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PC Chips BIOS upgrade

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First post, by gottspeed

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So, I've got the bios flash voltage jumper set to 12V, but when Award flash memory writer goes to clear the chip, it throws an "Erase Chip Fail!". It does this same thing regardless of how I have the jumper set.

Has anyone run across this on an old board before? Do these things fail? This board is starting to get on my nerves... I have a GA-586VX coming to replace it, but I still want to get this done, I can't let this board conquer me.

Reply 1 of 24, by Rodoko

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That is due to the type of flash memory used in the era, you see there are two types of BIOS flash memory, EPROM (which your board has) and EEPROM

EPROM requires a UV light in order to erase it and EEPROM is reprogrammable (aka when you update the BIOS, the old one gets erased and the new one is written)

Reply 2 of 24, by PTherapist

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Is this the same M507 motherboard from your other post?

I've read the contents of the BIOS chip from my M507 board in a programmer quite recently, though I haven't been able to determine exactly what type of chip it is as a Google search of the writing on the chip brings up nothing. As such I haven't been able to erase or write anything to it.

It's certainly not a UV eraseable EPROM as suggested above, but it could very well be a one-time programmable ROM chip and as such you'd need to order a replacement programmable DIP32 1M chip & an external programmer to upgrade the BIOS. I myself am currently waiting on an Atmel 29C010 that I've ordered from China, as that particular chip is referenced as compatible here: http://th2chips.freeservers.com/m507/bios/index.html

I did try a UV eraseable EPROM chip as a potential replacement - an ST Microelectronics M27C2001. But the board wouldn't POST at all with that chip, hence why I ordered the Atmel instead.

Reply 3 of 24, by Deksor

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Someone pointed a way to identify those chips using a generic parameter that should give back a code, and that code should be listed in some forum post and say which chip this is. I bookmarked it, so give me time to find it.

Trying to identify old hardware ? Visit The retro web - Project's thread The Retro Web project - a stason.org/TH99 alternative

Reply 5 of 24, by PTherapist

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Deksor wrote:

Thanks for finding the link. But I'm still none the wiser on how to find out what kind of chip it is. None of the markings on the chip bring up anything in search results and I have no idea what you mean by "using a generic parameter".

Reply 6 of 24, by Deksor

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In my TL866 interface, I select a chip that was commonly used (like W29C010 for example), then I disable "pin detect" and "check ID" and finally I do "device > read ID". This displays a 4 digit code which is the ROM's ID which you can then look in there.

In my case it was 0B E1. Unfortunately it leads to nothing in that case, but sometimes you get lucky (I got lucky with a M537).

Trying to identify old hardware ? Visit The retro web - Project's thread The Retro Web project - a stason.org/TH99 alternative

Reply 7 of 24, by appiah4

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I've had a similar issue with another PCChips board and only UNIFLASH managed to flash it. Give it a try.

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Reply 8 of 24, by gottspeed

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Yes, it is an M507.

Thanks very much for the responses gents, I was out of town for a bit and couldn't reply.

I'm going to start with the alternative flashing software that was mentioned and then move on to other flash chip options.

You guys are great, I'll report back with any success.

Reply 9 of 24, by appleg33k85

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Wondering if anyone was able to get this chip to update, every flashing utility I've tired doesn't want to do it.

I'm thinking that a new ROM will need to be ordered but I'm not sure what I should get? I've attached a photo of the current one.

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Reply 10 of 24, by PTherapist

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appleg33k85 wrote on 2020-08-02, 04:09:

Wondering if anyone was able to get this chip to update, every flashing utility I've tired doesn't want to do it.

I'm thinking that a new ROM will need to be ordered but I'm not sure what I should get? I've attached a photo of the current one.

I got an Atmel 29C010 and wrote the newer BIOS to that with my MiniPro. Works great.

Reply 11 of 24, by appleg33k85

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PTherapist wrote on 2020-08-02, 05:37:
appleg33k85 wrote on 2020-08-02, 04:09:

Wondering if anyone was able to get this chip to update, every flashing utility I've tired doesn't want to do it.

I'm thinking that a new ROM will need to be ordered but I'm not sure what I should get? I've attached a photo of the current one.

I got an Atmel 29C010 and wrote the newer BIOS to that with my MiniPro. Works great.

Awesome, did you end up using the 2A59CF59 or the F59_MOD bios?

Reply 13 of 24, by TimmermanV

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I had the same issue with this board. I used a Winbond W27C010 to replace the chip, also using the F59_MOD bios.
During boot it shows a warning message, something like "unknown flash chip detected", but so far it's running fine. Let's hope I don't run into any issues down the line. 😀

Reply 14 of 24, by cyclone3d

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You should be able to run the flash program that was meant for that board and it should show the expected flash chip type.

Yamaha modified setupds and drivers
Yamaha XG repository
YMF7x4 Guide
Aopen AW744L II SB-LINK

Reply 15 of 24, by TimmermanV

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I used the flash program found here: http://th2chips.freeservers.com/m507/bios/index.html (at the bottom)
It showed "Flash Type - 28F101 /12V" (I had the jumper for 12V programming set), but the erasing of the chip failed.
I have a XGecu T56 programmer and it reported pin issues and incorrect ID (0x 1C 33) when selecting 28F101 (tried various manufacturers), so I didn't try programming it.
I also didn't find any chip with that ID.

Reply 16 of 24, by cyclone3d

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TimmermanV wrote on 2020-10-22, 16:54:
I used the flash program found here: http://th2chips.freeservers.com/m507/bios/index.html (at the bottom) It showed "Flash Type […]
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I used the flash program found here: http://th2chips.freeservers.com/m507/bios/index.html (at the bottom)
It showed "Flash Type - 28F101 /12V" (I had the jumper for 12V programming set), but the erasing of the chip failed.
I have a XGecu T56 programmer and it reported pin issues and incorrect ID (0x 1C 33) when selecting 28F101 (tried various manufacturers), so I didn't try programming it.
I also didn't find any chip with that ID.

Right... That is because your most likely have an EPROM. You need a 28F101 type EEPROM.

Others may work, but that is the type it is looking for.

Yamaha modified setupds and drivers
Yamaha XG repository
YMF7x4 Guide
Aopen AW744L II SB-LINK

Reply 17 of 24, by TimmermanV

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Thanks, that makes sense. I may give that a try, even though it seems to be working now with that W27C010. I found a German website that's selling ST 28F101 at a reasonable price.

Reply 18 of 24, by cyclone3d

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Yeah if you have something else that is working, then no reason to bother getting a specific one.

Yamaha modified setupds and drivers
Yamaha XG repository
YMF7x4 Guide
Aopen AW744L II SB-LINK