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BIOS Parameters

ALiMAGiK1

As a representative of the ALi DDR chipset, the Iwill KA266 was used. Since the BIOS only offers some rather cryptic settings, it was necessary to analyze the register settings of the chipset, using the ALi M1647 data sheet and a few other tricks as explained below.

The Problem

The Award BIOS as used on the Iwill KA266-R does not reveal the detailed BIOS parameters specified on the individual registers of the ALiMAGiK1 chipset. There are tools available to display the bit assignment of the individual chipset registers (offsets) as they are implemented according to a specific BIOS setting. The most commonly used tool is H. Oda's Wpcredit, which translates the register offset values in hexadecimal code. Unfortunately, in contrast to some of the older chipsets as the VIA 694X or the Intel i815 chipset, there is, yet, no plug-in available to show the meaning of the individual registers (offsets).

The Solution

Fortunately enough, there is the possibility to use screen captures of the graphic displays of individual BIOS settings. Using Adobe Photoshop, it is further possible to subtract one image from the other which then only leaves the area of pixel difference as high-lighted. Once it is established which offsets have been changed from one BIOS setting to the next, it is possible to look up the hexadecimal code in the respective offset, convert it into a binary format and determine the bit assignment to the individual register settings. From the ALiMAGiK1 chipset datasheet, it is then possible to decode the individual settings as they have been changed throughout the permutations of BIOS parameter settings.

Once again, here is the procedure in slow motion:

• Start with one BIOS setting, use WPCredit to display the hexadecimal byte code for all offsets in the 16 x 16 register matrix.

This is what such a WPCredit display looks like. The 256 chipset registers are displayed in a 16 x 16 matrix with the individual offset Bytes as hexadecimal code for each offset. Some older chipsets have plug-ins available, in the case of the ALiMAGiK1, however, the lack of information causes each offset to be tagged as "Reserved".

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