Monday, November 22nd 2021

GIGABYTE Releases DRM Fix Tool for Intel Alder Lake Processors to Dynamically Park and Unpark E-Cores

by
AleksandarK
 Discuss (39 Comments)
With Intel's Alder Lake processors released, the company introduced a rather interesting concept of mixing high-performance and high-efficiency cores into one design. This hybrid approach combines performance P-cores based on Golden Cove architecture with high-efficiency E-cores based on Gracemont design. While Intel dedicated a lot of effort to optimizing software for Alder Lake, there are sometimes issues that persist when playing older games. At the heart of ADL processors, a thread scheduler decides which task is running on P or E-cores and ensures the best core gets selected for the job.

However, many users know that E-cores can be recognized as another system by DRM software and cause troubles on the latest 12th Generation machines. GIGABYTE has designed a software tool for its Z690 motherboards to fix this issue, which allows on-demand enablement of E-cores. Users can easily "park" or "unpark" E-cores and enable some older game titles to run efficiently with the help of P-cores. This DRM Fix Tool is a lightweight utility that unfortunately runs exclusively on GIGABYTE motherboards. It is less than a megabyte in size and requires no particular installation. However, it is an excellent addition to GIGABYTE's customers, and all that it needs is the latest BIOS update to run. Here you can download the tool, and below, you can see the list of the latest BIOS versions of GIGABYTE Z690 motherboards that support this tool.
Sources: GIGABYTE, via Tom's Hardware

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39 Comments on GIGABYTE Releases DRM Fix Tool for Intel Alder Lake Processors to Dynamically Park and Unpark E-Cores

#1
OneMoar
There is Always Moar
nice a app from a 2 billion dollar company and the the app looks like it was written in autohotkey
Posted on Reply
#2
AleksandarK
News Editor
OneMoarnice a app from a 2 billion dollar company and the the app looks like it was written in autohotkey
I think that the whole point is simple and lightweight.

IMHO I prefer this type over any bloated GUI that vendors today ship.
Posted on Reply
#3
Woomack
They could still fix BIOS and memory training as it's pathetic :banghead:
Posted on Reply
#4
The Quim Reaper
Very useful in you use RPCS3, where disabling the e cores activates the AVX 512 instruction set, boosting performance by about 20%.
Posted on Reply
#6
W1zzard
In case you guys wonder how this works:



Port 128 (80h) is for the POST code debug output
Port 96 (60h) is the AT keyboard controller

So all this really does is turn on scroll lock via software via keyboard controller command 0xED
Posted on Reply
#7
Garrus
Most people don't realize that the things Intel talked about as fixes don't exist yet. For example my MSI motherboard has no publicly available BIOS that allows me to park my E cores. I was able to find an unlisted beta version (which is not listed on the official website at all, and not as a beta either) and it doesn't work yet. Used scroll lock key and it still crashes many Denuvo games. I feel misled by Intel that there was a fix or would be one out soon, but actually there's nothing I can do. I tested many of the games listed as having problems, and they all don't work, as expected. Waiting for updates.
Posted on Reply
#9
R-T-B
OneMoarnice a app from a 2 billion dollar company and the the app looks like it was written in autohotkey
Would you prefer they aorus it up with bling bling chicken head?
W1zzardIn case you guys wonder how this works:



Port 128 (80h) is for the POST code debug output
Port 96 (60h) is the AT keyboard controller

So all this really does is turn on scroll lock via software via keyboard controller command 0xED
Wait... scroll lock disables e-cores?
Posted on Reply
#10
W1zzard
R-T-BWould you prefer they aorus it up with bling bling chicken head?


Wait... scroll lock disables e-cores?
Yeah it's an option in the BIOS of some mfgrs
Posted on Reply
#11
R-T-B
W1zzardYeah it's an option in the BIOS of some mfgrs
Frigging weird, but ok Intel.
Posted on Reply
#12
DrCR
Weird, indeed. A reintroduction of the Turbo button would be more humorous.
Posted on Reply
#13
Yraggul666
I'll just go speak to my building's admin and tell her i want another parking space;
when she inevitably asks if i bought another car i'll look her straight in the eye and in a raspy,deep 20+ years smoker's voice i'll say:
No ma'am, i want to switch from Ryzen to Alder Lake and i want to park my E-cores.
Posted on Reply
#14
robal
DrCRWeird, indeed. A reintroduction of the Turbo button would be more humorous.
This comment made my day :)
Posted on Reply
#15
Valantar
W1zzardIn case you guys wonder how this works:



Port 128 (80h) is for the POST code debug output
Port 96 (60h) is the AT keyboard controller

So all this really does is turn on scroll lock via software via keyboard controller command 0xED
Lol, I was just about to write "so they made an app that turns on Scroll Lock?" :roll:
R-T-BFrigging weird, but ok Intel.
It's precisely to avoid these DRM issues. Pretty handy feature in those cases!
GarrusMost people don't realize that the things Intel talked about as fixes don't exist yet. For example my MSI motherboard has no publicly available BIOS that allows me to park my E cores. I was able to find an unlisted beta version (which is not listed on the official website at all, and not as a beta either) and it doesn't work yet. Used scroll lock key and it still crashes many Denuvo games. I feel misled by Intel that there was a fix or would be one out soon, but actually there's nothing I can do. I tested many of the games listed as having problems, and they all don't work, as expected. Waiting for updates.
BIOS updates take time, so most likely you'll have to wait until an official one (or at least offician beta) arrives.
Posted on Reply
#16
Chomiq
There's a reason why Intel calls it a "Scroll Lock workaround".
Posted on Reply
#18
zlobby
R-T-BFrigging weird, but ok Intel.
Talk about quality coding! And I thought my ghetto patches were sloppy!
Posted on Reply
#19
Chomiq
Ferrum MasterThe should have implemented to old good thing...

But it was counter intuitive as it should be called "Slow" since 99.9% had it on all the time.
Posted on Reply
#20
zlobby
ChomiqThere's a reason why Intel calls it a "Scroll Lock workaround".
I wonder if the phases of the Moon also affects it. :D
Posted on Reply
#21
Ferrum Master
ChomiqBut it was counter intuitive as it should be called "Slow" since 99.9% had it on all the time.
At least it would keep the same controversial function, disabling, making slower actually made something work faster :D
Posted on Reply
#22
Chomiq
Ferrum MasterAt least it would keep the same controversial function, disabling, making slower actually made something work faster :D
I wouldn't mind something like this instead of Scroll Lock:
Posted on Reply
#23
Ferrum Master
ChomiqI wouldn't mind something like this instead of Scroll Lock:
Considering AL peak power consumption it should be in the place of power switch.

This should be more like an afterburner switch.

Here's one from ebay.

Posted on Reply
#24
rutra80
AleksandarKI think that the whole point is simple and lightweight.

IMHO I prefer this type over any bloated GUI that vendors today ship.
If you want an app for that without even installing anything, Microsoft has it - On-Screen Keyboard!:rockout::D
Posted on Reply
#25
Bubster
Crackong
Dr Evil : How Much will you pay for this? Please don't Say One Hundred Million Dollars :)
Posted on Reply
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