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Problem with connecting FlashCat USB

B

Boban

New Member
Hello,

after a bad flashing BIOS on the motherboard MSI (P67A-GD65 BIOS v1.9 to v4.3) I bought Flashcat USB Programmer (Classic) on Amazon to re-flash this BIOS with JSPI1 connector.

Now I have a Flashcat USB programmer and after reading the manual and some threads in the forum connected but I have a problem with SPI flash detection on the motherboard. With different MSI motherboards the same problem. I'm frustrated about it.

- I attached JSPI1 pins to Flashcat (PCB 2.1) as shown in the flashcat manual.
- set on switch 1 On, 2 OFF (bootloader)
- connect to USB and press reset (after reset without LED)
- start program Flashcat (build 560)
- load the AVR firmware (v.4.4) and run the application (both LEDs are now ON) - FCUSB.CLASSIC.4.40.SPI.I2C.EXT.hex
- FlashcatUSB status - connected
- Device Mode Serial Programmable Interface (SPI-NAND) - Unable to Detect SPI NAND Flash

Are my hands or FlashcatUSB bad?

THX for HELP me.
20180627_080826.jpg20180627_080838.jpg20180627_080853.jpg1.jpg2.jpg
 
Swap your pins 3 & 5 around on your FCUSB.
It should be that SO goes to SI and SI goes to SO
 
OK, now i swap 3 and 5 pins...
then the program automatically does not recognize anything again... (same Unable to Detect SPI NAND Flash )
only one change is with manual change "Mode" to SPI NOR FLASH... (Flash memory detected but not found in Flash library)

how I update this library???
I copied files from FCUSB_SOURCE_JUN12 to root with Program FlashcatUSB
BIOS chip is Winbond W25Q32BV and this chip is supported.

Thank you for answer
 
Other board MSI Z77A-G41 have chip Winbond W25Q64 (64Mbits) - is compatible with FSUSB
and ever same problem with detecting... but dont know what is wrong
 
Hi Boban, I'm in the same boat as you, I have a P67A GD-80 and a Z77A-GD65. Both have issues with the bios.

From what I have gathered there seems to be an issue getting power in the right place to the BIOS.

If I connect without power the FCUSB to the pins on the P67A I get a note that no SPI bios detected. I can then add the bios batter back in and refresh and it detects the BIOS. I then remove the battery again and the bios is still detected even when I choose RE-detect from the FC menu.


Oddly enough this didn't help and I'm still struggling to get either board to flash. When I flash the P67A after it is detected it fails verification on the first and subsequent writes. I tried running VCC to pin 9 on the MB, hooking up an external PSU (while disconnecting the FC VCC), running the FCUSB at 5V. Doesn't matter what I do I cannot write to the BIOS.

I suspect that something on the MB is draining power which could cause it not to be detected. But this is just a guess. I noticed the CPU fan try's to spin when FCUSB is connected and the power when measured on the BIOS chip reads 3.01V while the 3.3V hole on the FCUSB reads 3.3V. Somewhere voltage is being lost.

I have a 2.2 version of the FlashCatUSB Classic which appears to be different from the 2.1 in its voltage regulator. I'm hoping that I don't need a different FCUSB, but you stated you had 2.1 and ran into the same trouble.

On the 77A I cannot get it to detect at all.

If you crack the code let me know.
 
When I insert the battery (CR2032) to motherboard and connect BCUSB show me different code 4 with battery.jpg or other motherboar generate code with battery 5 p67a battery.jpg
 
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it shows that your in sqi mode, did you turn on quad in the protocol settings? If so then try turning it off.
 
You need to have it set to SPI NOR , this is the setting needed for that specific chip , you can see from one of your previous screenshots that you do get a wrong detection on that setting , you can try putting the power source onto the motherboard to help with reduced vcc from fcusb.
 
d3m0n, in the case of these MSI motherboards they all support "Dual BIOS" yet only have 1 set of JSPI1 pins. Do you happen to know how which BIOS chip the FLASHCATUSB device is attempting to read and write when connected to the JSPI1 ports?

