Zitat von lordkag im Beitrag #30

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@Gaudi

I looked inside this 2.80b BIOS and it seems they did the same thing as for the other user: removing logos and reconstructing the BIOS from the base. Besides greatly reducing the size of 1B and 22 modules, they did some tweaks in module 08 (BootBlock - Runtime Interface) and 55 (Extended Boot Block Region) which might hold the key for increasing space for OROMs. I don't think they tweaked something for Marvell yet, since you didn't asked anything else in that first message.

We can now remove incompatibility between Intel and Marvell OROMs from the list. The only other OROM is Realtek PXE Boot, but you said you already tested with "Boot From Onboard LAN" set to Disabled.

Increasing the space for allowing 1.0.0.1038 to fit in - or simply adding 1.0.0.1033 in the BIOS and the bootblock - might get your controller to work, but I don't know if it will be enough to make the chip visible for the flasher. It is possible that the flasher did another scramble with the image when it couldn't proper detect the chip after the first/second flash, so you might still end up with the programmer for a fully restored image.

If you get any other image, be it from Asrock or Marvell, please add it here, so I can take a look; maybe they will add something new or they will serve as starting point for something else. But I still say that I'm impressed with Asrock for the fast reply and helpful answer.

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Zitat von Gaudi im Beitrag #31

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Zitat von lordkag im Beitrag #30

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@Gaudi

I looked inside this 2.80b BIOS and it seems they did the same thing as for the other user: removing logos and reconstructing the BIOS from the base. Besides greatly reducing the size of 1B and 22 modules, they did some tweaks in module 08 (BootBlock - Runtime Interface) and 55 (Extended Boot Block Region) which might hold the key for increasing space for OROMs. I don't think they tweaked something for Marvell yet, since you didn't asked anything else in that first message.

We can now remove incompatibility between Intel and Marvell OROMs from the list. The only other OROM is Realtek PXE Boot, but you said you already tested with "Boot From Onboard LAN" set to Disabled.

Increasing the space for allowing 1.0.0.1038 to fit in - or simply adding 1.0.0.1033 in the BIOS and the bootblock - might get your controller to work, but I don't know if it will be enough to make the chip visible for the flasher. It is possible that the flasher did another scramble with the image when it couldn't proper detect the chip after the first/second flash, so you might still end up with the programmer for a fully restored image.

If you get any other image, be it from Asrock or Marvell, please add it here, so I can take a look; maybe they will add something new or they will serve as starting point for something else. But I still say that I'm impressed with Asrock for the fast reply and helpful answer.

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Thanks.
I have contacted Marvell tech support, but they have forwarded me to a local sales office to get support. I will insist, but it is unlikely they will help.


I will keep you all updated.


@lordkag
Do you think i will be safe to mod the 2.80b bios to include the

I will have to dig into my forgotten tech projects drawer. I have a PIC controller programmer that may work to flash the BIOS.

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@Gaudi

I won't hold my breath when it comes to Marvell, based on what I found in their firmware so far. You are still better of with Asrock doing proper tech support, customer oriented.

Your message is cut off, but I take it you meant including Marvell OROM in mainboard's BIOS? Space doesn't seems to be the problem and I don't see any apparent reason for it to fail to the point of bricking your board. But why risk it all based on a hunch?

If you do get BIOS support from your programmer, maybe you can try with the attached files. They have the same 1.0.0.1033 OROM, but with different ID.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////

Edited with a reply for the above message:

It is too bad that you found the service to be so expensive. I know I have searched for a few days until I could found a good one, with almost a third of the price asked by others. They are just not so easy to be found.

I still think that the safest bet is the use the backup-original image you got, then you could use the Marvell flasher with a good image you have. Or you can wait for Asrock to provide a clean (possibly updated) image, but it has to be a 512KB SPI image.

You can first test your programmer for reading support. If it works you might have a chance for writing also. But use the above images with the Asrock built in flasher, only if it fails to boot and fails to restore a working BIOS (read this, but you can also use a USB stick if you don't have a floppy), then you can use the programmer.

Zitat von lordkag im Beitrag #33

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@Gaudi

I won't hold my breath when it comes to Marvell, based on what I found in their firmware so far. You are still better of with Asrock doing proper tech support, customer oriented.

