460 and expect it to work?

Thanks.
DO NOT FLASH BIOS ACROSS DIFFERENT VENDORS, BECAUSE IT WILL PROBABLY BRICK YOUR CARD!

IIRC every official BIOS gets signed by AMD and the driver checks this signature. Sapphire probably got permission from AMD for unlock, therefore the cards BIOS is signed.
Posted on Reply
#46
davidm71
Haven't even bought the card yet so if it bricked I would just return it, but thinking of passing because even with the mod the 1050Ti is so much faster for almost the same amount of money.

Still tempted though. Looks like a fun project but this AMD driver signing BS and enforcement of such makes it not worth the effort.
Posted on Reply
#47
kruk
If you don't have the card yet, you must know that not all cards unlock. Signing is there to prevent inexperienced people burning/bricking the GPUs. It's not really a problem anymore as patching the driver has become really easy - see my post above.
Posted on Reply
#48
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
davidm71Was wondering if I mod an XFX Rx 460 RX-460P4DDGR bios the driver will not install? How come Saphire's Nitro is factory unlocked and that works with the driver? In that case can I take the bios from that card and flash it onto the XFX Rx460 and expect it to work?

Thanks.
read my signature to avoid kicking yourself in the balls
Posted on Reply
#49
davidm71
Well its not my first rodeo flashing modded bios's and was looking for a fun project. Thing is if I pick up this card and Mess it up I can always return it.

Just the performance numbers aren't that great if you ask me..

Thanks
Posted on Reply
#50
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
davidm71Well its not my first rodeo flashing modded bios's and was looking for a fun project. Thing is if I pick up this card and Mess it up I can always return it.

Just the performance numbers aren't that great if you ask me..

Thanks
You have no scruples if you screw up a card and just return it. :shadedshu:

Well Go grab a 470 then
Posted on Reply
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