Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

[orientalsniper]

Hello, I updated bios since it was detecting my battery as generic. After flash I turned it off and the battery and power on LED's are off, like completely dead after the flash. No fan and no lights.

I desoldered flash and flashed original flash with a programmer and no results, completely dead.

I want to know if it's the bios chip or the flash blew something up, can someone tell me how to check if the whole circuit is still fine with this schematic? Thanks.

http://www.mediafire.com/view/?fqdnyp9n6pxo0yf

[Francisco.s]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

I hope you made a backup from original bios, if so, you can restore the data an see if it behaves as the very beginning.
Another question is; which dump file did you reprogram in the flash bios?
Could be bios chip has been damaged while soldering it , try to read and reprogram it another time in order to check it.
Regards.

[orientalsniper]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

I didn't backup original BIOS (dumb move, I know), but I flashed a modded BIOS and it worked, it stopped working after I flashed an original BIOS (different version).

I verified the Bios chip and it's working apparently with the programmer (verify, erase and program).

[Francisco.s]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

I flashed a modded BIOS and it worked

Try to reprogram this modded BIOS again.
There's no power-on secuence on the schematic, so it's difficult to follow voltages.

[orientalsniper]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

Yeah, I did, I flashed different versions of BIOS. Are Sony motherboards known die after a bad BIOS flash? The fans don't even move and no LEDs light up.

[Francisco.s]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

Yeah, I did, I flashed different versions of BIOS. Are Sony motherboards known die after a bad BIOS flash? The fans don't even move and no LEDs light up.

It's not easy to damage the motherboard due to a wrong bios update or reprogram, but impossible is nothing.
It's quite likely to damage de bios chip or the adjacent circuitry while soldering.
Can you post the voltage at pin 8 of bios chip?

[orientalsniper]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

I'm not sure how to do that. Probe Pin 8 (vcc) and Pin 4 (gnd) right? With the AC adapter plugged in too?

[Francisco.s]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

I'm not sure how to do that. Probe Pin 8 (vcc) and Pin 4 (gnd) right? With the AC adapter plugged in too?

Yes, with the AC adapter plugged in, in those pins you should get 3.3 volts.
Also check the voltage in power button. There will be 3.3 volts, an drop to zero if you push this button.

[orientalsniper]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

Hello, by the way, thanks for helping me out:

1) I'm not getting any volts from the BIOS pins, do you think I should desolder the BIOS and measure the motherboard pins?

2) What page is the power button pinouts in? I see 4 solder points top view of the button.

[Francisco.s]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

Hello, by the way, thanks for helping me out:

1) I'm not getting any volts from the BIOS pins, do you think I should desolder the BIOS and measure the motherboard pins?

2) What page is the power button pinouts in? I see 4 solder points top view of the button.

Check +3VALW and +5VALW in page 60, also check +ECVCC in the same page.
It is a pity there isn't a power-on sequence in the schematic, that will be easy.

I see 4 solder points top view of the button

Have you check the voltage in those 4 points? at least 1 point should have 3 volts.
Regards.

[orientalsniper]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

Page 60 is too complex for me to check

I can confirm there was 3.3v in the power button and when I pressed it, the voltage dropped and it WENT BACK to 3.3v

[Francisco.s]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

Page 60 is too complex for me to check

I can confirm there was 3.3v in the power button and when I pressed it, the voltage dropped and it WENT BACK to 3.3v

Page 60 is a block diagram, it is there to show all voltages in a page.
You can search for the words I mention, and see it, in other page.
Also check +5VALW_LDO and BQ24725_VCC_R
regards.

[orientalsniper]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

One question

How do I check +5VALW_LDO, BQ24725_VCC_R, +3VALW, +5VALW, +ECVCC? Do I put one probe in one of them and the other in ground (gnd)?

For example in page 62, do I probe +3VALW (pin28) and GND (pin21)?

[Francisco.s]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

Yes, check all voltages against GND.
GND could be any metal plate that is soldered to the motherboard. (ie. usb metal plate)

[orientalsniper]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

This is becoming too stressful, I can't measure anything, I'll take a break and as soon I get to measure something, I'll let you know, thanks.

[orientalsniper]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

I can't measure any volts, which piece is broken?

[Francisco.s]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

I can't measure any volts, which piece is broken?

Can't you measure the 19 volts line from DC jack, and DCBATOUT?

[orientalsniper]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash



Are those two DCBATOUT present in the picture?

And I think I did something stupid, I couldn't measure anything in SN0608098RHBR, so I probed PIN7 with some pins in the opposite side and I think I saw a flash or a blink with wrong timing.

I circled something in SN0608098RHBR, does that look burnt?

[orientalsniper]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

Here's another angle:

[Francisco.s]

Re: Sony VPCSB (MBX-237) dead after bios flash

Are those two DCBATOUT present in the picture?

I don't know, I can't see which connectors they are.

I circled something in SN0608098RHBR, does that look burnt?

Yes, if you saw a flash or a blink, probably you made a short-circuit and burnt the SN0608098RHBR. you should change it.
Pin 7 is located near PC205, the one in the green rectangle.
Always check voltages in components connected to pins, not in the pin, it is safe.