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Minisforum MS-S1 Max BIOS Update from Linux (No Windows Required)

Update the BIOS/UEFI firmware on your Minisforum MS-S1 Max mini PC directly from Linux — no Windows installation, no VM, no dual boot needed. This guide uses the built-in EFI Shell to flash the BIOS using Minisforum's official firmware files.

The MS-S1 Max (AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 / Strix Halo) is a popular choice for AI workstations, homelabs, and NixOS/Linux servers, but Minisforum only provides Windows-based BIOS update tools. This guide solves that problem.

Disclaimer: This guide is provided for informational purposes only. Flashing BIOS/UEFI firmware carries inherent risk, including but not limited to rendering your device inoperable ("bricking"). By following this guide, you acknowledge that you do so entirely at your own risk. Neither the authors, Petronella Technology Group, Inc., nor any contributors shall be held liable for any damage, data loss, hardware failure, or other consequences resulting from the use of this information or the included scripts. Always ensure you have a stable power supply during the flash process and verify that you are using the correct firmware for your specific hardware model. This guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by Minisforum.

Why Update the BIOS?

  • Stability fixes for memory, NVMe, and USB4 V2
  • Performance improvements for AI and compute workloads
  • Security patches for AMD Platform Security Processor (PSP) and UEFI vulnerabilities
  • Compatibility with newer Linux kernels, NixOS, and virtualization features

Requirements

  • A USB flash drive (512 MB or larger)
  • A Linux machine to prepare the USB (can be the MS-S1 Max itself, or any other box)
  • The BIOS update file from Minisforum (linked below)
  • 7z (p7zip) for extraction
  • sgdisk (from gptfdisk package) for partitioning

Quick Start (Automated)

Use the included script to prepare the USB drive in one command:

git clone https://github.com/capetron/minisforum-ms-s1-max-bios.git
cd minisforum-ms-s1-max-bios
sudo ./scripts/prep-usb.sh /dev/sdX   # Replace sdX with your USB device!

WARNING: Double-check your device path with lsblk before running. This script will erase all data on the target drive.

Manual Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Download the BIOS Update

Download the latest BIOS from Minisforum's support page:

Version Date Download Notes
1.06 2026-01-04 SHWSA_1.06_260104B.7z Latest available 
mkdir -p ~/ms-s1-bios && cd ~/ms-s1-bios
wget -O SHWSA_1.06.7z "https://pc-file.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/MS-S1+MAX/BIOS/SHWSA_1.06_260104B.7z"

Step 2: Download the UEFI Shell

The EFI Shell lets you boot into a command-line environment that can flash the BIOS without any operating system.

wget -O shellx64.efi "https://github.com/pbatard/UEFI-Shell/releases/download/24H2/ShellX64.efi"

Step 3: Prepare the USB Drive

Identify your USB device (be careful — wrong device = data loss!):

lsblk -d -o NAME,SIZE,MODEL,TRAN

Install dependencies if needed:

# Arch / CachyOS / Manjaro
sudo pacman -S gptfdisk dosfstools p7zip

# Ubuntu / Debian
sudo apt install gdisk dosfstools p7zip-full

# Fedora
sudo dnf install gdisk dosfstools p7zip

# NixOS (temporary shell)
nix-shell -p gptfdisk dosfstools p7zip

Partition and format the USB (replace /dev/sdX with your device):

# Wipe existing partition table
sudo sgdisk --zap-all /dev/sdX

# Create a single EFI System Partition
sudo sgdisk -a1 -n1:0:0 -c 1:efiboot -t1:EF00 /dev/sdX
sudo partprobe /dev/sdX

# Format as FAT32
sudo mkfs.vfat -F32 -n "BIOS" /dev/sdX1

Step 4: Copy Files to the USB

# Mount the USB
sudo mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt

# Extract BIOS files
7z x SHWSA_1.06.7z -o/tmp/bios-extract/
sudo cp /tmp/bios-extract/SHWSA_1.06_260104B/AfuEfix64.efi /mnt/
sudo cp /tmp/bios-extract/SHWSA_1.06_260104B/EfiFlash.nsh /mnt/
sudo cp /tmp/bios-extract/SHWSA_1.06_260104B/SHWSA.BIN /mnt/

