Failed BIOS update using flashrom with a raspberry pi on a Motherboard fonction Flashback doesn't work

[Deleted member 242843]

I'm not an aliexpress guy, but they have chip programmers too. maybe not a bad idea if you are gonna be doing that. seems a better option that using a raspberry.

 

[Alox]

I'm not an aliexpress guy, but they have chip programmers too. maybe not a bad idea if you are gonna be doing that. seems a better option that using a raspberry.

There was this one that was recommanded in videos : https://www.amazon.fr/WINGONEER-EEPROM-circuit-programmation-adaptateurs/dp/B012VSGQ0Q

 

[_roman_]

Gparted -> Device information.

I use my very old 128MB usb stick for the mainboard updates and for saving those mainboard msi or asus profiles

I would check fi it says msdos. The screenshot shows the usb stick i used for my previous msi b550 gaming edge wifi and for my current asus prime x670-p mainboard.

It's all about the software. Regardless of the hardware in question. That is my opinion from electronic background. I can not judge a random dedicated programmer with software vs a rasperri pi with software.

I'm not sure if the poster really bothered reading my response. Especially with the hint for reading the datasheet. Basic errors while ignoring datasheets can not be solved with a dedicated programmer. I do not know this winbound chip but i highly doubt they do it much different.

 

[Alox]

Gparted -> Device information.

I use my very old 128MB usb stick for the mainboard updates and for saving those mainboard msi or asus profiles

I would check fi it says msdos. The screenshot shows the usb stick i used for my previous msi b550 gaming edge wifi and for my current asus prime x670-p mainboard.

View attachment 403620


It's all about the software. Regardless of the hardware in question. That is my opinion from electronic background. I can not judge a random dedicated programmer with software vs a rasperri pi with software.

I'm not sure if the poster really bothered reading my response. Especially with the hint for reading the datasheet. Basic errors while ignoring datasheets can not be solved with a dedicated programmer. I do not know this winbound chip but i highly doubt they do it much different.

I don't uderstant what you mean ? This was the good info or not ? And that is the first time I use Gparted. Saying that I don't bothered reading your responses while I try to give you what you want isn't nice of you.à

Here's with the Device information :

 

[ShrimpBrime]

If you can't get the board to flash, you could try getting a bios chip with the flash you want on it and replace the existing bios chip. That is of your soldering skills are good enough.

I use BiosDepot which they have an ebay store. perhaps contact them and see if they can help out.

 

[Alox]

If you can't get the board to flash, you could try getting a bios chip with the flash you want on it and replace the existing bios chip. That is of your soldering skills are good enough.

I use BiosDepot which they have an ebay store. perhaps contact them and see if they can help out.

I have everythingto solder like flux hot air station... But to try a last thing do you have any programmer recommandation ? Cause the link that I've send to DirtyDingusMcgee was an adaptator and not a programmer, I've foud this (https://www.amazon.fr/CH341A-progra...-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1) it has the CH341A IC

 

[Solaris17]

But to try a last thing do you have any programmer recommandation ?

There is an entire thread on how to do all of this and the equipment at the top of this forum and others.

Thread 'Guide: Flashing with a hardware programmer'

Nov 12, 2022

Lets get physical
​

So; you tried flashing your GPU and you didn't backup. Now you have some dude on the forum linking you a BIOS but you have no way to apply it because you don't have a spare GPU either. Well no worries friend. In this guide we are going to cover the simple procedures of recovering a BIOS with an eeprom programmer. Lets get a few things out of the way first.

It's pretty easy to get nervous or carried away when thinking about flashing a physical chip. Fear not though, once you grasp the concepts its really no different then using a USB drive. Before...

• Solaris17
• Replies: 18
• Forum: Graphics Cards

• 
• 

With that said, the manual for your board said "about 3 seconds" I would make sure to try again. I had to do a flash back a few times and my most recent board I held it for a good 5 or 6 before anything happened.

