BIOS mods – who's game?

[Samuel Hart]

Also very interested in this.

 

The main thing that stops this tablet beung usable as a laptop replacment is the otg charging.

 

I can use a bluetooth mouse but they kind suck with cpu lag, sometimes to a degree of waiting a minute or 2 for it to reattach. Might be the cheap mouse, dunno.

[calhaus]

Also interested for the A5C6 dual boot bios mod because the cameras don’t work on android and only the front camera works on windows and is most likely bios related.

[Razer Spoon]

Samuel Hart wrote:

Also very interested in this. The main thing that stops this tablet beung usable as a laptop replacment is the otg charging. I can use a bluetooth mouse but they kind suck with cpu lag, sometimes to a degree of waiting a minute or 2 for it to reattach. Might be the cheap mouse, dunno.

Depending on on your area. My guide can help you get steady CPU and ram numbers. Also will remove un-needed services and much much more. I’m not finished with my guide on tweaking for this tablet. It solves the freezing issue. But modding bios and tweaking the settings will vastly improve it.  I’ve messed with these types of bios and really want to get rid of the presetted settings that company has made. I’m not very sure why they choosed to lock us out on it. Not like everyone gonna do it. Only tech savvy and modders will do this.

 

calhaus wrote:

Also interested for the A5C6 dual boot bios mod because the cameras don’t work on android and only the front camera works on windows and is most likely bios related.

That actually software not really bios related.

[calhaus]

Are you sure?

It only happened after installing the new dual boot bios, and this also happened in x98 pro tablets and maybe others after the dual bios flash…

[Razer Spoon]

calhaus wrote:

Are you sure? It only happened after installing the new dual boot bios, and this also happened in x98 pro tablets and maybe others after the dual bios flash…

Can’t say I’m certain. But hard to believe it’s bios. Did you install new Windows and Andriod with the bios update?

[Iñigo Martinez Lasala]

Razer Spoon wrote:

Any update on bios modding?

Waiting for clip, eeprom programmer and voltage converter to arrive. 🙂

[Razer Spoon]

Iñigo Martinez Lasala wrote:

Razer Spoon wrote:

Any update on bios modding?

Waiting for clip, eeprom programmer and voltage converter to arrive. <noscript></noscript>

Hopefully the flashing will be a smooth sailing. Hope there won’t be any delays in shipping process.

[Iñigo Martinez Lasala]

Well, all components arrived. I’ve adquired a CH341A programmer, a clip and a voltage converter (3.3V to 1.8/2.2V) . After expending almost one hour with try and error, I finally figured that I had connected to 24X socket instead of 25X one and clip adapter was in the incorrect side (hopefully another user at these forums has uploaded some photos). So finally I was able to program 25LQ64 from Windows.

However, it didn’t worked. Flashing process finished after 15 minutes with an error about data do not match… I’m afraid it was due to my clip. After so many tries the tip was damaged and didn’t fit very well over the chip and does not hold by itself, so I must keep pressing during the process. So I’ve ordered another one and will try again when arrives.

[Razer Spoon]

Iñigo Martinez Lasala wrote:

Well, all components arrived. I’ve adquired a CH341A programmer, a clip and a voltage converter (3.3V to 1.8/2.2V) . After expending almost one hour with try and error, I finally figured that I had connected to 24X socket instead of 25X one and clip adapter was in the incorrect side (hopefully another user at these forums has uploaded some photos). So finally I was able to program 25LQ64 from Windows. However, it didn’t worked. Flashing process finished after 15 minutes with an error about data do not match… I’m afraid it was due to my clip. After so many tries the tip was damaged and didn’t fit very well over the chip and does not hold by itself, so I must keep pressing during the process. So I’ve ordered another one and will try again when arrives.

Thats disappointing that it didn’t clip on. Hope the chip I your tablet didn’t get messed up. Those chips are pretty tiny I’m sure you will get it right. Since you also delt with voltage it’s pretty risky never know if it shorted something. Also since it was pretty loose.

[Iñigo Martinez Lasala]

Hi everybody.

EUREKA!!!

Tablet fully recovered after flashing BIOS with an Eeprom programmer. My experience:
– I didn’t use a programmer since university times… years ago (too much), so I’ve discovered how small can integrated be nowadays. That not helps! 🙂

– I have used a standard CH341a USB programmer from Windows. I would prefer Linux via flashrom, but it’s not supported by default and when compiling a patched flashrom version there were compilation errors and I didn’t want to expend more time in this. So, I went directly from Windows 10.
– Tools I ve used: devil clip (two units, first one failed), Wingoneer CH341a USB programmer and CH341a.EXE program flasher for Windows. It’s quite old… 2004.

Tips:
– You will have to install drivers at Windows 10. This can be difficult due to Windows 10 signed drivers. Fortunately I’ve just installed UART USB drivers in order to program a telemetry 433Mhz USB UART for my drone, so no need to install them.
– Clip comes with two adapters. One is for 24XXX chips (no instructions) and the second one for 25XXX. Use 25XXX adapter (two hours until I figured I was using the wrong one).
– Disconnect battery from tablet. You have to use a solder and THIS IS MUST. With battery there is no way to program eeeprom. One hour expend researching.
– Connect adapter to 25XXX socket side of the programmer. I expend one hour until I checked again everything and discovered that doing things fast is not the best way.
– Clip red wire must be on the side where the chip has a hole. This is pin 1. If you have doubts, side nearer to battery (numbers at chip are really small).

– Be carefull when using clip. If you try many times, it will loose it winged tip and won’t hold the chip anymore. So, put it over the chip and insert first one side and when perfectly fitted over it, go with the other side.
– Eventually you shoud use a 3.3V to 1.8V level shifter converter… I HAD TO REMOVE IT. With the converter reads and writes to eeprom didn’t worked. I have expended two days until I decided to try without level shifter. So, WARNING, you are using a 3.3V signal on a 1.8V chip… it’s up to you. I decided I could assume the risk and I won, but you could break the chip…
– Flash with CH341a.exe. Our eeprom is a Winbond 25Q64 series. What I did: erase, program and verify using bin file from ROM package.
– After flashing, solder battery, connect USB charger (your battery will be almost depleted) and power on. Hopefully your tablet will be ready again.

Cost of tools: about 30 euro. Half if you order from China. I did my order via UK, so more expensive but faster.

Now everything is working again, both Windows 10 and Android. Only issue is with battery. I think it’s completely fool and I assume I have to recalibrate.

[CpA]

Congrats!!

Bravo!!

[Razer Spoon]

Congrats man. At least now you can do more testing since its unbricked now.

[Nicola]

congrats!

 

[winston smith]

Congrats…

 

More testing on the way ?

 

Already want to buy an eeprom programmer. You can have it for 10 bucks on ebay with clip and so on.

 

Still have to receive my tablet. 🙂

[winston smith]

Is the issue with sdcard and ram be with android or windaube ?

[Author]

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