.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later ============================================== Dell AWCC WMI interface driver (alienware-wmi) ============================================== Introduction ============ The WMI device WMAX has been implemented for many Alienware and Dell's G-Series models. Throughout these models, two implementations have been identified. The first one, used by older systems, deals with HDMI, brightness, RGB, amplifier and deep sleep control. The second one used by newer systems deals primarily with thermal control and overclocking. It is suspected that the latter is used by Alienware Command Center (AWCC) to manage manufacturer predefined thermal profiles. The alienware-wmi driver exposes Thermal_Information and Thermal_Control methods through the Platform Profile API to mimic AWCC's behavior. This newer interface, named AWCCMethodFunction has been reverse engineered, as Dell has not provided any official documentation. We will try to describe to the best of our ability its discovered inner workings. .. note:: The following method description may be incomplete and some operations have different implementations between devices. WMI interface description ------------------------- The WMI interface description can be decoded from the embedded binary MOF (bmof) data using the `bmfdec `_ utility: :: [WMI, Dynamic, Provider("WmiProv"), Locale("MS\\0x409"), Description("WMI Function"), guid("{A70591CE-A997-11DA-B012-B622A1EF5492}")] class AWCCWmiMethodFunction { [key, read] string InstanceName; [read] boolean Active; [WmiMethodId(13), Implemented, read, write, Description("Return Overclocking Report.")] void Return_OverclockingReport([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(14), Implemented, read, write, Description("Set OCUIBIOS Control.")] void Set_OCUIBIOSControl([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(15), Implemented, read, write, Description("Clear OC FailSafe Flag.")] void Clear_OCFailSafeFlag([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(19), Implemented, read, write, Description("Get Fan Sensors.")] void GetFanSensors([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(20), Implemented, read, write, Description("Thermal Information.")] void Thermal_Information([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(21), Implemented, read, write, Description("Thermal Control.")] void Thermal_Control([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(23), Implemented, read, write, Description("MemoryOCControl.")] void MemoryOCControl([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(26), Implemented, read, write, Description("System Information.")] void SystemInformation([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(28), Implemented, read, write, Description("Power Information.")] void PowerInformation([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(32), Implemented, read, write, Description("FW Update GPIO toggle.")] void FWUpdateGPIOtoggle([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(33), Implemented, read, write, Description("Read Total of GPIOs.")] void ReadTotalofGPIOs([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(34), Implemented, read, write, Description("Read GPIO pin Status.")] void ReadGPIOpPinStatus([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(35), Implemented, read, write, Description("Read Chassis Color.")] void ReadChassisColor([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(36), Implemented, read, write, Description("Read Platform Properties.")] void ReadPlatformProperties([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(37), Implemented, read, write, Description("Game Shift Status.")] void GameShiftStatus([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(128), Implemented, read, write, Description("Caldera SW installation.")] void CalderaSWInstallation([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(129), Implemented, read, write, Description("Caldera SW is released.")] void CalderaSWReleased([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(130), Implemented, read, write, Description("Caldera Connection Status.")] void CalderaConnectionStatus([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(131), Implemented, read, write, Description("Surprise Unplugged Flag Status.")] void SurpriseUnpluggedFlagStatus([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(132), Implemented, read, write, Description("Clear Surprise Unplugged Flag.")] void ClearSurpriseUnpluggedFlag([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(133), Implemented, read, write, Description("Cancel Undock Request.")] void CancelUndockRequest([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(135), Implemented, read, write, Description("Devices in Caldera.")] void DevicesInCaldera([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(136), Implemented, read, write, Description("Notify BIOS for SW ready to disconnect Caldera.")] void NotifyBIOSForSWReadyToDisconnectCaldera([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(160), Implemented, read, write, Description("Tobii SW installation.")] void TobiiSWinstallation([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(161), Implemented, read, write, Description("Tobii SW Released.")] void TobiiSWReleased([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(162), Implemented, read, write, Description("Tobii Camera Power Reset.")] void TobiiCameraPowerReset([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(163), Implemented, read, write, Description("Tobii Camera Power On.")] void TobiiCameraPowerOn([out] uint32 argr); [WmiMethodId(164), Implemented, read, write, Description("Tobii Camera Power Off.")] void TobiiCameraPowerOff([out] uint32 argr); }; Methods not described in the following document have unknown behavior. Argument Structure ------------------ All input arguments have type **uint32** and their structure is very similar between methods. Usually, the first byte corresponds to a specific *operation* the method performs, and the subsequent bytes correspond to *arguments* passed to this *operation*. For example, if an operation has code 0x01 and requires an ID 0xA0, the argument you would pass to the method is 0xA001. Thermal Methods =============== WMI method