# Copy the EFI Shell
sudo cp shellx64.efi /mnt/

# Verify
ls -la /mnt/
# Should show: AfuEfix64.efi  EfiFlash.nsh  shellx64.efi  SHWSA.BIN

# Unmount
sudo sync
sudo umount /mnt

Step 5: Boot into UEFI Shell on the MS-S1 Max

  1. Plug the USB into the MS-S1 Max
  2. Power on and press Del repeatedly to enter BIOS Setup
  3. Disable Secure Boot:
    • You may need to set an Administrator password first (Security menu)
    • Navigate to Secure Boot settings and set it to Disabled
    • Save and exit BIOS
  4. Re-enter BIOS (press Del again)
  5. Look for "UEFI Shell" or "Launch EFI Shell from filesystem device" in the boot menu
    • If not available, go to Boot menu → Add Boot Option → point to shellx64.efi on the USB
  6. Boot into the UEFI Shell

Step 6: Flash the BIOS

At the Shell> prompt:

FS0:
dir

If you see your files (AfuEfix64.efi, EfiFlash.nsh, SHWSA.BIN), run:

EfiFlash.nsh

If FS0: doesn't show your files, try FS1:, FS2:, etc.

The flash process will:

  1. Write the new BIOS image
  2. Automatically shut down or reboot the system
  3. Enter BIOS setup briefly to finalize the update

Step 7: First Boot After Update

Don't panic! The first boot after a BIOS update takes 5–10 minutes while the system performs memory training. You may see a black screen or several reboots — this is completely normal.

After the first boot completes:

  • All BIOS settings will be reset to defaults
  • Re-enter BIOS (Del key) to verify the new version and adjust settings
  • Re-enable Secure Boot if desired
  • Check boot order — your Linux installation should still be there

Troubleshooting

"Access Denied" or EFI Shell won't launch

Secure Boot is probably still enabled. Disable it in BIOS → Security → Secure Boot.

Can't find files in EFI Shell

The USB may be on a different filesystem mapping. Try all FSx: entries:

map -c
FS0:
dir
FS1:
dir

System won't boot after flashing

  • Wait at least 10 minutes — memory training can take a while, especially with 128 GB LPDDR5X
  • If still no boot after 15 minutes, try a CMOS reset (unplug power, remove CMOS battery for 30 seconds)

NixOS boot entry disappeared

The boot entry is stored in NVRAM which survives BIOS updates. If it's missing, re-add it from a NixOS live USB:

sudo nixos-rebuild boot

Or manually add a boot entry in BIOS pointing to \EFI\systemd\systemd-bootx64.efi or \EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI.

MS-S1 Max Specifications

Component Specification
CPU AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (Strix Halo) — 16C/32T, Zen 5, up to 5.1 GHz
RAM 128 GB LPDDR5X-8000 (soldered)
GPU Radeon 8060S — 40 CUs, RDNA 3.5 (up to 96 GB shared VRAM)
AI 126 TOPS total / 50 TOPS NPU
TDP 160 W configurable
Networking Dual 10 GbE, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Connectivity 2x USB4, 2x USB4 V2, HDMI
Storage 2 TB NVMe SSD (expandable)

What's in the BIOS Package

File Purpose
AfuEfix64.efi AMI Firmware Update utility for EFI Shell
EfiFlash.nsh Automated flash script (calls AfuEfix64 with correct flags)
SHWSA.BIN The actual BIOS/UEFI firmware image (33 MB)
AFUWINx64.EXE Windows flash tool (not needed for this guide)
WinFlash.bat Windows flash script (not needed for this guide)
shellx64.efi UEFI Shell binary (added by this guide)

How It Works

Minisforum ships BIOS updates with Windows-only tools (AFUWINx64.EXE), but the package also includes AfuEfix64.efi — AMI's EFI-native flash utility. Modern UEFI firmware includes a built-in EFI Shell environment that runs before any OS loads. Since the flash tool is a native EFI application, it has direct hardware access to the SPI flash chip. No operating system is needed at all.

The EfiFlash.nsh script simply calls:

AfuEfix64.efi SHWSA.bin /p /b /n /k /r /capsule /q
Flag Meaning
/p Program main BIOS area
/b Program boot block
/n Program NVRAM
/k Preserve keys
/r Preserve SMBIOS data
/capsule Use capsule update method
/q Quiet/silent mode

Related Resources

Contributing

Found a newer BIOS version? Have tips for other Minisforum models? PRs and issues welcome.

License

MIT

Guide by Petronella Technology Group — IT consulting and AI infrastructure for businesses since 2002.