What I am getting at is would it help to connect directly to the BIOS instead of using the JSPI1 pins.
 
It will only read the first main chip, the second one is basically a backup so if both are corrupt then you will only have the need to reflash the main one , once that is done you should be able to reflash the backup chip via the normal method.
 
Boban,
I was finally able to get the BIOS restored on one of the boards, unfortunately I had to bypass the JSPI1 pins and solder some small solid copper wires directly to the chips, then connect an old PC power supply (orange cable) to power the BIOS directly. What a pain but it worked.

There is something on these MSI motherboards in between the JSPI1 pins and the BIOS which is causing singals to not get transmitted directly to the chip. That combined with the fact that our boards won't move into standby mode mean we can't follow the other guides on the internet.

I ordered one of these off Amazon for 12 bucks to try to see if I can do the second motherboard without soldering.
SOIC8 SOP8 Flash Chip

Here is an image of the schematic I used and be sure to attach VCC to the HOLD pin as well. I just soldered 1 wire to both and it worked.
https://cdn.instructables.com/FZ7/G...I92FI3.LARGE.jpg?auto=webp&width=744&crop=3:2

Good luck.
 
D3m0n: putting the power source onto the motherboard ...

- Do you mean connecting the source to the board and turning on the power supply? (on the back of the power switch to ON?) .... or have installed CPU, inserted battery and turn on the board by shorting the pins on 24pin ATX connector black + green.

jhenak:
I was finally able to get the BIOS restored on one of the boards, unfortunately I had to bypass the JSPI1 pins and solder some small solid copper wires directly to the chips, then connect an old PC power supply (orange cable) to power the BIOS directly...

- Orange cable from ATX 24pin (+3,3V)? and connect this cable with vcc and hold? others according to the flashcatusb scheme? Please show me a painted picture with the scheme of that engagement (connecting) for inspection. (Motherboard has been connected 4 / 8pin for CPU and 24pin ATX to motherboard as well? including CPU and battery installation???)

jhenak:
I ordered one of these off Amazon for 12 bucks to try to see if I can do the second motherboard without soldering.
SOIC8 SOP8 Flash Chip

- I also ordered this cable (pliers) for clean connection without soldering. It's better and cleaner work and I need the BIOS to run as soon as possible. I'll be glad for every other advice or insight. Thank you
 
Connect the PSU to the board and have power going to the psu , do not attempt to power on the motherboard , you just want to have some power going to the board to stop it draining any from FCUSB
 
D3m0n, now I tested it and with PSU power and VCC from FCUSB not connected... PSU power + nonVCC FCUSB.jpg

and for testing I left the VCC from FCUSB and the result is slightly better, but again with a code message.PSU power + power FCUSB.jpg
 
jhenak, now i have SOIC8 SOP8 Flash Chip 20180703_092612.jpg and I need your help with engagement... VCC from FCUSB must be plugged to chip, or only PSU power to chip??? Is this engagement right??? FCUSB zapojeni.jpg or red must be unplugged?


and this PSU must be plugged into motherboard 4 / 8pin to CPU and 24pin ATX on mounted CPU, RAM, BIOS battery, or motherboard must be OFF and just connect from the side of the fused PSU to emit the orange wire 3, 3V to hold and VCC for chip power?

Thank You for answer.
 
Pls help... ever same thing... "Flash memory detected but not found in Flash library"

What am I doing wrong? With or without VCC from FCUSB, from PSU or combine... with SQI mode or without... :-/
(and now I can not even add a chip image anymore?) (Windbond W25Q64FV and pin connection)
 
Getting it to detect in ISP mode can be difficult.
If you really need these to come back to life , you might consider lifting the SPI chip of the board and writing to it out of circuit.
 
I disconnected (desolder) the one chip from the motherboard and connected it to FCUSB without a circuit. Now these messages came to me with codes...
with SQI mode - RDID:0xE8000 REMS:0xE0F8
without SQI mode - RDID:0xE8000 REMS:0xE0BC
 
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