Avoid BIOS 1.03 for the 2020 Stealth (RZ09-03102) | Razer Insider

Avoid BIOS 1.03 for the 2020 Stealth (RZ09-03102)


Updating to this bios will remove the ability for the CPU to turbo boost in Windows 10. I've done several clean installs from W19 1909 to 20H2, and the issue persists across all 3 major W10 versions.

I'll pay a bounty if anyone can get me a backup of their bios from their 2020 Stealth on an older bios version.

Thanks!

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84 Replies

Userlevel 7
Did you check on bios setting if turbo boost enable or disable? You meant you can’t run on boost frequency and stay on base right? which sound weird to me and need a fix from Razer side if it’s the case.
Unfortunately so far I know once you update bios you can’t roll back to the older version.
Yeah, Turbo and Speedstep are both enabled. I've got a ticket open with support as well, and I found out after this post last night that you can't do bios rollbacks or backups, which is kind of crummy.

What's weird, is that if I live-boot Ubuntu 20.10 from USB, CPU scaling and turbo is working as expected.
After update, I also have this problem!!!
Am sorry to see yet another user with this problem 😞

I have a few posts commenting about this issue I too also experienced it and also escalated with Razer support to try to get a resolution to it to no avail. I ultimately exchanged mine for a new one at the retailer I purchased it from. I have 1.02 now and will be sticking with it.

They really need to pull that update down until they resolve this issue.
If you disable Speed Stepping in bios you will get 3.5ghz. That was the only workaround I was able to find while troubleshooting before I exchanged mine
I'm having this issue after updating to v1.03 also, can confirm disabling speed step as a workaround but not ideal. Have got a response from Razer and after filling out an essay about the technical and software specifications of my blade at their request they then e-mailed me back saying...

"However, since the troubleshooting steps did not rectify the issue, the next step will require a complete recovery of your Windows/Blade system"

Err, what troubleshooting steps lol? Also, not going to factory reset the laptop, need it for work, it's clearly a BIOS issue. First support experience with Razer, not impressed, also not impressed with the quality control of BIOS releases in the first place! They also said...

"Recovery of Windows would be the last step"

First and last more like, and then what? Give up? RMA? Who knows...

Glad some of you managed to get a replacement, I might have better luck going through scan.co.uk. Just would prefer a BIOS update that fixes it or a rollback option rather than being without my laptop.
It is definitely a BIOS update issue. I imaged my system on the old laptop that had 1.03 and experienced the issue and threw that image onto the new laptop with 1.02 and it is working just as it was before the update. Now their update tool did have BIOS update and an Intel Firmware update rolled into it not sure if it is one or the other that is causing the issue but it was definitely the update.
I feel very disappointed. I sent a lot of emails to the official customer service stating this BIOS V1.03 has issue, but they always think that reinstalling the Windows system can solve the problem, I hope no more people install this BIOS, official customer service can help us solve it as soon as possible.
I need to get a bios backup from a Stealth 2020 that's older than 1.03. First to provide me a link of a saved BIOS will get a Paypal reward or donation to their choice of charity.

Get the AFUWINx64.exe tool, run under an administrative Command Prompt, and do "afuwinx64.exe oldbios.bin /o" That'll save the bin file in whatever directory you were in when you ran this mygroundbiz

Thanks!!
Userlevel 7
@lukeofthetauri As far as I know, there is no safe way to roll back BIOS versions. Even if you get an older version, it's build to stop the installation if the tool detects a newer build. That said, we already have a team looking into this after receiving reports from @m_bliss11 and other users experiencing similar issues.

@MrTolli @Fordringwang We are still investigating this in search of the possible cause/s, but you can opt to send it in for an RMA and have our repair team perform the rollback. There isn't a need to reset to factory settings if you are still using the laptop as this is clearly related to the said BIOS update.

To everyone else experiencing the same issue. Please PM me your ticket number, if you have one already, or the serial number of your laptop along with screenshots detailing the issue. I will be forwarding all the relevant information to the team leading the investigation.
Userlevel 6
Razer.Caziel
@lukeofthetauri As far as I know, there is no safe way to roll back BIOS versions. Even if you get an older version, it's build to stop the installation if the tool detects a newer build. That said, we already have a team looking into this after receiving reports from @m_bliss11 and other users experiencing similar issues.

@MrTolli @Fordringwang We are still investigating this in search of the possible cause/s, but you can opt to send it in for an RMA and have our repair team perform the rollback. There isn't a need to reset to factory settings if you are still using the laptop as this is clearly related to the said BIOS update.

