Guide - Unlock TDP of hp victus 16 laptop (intel)

[nowy]

Disclaimber : It can cause damage to your device, you try at your own risk.

Previously, I used imon slope to bypass TDP lock. But I have found the way to change TDP directly by disabling TDC.
I tested it with hp victus 16(intel) - mainboard model 8A25.

Keyword:

• TDC (thermal design current) - CPU current is limited to TDC if cpu temperature is high and TDP value that you set is ignored.
• Configurable TDP (cTDP) - Victus use nominal cTDP preset as default and changing cTDP is not working. So we need to disable cTDP

Preparation:

• I have refered to the imon slope method, so please read that thread first (It's important!).
• Bios file (from HP website), UEFITool, IFRExtractor (or IFRExtractor-RS), ru.efi, ventoy, usb disk and keyboard.

Part 1 - Extract bios image

• Run UEFITool and open bios image file (ctrl + o).
• Search (ctrl+f) "TDC enable" or "power limit 1 override", "Enable Configurable TDP" on Text tab.
• Extract parent section of your results using Extract as is (in my case all results were found in Setup section)
  
  
• Convert the file to human-readable form using IFRExtractor (GUI) or IFRExtractor-RS (CLI). I used IFRExtractor-RS(Enter .\ifrextractor.exe .\"the file name" on powershell). (Their outputs are slightly different. But it's not a problem)

Part 2 - Find varOffset

• Open the converted file with notepad.
• Search "TDC enable". There are two "TDC enable", one is located below Core/IA VR Settings and the other is located below GT VR Settings. We need one in Core/IA VR Settings. In my case varOffset is 19B.
  
  
• Search "Enable Configurable TDP", (varOffset is 227)
• Search "Power limit 1 override" and "power limit 1" (just below "power limit 1 override", in my case 1B and 17)
• All items belong to CpuSetup (VarStore 0x2) in my case. But you should check VarStore or VarStoreId.
• "power limit 1" is defined in milli watts. For 65w, the value is 65000 and convert it into hex. (use Decimal to Hexadecimal Converter (rapidtables.com))

Part 3 - Edit value with ru.efi

• Prepare bootable usb with ventoy (follow instructions in Get start . Ventoy)
• Copy ru.efi to usb drive whose label name is Ventoy.
• Prepare usb keyboard (built-in keyboard is not working)
• Boot into ventoy usb (F9 is boot selection menu on victus) and select RU.efi
• Press alt +[=] and select CpuSetup (or other entry based on VarStore)
• In varOffset, the last character is column and the rest of characters are row(ex. 19b, 190 is row and b is column). Using ctrl+pgup and pgdn, you can change page.
• Find "TDC Enable"(ex 19b -> row 190, col b) and "Enable Configurable TDP"(ex 227 -> row 220, col 7) using VarOffset and set to 0 to disable. (press ctrl+w to save each change)
• Find "Power limit 1 override" and set to 1 to enable.
• Find "Power limit 1" and enter each two characters from the end. For example, If you want to input FDE8, you must enter E8 FD. (ex. 11170 -> 70 11 01, 124F8 -> F8 24 01)
  
  
• Check these change are saved (ctrl +w) and quit (alt + q) and reboot (ctrl+alt+del, just press once if you press twice, it can be freeze!)

I have chaged power limit into 65w (I don't recommend more than 65w) and cinebench score has increased from 10000 to 12000.

 

[Solaris17]

Nice job!

 

[nowy]

I have found that it needs rebooting to apply power limit.

 

[lollo78]

Hi @nowy, really interesting post! Thanks for sharing it.

I tried the imon slope tweak on my laptop (HP 250 G7) but I'm not satified.

I would like to try your solution, but my TXT seems to be different.

I found:
- TDC Enable in Core/IA VR Settings (0x17A)
- Power limit 1 override (0x16)
- Power Limit 1 (0x12)

... but I'm not sure about "Enable Configurable TDP"

Could you give it a look (file in attached) and point me in the right direction to identify this and all the necessary offsets?

Thank you very much

 

[nowy]

Disclaimber : It can cause damage to your device, you try at your own risk. I recommend you prepare firmware recovery tools.

Previously, I used imon slope to bypass TDP lock. But I have found the way to change TDP directly by disabling TDC.
I tested it with hp victus 16(intel) - mainboard model 8A25.

Keyword:

• TDC (thermal design current) - CPU current is limited to TDC if cpu temperature is high and TDP value that you set is ignored.
• Configurable TDP (cTDP) - Victus use nominal cTDP preset as default and changing cTDP is not working. So we need to disable cTDP

Preparation:

• I have refered to the imon slope method, so please read that thread first (It's important!).
• Bios file (from HP website), UEFITool, IFRExtractor (or IFRExtractor-RS), ru.efi, ventoy, usb disk and keyboard.

