bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

[Weelcup]

I have a Lenovo T450 which is working but nothing displayed on screen.
I tried to reprogram the bios chip via CH341A mini programmer. i de-soldered the chip from the MB and soldered it in the programmer chip. made three back ups. downloaded a dump bios and send it to the chip.

the chip is 25Q128FV model.
the chip is erased successfully. blank check was successful too.
writing the new bios was successful 100%
BUT when it gets to verify then it fails.

I already ordered a new chip. but i am wondering why the chip data and the bios file are not identical?! isn't it strange to write a .bin bios file to an empty chip and after finish the process successfully it turns out they are not the same!

is there any security or lock in the chip or it is a chip defect?

thanks

[akande]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

I have a Lenovo T450 which is working but nothing displayed on screen.
I tried to reprogram the bios chip via CH341A mini programmer. i de-soldered the chip from the MB and soldered it in the programmer chip. made three back ups. downloaded a dump bios and send it to the chip.

the chip is 25Q128FV model.
the chip is erased successfully. blank check was successful too.
writing the new bios was successful 100%
BUT when it gets to verify then it fails.

I already ordered a new chip. but i am wondering why the chip data and the bios file are not identical?! isn't it strange to write a .bin bios file to an empty chip and after finish the process successfully it turns out they are not the same!

is there any security or lock in the chip or it is a chip defect?

thanks

It your programmers, I once experience such on different chips with CH341A ,till I purchase lt668 programmer which work fine . CH341A is good also but to be a saver side u should get another type, otherwise if Ch341a is black type u can modify it .

[Weelcup]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

It your programmers, I once experience such on different chips with CH341A ,till I purchase lt668 programmer which work fine . CH341A is good also but to be a saver side u should get another type, otherwise if Ch341a is black type u can modify it .

Thanks for reply.
I programmed a 25q64fv a week ago with no issues. That is why I didn't suspect the programmer. But as much as you experienced that then it might be the programmer.

Yes Its black version. Wold the modification resolve the problem? And what modifications can be done?

[mockingbird]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

Weelcup -

Try flashrom in Linux. It usually succeeds where the Windows CH341A software fails. Make sure you pull the latest snapshot with git.

[Weelcup]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

Thanks a lot for the advise.

I will try. But I didn't use any flashing softwares in ubuntu before.
Can you please direct Me to a right way to do it. Much appreciated

Thanks again

[mockingbird]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

Thanks a lot for the advise.

I will try. But I didn't use any flashing softwares in ubuntu before.
Can you please direct Me to a right way to do it. Much appreciated

Thanks again

DIFFICULT WAY
You have to apt-get install dependencies first. Don't ask me what they are, I just did them on-the-fly, I don't remember.

Then you have to tell git to fetch from the latest snapshot. Then git clone.

Then compile... Keep installing dependencies based on the errors the compiler spits out.

EASY WAY
sudo apt-get install flashrom

The easy way may or may not work, depending on whether they updated the latest ubuntu flashrom package to work with the CH341A... After you install it either way, run flashrom and look at the command switches. You have to specify the ch341a, and you might have to tell it to force flash eventhough it's an experimental platform.

This is the only thing that worked for me when I was hard-pressed for time and my motherboard wouldn't boot with a new CPU and I had to flash the latest BIOS externally.

[subroto]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

It's occured for basically two reasons.
One for Programmer and other from EEPROM chip which comes with non-readable few bit blocks for manufacturing error.
Replace the chip first if it's not solved then change Programmer.

[Weelcup]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

DIFFICULT WAY
You have to apt-get install dependencies first. Don't ask me what they are, I just did them on-the-fly, I don't remember.

Then you have to tell git to fetch from the latest snapshot. Then git clone.

Then compile... Keep installing dependencies based on the errors the compiler spits out.

EASY WAY
sudo apt-get install flashrom

The easy way may or may not work, depending on whether they updated the latest ubuntu flashrom package to work with the CH341A... After you install it either way, run flashrom and look at the command switches. You have to specify the ch341a, and you might have to tell it to force flash eventhough it's an experimental platform.

This is the only thing that worked for me when I was hard-pressed for time and my motherboard wouldn't boot with a new CPU and I had to flash the latest BIOS externally.

Looks difficult.! I will try my best to sort that out. And will let you know the results.

Thanks for the explanation .

[Weelcup]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

It's occured for basically two reasons.
One for Programmer and other from EEPROM chip which comes with non-readable few bit blocks for manufacturing error.
Replace the chip first if it's not solved then change Programmer.

I have already ordered a chip and will definitely try that too.
And yes there are some blocks chanel to zeros but return back to its values no matter what you send to it.

Will let you know

Thanks a lot.

