{"id":48272,"date":"2023-03-18T08:55:37","date_gmt":"2023-03-18T06:55:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/"},"modified":"2023-05-08T18:11:33","modified_gmt":"2023-05-08T16:11:33","slug":"neo-e23-freezing-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/","title":{"rendered":"Solution for GPU Freezing Issue on XMG NEO (E23)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">A widespread problem with Intel Core 13th Gen HX and RTX 40 series caused sporadic screen freezes. This update article describes the solution in the form of a BIOS update for XMG NEO 16 and XMG NEO 17 from 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Last update: May 8, 2023<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_79_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#solution-is-released-for-all-versions\" >Solution is released for all versions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#summary\" >Summary<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#typical-symptoms\" >Typical symptoms<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#root-cause-and-mitigation\" >Root cause and mitigation<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#firmware-update-as-potentially-final-solution\" >Firmware update as potentially final solution<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#instructions\" >Instructions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#bios-update-is-different-between-rtx-40604070-and-rtx-40804090\" >BIOS update is different between RTX 4060\/4070 and RTX 4080\/4090<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#non-compatibility-with-laptops-from-other-brands\" >(Non-)Compatibility with laptops from other brands<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#download\" >Download<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#suspend-bitlocker-or-device-encryption-before-installing-bios-updates\" >Suspend Bitlocker or Device Encryption before installing BIOS updates<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#preparation\" >Preparation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#step-1-installation-of-bios-capsule-update-ec-and-bios\" >Step 1: Installation of BIOS Capsule Update (EC and BIOS)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#step-2-installing-management-engine-me-update\" >Step 2: Installing Management Engine (ME) Update<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#step-3-check-the-ec-firmware\" >Step 3: Check the EC firmware<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#step-4-bios-reset\" >Step 4: BIOS reset<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#for-raid-users\" >For RAID users<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#additional-tips\" >Additional tips<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#1-install-the-latest-nvidia-driver\" >1) Install the latest NVIDIA driver<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#2-manually-set-the-memory-clock-speed-to-%e2%80%9c5600%e2%80%9d-or-%e2%80%9c5200%e2%80%9d-not-to-%e2%80%9cauto%e2%80%9d\" >2) Manually set the memory clock speed to &#8220;5600&#8221; or &#8220;5200&#8221; (not to &#8220;Auto&#8221;)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#refund-policy-extended\" >Refund policy extended<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#report-back-if-you-still-have-problems\" >Report back if you still have problems<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/neo-e23-freezing-solution\/#your-questions\" >Your questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"solution-is-released-for-all-versions\"><\/span>Solution is released for all versions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Update #6 &#8211; April 24, 2023<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Article has been fundamentally revised:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Current solution incorporated for RTX 4080\/4090.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Obsolete sections removed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The following is the latest and best version of the article. Those who have already read an older version of the article can jump straight to the &#8220;Instructions&#8221; section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Update #7 &#8211; May 8, 2023<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>BIOS update for RTX 4060\/4070 has been released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>In early March 2023 a situation has arisen that seemed to be affecting multiple brands and vendors with Intel Core 13th Gen HX-series systems, not only XMG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"typical-symptoms\"><\/span>Typical symptoms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Random freezes in Windows\/Web\/Office workloads<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Display not going black, but all movement freezing, including mouse cursor movement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Freeze continues for minutes, system needs to be shut down hard<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Issue mostly occurs in light load, not in Gaming<br>\u2192 Event Viewer shows failure on &#8220;nvlddmkm&#8221;<br>\u2192 nvlddmkm is part of the NVIDIA display driver<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>System attempts to reset driver, but freeze continues until system is shut down<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>There may also be further variations of these symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"root-cause-and-mitigation\"><\/span>Root cause and mitigation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to our current information, the suspected root cause is <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not<\/span><\/strong> (or not <em>only<\/em>) in the NVIDIA driver or NVIDIA GPU. Although the nvlddmkm Error in Event Viewer is part of the NVIDIA driver, it rather seems to just be a victim of an underlying issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"firmware-update-as-potentially-final-solution\"><\/span>Firmware update as potentially final solution<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We are providing a firmware update that affects three important firmware components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>BIOS update<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>EC update (Embedded Controller)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Management Engine (ME) update<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The most essential part of the solution is to be found in the ME update, which contains further components of Intel firmware reference code. This includes the so-called SPHY firmware 13.0.1.7085.