EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Electronics => Repair => Topic started by: Folxs on November 07, 2015, 04:26:02 pm
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I'm searching for BIOS for Vostro 470 - i need to reprogram BIOS, because it suddenly disappeared.
Maybe someone have full 4MB BIOS file?
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I found the BIOS on Dell's website. It states that it can be used in a variety of environments, including MS-DOS.
link: http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=GVGPD&fileId=3292921037&osCode=W764&productCode=vostro-470&languageCode=EN&categoryId=BI (http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=GVGPD&fileId=3292921037&osCode=W764&productCode=vostro-470&languageCode=EN&categoryId=BI)
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Hello,
I've downloaded the executable file desy2820 gave you and extracted the files from it. I've found a 2MB .CAP file in it, which upon taking a further look at it, it turns out to be a BIOS file which you can flash with any BIOS flasher just like you would with a .BIN.
Below you will find the ZIP file containing all the files that I have extracted, the .CAP file is the file that you will need to flash with your BIOS flasher.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/112467995/A12.zip
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Thanks both of You very much - but I tried to do it earlier and it doesn't work.
I tried to flash tat .cap and .rom file and nothing. It's because i think Full bios is 4MB with zeros - here, there arent zeros and it is only ~2MB.
I need full 4MB file with zeros! I think only way to get it is download full file from working BIOS chip :(
Maybe someone has Vostro 470?
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What BIOS flasher and application to flash are you using, as normally it would work. Also what error is the flashing application giving you? By the way, what is the BIOS chip's part number?
I would also try to download the A10 version of the BIOS and flash with that as the A12 tends to break computers every now and then.
Also if the BIOS chip is fine, instructions below will most likely work (Got them from DELL):
1. Download the Dell BIOS update .exe file to a USB flash drive.
2. Run the .exe file with /writehdrfile parameter
3. Run the .exe file with /writeromfile parameter
4. Copy the .hdr file to winery50.hdr
5. Remove the battery and AC power from the dead computer
6. Insert the flash drive into the dead computer's USB port
7. Hold down the End key and then connect the AC power
8. Dead computer reads USB flash and asks if update should be done
9. Allow the update to finish and then reboot.
10. Computer is now working normally.
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Computer even does not start. I have to program BIOS with programmer
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Yeah I know, but some DELL laptops have a fail safe mode for BIOS programming. What programmer are you using again? I can't help you without giving further details about your problem.
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This is not a laptop - this is a PC :)
BeeProg
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This is not a laptop - this is a PC :)
BeeProg
What's the part number on the chip (or the sticker on the chip if there is one)
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Winbond 25Q32BVSIG
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Hang on, I've found an XPS 8500 which uses the same BIOS as the Vostro 470, I'm going to read the EPROM into a ROM or a bin file for you. If flashing the file I'm gonna give ya still doesn't work I'm going to blame the chip, something else on the board, your programmer or user error (I'm still going to give you the benefit of the doubt because the BeeProg is a $1000 programmer, if you it very cheap it's most likely a fake programmer and there may be some incompatibility with that chip)
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/112467995/2015-11-10%2000-22.ROM
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This particular file is the file You read from BIOS chip? Why it's only 2.6mb instead of full 4mb (2.6mb + zeros)? But thank You very much! I'll try and post here the results.
Programmer is really high end - it is 100% original BeeProg and every time works fine
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The ROM I gave you for now is not from the BIOS chip, I've yet have to get some alone time with the PC in question. Just gave you that to see if it can work, do you have Skype or any other sort of IM (Steam or smth else, as it'd be faster to try to help you.)
This particular file is the file You read from BIOS chip? Why it's only 2.6mb instead of full 4mb (2.6mb + zeros)? But thank You very much! I'll try and post here the results.
Programmer is really high end - it is 100% original BeeProg and every time works fine
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I got skype: Moneyson, facebook etc.
But have You access to any computer to get BIOS from chip? I tried 4 files - all size of 2.6mb and nothing. I need full 4mb file - only way to get it is read from chip
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I've added you, we'll try to fill the rest of the file with 0's, because in reality that's what the DELL flashing APP is doing. I will have access to a PC that uses the same BIOS as yours but I don't have any ETA on that.
