Bricked trying BIOS update

[Lupo]

I’m another from so many bricked Chuwi Hi10 owners (Chuwi Hi10 V300 hardware revision, serial 15xxxxx) who reflashed the BIOS and the tablet is back to Life! ?

Thanks to the detailed manual here written by Bill Christiansen and the detailed videos posted in YouTube by Armookie here and here!!!

I have purchased this hardware: Ch341a Programmer + Clip + 1.8V Adapter + you will need also a USB Extension

I have downloaded the BIOS.bin image from here.

I have followed the instructions in the PDF file and the video mentioned above and have fixed my problem after receiving the hardware needed.

Below I would like to share my experience about a problem which took me some time (2-3 hours) before everything worked OK:

The chip in my Chuwi Hi10 tablet (V300 hardware revision, serial 15xxxxx) is Winbond w25q64fw, the same as in the Hi12.

As you can see on the attached pictures below there is a green dot mark on the corner of the chip. According to the manuals (the pdf and the video) the red cable of the Programmer connector have to be attached there, but in my case it wasn’t right. After some time I found that on the opposite end of the chip there is a little hole (dot) and this is the right side to connect the RED cable of the Clip. The chip is so small and this dot is very hard to be seen … I thought that the green dot mark was the correct one. 🙁

Be careful also with the Clip if it is connected right to the pins of the chip, they are also small and it’s easy to miss some.

If on the bottom right corner of the Programmer software (version 1.29) the status is Connected, then the drivers are installed OK. If then the detect button don’t detect the chip then you have to check this 2 things above.

All this took me some time in many drivers installations / deinstallations, changing the USB extension cable, double checks if the Programmer, the adapter and the clip are connected OK and etc …

P.S. My Chuwi Hi10 hardware doesn’t support Dual boot Bios, despite this I have tested it just to be sure, I flashed my tablet with the newer BIOS but it doesn’t work … 🙂 after the test I had to Erase & Blank the chip again and flash it with the correct one.

P.S.2 I highly recommend the Chuwi Hi10 tread in the 4PDA forum here.

You can read it with Google translate 🙂 It’s a great place with A LOT OF detailed information, resources and HOWTO’s shared by the Russian hackers.

Attachments:

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[Anonymous]

hello lupo, congratulation for unbrick you tablet, I try to unbrick my chuwi h10, but test clip does not detect chip, I follow your advises but I can not detect chip, I have program software ( 1.29) the status is connected,  too I have thought that test clip does not work, I do not know that I do bad… Armokie video looks that the tablet is charging while test clip detect chip? I have windows xp, ¿program software (1.29) work in windows xp? Put a clear photo how you has inserted adapter 1.8v in ch341a please

 

 

[Lupo]

Hi Javier,

unfortunately the adapter is in my office, but I have connected it exactly as it’s shown in the PDF manual.

Be careful with the chip pins, be sure that the clip contacts well with them, also double check the USB extension cable, in my case actually I have changed it and some time after that everything start working, but I’m not sure that the problem was in the cable … most important is to be sure that the red wire of the clip is on the right pin of the chip, and to be sure that the clip is contacting well with the chip pins.

[hyperboarean]

I’d recommend using EZP_XPro or DreamPro3/2 flasher:

Native 1.8V support, setting drivers in Win 10 is a *****, but once you get it going, you’ll be ready to flash just about anything.

