Hi, sorry for the delay, my guest has left and I'm back from my weekend job.

@_haru I will put together a lunix boot drive soon, but another "handicap" I have is extremely slow (1.3 Mb) internet, which is shared with others, so downloading an iso will take some time.

Meanwhile, the BIOS chip that I bought came with the official v3801 BIOS for this board, so I'm able to boot into UEFI and DOS now. I tried to write ASUS official BIOS 8301 to the old chip with Asus EZ-Flash in UEFI by hot-swapping the chip, but even though the app reports the flash as successful, the board is still bricked with the old chip, even after removing the battery and power to re-set BIOS settings.

Further, if I try to hot-swap the chip and write that same BIOS as an extracted ROM with AFUDOS, I encountered these errors:

AFUDOS v3.04.03 (/GAN): appears to succeed, but board is still bricked even after a battery/power pull
AFUDOS v3.04.03 (/P /B /N /K /X): "22 - Error Problem allocating memory."
AFUDOS v3.07.01 (any switches): "35 - Error: Using the wrong AFU version, please use APTIO 5 AFU."
AFUDOS v5.0.07.01 (amy switches): "22 - Error Problem allocating memory."
AFUDOS v4.12 (any switches): "- error: BIOS is write-protected"

I just don't know enough about this level of hardware to know if the chip is fried, or if there are things I'm not taking into account.

For example, are there other areas of the chip that can be written that may need to be re-flashed?

Thanks again to everyone!!

...Another thing, I'm still interested in unlocking BCLK on this board if possible, but I'm wary of flashing anything to the new BIOS chip since it's working now. I'm also interested in solving the problem at hand, so I'm gonna order some blank chips to play with, and leave this bootable one clean for testing purposes. Unfortunately, unless I want to pay $15 again for another chip with a pre-flashed BIOS, I'm gonna have to order it on eBay direct from China, and we all know how long that will probably take...

Side note, I see that the new chip I got that's bootable is a 25Q128FVIQ, sub number 1735 LH. The original chip is the same chip (25Q128FVIQ), but has sub number 1632 instead of 1735 LH. I have no idea if that makes any difference.

-fust

New attempt, I tried writing the stock BIOS in .CAP format, as follows:

AFUDOS v3.04.03 (/P /B /N /K): after "Erasing NCB Block ........... done", I get: "44 - Error: Problem writting flash. 000000 (0%)"
AFUDOS v5.07.01 (/P /B /N /K): after "Updating NCB Block ........... 0x00000000 (0%)", I get : "44 - Error: Problem writting flash."

Haven't googled that yet, will get back when I do.

(note: I copied the error message exactly. "writing" is misspelled in the error message as "writting")

Unable to find much regarding this error.

Tried with just /P /B /K, same result.

What is the "NCB Block" anyway?

Since you now have working chip with latest BIOS, back up the BIOS via dump with programmer (ASProgrammer)
You don't need pre-programmed chips, just get another one that works better with CH341A and it's normal software, since ASProgrammer is very slow without modifying your CH341A.
You can try this MCIX chip, it's in the FD VSCC list >> MX25L128 / 25L12873F / mx25l12805d / mx25l12806e

You can also now program in the BIOS I sent you with BIOS Lock removed and unlocked FD, use ASProgrammer. Then we can work on mod BIOS and adding back in your system details, for that send me images of all stickers on your board, be sure to check side of 24 pin and top.bottom sides of PCI/PCIE Slots

No need to keep trying AFU stuff, AFU is terrible anyway. If you want to hotflash you already tried proper way (boot to BIOS, enter EZ Flash, remove new chip, insert old chip, flash).
That BIOS is broken, toss it out after making sure you've got a good dump from it via programmer (To try and get serial, UUID, DTS key, LAN MAC ID etc).
For NCB, this means Non-Critical Block, and it's caused by using the /K switch (/K = Program all non-critical blocks and ROM Holes.)

Bclk should already be unlocked, you can't see it in the BIOS when you set AI Tuner to manual? I can see it, but with empty setting option/entry. So board may not have external bclk controller anyway, so most you could give if visible was 3-5 bclk anyway.
I can fully unlock this BIOS for you, but for bclk, you need to find from threads/user comments etc which Asus Z170 board does have bclk working so I can look at it's BIOS options to see if things can be ported over for you to attempt seeing if it works or not.

I knew I didn't necessarily need a pre-flashed chip, but these were the only ones I could find that weren't were being shipped from China (time). I wasn't aware you could use any chip from the list you provided (MX25L128 / 25L12873F / mx25l12805d / mx25l12806e).