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Ok, sorry - in my country is 01:00AM and I should be sleeping right now :)
How we can fill that bios with zeros? Can You post instructions here? Also for other ppl. Or on facebook? Contact me: www.facebook.com/folxs.htc (http://www.facebook.com/folxs.htc)
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Well, with a hex editor. I also have to sleep very soon, 1:04AM
Ok, sorry - in my country is 01:00AM and I should be sleeping right now :)
How we can fill that bios with zeros? Can You post instructions here? Also for other ppl. Or on facebook? Contact me: www.facebook.com/folxs.htc (http://www.facebook.com/folxs.htc)
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How much zeros and where I should add?
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I'll add them later for you after reading the datasheet, out of curiosity, is the flasher even recognizing the chip as I could not find it in BeeProg's comparable list. I did however find similar chips, but have not looked at any of their datasheets until I know for sure that it's at least detecting the EPROM.
How much zeros and where I should add?
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Yes, programmer recognizes it. I can buy that chips on alieexpress - but the most important for me is to get BIOS file. When I'm reading file from chip i have 4mb file with almost all zeros - only on the end there are some data
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Could you give me the read from the chip, I'll most likely be able to tell you if its corrupted data by using binwalk and check if it still recognizes any parts of the BIOS.
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Ok, but tomorrow - because I got this file in computer that is in my work. I'll post it here after 11AM ;)
Good night, and thank You very very much for help!
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isnt the beeprog the same as the dataman one ?.
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I don't know. It's the first time in my life i heard about dataman
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dataman are well known, i had one of their gang programmers way back in about late 99. elnec seem to re badghe some of them from what i have seen and the 2 programmes used to programme by each company are near identical too
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Seems to be the same:
http://www.dataman.com/dataman-partners (http://www.dataman.com/dataman-partners)
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There ya go :) my brain isnt so defunct then
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:D ok, I'm going to bed - later I'll upload file. Good night!
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Sleep well. as a side note I found one of their older 8 gang parallel port programmers in a local council tip , took it home and repaired it and it worked, I had no idea they were so expensive. no idea where it ended up, probably in the stuff my ex wife threw out when i left her.
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So, here You are: Corrupted BIOS file (4MB) http://speedy.sh/vX75Q/Corrupted-Dell-Vostro-470-bios.bin (http://speedy.sh/vX75Q/Corrupted-Dell-Vostro-470-bios.bin)
Chip and programmer are 100% fine
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This is not an incorrect file issue, this is either a bad EEPROM or an incompatible programmer. If the programming and the chip were actually doing their job, it should start writing the data from 0000000 until 0027FFF, there is no data in there though... The only data I've found as at the end of the read
E5 20 F1 FF FF FF FF 01 44 EB 08 6B 08 3B 80 BB
EE FF FF FF FF FF 00 00 FF FF 00 00 0C 20 0F 52
10 D8 00 00 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
Which I have tried matching to the BIOS file and no such data exists in the BIOS file, regardless if I make you a 4MB file and set the unused bytes as "FF", it's going to be useless because the programmer or your EEPROM is not writing properly to the chip. Let's also not forget that the BIOS just "disappeared", which makes the EEPROM sound at fault even though it is being detected.
Once the programmer can write successfully to the EEPROM, then we can talk about it not being a 4MB BIOS file, this is just like trying a 240v ONLY appliance in a 120v country and being surprised that its not turning on and you'd attempt to fix it, the first correct step would be to get a 240v up converter and try it there, because until you gave the thing 240v you won't know for sure if it works or not.
So, here You are: Corrupted BIOS file (4MB) http://speedy.sh/vX75Q/Corrupted-Dell-Vostro-470-bios.bin (http://speedy.sh/vX75Q/Corrupted-Dell-Vostro-470-bios.bin)
Chip and programmer are 100% fine
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Which I have tried matching to the BIOS file and no such data exists in the BIOS file, regardless if I make you a 4MB file and set the unused bytes as "FF", it's going to be useless because the programmer or your EEPROM is not writing properly to the chip. Let's also not forget that the BIOS just "disappeared", which makes the EEPROM sound at fault even though it is being detected.