To everyone else experiencing the same issue. Please PM me your ticket number, if you have one already, or the serial number of your laptop along with screenshots detailing the issue. I will be forwarding all the relevant information to the team leading the investigation.


This is a stellar response.

It's frustrating to see the same old issues with BIOS and inexplicable CPU throttling year after year, but it's refreshing to see a support response that's both knowledgeable about the issue and lets us know that it's something that is actively being looked into. Thanks @Razer.Caziel !
Hi @Razer.Caziel

I am experiencing the same issue and have pm-ed you my details.

Thanks!
Hi, since I update the bios my razer blade stealth 2020 are having trouble to run FPS in gaming like COD multiplayer. Before updating the bios use to have 80-100fps now it freezes before start the playing the game. Same issues in other games like Destiny 2, FPS are below 50fps on multiplayer.
Are anyone having trouble in gaming?
@ramirocaro92 Yup, this is due to the CPU not turboing. You can use the fix listed above by @m_bliss11 and this'll restore your FPS.
lukeofthetauri
@ramirocaro92 Yup, this is due to the CPU not turboing. You can use the fix listed above by @m_bliss11 and this'll restore your FPS.

Is this safe to do for now? Or should I wait for a new bios update? Also how much time do you think we have to wait for another bios update to fix this issue? Btw thanks for the advice and reply!
You can do what he suggested now, its what I'm doing as well to get around this for the time being.

Given that we've got official response in this thread, I think its safe to say a fix would be coming sooner, rather than later but you never know....
Oh I see! Okay.
Thanks again for the reply, hope we get a Fix soon..
Same issue here, since the BIOS update from 1.01 to 1.03... found myself the workaround, disabling speed step to maintain at least up to 3,5 ghz for games. But good to see others tried the same method.

ramirocaro92
Is this safe to do for now?


.. safe, but I assume that it empties the battery faster (unplugged).
Yes it will definitely drain battery faster if unplugged as it will not throttle down lower than it should. Sorry to hear continued users reporting the issue but reassuring to know that I was not crazy after I updated mine. Really looking forward to a fix as I am hoping that the update will include Intel Firmware updates so that we can update past 1909.

Glad that speed stepping fix is helping people in the meantime I know that it is not the best fix but it will at least provide some performance increases. You are still unable to get up to 3.9 as the laptop is supposed to (although only for a few moments as it will throttle down once it hits that peak) but it is better than nothing. A hard lesson in waiting for updates to iron themselves out before updating. Will definitely be waiting for a bit in the future for razer updates on this system and doing homework first.
Thanks for the speed step fix advice, as soon as I made it I start running COD and it plays at least “well”. Before that I wasnt even able to start a quick play because the image start to freeze in the lobby and made it impossible to start a play.

Hope Razer give us a new bios update ASAP.
Does anyone know why my razer stealth 2020 cant show the display of my external monitor on nvidia panel control? I want to enable the G sync compatible but nvidia control panel doesnt show the display option. I have a acer predator monitor(Nvidia Gsync compatible) connected via Usb C/thunderbolt to DP.

Can the razer stealth supports external monitors connected directly to the thunderbolt port?
ramirocaro92
Does anyone know why my razer stealth 2020 cant show the display of my external monitor on nvidia panel control? I want to enable the G sync compatible but nvidia control panel doesnt show the display option. I have a acer predator monitor(Nvidia Gsync compatible) connected via Usb C/thunderbolt to DP.

Can the razer stealth supports external monitors connected directly to the thunderbolt port?

Hi there,

that's another topic, but - the display output comes through the Intel Chip, which doesn't support G-Sync. That's normal for laptops with dedicated GPUs, that they don't support G-Sync. All data has to pass through the Intel Chip to get sent to Display. 2 - Try to find your second display with Intel Graphics Command Center. For me all options like enabling 144hz for external display are in there (and not via Nvidia Control Panel). USB-C to DisplayPort cable works fine for me, WQHD@144hz.
akronidas
Hi there,

that's another topic, but - the display output comes through the Intel Chip, which doesn't support G-Sync. That's normal for laptops with dedicated GPUs, that they don't support G-Sync. All data has to pass through the Intel Chip to get sent to Display. 2 - Try to find your second display with Intel Graphics Command Center. For me all options like enabling 144hz for external display are in there (and not via Nvidia Control Panel). USB-C to DisplayPort cable works fine for me, WQHD@144hz.

Gotcha! Now I understand why, Thank you so much.
They've pulled the update, so that's good to see.
Good! Glad to see that they did that do not want to have any more users with this issue!