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Special features

This document describes special firmware features specific to NovaCustom laptops.

CPU throttling threshold

The user can set a custom temperature (in °C), above which the CPU will start throttling itself. By default, the threshold is set to 80°C.

The available values range from TjMax - 63 to TjMax, where TjMax is the maximum allowed temperature for a particular CPU. That is, for instance, 100°C for TGL and ADL, and 110°C for MTL.

The option can be set in EDK2, under Dasharo System Features > Power Management Options > CPU Throttling Threshold.

Battery charge management

NovaCustom laptops equipped with Dasharo firmware provide several battery management mechanisms to optimize the user experience and prolong the battery's lifespan.

Low battery boot prevention

To prevent corruption of the bootloader, which may occur due to a sudden power loss during the OS boot process, booting the OS is blocked when the battery level is below 5%. When trying to boot the OS with the battery level below the defined threshold, the following message will be shown on the screen:

boot_block_popup

Disconnected battery warning

When the firmware encounters problems with detecting the battery, the following message will appear suggesting checking the physical connection between the battery and mainboard:

battery_connection

Power information error

When the firmware encounters problems with retrieving information about AC and battery state, the following error message will be displayed:

power_error

Charge thresholds

Dasharo firmware implements battery charge thresholds, which aim to extend the lifespan of the battery:

  • charging will only start when the battery level is below the lower threshold (default: 95%)

  • charging will stop once the battery level reaches the upper threshold (default: 98%)

Custom charge thresholds can be configured using the Dasharo setup menu.

Battery bypass mode

The device can be powered in three modes:

  • Battery Mode - the device is powered using the battery only. This mode is active only if the device is not connected to a power adapter.
  • Charging Mode - when the device is connected to a proper power adapter it is powered directly from the adapter and the battery is not used. Only if the current charge level is below the lower charge threshold will the battery start being charged. When the upper threshold is achieved, the battery stops charging and again no current is flowing through it, preventing excessive wear.
    • If you are using the device like a desktop computer, having it constantly connected to the power adapter, consider lowering the charge thresholds to about 70-80%. By keeping the battery at a lower charge level the battery wear overtime can be reduced.
  • Hybrid Power Boost mode - the device is powered from the battery and the power adapter at the same time. This mode activates only when the power adapter can't provide enough power to the system. The battery will start charging only if the current charge falls below the lower charge threshold and stop once the upper threshold is achieved.

RGB keyboard

Some models feature an RGB backlit keyboard. Dasharo implements driverless backlight control using only the hotkeys on the keyboard.

Usage

The backlight can be controlled using the hotkeys on the numeric keypad:

  • Fn + / - Next color
  • Fn + * - Toggle On / Off
  • Fn + - - Brightness down
  • Fn + + - Brightness up

The backlight has the following color modes:

  • White (default)
  • Red
  • Green
  • Blue
  • Yellow
  • Magenta
  • Cyan

Fn Lock hotkey

By default, the Function Keys (F1 - F12) must be used with a combination of Fn key to change display brightness, keyboard illumination, etc. The Fn lock capability provides a way of using these actions without the necessity of using the Fn key.

Enabling

Press the Fn+Caps Lock keys combination.

Disabling

Press the Fn+Caps Lock keys combination again.

Fan profiles

There are two fan profiles implemented. The profiles can be selected via the Power Management Options menu in the Setup Menu.

Fan profiles are defined as follows:

Releases newer than v1.4.0 11th Gen and v1.6.0 12th Gen

Temperature [°C] Fan speed [%]
0 20
65 25
75 35
85 100

Releases v1.4.0 11th Gen and v1.6.0 12th Gen or older

Temperature [°C] Fan speed [%]
0 25
65 30
75 35
100 100

Releases newer than v1.4.0 11th Gen and v1.6.0 12th Gen

Temperature [°C] Fan speed [%]
0 25
55 35
75 60
85 100

Releases v1.4.0 11th Gen and v1.6.0 12th Gen or older

Temperature [°C] Fan speed [%]
0 25
55 35
75 60
100 100

Values in-between curve points are interpolated linearly.

Power switch watchdog

In the rare events where the Embedded Controller experiences a crash or gets stuck, the EC can be forcefully reset by simply holding the power button for more than 10 seconds.