Once the programmer can write successfully to the EEPROM, then we can talk about it not being a 4MB BIOS file, this is just like trying a 240v ONLY appliance in a 120v country and being surprised that its not turning on and you'd attempt to fix it, the first correct step would be to get a 240v up converter and try it there, because until you gave the thing 240v you won't know for sure if it works or not.
This is not correct statement. I don't know any programmer which would write/read only half of the FLASH size (yes, it is not EEPROM BTW), they will just fill empty area at the end if the file size is smaller than FLASH. Moreover they do blank checking after erase and will report an error if it's not empty. So often you cannot just download the file an flash it. There might be more data somewhere in the middle, end or beginning which is not present in the bios update file. Often you need to cook the working file from corrupted FLASH contents and downloaded update file.
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Wait a moment - this is the file BEFORE anything.
You want to get file from me when I flash BIOS with update?
Or elese:
What I have to do?
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Which I have tried matching to the BIOS file and no such data exists in the BIOS file, regardless if I make you a 4MB file and set the unused bytes as "FF", it's going to be useless because the programmer or your EEPROM is not writing properly to the chip. Let's also not forget that the BIOS just "disappeared", which makes the EEPROM sound at fault even though it is being detected.
Once the programmer can write successfully to the EEPROM, then we can talk about it not being a 4MB BIOS file, this is just like trying a 240v ONLY appliance in a 120v country and being surprised that its not turning on and you'd attempt to fix it, the first correct step would be to get a 240v up converter and try it there, because until you gave the thing 240v you won't know for sure if it works or not.
This is not correct statement. I don't know any programmer which would write/read only half of the FLASH size (yes, it is not EEPROM BTW), they will just fill empty area at the end if the file size is smaller than FLASH. Moreover they do blank checking after erase and will report an error if it's not empty. So often you cannot just download the file an flash it. There might be more data somewhere in the middle, end or beginning which is not present in the bios update file. Often you need to cook the working file from corrupted FLASH contents and downloaded update file.
FLASH is just a variation of an EEPROM at the end of the day the chip he's trying to program still uses SPI (just a lot faster), I never claimed you can read/write half a FLASH/EEPROM chip, I've even told him that's what the DELL flashing utility is doing
I've added you, we'll try to fill the rest of the file with 0's, because in reality that's what the DELL flashing APP is doing. I will have access to a PC that uses the same BIOS as yours but I don't have any ETA on that.
The first step to helping people is not to assume anything, thus why I did not assume he did use the "verify" option which is available in some software so that the user can untick it in order not to waste time. (I've done it several times with bus pirate). Please do not forget that the user does not have a working BIOS file and I do not have any ETA on when I'd be able to access a similar board as his that uses the same BIOS to dump it.
At the end of the day I'm all for learning new stuff but you have not provided any steps the user could try with his $1000 programmer, plus the user gave me the before file, it only contains data on the bottom according to a hex editor.
OT: I want the file after the BIOS update.
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he first step to helping people is not to assume anything
For some strange reason you assumed that he has chip/programmer fail.
I've even told him that's what the DELL flashing utility is doing
The fact that utility don't program any data in that area doesn't mean that there shouldn't be any data present. In fact, very often blank area in the ROM file is where data in the flash is kept untouched during programming. In fact, even my ASUS desktop motherboard have data in it which is not present in update .cap file and is preserved during programming.
why I did not assume he did use the "verify" option which is available in some software so that the user can untick it in order not to waste time.
In programmer software it is ticked by default in most cases. And time saving by unticking it is comparably small, usually programming takes a lot more time than reading.
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Chip is fine - verification after flashing passes trough. Now i haven't acces to file after flashing - I'll post that file on thursday
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Ok, here You are: http://speedy.sh/ZGtpX/Dell-Vostro-470-after-flashing-with-2-6mb-BIOS-file.bin (http://speedy.sh/ZGtpX/Dell-Vostro-470-after-flashing-with-2-6mb-BIOS-file.bin)
This is what's inside chip after I flash it with 2.6MB BIOS file from dell site
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bump