Hello Lost_N_BIOS,
I have an HP Elitebook 820 G3 (i7-U6600 CPU) with 6050A2527001-MB-A01 motherboard with MX25L12873F ZNI, 8 WSON socket Bios chip on it. I boght this laptop as used with Bios password(I've asked the seller for it, but no success). I wanted to read chip content with CH341A programmer, but at the soldering the wires the chip was destroyed so I do NOT have the original dump (content) of the chip. I ordered a new one from Ebay with 8-PIN SOP socket. A friend of mine has a almost same HP Elitebook 820 G3 i7-U6600CPU laptop with the same motherboard (a bit different: the BIOS chip is from other manufacturer: Winbond, no fingerprint scanner and the HDD is different). I read the bios file from this laptop (16MB) and write onto the ordered MXL12873F chip with success, but the Laptop doesn't want to start. The power power light flashing white continuously and the battery lights flashing white and orange. Sould I desolder the wires at tring to start the laptop because of the clock input of the bios chip or it doesn't affect anything?
Can you please help me to fix this problem?
Regards
winamax69

Message by: Lost_N_BIOS

Soldering wires to chip??? You're supposed to use SOIC8 test clip with cable, with CH341A. Did you remove the chip from the board now? If yes, use solder gun to clean it up, then you can put in adapter like this to dump it - https://www.ebay.com/itm/142548965848

You can't write his BIOS to your board, needs to be same board model, or at least same ME region from your BIOS into his BIOS (That may work)

Sorry, I can't help much more than that in a PM. No soldering or "Wires" should be used here, contacts are too close together to solder wires to board, you will have a short no doubt

It is a WSON 8 chip. Clip does not work with WSON 8.



The original Chip is demaged, so content of the chip is lost completely. I bought a same chip, but with SOP8 socket. I read bios file with CH341A with solderin wires, no short 100%, verified data ( from the another same laptop (HP Elitebook 820 G3), same motherbord number (6050A2527001-MB-A01), same CPU (i7-6600U) and write onto the new SOP8 socket MX25L12873F chip and verified with the dump was everything OK. But the laptop does NOT start. Power light and Caps Lock flashing slowly continously. How can I now decide if the ME Region of the BIOS are same? Or what can I do now?

Message by: Lost_N_BIOS

Yes, with WSON chip you have to remove the chip and either program in a WSON adapter, or replace the chip with a SOIC8 chip (same footprint) - Ahh, which you did

Put back same version you had on their previously, probably needs to match whatever EC FW is on the EC FW chip. So flash other system to same exact BIOS you were using before, then dump it and flash onto the new one.

Did you dump the new written data from the new chip on the board, then compare that in hex to what you wrote, to confirm 100% certainty it's 100% valid? Not always can "Verify| be trusted, especially if wrong software version or program used to write to the chip (it would just verify it's failed write as 100% OK)

Send me the BIOS dump you wrote, and tell me the ID of the chip you purchased, some of the flags may need changed in ME FW for how the chip works (ie dual or quad functions), or BIOS may need that chip added into the FD compatibility table VSCC

I can send you neither photos nor links.

Message by: Lost_N_BIOS

Sorry, I forgot to add! Please also give me the ID of this chip from image + new one (not images, write out the ID for me)
What is voltage of original, and new one too, that may need changed as well. I'll see this in PDF's once I look up the ID's I guess

I wanted to desolder the chip, but it was bonden(in the middle)with resin to the pcb, that's why it is demaged finally.

I can make it tomorrow and I'll send you everything.

Thank you

Message by: Lost_N_BIOS

Yes, you have to heat bottom of board up to temp, then hot air desolder from top (or a shit ton of solder over top of entire chip to heat it all up)

OK, whatever you send me tomorrow, tell me what it is. Since this is a PM, I have no clue what we're discussing or what I said previously, other than I know we are talking about WSON BIOS chip right now (tomorrow I wont remember any of this, and that is why I prefer to help with this kind of thing in a thread)

"or a shit ton of solder over top of entire chip to heat it all up" this is, what I did and that was a big fault. :) It must be heated at the bottom of the board probebly.

I made a thread a couple days ago, but no answer, that's way I wrote to you pm.
I write everything down in the thread, what we talked about and send you a link of the thread.

Message by: Lost_N_BIOS

Yes, both sides need heated up, especially if you are not using hot air station (ideally either way, heat bottom/entire board, then ton of heat on top of chip

Sorry no answer to your thread, I am always buried and super behind I can only reply so much each day, and can never keep up here anymore

Great, yes, later I will find your thread once you do whatever I asked you earlier (That you said you'd do tomorrow see what I mean, PM's get me lost)

Sould I dump the other Bios chip too? It is still original (if it works). It is the other side of the board. It's a same wson-8, but smaller (64).
I think, I must desolder it, because this has no pads next to it.