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"instructions\"><\/span>Instructions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you own XMG NEO (E23), please carefully read these instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"bios-update-is-different-between-rtx-40604070-and-rtx-40804090\"><\/span>BIOS update is different between RTX 4060\/4070 and RTX 4080\/4090<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>XMG NEO (E23) has two different mainboard layouts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>One for RTX 4060 and RTX 4070<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One for RTX 4080 and RTX 4090<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to these layout differences, XMG NEO (E23) also has two seperate sets of EC and BIOS firmware. These solution has been released on different dates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>RTX 4060\/4070: May 8, 2023<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>RTX 4080\/4090: April 24, 2023<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When attempting to update your EC\/BIOS with the file from the wrong model, you will get an error message and the update will <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>not<\/strong><\/span> proceed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"non-compatibility-with-laptops-from-other-brands\"><\/span>(Non-)Compatibility with laptops from other brands<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This BIOS updates is&nbsp;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">only compatible with XMG NEO (E23)<\/span>. Our BIOS may&nbsp;<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not<\/span><\/strong>&nbsp;be compatible with laptops from&nbsp;<em class=\"_7s4syPYtk5hfUIjySXcRE\">any other brands<\/em>. If you install our BIOS on 3rd party laptops, at the very least your Fn key layout may not be aligned anymore with the icon printings on your keyboard. If you install our BIOS on 3rd party laptops, we will&nbsp;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>not<\/strong><\/span>&nbsp;be able to help you recover the system to its previous state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"download\"><\/span>Download<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Please find the update in our download portal:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/download.schenker-tech.de\/package\/xmg-neo-16-17-e23-xne16e23-xne17e23\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download Portal for XMG NEO &#8211; E23<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The update is located in the &#8220;Firmware&#8221; section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"suspend-bitlocker-or-device-encryption-before-installing-bios-updates\"><\/span>Suspend Bitlocker or Device Encryption before installing BIOS updates<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your system may use device encryption, even if you have never manually enabled it. It is better to suspend device encryption as some BIOS updates may cause issues with it. In Windows, open &#8220;Device Encryption&#8221; and turn it off (suspend Bitlocker protection). For safety: create a backup of your Bitlocker recovery key and store it on external media. If you use RAID or VMD, check the information on RAID at the end of this file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"preparation\"><\/span>Preparation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Prepare a USB thumb drive, formatted with with FAT32. Extract the content of the package onto the thumb drive. A more extensive set of instructions can be found here:&nbsp;<a class=\"_3t5uN8xUmg0TOwRCOGQEcU\" href=\"https:\/\/go.xmg.gg\/bios-update\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow ugc\">https:\/\/go.xmg.gg\/bios-update<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"566\" height=\"458\" src=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_bios-update_pic1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_bios-update_pic1.png 566w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_bios-update_pic1-300x243.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image 1: Formatting of USB thumb drive and content of BIOS update<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"step-1-installation-of-bios-capsule-update-ec-and-bios\"><\/span>Step 1: Installation of BIOS Capsule Update (EC and BIOS)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instructions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Make sure system is &#8220;plugged in&#8221; with external power.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reboot and disable &#8220;Secure Boot&#8221; in BIOS Setup (press F2 to enter BIOS Setup).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Boot from USB thumb drive (press F7 to select boot media during reboot).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In EFI shell, navigate to the folder for your GPU<br><span style=\"color: initial; font-size: revert;\">\u2192 Type &#8220;cd&#8221;, then a space, then press Tab key until your GPU is selected, then press Enter.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Write the command &#8220;dir&#8221; to list the folders in this directory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go one layer deeper into the folder &#8220;1_Capsule-BIOS&#8221;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run F.nsh<br>\u2192 Type &#8220;F&#8221; (without space), press Tab key and press Enter.