GOOD NEWS: Ionico 17 new BIOS was just sent to me by PCS!

Macco26

Macco26

Expert
Just a heads up that PCS emailed me the new BIOS. Just now.
I'm just downloading it and carefully check everything before doing the risky flash.
I need a reliable USB stick to be formatted in FAT32 etc.
Anything bad and I brick the thing.

Since I was testing Battery operation I might have to wait a bit before doing this. Let the batter ends, then recharge fully etc.
Don't want to risk anything you know
(also reapply no Undervolt, just to be extra careful).

I'll keep you updated.
 
Macco26

Macco26

Expert
Just an heads up to whom has received the new BIOS and procedure by PCS.
I've not yet finalized the procedure (keep waiting for the final FLASH activity) but am been able to reboot into the self made USB pen with the files.
Note though that the PCS procedure lacks a very importat part: by default the laptop won't allow to boot anything w/o signed Secure Boot keys. And this USB pen is among those.
So before anything you have to go into your BIOS, Security and check that SECURE BOOT is DISABLED. Else your pen won't boot (red warning box upon selecting it)
20210319_144549.jpg


You can re-enable it at the very end of flashing (two reboots, procedure says, haven't tested it yet).

Just a picture of the EFI environment you'll see upon booting from the USB:
20210319_143505.jpg


At this point one have to initiate the 2 flashing procedure. A thing I have not made, yet.

I'll do in within the next few hours.
Wish me luck
 
Last edited:
Macco26

Macco26

Expert
Well, laptop is still in the 14 days returning period for PCS anyway. Hope they don't have to recollect the RMA... :p
 
Macco26

Macco26

Expert
For instance, just arrived second email by PCS:

when flashing the BIOS for that TF, do flashme first before ecflash​
​
doing the ec first like we usually would do will cause the system to brick​
​
so the new order must be​
​
FlashME​
ECflash​

:eek:
Of course the order on previos email was the opposite. I can't be greateful enough I've waited some more.
Now keep waiting some hours more.. just to be extra safe..😅
 
R

Romain337

Active member
I wish they fix the light bar bug... but well the dGPU is teh things that make people win online I guess so it's a must have.
 
Macco26

Macco26

Expert
I don't have any light bar bug, what's your problem? And by flashing also the EC it might be fixed I guess? EC is the part of the BIOS responsible for fans control and RGB ligthning generally, so..

Not yet flashed. A bit intimidated. Will do late afternoon I guess.
 
R

Romain337

Active member
Turn off the light bar in the BIOS and she will be "on" on boot. Turn off the keyboard, and it will be off at boot, as expected. That's the bug.
The dGPU is a minor issue to me (but welcome feature for my linux usage as it can be a workaround for the intel module not yet ready to manage the screen edid (locked at 40Hz by the module)).
 
Macco26

Macco26

Expert
Romain337 said:
Turn off the light bar in the BIOS and she will be "on" on boot. Turn off the keyboard, and it will be off at boot, as expected. That's the bug.
The dGPU is a minor issue to me (but welcome feature for my linux usage as it can be a workaround for the intel module not yet ready to manage the screen edid (locked at 40Hz by the module)).
Click to expand...
Did you turn off the Light Bar in the Control Center as well? I mean, in the Windows one (I know you use Linux).

For EDID, did you try to save additional profiles with CRU?

In not so far in time I'm gonna try that dang BIOS update. I let PCS enough time to counter act any previous procedures..
 
R

Romain337

Active member
It works once the Control Center start after windows. But if you use linux, you are screwed and can't turn it off via the BIOS.
For the EDID, yes I have tried everything. From custom modelines in xrandr and Xorg config, i915 modules parameters (minus recompiling the i915 module with some old patches that need to be adapted or something...). In fact if I don't use the intel driver the screen is butter smooth, at the cost of no 3d accel lol. A bug report is living here: https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/drm/intel/-/issues/125 some MSI laptops with high refresh rate have the problem also. This is due to alternate mode not well supported yet. I use windows for now it's not that bad but as soon as I'm bored by COD Warzone again I return to linux.
 
Macco26

Macco26

Expert
I can testament BIOS updated worked well, by using the last PCS procedure (e.g. FlashME before, then ECflash.). Several reboots, all lasting like 3-4 seconds each (one could think of a boot loop, but it wasn't).
Following some screen captures.
 
Macco26

Macco26

Expert
20210319_174838.jpg


20210319_174908.jpg
20210319_175259.jpg

Display Mode now accessible in the CC itself.

haven't tried the MUX yet. Rebooted into Optimus mode (aka MSHybrid). I'll check it briefly.
 
Macco26

Macco26

Expert
Can't complain! (y) Now the Internal Monitor is connected straight to the Nvidia GPU! Poggers! 🙌
1616173929504.png

Thank you PCS, thank you Tongfang!

This PCS machine crushes any Asus Strix Scar 17 or whatever the market offer, guys.
Zen3 CPU with no MUX? And they call it a Gaming machine?
 
Bhuna50

Bhuna50

Author Level
I guess you're keeping it now then :D

Do you think the AMD version will come with the same then as well - how would AMD version compare with this I wonder..
 
Macco26

Macco26

Expert
Jarrod's Tech review is for the 15 sized inch. Same internals of Ionico 17 RTX 3070. Both RTX 3070 at 140W.
I can't put the link of the video as it's from another reseller rebrand models. Just leave this picture:

1616174926661.png


Aka Intel still dominant in gaming (all tests were with MUX enabled of course).

Maybe 17 inch size Zen3 will have a better heat dissipation? The 15 inch here tested lacked a lot in this regard. Tongfang cheaped out in heat pipes wondering those were enough to cool a 7nm processor. While instead it becomes hotter than Intel, go figure.

PS: definitely keeping it. So far it might be the fastest RTX 3070 gaming machine on the market. Period.
 
barlew

barlew

Godlike
Macco26 said:
Jarrod's Tech review is for the 15 sized inch. Same internals of Ionico 17 RTX 3070. Both RTX 3070 at 140W.
I can't put the link of the video as it's from another reseller rebrand models. Just leave this picture:

View attachment 23916

Aka Intel still dominant in gaming (all tests were with MUX enabled of course).

Maybe 17 inch size Zen3 will have a better heat dissipation? The 15 inch here tested lacked a lot in this regard. Tongfang cheaped out in heat pipes wondering those were enough to cool a 7nm processor. While instead it becomes hotter than Intel, go figure.

PS: definitely keeping it. So far it might be the fastest RTX 3070 gaming machine on the market. Period.
Click to expand...
I saw this video its really interesting. I actually found it quite surprising that AMD haven't pulled ahead.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top