[ala_borbe]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

erase and blank test. then write bios and after that read it again
compere two binaries with some bin compare tool (or open both in hex editor)... if few addresses are affected then most likely eprom chip is failing at certain address (some times if only few bytes are affected bios still works, tested and confirmed by me personally) but if corruptions is repeated trough whole dump with "pattern" then check contacts and adapters if any are used or programmer it self is broken...

also, its good idea to have few programmers at hand... sometimes one does better job then another
i have 3 for parallel (old chips) and 3 for new spi chips... one always does the job...

[Weelcup]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

erase and blank test. then write bios and after that read it again
compere two binaries with some bin compare tool (or open both in hex editor)... if few addresses are affected then most likely eprom chip is failing at certain address (some times if only few bytes are affected bios still works, tested and confirmed by me personally) but if corruptions is repeated trough whole dump with "pattern" then check contacts and adapters if any are used or programmer it self is broken...

also, its good idea to have few programmers at hand... sometimes one does better job then another
i have 3 for parallel (old chips) and 3 for new spi chips... one always does the job...

Thanks for the advise
I already did what you mentioned. yes the erase and black test are successful but the verifying after writing is failed.

I compared both files and there are few blocks doesn't match. the programmer is 100% fine with 25Q64FV types which means there is no problems with it as a device I think. but this problem only appeared when I program 25Q128FV type of chips. I just received a new chip and programmed it and got the same issue. So I will now try to program it under Linux system as suggest by mockingbird and check whether it will work. if not then I will buy another programmer.

thanks again for your help.

[mockingbird]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

I compared both files and there are few blocks doesn't match. the programmer is 100% fine with 25Q64FV types which means there is no problems with it as a device I think. but this problem only appeared when I program 25Q128FV type of chips.

I had the same problem with the W25Q128FWSQ.

I contacted the author of the software and he said that he was unable to test it because he didn't have the chip. I sent him a link on Taobao to buy one but who knows if he followed through.

You should definitely have positive results with Linux. Just a tip: flashrom takes a long time. Don't interrupt it. Let it finish.

[Weelcup]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

I had the same problem with the W25Q128FWSQ.

I contacted the author of the software and he said that he was unable to test it because he didn't have the chip. I sent him a link on Taobao to buy one but who knows if he followed through.

You should definitely have positive results with Linux. Just a tip: flashrom takes a long time. Don't interrupt it. Let it finish.

I am installing ubuntu at this moment and will come back to you with the results. Fingers crossed.
Thanks mockingbird

[Weelcup]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

it worked for me. !!! thanks
so as you said it seems to be something related to windows drivers or the programmer software>>>>

now I got two identical copies>

but now the laptop light up and the fan spin for 15sec and the laptop turns off. and so on. I desoldered the chip again and read it. and surprisingly it is not identical to what I programmed it before. any clues why?

[mockingbird]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

it worked for me. !!! thanks
so as you said it seems to be something related to windows drivers or the programmer software>>>>

now I got two identical copies>

but now the laptop light up and the fan spin for 15sec and the laptop turns off. and so on. I desoldered the chip again and read it. and surprisingly it is not identical to what I programmed it before. any clues why?

You're saying that the chip reads differently before and then after you soldered and desoldered it?

[ala_borbe]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

can you upload backup of your bios (first file you read from chip)

[Weelcup]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

Sorry for that.
I meant that I programmed the chip successfully via flashrom (including successful varification after writing). I dumped an image to varify it via Hex editor and yes it was identical to the bios file I downloaded) ...
Then I soldered the chip to the MB. Then turned the laptop on. The power light come on, the fan spined, the screen was black for 15 sec then the laptop turned itself off. I tried to turn it again and same thing.
Here I take off the bios chip from the motherboard again. I dumped (read) the bios chip. I compared the dumped file with the one I programmed it with at the beginning. And they were not identical. Which means that something has changed in the bios in the 15 sec when I was turning it on.

I hope this explanation is clear.

Thanks

[mockingbird]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

I compared the dumped file with the one I programmed it with at the beginning. And they were not identical. Which means that something has changed in the bios in the 15 sec when I was turning it on.
Thanks

I understand.

I think you have the incorrect dump BIOS...

[Weelcup]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

May be . The MB is (AIVLO NM-A251) . I will try to find another dump

I really appreciate your suggestion to try flashrom. I will depend it to flash from now on.
However, while I was searchin about dependencies I found out that it is possible to use flashrom under Windows platform.
I testes it and it is working 100%


The description is in this following link:
https://winraid.level1techs.com/t/gu...rammer/32948/3
.

[mockingbird]

Re: bios chip problem after 100% programmed using CH341A!

However, while I was searchin about dependencies I found out that it is possible to use flashrom under Windows platform.
I testes it and it is working 100%


The description is in this following link:
https://winraid.level1techs.com/t/gu...rammer/32948/3

Thanks for that... Just keep in mind that that build is a year old...

Maybe it's possible your dump is for the discrete video motherboard, and your motherboard uses integrated video, or vice versa...