 

[r00tcz]

If you can detect the SPI flash, write it and read it all back to verify the contents, the flash chip is good.
Non working USB flashback looks like a symptom to me, that there is some other damage on the board that's preventing it from working (and booting in general).
I have seen boards with damaged management processor (that does the flashback and starts up the board) and it was very similar. Looking at the SPI bus with logic analyzer can show if something is happening during boot (bios being read) or if it's completely dead. But in general this is very hard to diagnose, unless you find some mechanical damage on the board (inspect it under the microscope thoroughly, could be one broken resistor somewhere).

 

[Alox]

There is an entire thread on how to do all of this and the equipment at the top of this forum and others.

Thread 'Guide: Flashing with a hardware programmer'

Nov 12, 2022

Lets get physical
​

So; you tried flashing your GPU and you didn't backup. Now you have some dude on the forum linking you a BIOS but you have no way to apply it because you don't have a spare GPU either. Well no worries friend. In this guide we are going to cover the simple procedures of recovering a BIOS with an eeprom programmer. Lets get a few things out of the way first.

It's pretty easy to get nervous or carried away when thinking about flashing a physical chip. Fear not though, once you grasp the concepts its really no different then using a USB drive. Before...

• Solaris17
• Replies: 18
• Forum: Graphics Cards

• 
• 

Thank you I will look at it. (I've read this before making the thread but forgot)

If you can detect the SPI flash, write it and read it all back to verify the contents, the flash chip is good.
Non working USB flashback looks like a symptom to me, that there is some other damage on the board that's preventing it from working (and booting in general).
I have seen boards with damaged management processor (that does the flashback and starts up the board) and it was very similar. Looking at the SPI bus with logic analyzer can show if something is happening during boot (bios being read) or if it's completely dead. But in general this is very hard to diagnose, unless you find some mechanical damage on the board (inspect it under the microscope thoroughly, could be one broken resistor somewhere).

When I've tried to boot with CPU RAM GPU the fans on CPU cooler and GPU does work (idk if it has something to do with what you mention). The flash chip can have also a problem cause it cannot write succesfully the new BIOS it get stuck on erasing and writing flash chip. I have look at it multiple times with my microscope and seen nothing (I could also miss those tiny resistor are difficult to see)

 

[r00tcz]

The flash chip can have also a problem cause it cannot write succesfully the new BIOS it get stuck on erasing and writing flash chip.

Well if you still have problems working with the flash chip then there is still hope it's something that simple. CH341 with testclip should be good enough to verify that.
Good programmer will erase the chip, write it and read it back to make sure it's written correctly. If that works, flash chip should be good. If not, replace it.

 

[Alox]

Well if you still have problems working with the flash chip then there is still hope it's something that simple. CH341 with testclip should be good enough to verify that.
Good programmer will erase the chip, write it and read it back to make sure it's written correctly. If that works, flash chip should be good. If not, replace it.

That's what I'm gonna do thanks I will update when I have the programmer. Also I was reading that there are softwares like AsProgrammer and others but also it can works with Flashrom ? (I will use AsProgrammer)

 

[Alox]

There is an entire thread on how to do all of this and the equipment at the top of this forum and others.

Thread 'Guide: Flashing with a hardware programmer'

Nov 12, 2022

Lets get physical
​

So; you tried flashing your GPU and you didn't backup. Now you have some dude on the forum linking you a BIOS but you have no way to apply it because you don't have a spare GPU either. Well no worries friend. In this guide we are going to cover the simple procedures of recovering a BIOS with an eeprom programmer. Lets get a few things out of the way first.

It's pretty easy to get nervous or carried away when thinking about flashing a physical chip. Fear not though, once you grasp the concepts its really no different then using a USB drive. Before...

• Solaris17
• Replies: 18
• Forum: Graphics Cards

• 
• 

With that said, the manual for your board said "about 3 seconds" I would make sure to try again. I had to do a flash back a few times and my most recent board I held it for a good 5 or 6 before anything happened.

Just recieved the programmer I've get only FF when reading the chip in 5 min. So the erase with the Pi has work ?