Your message is cut off, but I take it you meant including Marvell OROM in mainboard's BIOS? Space doesn't seems to be the problem and I don't see any apparent reason for it to fail to the point of bricking your board. But why risk it all based on a hunch?

If you do get BIOS support from your programmer, maybe you can try with the attached files. They have the same 1.0.0.1033 OROM, but with different ID.

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@Gaudi

You already replied, so I will re-add the last part.

It is too bad that you found the service to be so expensive. I know I have searched for a few days until I could found a good one, with almost a third of the price asked by others. They are just not so easy to be found.

I still think that the safest bet is the use the backup-original image you got, then you could use the Marvell flasher with a good image you have. Or you can wait for Asrock to provide a clean (possibly updated) image, but it has to be a 512KB SPI image.

You can first test your programmer for reading support. If it works you might have a chance for writing also. But use the above images with the Asrock built in flasher, only if it fails to boot and fails to restore a working BIOS (read this, but you can also use a USB stick if you don't have a floppy), then you can use the programmer.

Zitat von lordkag im Beitrag #35

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@Gaudi

You already replied, so I will re-add the last part.

It is too bad that you found the service to be so expensive. I know I have searched for a few days until I could found a good one, with almost a third of the price asked by others. They are just not so easy to be found.

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Zitat von lordkag im Beitrag #35

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I still think that the safest bet is the use the backup-original image you got, then you could use the Marvell flasher with a good image you have. Or you can wait for Asrock to provide a clean (possibly updated) image, but it has to be a 512KB SPI image.

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@Gaudi

A 512KB image should ONLY be used with a programmer: it fills the whole chip and it already has the components at the right address. A much smaller image should ONLY be used with Marvell flasher: it has to be expanded, components extracted and flashed at the right address, a log written at the end.

You have three steps:

- if (and only IF) you decide to test with the OROM inside main BIOS, use the images from the previous message, flash them using Asrock built in flasher. If the system doesn't work anymore, use AMI BIOS recovery with the 2.80b BIOS; if it still fails, use the programmer with a backup of your current BIOS (method has been explained a few messages ago) to preserve unique IDs.

- wait for Asrock or Marvell reply: if they provide a 512KB bin image, use that for reflashing Marvell chip at the service. You have close to zero chances of using any software method. If they provide a smaller image, you must expand that image to a 512KB one and used it at the service. Upload here any image you receive, so I can take a look at it, to see if it is well formed and clean.

- use a working 512KB image at the service. Once the chip is restored, you can use Marvell flasher again with any (small) image you desire. My recommendation: use Station-Drivers image if you want RAID + performance, use F5BJR image if you want boot. If you had had a programmer, I would have eventually found the right image for you, just as I did for Hanson. Without a programmer it is basically a one shot.

Zitat von lordkag im Beitrag #37

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@Gaudi

A 512KB image should ONLY be used with a programmer: it fills the whole chip and it already has the components at the right address. A much smaller image should ONLY be used with Marvell flasher: it has to be expanded, components extracted and flashed at the right address, a log written at the end.

You have three steps:

- if (and only IF) you decide to test with the OROM inside main BIOS, use the images from the previous message, flash them using Asrock built in flasher. If the system doesn't work anymore, use AMI BIOS recovery with the 2.80b BIOS; if it still fails, use the programmer with a backup of your current BIOS (method has been explained a few messages ago) to preserve unique IDs.

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The programmer I have is a very old one, generic based on the Propic 2 schematics. I do not think it will work to flash the Winbond SPI.

It was more of a hope that it will load this 1033 OROM and that it will load it before 1038. It still doesn't rules out 1038 as incompatible. It is basically our primarily lead. If image1 had the original autoload + loader and fw 2.2.0.1125 which have been tested as working, only BIOS 1.0.0.1038 was the untested part. A smaller suspect could have been the combination between older Autoload and newer BIOS + FW, but I have seen before these strange combination in Marvell images. Another weird hypothesis would be that the actual controller has 9123 ID hard-coded, despite being labeled as 9128.

Wait for Asrock, maybe they will do another miracle. If not, search for a good service with an adequate price that does BIOS chip re-programming and point them to the Marvell/Winbond chip. They will have the needed tools, all it needs is a 512KB image.