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The update may cause automatic reboot or shutdown. Do not interrupt the process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do not interrupt the process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_bios-update_pic2_v2.jpg\" alt=\"Image 2: Running the BIOS update\" class=\"wp-image-48265\" width=\"720\" height=\"707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_bios-update_pic2_v2.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_bios-update_pic2_v2-300x294.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_bios-update_pic2_v2-768x754.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image 2: Running the BIOS update<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"step-2-installing-management-engine-me-update\"><\/span>Step 2: Installing Management Engine (ME) Update<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Management Engine is an integral part of the Intel CPU platform. When it has important new firmware ingredients, it must also be updated. For reasons of system architecture, the ME update is not done automatically along with EC and BIOS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The currently installed ME firmware version can be read in the BIOS setup (start page, &#8220;Main&#8221;) by scrolling all the way down. The ME update, on the other hand, can be executed inside of Windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ZIP file should be unpacked (extracted) on the local system drive (e.g. in the download folder). A USB stick is not necessary for this step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instructions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You are in Windows. Close all programmes that may contain unsaved data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Again make sure the system is &#8220;plugged in&#8221; with external power.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the folder &#8220;2_Management-Engine&#8221;, right-click on the file &#8220;Setup.bat&#8221; and start it with admin rights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Follow the instructions on the screen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_me-firmware-update-in-windows-1024x380.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-49932\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_me-firmware-update-in-windows-1024x380.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_me-firmware-update-in-windows-300x111.png 300w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_me-firmware-update-in-windows-768x285.png 768w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_me-firmware-update-in-windows-1536x570.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_me-firmware-update-in-windows.png 1860w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image 3: ME update via Windows has been completed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Windows will restart automatically as soon as you close the installation window after a successful update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"step-3-check-the-ec-firmware\"><\/span>Step 3: Check the EC firmware<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In some cases &#8211; especially if the previously installed BIOS is already quite old &#8211; it can happen that the EC firmware, which is usually part of the Capsule BIOS update, is not updated in the first step. Therefore, you should check again after executing the update whether the EC firmware was successfully updated as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instructions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Search for &#8220;msinfo32&#8221; in the Windows start menu and open the thus found &#8220;System Information&#8221; panel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The first screen (&#8220;System Summary&#8221;) lists the EC and BIOS version numbers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The EC version number is listed as &#8220;Embedded Controller Version&#8221;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check whether the listed number corresponds to the number in the file name of the ZIP archive.<br>\u2192 If the listed number differs: perform the Capsule BIOS update a second time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Background information:<\/strong><br>The EC version number can also be read out in the BIOS setup (start page, &#8220;Main&#8221;). There it is structured according to the following scheme: &#8220;x.yy.zz&#8221;, for example: 1.09.00. Only the digits before and after the first decimal point are relevant for checking, i.e. &#8220;x&#8221; and &#8220;yy&#8221; (for example: 1.09). The third number (after the second dot, i.e. the &#8220;00&#8221; in &#8220;1.09.00&#8221;), on the other hand, indicates a static sub-version for different chassis IDs. This third number does not change with the updates, which is why it is not listed in the file name of the ZIP archive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tip:<\/strong><br>If the EC firmware is indeed installed during the BIOS Capsule update, a progress bar appears at the end of the installation process with the title &#8220;Updating EC Firmware&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"636\" src=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_ec-update-during-bios-capsule-update-1024x636.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-49934\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_ec-update-during-bios-capsule-update-1024x636.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_ec-update-during-bios-capsule-update-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_ec-update-during-bios-capsule-update-768x477.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_ec-update-during-bios-capsule-update-1536x955.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/xmg-neo_e23_ec-update-during-bios-capsule-update-2048x1273.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image 4: EC update is carried out as part of the BIOS capsule update.