BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

[panoss]

Hi guys.
I have one (in fact two) old laptop, a Compaq 615.
When I press the button the fan spins, looks like the mobo is booting but the scrren remains blank. Caps lock blinking.

From what I read it most probably is the BIOS, so I downloaded the 3 files from HP:
1. HPQFlash for HP Notebook System BIOS (68GVV) - F.20 Dec 12, 2011
2. ROM Image for HP Notebook System BIOS (68GVV) Remote ROM Flash F.0C 2.2 MB Nov 23, 2009
3.ROMPaq for HP Notebook System BIOS (68GVV) – FreeDOS Bootable Media

(they are exe files, unzip them to see all the files)
But, which is the file that I must upload to the EEPROM ic?
I suppose it must be one of the files contained in one of the zip files.

I want to flash it with a CH341A programmer.

sp46875.exe contains files:
-HPQFlash.exe 1.336 KB
-ROM.CAB 1.455 KB
-sp46875.cva 2KB
-WSSP46875.rtf 2 KB

sp55877.exe contains files:
-HPQFlash.exe 4.188 KB
-ROM.CAB 1.459 KB
-WSSP55877.rtf 33 KB


ROM.CAB contains:
-efibios.sig 1KB
-Rom.bin 2.048 KB
-Rom.sig 1KB
ver.sig 1KB
ver.txt 1KB

It 's the 'Rom.bin'?

[peste]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

Are you sure the bios is the problem? Before reading or writing, the bios chip should be removed from the motherboard, do not use the clip you will have errors, solder the chip on the programmer if you do not have an adapter. Make a copy before and ...
Try this

[panoss]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

I don't know if the bios is the problem, just from what I read in similar topics on the internet, it's very probable.
If it's not the bios then I guess something 's wrong with the graphics chip.
(I connected it to an external screen through VGA output but nothing, so I suppose the screen is not the problem)
I will do as you suggested peste, thank you!

[panoss]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

I flashed it.
At first I tried your archive peste, bur it was taking too long.
I waited for half an hour and it still was writing....
I thought something 's wrong, so I tried with the file I had downloaded from hp 's site.
It also took a loooong time, but I thought maybe I should let it a bit more.
It took almost one hour!!!
I used flashrom in puppy linux live usb.
One hour!

I reassembled everything, but it stil does the same, so I guess it was not the bios...

I 'm thinking of reworking the graphics chip with a heatgun, but I 'm not sure which is the graphics chip. And I can't find any photo pointing it.

[peste]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

it takes a few minutes to write the bios chip ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NYe21nFSDI

[panoss]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

Maybe the flashrom is too slow?
It didn't show me any error, verification went fine (according to flashrom).

So you 're saying that most probably something went wrong with flashing?

[peste]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

i don't know what you did !!! it takes 5 min to write and read a bios chip ...

[peste]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

I sent you a video ... did you see it?

[panoss]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

Yes I saw it.

[SMDFlea]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

Try ASProgrammer software, it should take less than a minute to program. https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...6&postcount=10

[panoss]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

I tried it in a fast PC and indeed within 5 minutes the EEPROM was written.
So it was slow because I used a slow PC.

Now, the BIOS is ok (written, verified, 100% ok).

So, the problem must be in the Graphics chip. But. Which is the graphics chip?
Is it the one pointed by the red arrow in the photo?

[piernov]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

That's the southbridge.
The dead chip is usually the northbridge, under the heatsink next to the CPU.
Before you do anything crazy, do *NOT* attempt to reflow it. You can try to heat it a little bit (200°C MAX, no flux) for a minute and a half with hot air to see if it comes back to life. This is not a fix, it will fail again and it has to be replaced.

[panoss]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

Ok, I found exactly my case: 5 blinks on Caps led, black screen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxfGweTAdrQ

[piernov]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

This is a great example of a misleading video, like there are dozens if not hundreds on Youtube.

[panoss]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

Ok, I won't do excactly what he does. I won't go above 200 Celcius, and this for just a few seconds. I will not reflow it.

[panoss]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

Well...it worked!!
I did heat it (no reflow, just heat) with a heat gun, reassembled and it works!
I didn't expect this to succeed!

Now, how long will this keep working, I don't know.
Maybe hours, maybe days, maybe months?

[Filipksif]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

I also have a problem with the caps lock flashing 5 times. I suspected the bios chip. When I tried to reprogram it, the program threw me: content on the chip are disagreement. I don't know how to write back to the chip the old dump I saved before I wiped everything from the chip. I use ch314a and as programmer.

[peste]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

I also have a problem with the caps lock flashing 5 times. I suspected the bios chip. When I tried to reprogram it, the program threw me: content on the chip are disagreement. I don't know how to write back to the chip the old dump I saved before I wiped everything from the chip. I use ch314a and as programmer.

post the original bios... try one of these programs...

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...6&postcount=10
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...04&postcount=7

[Filipksif]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

I managed to program the chip. Now when I try to start the laptop with the chip programmed it won't start at all. Only the lan lights are flashing.

[SkyLine Computers]

Re: BIOS file for HP Compaq 615

Are you sure the bios is the problem? Before reading or writing, the bios chip should be removed from the motherboard, do not use the clip you will have errors, solder the chip on the programmer if you do not have an adapter. Make a copy before and ...
Try this

Thanks This is working