 

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/EZP-XPro-Programmer-USB-motherboard-routing-LCD-BIOS-SPI-FLASH-IBM-24-25-Emulator-Writer-TL866/32538014346.html

Some info:

https://plus.google.com/+IanMORRISON/posts/5EuA7nFU9JA

 

Manufacturer web site:

http://www.dream-e.com/Pshow.asp?Pid=45

[Robert A]

So… I’m having a weird issue. Chip identifies in CH341a 1.29 WITHOUT the 1.8v adapter. Attaching the adapter, it cannot identify the chip. Same 1.8v adapter as everyone has pictured here, in the correct orientation…

 

Wondering if I should just give it a whirl and attempt to flash without the 1.8v adapter…

[Bill Christiansen]

Robert A wrote:

So… I’m having a weird issue. Chip identifies in CH341a 1.29 WITHOUT the 1.8v adapter. Attaching the adapter, it cannot identify the chip. Same 1.8v adapter as everyone has pictured here, in the correct orientation… Wondering if I should just give it a whirl and attempt to flash without the 1.8v adapter…

I wouldn’t recommend not using the adapter, even connecting to detect may have already inserted 3.3 v onto 1.8v components. Double check the silk screening on the PCBs that the pin numbers match as there maybe different ones around.

[Richard Russell]

Robert A wrote:

So… I’m having a weird issue. Chip identifies in CH341a 1.29 WITHOUT the 1.8v adapter. Attaching the adapter, it cannot identify the chip. Same 1.8v adapter as everyone has pictured here, in the correct orientation… Wondering if I should just give it a whirl and attempt to flash without the 1.8v adapter…

I tried it without the adapter, it was able to identify the chip too but it fried it miserably

[Lupo]

1. Be sure that the clip and the chip pins are contacting right and well
2. change the USB extension cable if you have another.In my case this was the problem and the chip wasn’t detected for many hours. I tested also to detect it without the 1.8v adaptor, it seemed that it detected the chip, BUT the chip data wasn’t right and the same as on the screenshots in the manual and video.

[Robert A]

Thanks for the input. It must be the adapter. I cannot think of any other reason. I have 2 CH341a programmer boards, and the adapter doesn’t work in either of them, and I also tried without an extension cord on a tablet… Guess I’ll have to order another 1.8v board….

 

[Martijn]

I also managed to mess up my Hi10’s bios settings – tablet wouldn’t turn on anymore after altering some. Unbelieveable there is no jumper or reset button to clear CMOS settings. Thank you Lupo for your detailed description, I have ordered the parts you suggested and will try to fix my tablet when they arrive.

[Martijn]

Well, today the last of the suggested components arrived (the clip-to-the-chip thing). I had no luck identifying my Chuwi Hi10 chip with the CH341A programmer software; although it’s drivers were installed without problems and the programmer software would read ‘connected’. I tried two computers (both win10), but no luck. Things would happen when clicking ‘write’ or ‘erase’, but I don’t think it actually did much. It would even start erasing without the clip attached to the chip.

I’m guessing my clip is a dud. One of the pins seems to be too short. I’ve ordered a new one. If that fails as well, I’ll throw this darn tablet in the bin and never, ever, EVER buy one of this brand again. (Although I was infinitely dumb to start messing with the BIOS on an otherwise fine tablet in the first place)

[Bill Christiansen]

@Martijn,

Just checking are you using version 1.29 of CH341A program and have selected Winbond W25Q64 in the chip type?

[Martijn]

@Bill
Yes and yes, plus all hardware parts listed in Lupo’s posts – connected them in the exact same way. Red cable is on the little indent where it should be.
I ordered a new clip, which has not arrived yet. If that fails as well, I might consider buying a slightly different programmer. Or I might toss the damn tablet in the bin after all :p

Strange though. I just tried my setup again. I still can’t identify the chip, it will say ‘Detection fails, cannot find the chip’. I can, however, read it, erase it and blank it. I cannot seem to get it to write (some timeout occurs) or verify.

[Paulo]

friends, someone tell me whether this adapter is for 1.8 Volts or not?

my chip is determined by, but not sure whether stitches or not.

 

[Bill Christiansen]

Paulo wrote:

friends, someone tell me whether this adapter is for 1.8 Volts or not? my chip is determined by, but not sure whether stitches or not.

You need to use the 1.8 volt adapter because although it may detect chip without it will damage chip. If unsure measure voltage at pin 1 with DVM

[Author]

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