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>During this process, the fans run at full speed, as the EC firmware is responsible for the fan control and is not available during the update. If you saw this &#8220;Updating EC Firmware&#8221; screen, then you can be quite sure that the EC firmware has also been updated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"step-4-bios-reset\"><\/span>Step 4: BIOS reset<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After firmware updates, it is always recommended to perform a BIOS reset, i.e. to load the default settings. This applies even if you have not changed any settings yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instructions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Press and hold F2 during boot-up to enter BIOS setup.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Press F9 to load the default settings. Press F10 for Save &amp; Exit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"for-raid-users\"><\/span>For RAID users<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This section is only for users who have independently combined two SSDs into a RAID array. Rule of thumb: If you don&#8217;t know what RAID or VMD is, then you probably don&#8217;t have RAID and can ignore this section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you indeed use RAID, please create a backup of your most important data &#8211; better be safe than sorry. BIOS updates may reset the RAID options in BIOS setup. After the BIOS update, please go to the BIOS setup (F2) and manually restore your previous RAID settings. If you miss this step and rebuild the RAID later, the BIOS will mark the RAID as &#8220;degraded&#8221;. If you are using RAID 1, the rebuild should still be possible without any problems. The previous backup is merely meant as an additional safety measure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"additional-tips\"><\/span>Additional tips<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-install-the-latest-nvidia-driver\"><\/span>1) Install the latest NVIDIA driver<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>NVIDIA regularly releases new GameReady drivers. Version 531.41 from 23 March was reported to have significantly reduced freezes (even before the final EC\/BIOS\/ME update presented here), as the driver slightly increases the operating voltage of the graphics card at idle (by less than 1%), which may indicate that the driver was a reaction to freeze problems at idle or under low load. It is therefore generally recommended to install the latest NVIDIA driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><strong>Official directory:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nvidia.com\/en-us\/geforce\/drivers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.nvidia.com\/en-us\/geforce\/drivers\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you use NVIDIA Optimus or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus, it is also recommended to update to the latest Intel graphics driver:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Download:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.intel.com\/content\/www\/us\/en\/download\/729157\/intel-arc-iris-xe-graphics-beta-windows.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Intel Arc &amp; Iris Xe Graphics (Beta) Driver<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To prevent the Intel graphics driver from being overwritten by Windows Update, driver updates must be deactivated across the board via Windows Update. This FAQ article describes how to do this: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/faq\/tips\/#windows-update-drivers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/faq\/tipps\/#windows-update-drivers\">How can I prevent Windows Update from automatically updating my drivers?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-manually-set-the-memory-clock-speed-to-%e2%80%9c5600%e2%80%9d-or-%e2%80%9c5200%e2%80%9d-not-to-%e2%80%9cauto%e2%80%9d\"><\/span>2) Manually set the memory clock speed to &#8220;5600&#8221; or &#8220;5200&#8221; (not to &#8220;Auto&#8221;)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>By default (e.g. after BIOS reset), the value &#8220;Maximum Memory Frequency&#8221; is set to &#8220;Auto&#8221;, whereby the system automatically recognises and uses the highest possible speed of the installed RAM modules. It is reported that this function currently has a bug, according to which the operating voltage of the RAM is higher in &#8220;Auto&#8221; mode than when the speed is set manually. This increased operating voltage cannot be detected directly with monitoring software, but it is noticeable in a higher RAM temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we indicated in this update thread, we were not able to reproduce this bug yet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/XMG_gg\/comments\/12lqnu0\/psa_different_ram_temperatures_between_auto_and\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">[PSA] Different RAM temperatures between &#8220;Auto&#8221; and &#8220;5600&#8221; in XMG NEO (E23) with DDR5-5600<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Nevertheless, we have received plausible reports from customers who see a significantly higher temperature difference. We will investigate this matter further. As a workaround, we recommend the following procedure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Select the &#8220;Custom Profil&#8221; in the Control Center. Check the checkbox &#8220;Automatic GPU Overboost&#8221; and then the checkbox &#8220;Memory Overclocking&#8221;. Then go to the BIOS setup (F2), to &#8220;Advanced&#8221; and scroll all the way down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_manual-ram-speed_en-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"BIOS screenshot: Select your RAM speed manually.