I can indeed BCLK with stock bios, but only up to 102.9 (worthless). Fully unlocked Non-K Skylake BCLK overclocking was available on previous BIOS revisions for similar boards to this one, as seen here. The Z170-AR board is so similar to the Z170-A that it seems like it should work. The only (apparent) difference between the two is the Z170-A has all video ports, Z170-AR has only HDMI and Display. Unless Asus did something drastically different between the -A and the -AR, I'm guessing both should have an external BCLK controller.

Quoting the site linked above about the Z170-A:

"However, for Skylake CPUs, BCLK and PCIe have a dedicated reference clock which always stays at 100 MHz – no matter how you change the BCLK. In other words: You can push the BCLK without worrying about other components."

Here's a link to the Z170-A non-K overclock BIOS

I'm gonna get brave and try flashing the BIOS you sent me to the new chip, and will report back.



AsProgrammer as administrator trying to flash the new chip with the BIOS @Lost_N_BIOS gave me:

"Programming memory(verifying)...
Verification error on address: 00000081"

Put it back in the board and it's still fine... whew!

I searched eBay and google, and it appears none of the MCIX chips on that list are socketed.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is the FD VSCC list, and are there other options on it I can look at? Google isn't helping...

@Lost_N_BIOS

Here's a link on google drive to a .rom dump via AsProgrammer of the old bios chip as it is now, and here's one of the new bios chip as it is now.

It seems easier for me to just type the sticker numbers. If you really need pictures I can do so if you want.

On the 24 pin: 38D547ACC197
near the 8 pin: 0 0 0 825559 - 02646 - MB0N30 - BOB
on a pcie slot: G9M0KC125590

THANK YOU!!!

Please edit your posts to add new thoughts, especially when it's within a few minutes/hour etc. thanks! (Combining now)

@fust - Yes, I guess getting faster would be worth more $$ in a pinch, but now you can order from China 3pcs or 5pcs etc and get cheap and wait for delivery.
Similar boards and your board does not mean same at all, if board does not have external bclk generator IC then you can only do a few bclk as mentioned.
However, what you linked may be the key and your board may have external bclk generator. We'll have to make some test BIOS, I know how to do that mod, it requires older ME and older CPU microcodes, along with I will need to port over the A setup since your AR has bclk option emptied (Unless I find it in old BIOS, then I can use that one instead)

Yes, you can use any chip here (others could be added too, this is just what's there by default) This is the VSCC list, it's a list programmed into the FD region that is the default compatible flash roms for any given BIOS, you can add/remove from this list too


Sucks you still get error with ASProgrammer now too! Luckily you erased first and then it error'd on 0x81 which is FF anyway, so FF=FF no problem!

You may be correct about all the MXIC chips, I didn't think about that socketed or not May have to see if flashrom works 100% for this chip or not, have you tried it yet?

Thanks for the info, that should do it, I will fix BIOS for you later tonight with your board details and an extra one with the Non-K Overclock mods.

Now that you have that BIOS programed in, you can FPT any other BIOS you want, no programmer needed (provided you do not reflash stock/BIOS locked setting, or flash in locked FD)

Next time, please zip or rar any BIOS you are sending me, that eats up bandwidth for no reason not putting in an archive

Apologies on my forum technique!

Wow, turns out these 8-pin PDIP package Winbond W25Q128FVIQ chips are really hard to find! Even the ones shipped from China that I saw on eBay were the solder package. Digi-Key and Mouser both list the chip, but they're out of stock. It looks like the only way I can get this chip is the way I already did: with the BIOS already flashed.

Weird... Hey maybe I can get them to flash a custom bios for me! hmm...

I have not tried flashrom yet. Still worried about re-bricking the board

EDIT: OK, finally managed to find them, ordered 5! Won't arrive until between March 1 and 21.

EDIT: @Lost_N_BIOS, Thought about it, and decided to re-try the flash with AsPRogrammer. Well, chock it up to "Hey n00b, you're doing it wrong..." When I tried to write the chip before, I didn't manually perform the unlock and erase procedures before, I just clicked "write," and it immediately threw the error. This time I dropped down the arrow on the write button and clicked the "unlock-erase-write-verify" (or whatever) on the dropdown.

It looks like it's doing SOMETHING, but I'm worried it's not going correctly though, because the report window just says the following at this point:

Программатор SPI, I2C, Microwire FLASH/EEPROM v1.4.0
http://forum.easyelectronics.ru/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=10947
tifa@nm.ru
Current programmer: CH341
Old SREG: 11111111(0xFF), 11111111(0xFF)

The "stop" button is red as if it's in process, all other buttons are greyed out. Is this normal operation? I know you said it would take a long time to flash, but shouldn't the report window have more info if it's actually flashing, or erasing, or doing anything else? It's been about 10 minutes, no change in the report window.

Should I just wait? As an alternate, in case this doesn't work, I left the motherboard in UEFI about to flash the stock bios before I pulled the chip and put it in my CH341A programmer to flash with AsProgrammer.