Message when erasing

(The datasheet in attach files)
It is still running (2hours) do you think I should stop try to Unprotect ?

 

[Solaris17]

Chip is wrecked

 

[Alox]

Chip is wrecked

Should I try to select Unprotect as a last thing ?

 

[Solaris17]

Should I try to select Unprotect as a last thing ?

Your not understanding.

Your voltage is set wrong or the chip is broken. Unprotecting should happen faster than you can blink.

Check the voltage setting against what the chip requires and your clip orientation to make certain you are utilizing pin 0 and it is oriented correctly on the programmer side.

READ THE GUIDE

If all of that is fine and you still can’t unprotect; the chip is bad.

 

[Alox]

Your not understanding.

Your voltage is set wrong or the chip is broken. Unprotecting should happen faster than you can blink.

Check the voltage setting against what the chip requires and your clip orientation to make certain you are utilizing pin 0 and it is oriented correctly on the programmer side.

READ THE GUIDE

If all of that is fine and you still can’t unprotect; the chip is bad.

I'VE READ THE GUIDE there is nothing that says to click the unprotected button that's why I asked. Also I did not see something that talked about the jumper

 

[Solaris17]

I'VE READ THE GUIDE there is nothing that says to click the unprotected button that's why I asked. Also I did not see something that talked about the jumper

I can see how you have had a hard time getting this far. Good luck.

 

[Alox]

I can see how you have had a hard time getting this far. Good luck.

What does that mean ?
Ok I know what happend the programmer I order (green pcb with IR) isn't the one that has arrived (black pcb). I'm gonna make the mod for the 3.3V

 

[Caring1]

What does that mean ?
Ok I know what happend the programmer I order (green pcb with IR) isn't the one that has arrived (black pcb). I'm gonna make the mod for the 3.3V

Too late if you used the one with the higher voltage, it most likely fried the chip.

 

[Alox]

Too late if you used the one with the higher voltage, it most likely fried the chip.

I know but it might was already fried so I have to order a new one that have the same reference
With even more reasearch the datasheet that I've found wasn't the exact chip and it run at 1.8V so even when I had tried with the Pi it was with 3.3V. From the start I was wrong with the datasheet

With the correct datasheet this time (attach) I've found some places where to buy the chip :

• https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005001287617721.html (Hope it is the same that the first picture but inexpensive)
• on ebay 25Q256JWEQ (pretty expensive)

With this search on eBay (https://www.ebay.fr/sch/i.html?_nkw=25Q256JWEQ&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313) what do you reccomand to order from the picture of the chip ?

 

[Deleted member 242843]

Don't trust that anything you buy from aliexpress will be the correct thing.

Better go with ebay so you can get your money back if it isn't right.

I know you do not want to hear this, and i understand money being tight (i've spent plenty time being broke).......but you really should think about a different (functional) motherboard. If you spend all this time, money, and effort on the bios chip, and it still doesn't work afterwards, then you have gained no ground. Any money you spend on this motherboard is funds that could have gone towards buying a functional one.

 

[Alox]

Don't trust that anything you buy from aliexpress will be the correct thing.

Better go with ebay so you can get your money back if it isn't right.

I know you do not want to hear this, and i understand money being tight (i've spent plenty time being broke).......but you really should think about a different (functional) motherboard. If you spend all this time, money, and effort on the bios chip, and it still doesn't work afterwards, then you have gained no ground. Any money you spend on this motherboard is funds that could have gone towards buying a functional one.

I would prefer to go with the inexpensive one but it's not to be cheap. I really like reparing and with this motherboard I learn a lot from software like Gparted and all the partition thing.
I appreciate that you still help and not says things like _roman_ or Solaris17.

 

[Deleted member 242843]

If this is just a project to see if you can do it, then go for it dude

If this was a system that i needed fixed yesterday (which so very often is the case with folks' computers) and had to rely on it, i'd get a board. If i just want to jack around and see if i could do it....I say rock on.