\" class=\"wp-image-48379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_manual-ram-speed_en-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_manual-ram-speed_en-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_manual-ram-speed_en-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/neo_e23_manual-ram-speed_en.jpg 1267w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Maximum Memory Frequency&#8221; is set to &#8220;Auto&#8221; by default &#8211; change this value as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2\u00d78 GB or 2\u00d716 GB DDR5-5600: select &#8220;5600&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1\u00d732 GB or 2\u00d732GB DDR5-5200: select &#8220;5200&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Note about the 32 GB modules: the modules do support DDR5-5600 and are labelled accordingly, but Intel Core 13th Gen HX only supports DDR5-5200 with these modules. The background is explained in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/news-deep-dive-xmg-neo-e23\/\">this article<\/a> (Ctrl+F: Dual Rank).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you selected RAM modules with DDR5-4800 when configuring the laptop: select &#8220;4800&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rule of thumb: select the value that is on your invoice or in your order confirmation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Press F10 to save the change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This change is also active when you uncheck the checkbox for &#8220;Automatic GPU Overboost&#8221;. The change also applies to the other performance profiles (Balanced, Enthusiast, Overboost).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"refund-policy-extended\"><\/span>Refund policy extended<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While we worked with our technology partners on the solution for this issue, we extended the <a href=\"https:\/\/bestware.com\/en\/instructions-on-cancellation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cancellation period<\/a> for all XMG NEO 16 and XMG NEO 17 (E23) units purchased from <a href=\"https:\/\/bestware.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bestware<\/a> to a dynamic period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The agreement is specified as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 14-day cancellation period begins on the day following the publication of a final solution for this problem. The publication is considered to be the day on which all bestware customers are informed about the solution by e-mail. This e-mail information will be sent to all bestware customers with XMG NEO (E23) &#8211; also to those who have not yet contacted us with this problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"report-back-if-you-still-have-problems\"><\/span>Report back if you still have problems<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you still have freezing issues after running this BIOS update&nbsp;<strong class=\"_12FoOEddL7j_RgMQN0SNeU\">twice<\/strong>, please send us an e-mail, reply to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/XMG_gg\/comments\/11uhg6o\/comment\/jco6s06\/?utm_source=reddit&amp;utm_medium=web2x&amp;context=3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this thread<\/a> or contact us <a href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/xZykwQf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">on Discord<\/a>. Please include the following information:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your laptop model name:<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your NVIDIA GPU:<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Confirm that you have updated all 3 components: EC, BIOS and ME:<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your DDR5 memory configuration (brand, capacity and speed):<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your Windows SSD:<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your second SSD (if any):<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your Wi-Fi module:<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What peripherals are connected during the freeze (docking stations, monitors, hard drives, DACs etc.):<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Did the laptop come with Windows pre-installed or did you install yourself:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Please make sure to provide all those pieces of information, even if you have already provided them in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/XMG_gg\/comments\/11r2wmz\/comment\/jc6kguv\/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web2x&amp;context=3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">previous thread<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"your-questions\"><\/span>Your questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We apologize for the inconvenience that may have been caused by this issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Feel free to join us <a class=\"_3t5uN8xUmg0TOwRCOGQEcU\" href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/xZykwQf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow ugc\">on Discord<\/a> for further real-time discussion of this issue. There we can also answer any questions regarding the BIOS update procedure most quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you for your patience your team from XMG an Schenker Technologies GmbH<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A widespread problem with Intel Core 13th Gen HX and RTX 40 series caused sporadic screen freezes. This update article describes the solution in the form of a BIOS update for XMG NEO 16 and XMG NEO 17 from 2023.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":29024,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48272","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48272"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48272\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48272"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48272"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.xmg.gg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48272"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}