Message by: Lost_N_BIOS

Sorry, I don't know what any of this is about?? Ohh, WSON, no, for now, ignore that one

This is the dump from new bios (MXIC MX25L12873FM2I-10G (SOP-8)) chip. I compared the dump with the original dump from another laptop in hex editor and they are same.

Bios dump to download: https://www25.zippyshare.com/v/RUihLR5T/file.html

The original(destroyed) Bios chip of this Laptom is a MXIC MX25L12873FZNI L162404-10G (WSON-8). In principle the voltages are the same: the main Chip ID is the same: MX25L12873F.

Voltage pareameters are on the Page80 of the datasheet.

Vcc Supply Maximum Voltage:
2000h=2.000V
2700h=2.700V
3600h=3.600V

Vcc Supply Minimum Voltage:
1650h=1.650V
2250h=2.250V
2350h=2.350V
2700h=2.700V

Datasheet of the MX25L12873F and WINBOND W25Q128FV are attached.



This dump is from the other Laptop's Bios chip, (which is a WSON-8 Winbond 25Q128FVPQ) Motherboards Nr. and CPU are the same: HP Elitebook 820 G3 (i7-U6600 CPU) with 6050A2527001-MB-A01 .

@winamax69 - Sorry, this is still a bit confusing. I really need dump from your destroyed chip, or another dump from same exact system w/ WSON confirmed, so I can set the FD/ME same, or adjust for your new chip etc.
Voltages aren't the issue here, it's more about if FD/ME is set to dual function or quad etc, and how that was set in your original w/ WSON vs whatever you programmed into the SOIC8
MX25L12873F is Quad by default, and cannot be changed easily, and the W25Q128FV needs this set manually in non-volatile Status Register (So may or may not already be set, if not, I don't know how you can)

Dump from any two different systems would never match in hex, even if same BIOS version, so that tells me your dump method is failing without even checking anything here yet (which also means your writes will fail too, so this may be only reason it's not running now)

What software version are you using? From past experience with this chip - MX25L12873F use 1.31Free/1.40, ASProgrammer 1.4 or 1.41, or CH341A v1.1.1.32
Inside this package is 1.31Free/1.40 - http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil...695330485827902
ASProgrammer - https://github.com/nofeletru/UsbAsp-flash/releases/ << I'd use this first
CH341A v1.1.1.32 (Post #12) - [Help] Flashed stock Bios on Aero 15, now it won't post

I checked your dump. ME FW is set to Quad I/O Read = No But Quad Output read = Yes
Without a dump from your exact model from 100% confirmed WSON chip, we cannot be sure it's ME FW is set same way.
But, swapping in SOIC8 chip, and dump from SOIC8 chip of other board, it should be booting and just have wrong model info etc.

Why not just replace chip with MCIX that is Quad IO QE=1 by default, then you wouldn't have to worry about this.
I advise you order MX25L12873F in SOIC8 package, then if that fails too, we know either your writes are failing, or something else in the laptop is bad. But, never mind, I guess this would only apply if you had a good dump from your WSON chip

I do suspect your writes may be failing too due to your mention of "Hex match" from two different systems (not even same model), but that is irrelevant, two exact same model systems dumped side by same would not match
Have you written BIOS to your chip, then dumped it, then compared in hex what you wrote with what you dumped? This is only way to be 100% sure your writes are not failing.

@Lost_N_BIOS - Original (destroyed) Bios chip of the non-working laptop is: MXIC MX25L12873FZNI L162404-10G (WSON-8 package). Replaced (new) Bios chip of this laptop: MXIC MX25L12873FM2I-10G (SOP-8 package).

The dupm comes from another almost same working laptop (It is sure that: Model Nr.(HP Elitebook 820 G3), Motherboards Nr.( 6050A2527001-MB-A01) and CPU (i7-U6600 CPU) are the same, but Bios chip is a WINBOND W25Q128FV, but same WSON8 package . Do I need a dump from exactly the same system MXIC MX25L12873FZNI L162404-10G/ WSON?

Used programmer: CH341A v1.1.1.35 is a newer version of the CH341A v1.1.1.32, but I tried the other two(1.31Free/1.40, ASProgrammer 1.4.1) softwares too with the same result.
So I wrote this original WINBOND W25Q128FV (unmodified) dump to my new MXIC MX25L12873FM2I-10G (SOP-8 package) chip. I have written BIOS to the new chip, then dumped it, then compared in hex what I wrote with what I dumped and they are same. I checked only my writes are not failing.