Part 1 - Extract bios image

• Run UEFITool and open bios image file (ctrl + o).
• Search (ctrl+f) "TDC enable" or "power limit 1", "ConfigTDP" on Text tab.
• Extract parent section of your results using Extract as is (in my case all results were found in Setup section)
  View attachment 292336
• Convert the file to human-readable form using IFRExtractor (GUI) or IFRExtractor-RS (CLI). I used IFRExtractor-RS(Enter .\ifrextractor.exe .\"the file name" on powershell). (Their outputs are slightly different. But it's not a problem)

Part 2 - Find varOffset

• Open the converted file with notepad.
• Search "TDC enable". There are two "TDC enable", one is located below Core/IA VR Settings and the other is located below GT VR Settings. We need one in Core/IA VR Settings. In my case varOffset is 19B.
  View attachment 292348
• Search "Enable Configurable TDP", (varOffset is 227)
• Search "Power limit 1 override" and "power limit 1" (just below "power limit 1 override", in my case 1B and 17)
• All items belong to CpuSetup (VarStore 0x2) in my case. But you should check VarStore or VarStoreId.
• Search "power limit 1" below "ConfigTDP Nominal" (just below "power limit 1 override", in my case 5B)
• "power limit 1" is defined in milli watts. For 65w, the value is 65000 and convert it into hex. (use Decimal to Hexadecimal Converter (rapidtables.com))

Part 3 - Edit value with ru.efi

• Prepare bootable usb with ventoy (follow instructions in Get start . Ventoy)
• Copy ru.efi to usb drive whose label name is Ventoy.
• Prepare usb keyboard (built-in keyboard is not working)
• Boot into ventoy usb (F9 is boot selection menu on victus) and select RU.efi
• Press alt +[=] and select CpuSetup (or other entry based on VarStore)
• In varOffset, the last character is column and the rest of characters are row(ex. 19b, 190 is row and b is column). Using ctrl+pgup and pgdn, you can change page.
• Find "TDC Enable"(ex 19b -> row 190, col b) and "Enable Configurable TDP"(ex 227 -> row 220, col 7) using VarOffset and set to 0 to disable. (press ctrl+w to save each change)
• Find "Power limit 1 override" and set to 1 to enable.
• Find "Power limit 1" of "ConfigTDP Nominal" and enter each two characters from the end. For example, If you want to input FDE8, you must enter E8 FD. (ex. 11170 -> 70 11 01, 124F8 -> F8 24 01)
  View attachment 292372
• Check these change are saved (ctrl +w) and quit (alt + q) and reboot (ctrl+alt+del, just press once if you press twice, it can be freeze!)

I changed power limit into 65w (I don't recommend more than 65w) and cinebench score increased from 10000 to 12000. It needs rebooting to apply custom power limit every first boot (after power off). (I think it's a firmware bug )

I post update in reply because I can't edit post.

 

[nowy]

Hi @nowy, really interesting post! Thanks for sharing it.

I tried the imon slope tweak on my laptop (HP 250 G7) but I'm not satified.

I would like to try your solution, but my TXT seems to be different.

I found:
- TDC Enable in Core/IA VR Settings (0x17A)
- Power limit 1 override (0x16)
- Power Limit 1 (0x12)

... but I'm not sure about "Enable Configurable TDP"

Could you give it a look (file in attached) and point me in the right direction to identify this and all the necessary offsets?

Thank you very much

I post update in reply. please check it.

 

[lollo78]

I post update in reply. please check it.

Hi @nowy,
I don't know why, but your update/reply is disappeared. Anyway, I had time to read it.

Sorry, but I'm still confused.

For what I understood I have to modify only 2 value: TDC Enable and Power Limit 1. Right?

About your indication to identify the right "Power Limit 1", in my BIOS "ConfigTDP Normal" and "Power 1 Limit override" are not consecutive (please, see my attached). What I should use? 0x56 or 0x12?

Thanks a lot


EDIT: I tried both, 0x56 and 0x12, but nothing changed for me. Intel XTU read always the default PL1 value. I also rebooted, but nothing. Any advice?

 

[nowy]

Hi @nowy,
I don't know why, but your update/reply is disappeared. Anyway, I had time to read it.

Sorry, but I'm still confused.

For what I understood I have to modify only 2 value: TDC Enable and Power Limit 1. Right?

About your indication to identify the right "Power Limit 1", in my BIOS "ConfigTDP Normal" and "Power 1 Limit override" are not consecutive (please, see my attached). What I should use? 0x56 or 0x12?

Thanks a lot


EDIT: I tried both, 0x56 and 0x12, but nothing changed for me. Intel XTU read always the default PL1 value. I also rebooted, but nothing. Any advice?

In my case, No "Power 1 Limit override" is necessary for ConfigTDP Nominal. And I used throttlestop to check power limit from MSR and MMIO.
(Update is visible again)
edit: I tested with XTU, XTU read changed value and TDP can be changed with XTU.