I think perhaps the idiomatic flavor of english to and from other languages gets muddled in translation sometimes too. "hey, i want to fix this busted motherboard because i think i can." when in printed english type has very much the same tone as "help, my board is busted and i need it fixed."

 

[Alox]

If this is just a project to see if you can do it, then go for it dude

If this was a system that i needed fixed yesterday (which so very often is the case with folks' computers) and had to rely on it, i'd get a board. If i just want to jack around and see if i could do it....I say rock on.

I think perhaps the idiomatic flavor of english to and from other languages gets muddled in translation sometimes too. "hey, i want to fix this busted motherboard because i think i can." when in printed english type has very much the same tone as "help, my board is busted and i need it fixed."

I'm gonna go with this one before I buy it is it the right one even if the package type is 8-Pad WSON 8x6-mm (I've measure on the board it has the same dimensions) will it work even if the numbers under the chip refrence are not the same ?

 

[_roman_]

Note:I ignored the topic as I asked sevearl times for the datasheet or other valid informations.

I also had the feellings the basic knowledge is missing. E.g. how to use a programmer. Read the docs first.

I spend 4 hours today because I did the wrong format for the bootloader. VFAT is wrong by the way. systemrescue 11.x.x version and current gentoo linux need a different mfks. command to create a valid uefi bootable partition. That also applies for usb flash sticks.

--

With the correct datasheet this time (attach) I've found some places where to buy the chip :

Back to your question. Thaks for your datasheet.

look.

package specification 88


you have all the dminesions there.

e.g. 16-pin soic 300-mil ...

I'm gonna go with this one before I buy it is it the right one even if the package type is 8-Pad WSON 8x6-mm (I've measure on the board it has the same dimensions) will it work even if the numbers under the chip refrence are not the same ?

Chip markings should be in teh datasheet also
A beginner question for any IC.

did you really read? also the datasheet?
Page 94 -> odering information.
page 95 -> valid part numbers and top side marking


I would not be surprised if you fried the chip with overvoltage. You may killed it by using too much voltage and even destroyed anything around it.

page 5

Low Power, Wide Temperature Range
– Single 1.7V to 1.95V supply

Did I said datasheet - first?

that is basically a 1.8V DC ship not a 3.3V DC or 5.0VDC chip.

there are a lot of details on how the programming works. For 100% accuracy I would have to read every line. I did that in the past for other chips i pgogrammed myself.

page 78 -> absolute maximum ratings 2.5 V DC

--

The reason why i did ignore the topic and asked for the datasheet, read the programmer.

I build my own pic microcontroller programmer. For some reason the design had a flaw and ruined some chips. I have not checked your part 100%. Usually you need special protocol, software, hardware, programming voltage and operating voltage.

--

I'm not iin that area for years.

In my point of view that is a 1.8V DC chip with the corresponding logic levels.
It should be useable with any proper 1.8V DC logic stone with the proper logic levels and speed.

e.g. page 50.

[External Ruzizao 3.3V Power Supply] (3.3V Output) ---------------------------------------------------------------- SPI_PWR (Pin 9 on header) (This is the 3.3V supply for the BIOS chip)

When you really applied 3.3 V DC to that chip where you provided the datasheet you most likely killed it already.
In my point of view.

I do not have board schematic - it was not provided by the topic poster

Diagramm how it was connected was not provided. and so on.

-- When I think about it. There is also 1.8V DC in the uefi menu for AM4 and AM5. We had 5V DC stones. I also saw 3.3V DC stones It's obvious they went to 1.8V DC now.

--- The W25Q256JW supports the standard Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI -> says all from the microcontroller viewpoint.

-- They are ideal for code shadowing to RAM, executing code directly from Dual/Quad SPI (XIP)
and storing voice, text and data. The device operates on a single 1.7V to 1.95V power supply with current
consumption as low as 1μA for power-down.

-- I'm sorry for your most likely loss. Thanks for sharing the datasheet. Was interesting to see a datasheet.

-- First Thing i read when flashing. The datasheet. Datasheet for flashing. Application notes for Flashing. The usual practise