GetFanSensors([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr) ------------------------------------------------------------- +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | Operation (Byte 0) | Description | Arguments | +====================+====================================+====================+ | 0x01 | Get the number of temperature | - Byte 1: Fan ID | | | sensors related with a fan ID | | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x02 | Get the temperature sensor IDs | - Byte 1: Fan ID | | | related to a fan sensor ID | - Byte 2: Index | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ WMI method Thermal_Information([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr) ------------------------------------------------------------------- +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | Operation (Byte 0) | Description | Arguments | +====================+====================================+====================+ | 0x01 | Unknown. | - None | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x02 | Get system description number with | - None | | | the following structure: | | | | | | | | - Byte 0: Number of fans | | | | - Byte 1: Number of temperature | | | | sensors | | | | - Byte 2: Unknown | | | | - Byte 3: Number of thermal | | | | profiles | | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x03 | List an ID or resource at a given | - Byte 1: Index | | | index. Fan IDs, temperature IDs, | | | | unknown IDs and thermal profile | | | | IDs are listed in that exact | | | | order. | | | | | | | | Operation 0x02 is used to know | | | | which indexes map to which | | | | resources. | | | | | | | | **Returns:** ID at a given index | | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x04 | Get the current temperature for a | - Byte 1: Sensor | | | given temperature sensor. | ID | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x05 | Get the current RPM for a given | - Byte 1: Fan ID | | | fan. | | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x06 | Get fan speed percentage. (not | - Byte 1: Fan ID | | | implemented in every model) | | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x07 | Unknown. | - Unknown | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x08 | Get minimum RPM for a given FAN | - Byte 1: Fan ID | | | ID. | | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x09 | Get maximum RPM for a given FAN | - Byte 1: Fan ID | | | ID. | | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x0A | Get balanced thermal profile ID. | - None | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x0B | Get current thermal profile ID. | - None | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x0C | Get current `boost` value for a | - Byte 1: Fan ID | | | given fan ID. | | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ WMI method Thermal_Control([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr) --------------------------------------------------------------- +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | Operation (Byte 0) | Description | Arguments | +====================+====================================+====================+ | 0x01 | Activate a given thermal profile. | - Byte 1: Thermal | | | | profile ID | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x02 | Set a `boost` value for a given | - Byte 1: Fan ID | | | fan ID. | - Byte 2: Boost | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ These are the known thermal profile codes: +------------------------------+----------+------+ | Thermal Profile | Type | ID | +==============================+==========+======+ | Custom | Special | 0x00 | +------------------------------+----------+------+ | G-Mode | Special | 0xAB | +------------------------------+----------+------+ | Quiet | Legacy | 0x96 | +------------------------------+----------+------+ | Balanced | Legacy | 0x97 | +------------------------------+----------+------+ | Balanced Performance | Legacy | 0x98 | +------------------------------+----------+------+ | Performance | Legacy | 0x99 | +------------------------------+----------+------+ | Balanced | USTT | 0xA0 | +------------------------------+----------+------+ | Balanced Performance | USTT | 0xA1 | +------------------------------+----------+------+ | Cool | USTT | 0xA2 | +------------------------------+----------+------+ | Quiet | USTT | 0xA3 | +------------------------------+----------+------+ | Performance | USTT | 0xA4 | +------------------------------+----------+------+ | Low Power | USTT | 0xA5 | +------------------------------+----------+------+ If a model supports the User Selectable Thermal Tables (USTT) profiles, it will not support the Legacy profiles and vice-versa. Every model supports the CUSTOM (0x00) thermal profile. GMODE replaces PERFORMANCE in G-Series laptops. WMI method GameShiftStatus([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr) --------------------------------------------------------------- +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | Operation (Byte 0) | Description | Arguments | +====================+====================================+====================+ | 0x01 | Toggle *Game Shift*. | - None | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ | 0x02 | Get *Game Shift* status. | - None | +--------------------+------------------------------------+--------------------+ Game Shift Status does not change the fan speed profile but it could be some sort of CPU/GPU power profile. Benchmarks have not been done. This method is only present on Dell's G-Series laptops and it's implementation implies GMODE thermal profile is available, even if operation 0x03 of Thermal_Information does not list it. G-key on Dell's G-Series laptops also changes Game Shift status, so both are directly related. Overclocking Methods ==================== WMI method MemoryOCControl([in] uint32 arg2, [out] uint32 argr) --------------------------------------------------------------- AWCC supports memory overclocking, but this method is very intricate and has not been deciphered yet. Other information Methods ========================= WMI method ReadChassisColor([out] uint32 argr) ---------------------------------------------- Returns the chassis color internal ID. Acknowledgements ================ Kudos to `AlexIII `_ and `T-Troll `_ for documenting and testing some of this device's functionality, making it possible to generalize this driver.