 

[lollo78]

Hi @nowy I tried again with this settings (I use setup_var instead of RU):

"TDC Enable in Core/IA VR Settings (Disabled)"
setup_var.efi 0x16 0x0 -n CpuSetup

"Power Limit 1 Override (Enabled)"
setup_var.efi 0x56 0x1 -n CpuSetup

"Power Limit 1 (35000 - 35W)"
setup_var.efi 0x56 0x88B8 -s 0x4 -n CpuSetup

Now, with Throttlestop I can see 35W as PL1 settings, but only in MSR.
MMIO continue to shown the default 17W. For this reason in XTU I see always 17W.

I have modify other offsets to unlock MMIO?

Thanks for all

 

[nowy]

Hi @nowy I tried again with this settings (I use setup_var instead of RU):

"TDC Enable in Core/IA VR Settings (Disabled)"
setup_var.efi 0x16 0x0 -n CpuSetup

"Power Limit 1 Override (Enabled)"
setup_var.efi 0x56 0x1 -n CpuSetup

"Power Limit 1 (35000 - 35W)"
setup_var.efi 0x56 0x88B8 -s 0x4 -n CpuSetup

Now, with Throttlestop I can see 35W as PL1 settings, but only in MSR.
MMIO continue to shown the default 17W. For this reason in XTU I see always 17W.

I have modify other offsets to unlock MMIO?

Thanks for all

If you change Power limit in ConfigTDP Nominal, You don't need to disable "Enable Configurable TDP". But you change power limit (not ConfigTDP Nominal) and power limit override, you must disable Enable Configurable TDP.

 

[lollo78]

Hi @nowy, I tried again without "Power Limit Override":

"TDC Enable in Core/IA VR Settings (Disabled)"
setup_var.efi 0x16 0x0 -n CpuSetup

"Power Limit 1 in Config Normal (35000 - 35W)"
setup_var.efi 0x56 0x88B8 -s 0x4 -n CpuSetup

It works always in the same way: MSR is at 35w, but MMIO is still 17w. The issue is that I need to disabile/lock MMIO directly inside the BIOS, because my laptop is an Hackintosh and I can't run Throttlestop.
I read that If MMIO Is lower than MSR it "wins the Battle" and the system works always at 17w.
I'm unable to find the related MMIO offset inside my BIOS.txt. Maybe It Is available under other name? Could you give a look?

Anyway, also "Enable Configurable TDP" is missing in my .TXT.

Thanks a lot

 

[nowy]

It's weird, these two items are enough to change both MSR and MMIO on my laptop.
"ConfigTDP, VarStoreInfo (VarOffset/VarName): 0x3CA, VarStore: 0x1" item may be to do with it. But I'm not sure, my laptop didn't have the equivalent item.
And changing value in Setup(not CpuSetup) can brick your laptop.

 

[lollo78]

Yes, touching Setup could be brick my Laptop. Really, I don't know...

Have you disabled Power Limit 4? Om my Laptop it's disabled by default.
According the great @unclewebb is good to disable this limitation. Other advice by unclewebb, on other thread, is to set ICCMax (both on core and cache) to the maximum value of 255.75.
Do you know if this value could be changed directly inside the bios via Ru/setup_var? I can't find It in the TXT, maybe It Is present under other name.

 

[nowy]

Yes, touching Setup could be brick my Laptop. Really, I don't know...

Have you disabled Power Limit 4? Om my Laptop it's disabled by default.
According the great @unclewebb is good to disable this limitation. Other advice by unclewebb, on other thread, is to set ICCMax (both on core and cache) to the maximum value of 255.75.
Do you know if this value could be changed directly inside the bios via Ru/setup_var? I can't find It in the TXT, maybe It Is present under other name.

I change no value except items mentioned above (Power limit 4 disabled by default). I can't find Iccmax in your text file either.

 

[lollo78]

Iccmax Is available in your BIOS?

 

[nowy]

There are some items named iccmax but I didn't test it.

 

[lollo78]

You could try It. Increasing this value you could go down more with undervolt

 

[EFI Shell]

Works with F.13?

 

[chrisdcollins82]

Apologies in advance... don't mean to change the topic of this thread away from CPU TDP , but don't know where else to turn... Is it possible to use this tool to unlock RAID and VMD to be a visible option in the Victus 16 (13700HX) bios? If so, how?
Thanks in advance.

 

[krzysiek13923]

this work for victus gaming laptop 16-r0032ns (7Z2M6EA) i7 13 gen i7-13700h i have version bios f12? could u upload bios unblock undervolting? thank u!

​

 

[Fadel_Hel]

Hello everyone, whenever I press ctrl+w in ru.efi it says WRITE FAILED. Im on hp victus bios version f.12 latest from HP. Does anyone know how to bypass the write protection?