First, obligatory disclaimer that I am well aware that flashing a laptop vBIOS for more frames is wildly irresponsible and stupid. I’ve seen all the warnings, I’ve read the horror stories and I’m willing to take the risk. I love to tinker, always have. It’ll be the end of me (and my wallet) someday.
Next, a little background. [Recently Bought the Razer Blade 15 Advanced 240hz OLED model](https://www.reddit.com/r/GamingLaptops/comments/18nt79u/early_christmas_present_review_razer_blade_15/) on a really good Black Friday sale ($1700 + 15% Rakuten cash back = \~$1500). Immediately loved it, went to town tinkering to to try eke out as much performance as possible from 1.5 year-old hardware. Got a stand w/fans, repasted the CPU and GPU dies with PTM 7950, swapped in 32gb of RAM with CAS 34 timings, etc.
[Did some extensive testing](https://www.reddit.com/r/GamingLaptops/comments/18yorsq/optimal_laptop_configurations_tested_flat/) to try to get temps (especially CPU temps) under control. The PTM 7950 helped immensely and, with CPU temps tamed and all the other low-hanging fruit already tackled, I wanted to address the biggest performance-limiting factor in the laptop: its under-powered 3070ti (105w).
I’ve been able to run a pretty stable manual OC via Afterburner on the default vBIOS with +245 core/-500mem (VRAM temps appear to be the limiting hotspot/throttling point). Able to hit close to 11000 (way better than 9500 out-of-the-box) in Timespy with very comfortable temps. GPU averaging in the low 70’s and rarely ever touching 80C under extended load. It can handle more power, right?
I’d read in equal measure all kinds of posts describing how a flashed vBIOS either totally bricked the card or fully unlocked its potential. [This post](https://www.reddit.com/r/GamingLaptops/comments/18ui1ly/comment/kgvt6jq/) about a Blade 14 3070ti flash that turned it (almost) into a 3080-level performer (GPU – Cinebench R24: 8363 -> GPU – Cinebench R24: 10708) pushed me to attempt the same.
Encouraged by that author’s result, I got to work. I’ve never flashed a laptop vBIOS, but have re-padded and flashed a desktop 3090FE before, how hard could it be?
* I looked through TechPowerUp’s library for most compatible options and cross-referenced the vBIOS used by reddit users with very similar or matching hardware as my Blade. I didn’t want to lose USB-C functionality or dGPU mode. Settled on the HP vBIOS others have successfully flashed to their 3070ti and downloaded it.
* Downloaded latest version of NVFlash, 5.814.0
* Used GPU-Z to backup default vBIOS.
* Disabled dGPU in Device Manager
* Ensured I was in Optimus in Synapse and not dGPU mode
* Moved NVFlash64.exe, backup .rom and HP vBIOS .rom to C: folder “nvflash”
* Ran NVFlash as admin in Command Prompt. Got a notification that it needed Memory Core Isolation disabled in Windows Security. First real red flag – never saw this step in online tutorials I’d seen. Too deep already, so I disable Core Isolation and restart. Let’s rawdog this.
* Follow the steps. It allows me to do the -b backup of the default vBIOS no issue.
* Try –protectoff command. Results in “ERROR: set EEPROM protection lock failed”
* Not feeling great about that. Tried the -6 new .rom command anyway. Gives first warning, press ‘y’
* Returns “device mismatch detected” due to a different subsystem ID on the new vBIOS: [https://imgur.com/a/JQ42aRv](https://imgur.com/a/JQ42aRv)
* Downloaded several older version of NVFlash and ran into the same issues.
* Attempted to flash the default vBIOS as a test. Surely this will work, it can’t be a mismatch because it’s the same vBIOS. Wrong: [https://imgur.com/a/QB36M9g](https://imgur.com/a/QB36M9g)
The –protectoff command not working has to be the issue. Every time I attempt it I get the same “eeprom protection lock failed” error.
So… that’s where I am now. It seems that every step of the way, something is screaming at me “bad idea, don’t do this, turn away,” but I’m stubbornly, stupidly persisting. Because I’m stubborn and stupid.
Has anyone else experienced this and knows how to resolve it? Or should I finally throw in the towel?
All advice and snarky comments appreciated.