Zitat von lordkag im Beitrag #40

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It was more of a hope that it will load this 1033 OROM and that it will load it before 1038. It still doesn't rules out 1038 as incompatible. It is basically our primarily lead. If image1 had the original autoload + loader and fw 2.2.0.1125 which have been tested as working, only BIOS 1.0.0.1038 was the untested part. A smaller suspect could have been the combination between older Autoload and newer BIOS + FW, but I have seen before these strange combination in Marvell images. Another weird hypothesis would be that the actual controller has 9123 ID hard-coded, despite being labeled as 9128.

Wait for Asrock, maybe they will do another miracle. If not, search for a good service with an adequate price that does BIOS chip re-programming and point them to the Marvell/Winbond chip. They will have the needed tools, all it needs is a 512KB image.

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@Gaudi

It was a good thing to write to Asrock, after all!

They provided a new image and a new mvf_mag. So you should try the DOS method again, at least the get the version of this new flasher. But the image is more important:

- image is 1.0.0.1813, confirmed by the tag SP1813.
- it has a new autoload, 2.0.0.0629 or 200061D. It also has a spare 2.0.0.0635 or 2000623, not used unfortunately. All with 9123 ID.
- the loader is newer, but they haven't used a proper tagging for 91xx, so they all have the version 2010001 or 1.0.1.0002.
- the BIOS is still 1.0.0.1038, but with 9123 ID.
- the firmware is upgraded to 2.2.1.1007 or 2.3.0.1007 (20-09-2012 11:02:34)

The package is from 20-09-2012, so Marvell fixed some bugs internally, but they "forgot" to provide the update to users. Your luck was with Asrock being most helpful.

My recommendation for you is still to use the backup image you have for service programming. You can then use the flasher to upgrade from DOS. I have uploaded a 512KB image, built from the one you uploaded, but I have added the ending bytes from your previous bin image. I still think those are just logging or something similar and harmless, but I can't be 100% sure. Choose wisely!

@hanson

Do you want a new image built with these new components?

@lordkag

Yes of course ;-) Thank you for remembering me...

Best regards hanson

Zitat von lordkag im Beitrag #42

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@Gaudi

It was a good thing to write to Asrock, after all!

They provided a new image and a new mvf_mag. So you should try the DOS method again, at least the get the version of this new flasher. But the image is more important:

- image is 1.0.0.1813, confirmed by the tag SP1813.
- it has a new autoload, 2.0.0.0629 or 200061D. It also has a spare 2.0.0.0635 or 2000623, not used unfortunately. All with 9123 ID.
- the loader is newer, but they haven't used a proper tagging for 91xx, so they all have the version 2010001 or 1.0.1.0002.
- the BIOS is still 1.0.0.1038, but with 9123 ID.
- the firmware is upgraded to 2.2.1.1007 or 2.3.0.1007 (20-09-2012 11:02:34)

The package is from 20-09-2012, so Marvell fixed some bugs internally, but they "forgot" to provide the update to users. Your luck was with Asrock being most helpful.

My recommendation for you is still to use the backup image you have for service programming. You can then use the flasher to upgrade from DOS. I have uploaded a 512KB image, built from the one you uploaded, but I have added the ending bytes from your previous bin image. I still think those are just logging or something similar and harmless, but I can't be 100% sure. Choose wisely!

@hanson

Do you want a new image built with these new components?

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@lordkag

I have received an answer from ASRock today.

Zitat

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I use the file to flash Marvell F/W and it can be updated normally.
Please refer to the attached picture.


It could be 3rd party F/W has flashed, so it cannot be flashed to this F/W at the present.

Please confirm it had been flash with 3rd party F/W.

If this is correct, the mainboard needs to RMA solving the wrong operation.

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Apparently there is nothing else I can do but to reflash the backup image and then use the ASRock provided tool to update the firmware to the latest version.
As a last resort I have requested them if there is any other troubleshooting actions I can take.

It is a PITA that I will need to take my computer apart and unmount the motherboard, as the technician mentioned that he will not be able to work on it inside the case.
Also, I may need to take all the components with me to verify the correct operation after the flash just in case it goes wrong, and if so, try with a different image.


Thanks for your help and will keep you informed.