How to test BIOS chips purchased from eBay? \ VOGONS

How to test BIOS chips purchased from eBay?

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First post, by Kahenraz

Posted on 2021-09-20, 08:44

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I have a motherboard that has been acting very strange. It will occasionally boot up and report checksum errors with the BIOS ROM. I want to order a extra chips from China but I would like to have a way to test them and verify that they are good since there is always the possibility that they may be defective or counterfeit.

What is a good way to test and verify BIOS chips?

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Reply 1 of 7, by maxtherabbit

Posted on 2021-09-20, 14:19

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...an EEPROM programmer

Reply 2 of 7, by Kahenraz

Posted on 2021-09-20, 16:26

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What would be the process to test not just program? I don't have a programmer and I'm unfamiliar with the software and the process.

Reply 3 of 7, by bloodem

Posted on 2021-09-20, 16:39

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The process is very straightforward with a programmer such as the TL866II Plus.
You simply open its software (Xgpro), select the IC type (i.e. : Winbond W27C512) and click "Verify". 😀

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Reply 4 of 7, by Kahenraz

Posted on 2021-10-04, 21:04

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Thank you for the recommendation. I've ordered a TL866II Plus with adapters to try this.

I had originally intended to test chips just by hot flashing them but I realized today that there isn't enough room on these boards to extract the chips safely while powered on.

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I have one board where the BIOS is easily accessible but it uses a 128k chip and the ones I ordered are 256k. I tried flashing the BIOS to the chip anyways with Uniflash by making a backup, swapping the chips, and flashing, but the system failed to boot with a POST code error on my diagnostics card.

Is it normal for a system that expects a 128k ROM chip to fail to boot if a 256k chip is used instead?

The original chip is a W29x010 (128k) and the chip I tried using was a W29x020 (256k).

Reply 5 of 7, by BitWrangler

Posted on 2021-10-04, 21:06

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Make "handles" out of strips of margarine tub or something, tape them together at the top in a loop, just make them narrow enough to fit under chip. For PLCC use a dental floss harness crossed underneath corner to corner.

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Reply 6 of 7, by Kahenraz

Posted on 2021-10-04, 21:16

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I have one of these fancy black handled PLCC extractors and I hate it. The metal piece on the end is too small to grip properly on larger DIP packages will often end up slipping and scraping along the surface of the chip or rake against the pins to one side.

I've since ordered the basic green handled extractors which seem to have a deeper lip on the end and should provide better leverage.

I think the blank handled ones are meant for smaller chips not the large DIP packages I was using them with.

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Reply 7 of 7, by maxtherabbit

Posted on 2021-10-05, 01:04

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BitWrangler wrote on 2021-10-04, 21:06:

Make "handles" out of strips of margarine tub or something, tape them together at the top in a loop, just make them narrow enough to fit under chip. For PLCC use a dental floss harness crossed underneath corner to corner.

good thinking

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