Arch Linux

LucasBiazi

Member

Registered: 2020-11-11

Posts: 111

What motherboard do I own?

Greetings.

I'm unaware if this is the correct board to post such topic since it "isn't" Arch Linux related, though in the Wiki we have a page regarding BIOS updates. Anyway, if I'm posting what/where I shouldn't, I'd like to apologize in advance to the moderators.

I own an A70 HYB Standard laptop, which is sold by a Brazilian re-seller known as Avell. I'm currently having issues identifying which motherboard I own in order to realize a BIOS update. In their website no mention of BIOS' versions can be found anywhere. I've tried getting in contact with their support, however they refuse to give me any information regarding how many BIOS' versions are there, or how I can find the commercial motherboard's name. I'd open the laptop myself but I'd lose warranty and they might have physically customized the board and hidden the name themselves. My consoles attempts haven't been successful either:

sudo dmidecode -t 2

# dmidecode 3.4
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 3.4.0 present.

Handle 0x0002, DMI type 2, 15 bytes
Base Board Information
        Manufacturer: Avell High Performance
        Product Name: Avell A70 HYB
        Version: Standard
        Asset Tag: Standard
        Features:
                Board is a hosting board
                Board is replaceable
        Location In Chassis: Standard
        Chassis Handle: 0x0003
        Type: Motherboard
        Contained Object Handles: 0

sudo dmidecode -t bios -q

BIOS Information
        Vendor: American Megatrends International, LLC.
        Version: N.1.10AVE04
        Release Date: 05/31/2022
        Address: 0xF0000
        Runtime Size: 64 kB
        ROM Size: 32 MB
        Characteristics:
                PCI is supported
                BIOS is upgradeable
                BIOS shadowing is allowed
                Boot from CD is supported
                Selectable boot is supported
                BIOS ROM is socketed
                EDD is supported
                Japanese floppy for NEC 9800 1.2 MB is supported (int 13h)
                Japanese floppy for Toshiba 1.2 MB is supported (int 13h)
                5.25"/360 kB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                5.25"/1.2 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                3.5"/720 kB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                3.5"/2.88 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                Print screen service is supported (int 5h)
                8042 keyboard services are supported (int 9h)
                Serial services are supported (int 14h)
                Printer services are supported (int 17h)
                CGA/mono video services are supported (int 10h)
                ACPI is supported
                USB legacy is supported
                BIOS boot specification is supported
                Targeted content distribution is supported
                UEFI is supported
        BIOS Revision: 5.25
        Firmware Revision: 1.12

BIOS Language Information
        Language Description Format: Long
        Installable Languages: 1
                en|US|iso8859-1
        Currently Installed Language: en|US|iso8859-1

BIOS Language Information
        Language Description Format: Abbreviated
        Installable Languages: 1
                enUS
        Currently Installed Language: enUS

I read in some forums that they simply buy some Clevo frameworks and build the final machine in Brazil to re-sell them. Knowing that I've thought about simply comparing the specs of my computer and current Clevo laptops, however wouldn't I be running risk of getting the wrong file since they modified the BIOS' current version? Is there any other option that I can run towards? I'm missing a bunch of configuration options because they simply refuse the let the final user tweak them.

Here is the full system configuration if that matters:
OS: Arch Linux x86_64
Host: A70 HYB Standard
Kernel: 6.1.15-1-lts
Shell: bash 5.1.16
Resolution: 2560x1440
DE: Plasma 5.27.2
WM: kwin
CPU: 12th Gen Intel i7-12700H (20) @ 4.600GHz
iGPU: Intel Alder Lake-P
dGPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile / Max-Q
Memory: 3396MiB / 64049MiB
Boot loader: GRUB
UEFI mode
Storage: 2 SSDs NVMe

Thanks in advance.

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jonno2002

Member

Registered: 2016-11-21

Posts: 684

Re: What motherboard do I own?

why do you think you need to update the bios ? and DONT flash a clevo bios whatever you do, if you cant get one from avell Dont do it

polarrr

Member

Registered: 2004-09-12

Posts: 110

Re: What motherboard do I own?

If you aren't sure or there is no solid information regarding your mobo and available bios, don't bother. If you are lucky, it won't let you. If you are unlucky, you end up with a dead mobo. If the manufacturers think it's important enough, they will release a proper one for your laptop.

LucasBiazi

Member

Registered: 2020-11-11

Posts: 111

Re: What motherboard do I own?

why do you think you need to update the bios ?

I'm missing tweak options such as XMP profiles and several cpu/gpu options. Plus if an update was released chances are... Anyway, not even telling the BIOS' versions available is too much.

...and DONT flash a clevo bios whatever you do, if you cant get one from avell Dont do it

Yeah I also though it wouldn't be a good idea. However I must say I saw some people online doing it and managing to make it worth.

If you aren't sure or there is no solid information regarding your mobo and available bios, don't bother. If you are lucky, it won't let you. If you are unlucky, you end up with a dead mobo. If the manufacturers think it's important enough, they will release a proper one for your laptop.

I'll keep it in mind, though once again, in their website they don't even mention BIOS.

Last time I checked they want me to take the laptop to their central to update the BIOS. Totally nonviable for me.

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Always backup important files when editing it.