EDIT: OK, it's been way too long and nothing is happening. I'm gonna cancel the flash, pull the chip, and reflash with UEFI... I'll re-edit this post when it's done.

EDIT: When I pressed stop, I got the message:

Canceled by user
Current programmer: CH341
22:05:01
Possible protection is enabled. Press "Unprotect" and check datasheet
Erasing memory...

...but there, once again, doesn't appear to be anything happening. I'm gonna wait 25 min to see if this does anything.

OK, cancelled it completely. Final part of report window looked like this:

Canceled by user
Current programmer: CH341
22:40:54
Possible protection is enabled. Press "Unprotect" and check datasheet
Programming memory(verifying)...
Canceled by user
Execution time: 0:00:03

I re-flashed with UEFI, and the chip is still fine. I actually don't think anything was changed (until I flashed with UEFI), even though I supposedly unprotected first by using the pre-set flashing script.

I'm gonna have a live USB of Linux (slackware) here pretty soon, so I'll try with Flashrom and see what happens.

Once again, I thank you all for the support! I'm enjoying this puzzle!

They are easy to find, just need to use different search terms. Try 25Q128FV, I found 28 results, sorted by lowest price it looks like $7.50 for 3x, $9.10 for 5x - using W25Q128FV I see $1.70 each = 4.30 each shipped +10 cents more for each additional + same 3-5x as previously mentioned
Using 25Q128FVIQ - $4 each / 5x $9.39 + 2.60 shipping or 10.10 + 1.90 shipping / or $9.80 + 3.00. All I've looked at are DIP not solder, all these are DIP W25Q128FVSIG /W25Q128FVSIQ /W25Q128FVSIF = 25Q128FVSG / 25Q128FVSQ / 25Q128FVSF
PDIP from the PDF is not what you want, confusing I know! Let me know if you need links, in case the ones you ordered are incorrect size

I don't know about ASProgrammer unlock etc. All I know is erase, then blank check, then program. Stop button is always red?
I do see beside stop a edit protection function, if you're chip is locked for some reason you should be able to unlock it there, but I doubt it's locked since you've been writing to it.
here's what I get if I "Read Sreg" Sreg: 00000000(0x00), 00000010(0x02), 01100000(0x60), and here's what it looks like if I edit sreg and then click read


Mine may not match yours 100%, because I am using a SOIC chip, but I doubt that matters in regards to all this.
Looking at the PDF pages 17-20 shows what is set on my chip, the SReg2 0x9 = Quad Bit Enabled is set to =1 (enabling certain quad SPI functions vs others)
SReg3 22+21 is output driver strength for read setting, in my case this is 1,1 for 22-21 (default value = 25%)

Looking back at yours now, yes, that looks bad, all 1's, if it was really set that way you wouldn't be able to read or write to the chip. Are you sure you are choosing the correct SPI in the dropout menu, or are you sure chip it inserted correctly?
S0 equal to 1 would also tell anything that the chip is busy, can't be used etc. It should be all zeros across the first row, especially since this is a purchased chip, unless you "Set the protection bits" which sets across SReg >> 10011100, like you see in below image (Which still isn't all 1's like you showed?)


You can just edit it, go to edit SReg and make it match my first image above.

Thanks everyone for the help, and for the patience while I wait for my new chips. I decided to hold off and not flash the functioning chip so I don't re-brick, so I'm waiting until I get the new ones. Just wanted to keep this thread alive and let you all know that I'm not 404. Cheers!

Chips arrived! Going to work on this some this evening and report back.

Fingers crossed it wont be so mean to you this time around

Success! AsProgrammer 1.4 was able to write the BIOS provided by @Lost_N_BIOS to the new blank chip first try! I even forgot to start it as admin, and it still worked. I am booted into UEFI with the new chip. As before, BCLK doesn't stay at anything above 102.9.

So now that I have some chips to play with and a functioning way to write them, the next thing is to try and get BCLK working like it does with the Z170-A version of this board.

Since I no longer Fear the Brick, first thing I'm gonna try is flashing the Z170-A bios to this chip and just see if it works on the Z170-AR

Yes, try what you mentioned, if that doesn't work or has other issues (Stuff not working correctly), I will mod BIOS for you using modules/files from the Z170-A

I was able to boot to UEFI with the Z170-A BCLK BIOS!!

BCLK was working, but only up to 108.75 with this BIOS. It has been reported that the G4400 chip I'm using for testing should be stable on air at ~4.5 Ghz, so I think I'm having BCLK bios limitation issues again since I'm only getting 3.5 Ghz. At least that's better than the previous 102.9 limit!

I don't have Windows installed for this system yet, so I don't yet know if the board would be stable with this BIOS. I'll do a windows install ASAP

Is it hard to pull parts of one BIOS and insert them into another one?

More to come...