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chips
4 Posts |
 Posted - 09/21/2009 : 20:18:14
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I am using a GQ-4X to program the bios on an HP ZV6000 with a SST 39VF040 chip. All of the available bios files on the HP site are greater than 512K bytes in length. I am specifically interested in version F.1C which is 516K bytes. When the 516K file is placed into the GQ-4X buffer, only 512K bytes are written to the bios chip, as one might expect. Further the data that is written to the chip isn't what I would expect. I expected the last 16 bytes of the 512K to be a Jump Long instruction (EA5BE000) followed by the bios date. Using a hex editor I discovered the specific Jump Long I was looking for in the middle of the file and not at the beginning of the last 16 bytes. This implies that the bios file is somehow compressed. After some research it has become my understanding that the first 512K bytes of the 516K file is the bios code and, the remaining 4K is some sort of platform information. My question is -- how can I use the GQ-4X to write this bios code to its proper place/s on the chip? In other words, how does one make the programmer recognize this platform information in the bios file to write the bios code correctly.
One more note of interest. Part of the bios update package from HP contains a program titled Swinflash. This is a windows based application that writes the bios chip. Apparently the program uses the platform info in the bios file to do so. I cannot use Swinflash because the laptop will not boot due to a corrupted bios.
I've tried to make this work for some time now so any help that will allow me to write this bios chip will be greatly appreciated. |
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| Reply #1
ZLM
2945 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2009 : 12:31:39
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If you select a 512K byte device in the software,(such as 39VF040) and then open a 516K byte long binary data file, then the software will recognize the first 512Kb data and ignore the rest of 4Kb data. So, the chip should work if the first 512Kb is the BIOS code.
Current software has no feature to recognize the platform information. But this feature can be added if we got enough information. Please send a copy of your BIOS file to support@mcumall.com, we will check this file and see how to add this feature.
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| Reply #2
chips
4 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2009 : 18:08:19
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You describe my situation exactly. No matter what the size of the file only the first 512K bytes are written.
I attached the 516K bios file to an email for support@mcumall. When you receive it look at address '7FFF0'h. I expect to see a Long Jump instruction at that location of EA5BE000F0 followed by a date string. Scan the file and you will find that Long Jump at address '7C4FA'h.
I looked at several other bios files on the HP site. They were all in excess of 512K. It seems as if anyone attempting to program an HP bios will run into this problem.... or at least those that I looked at. |
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| Reply #3
chips
4 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2009 : 19:42:34
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Just looking for an update. Did you receive the bios file I sent to support@mcumall? Were you able to obtain the information you needed to be able to process what I think is platform specific data (the extra 4K). If so, can you tell me when, or if, you can provide the feature in the program.
I had sent the bios file as an email attachment. Your email client may reject attachments. If that is the case then tell me how I should sent the file to you (inline, not attached, to the email) |
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| Reply #4
ZLM
2945 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2009 : 23:31:40
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Received your first bios file 516Kb.
Looks like the 4k platfom information is at bottom of the file. And it only can be used by its software. We do not know that exact the data structure of this 4K data. So, we have no way to use it.
Anyway, we can just ignore this 4K data. The biso chip should work worrectly with out this data. |
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| Reply #5
chips
4 Posts |
Posted - 10/04/2009 : 20:18:38
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| Just an update to inform you that nothing is wrong with the burner, nor the bios file length of 516K. The problem is the bios version level. I discovered two post on other forums that spoke to not being able to boot after installing bios version F.1C on an HP ZV6000. That is the version I was trying to install. I burned version F.17 to the chip and I can now boot the laptop. (bios version F.17 was also a 516K file length). Thank you for your help. |
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unable to write HP ZV6000 bios sst39vf040
