Latest BRIX and BRIX PRO BIOS Updates - MSR Unlocked - Boots Native Kernel

[tonymacx86]

After a bit of testing and updating of BIOS, I found that there's a setting in the latest BRIX/BRIX PRO BIOS to allow GUID drives boot in Legacy mode, they operate DSDT-Free, and they've added an option in the AMI Aptio Setup Utility to disable MSR lock. They now boot the native kernel.

Glad to notify of the following correction to the CustoMac Nano article Correction: Latest BRIX BIOS Updates fix legacy booting and kernel issues.



BIOS/UEFI settings necessary for stock kernel usage (no xcpm system reboot):

BRIX i5-4200U
Mobile CPU
HD 4400
F5 BIOS
-Boots Legacy mode GUID drives- Optimized Defaults
-Boots stock kernel - must set Advanced > CFG lock Disabled (Configure MSR 0xE2[15], CFG lock bit.)

Advanced > CFG lock Disabled
(Configure MSR 0xE2[15], CFG lock bit.)​

BRIX PRO i5-4570K
Desktop CPU
HD 5200 Iris Pro
F4 BIOS
-Boots Legacy mode GUID drives- have to turn on CSM Legacy mode to Priority in Boot Options
-Boots stock kernel - must set Advanced > CFG lock Disabled (Configure MSR 0xE2[15], CFG lock bit.)

Advanced > CFG lock Disabled
(Configure MSR 0xE2[15], CFG lock bit.)​

Related:
www.tonymacx86.com/419-customac-nano-prebuilt-micro-pc.html
http://www.tonymacx86.com/members/tonymacx86/albums/bios-uefi-screenshots-brix-i5-4200u/
http://www.tonymacx86.com/members/t...-uefi-screenshots-gigabyte-brix-pro-i5-4570k/

 

[InsaneCultist]

Well that solidifies my purchase choice. Was torn between the BRIX and a NUC, I'll opt for the power that the BRIX brings now that this fix has been made. Thanks!
-IC

 

[Hirusan]

A quick question in regards to this topic. First a little background.

I just purchased a Brix pro(GB-BXi5-4570R) from the US (I live in Japan) and I got the F3 Bios with mine. I've heard about just how risky it is to flash a bios and I am weighing the pros and cons.

I was going to flash it using the F4 bios update on the Gigabyte site from a Freedos flash USB I created on my current mac. It all seemed straight forward, but I read some nasty things about Bios updates, and how even if everything goes right, it can still brick a board.

My real question is... Would it be that much easier to install Mavericks now that the F4 Bios supports legacy mode with DSDT-Free and has the MSR unlocked, or should I just continue to use it as is with F3, and install with clover in the traditional sense.

I can't really afford to send this back to the US to have them re-flash the bios if it goes crazy. I might be able to get Gigabyte Japan to do it for a cost. Is it worth it?


Any insight here would be appreciated.

 

[nobodynose]

Unfortunately the latest bios version (F6) for the Brix BXPi3-4010 doesn't yet have this option to disable the MSR lock, so I had to make and install a patched bios to get OSX going on it (using the Clover bootloader). I still have a lot of post-install configuration work to do. I also had to attach an external monitor to the box to be able to see the installation screens; I guess the resolution of the built-in projector is too low for the OSX installation procedure. I'm hoping that once I get all the post-installation work done I'll be able to tell Clover what resolution it needs to boot to.

Update: I finally gave up on the Brix and the Haswell NUC and sent them back for an Ivy Bridge NUC. I just don't have the time or the patience to mess around with the other ones right now.

 

[yitsme]

This is great news. Do you have a bios yet or can you please explain to me how to modify the bios to allow me to disable the cfg lock? Any help will be appreciated.