[Guide] How to Use a CH341A SPI Programmer/Flasher (with Pictures!)

No, it is not to late. That is answer for my qustion. Thanks a lot.

Hi guys, I need help. I recently made mistake by flashing optiplex 9020 MT that result in failure. Before flashing I dump the bin file that have size 12MB.

Recently I got ch34a programmer and able to read the 2 Chips that I found. They are MX25L6473E labeled spi 2 & 3 and MX25L3273E labeled SPI 1
However when I detect the chip and try to flash, it show backup bin size id larger than IC size. One ic is 4MB and another is 8MB

How to correctly do this?

Thanks

here are the bios dump file backup.zip (6.7 MB)

Does anyone know, why the versions of flashrom, I download and build from their website, do not have programmer ch341a_spi support, but the version that comes with Ubuntu, does?

When I download and build it using

git clone https://github.com/flashrom/flashrom.git

or

git clone https://review.coreboot.org/flashrom.git

, those versions do not have ch341a_spi support.

Or is there something that needs to be added during the make/build process?

1 Like

Hi ! I’ve been told to flash my BIOS with this CH341A Tool, to backup some of the part i missed during the BIOS save i did. I was told next to “add” the part of the BIOS i will flash with my backup and flash it all. Here is the thread : Broken BIOS of Mouse Computer - #12 by lfb6
I understood how to flash it but i have no idea how i should “add” all the pieces together and then flash. I’ve seen ASProgrammer or CH314A Programmer tools to do it on Windows. Could someone be nice enough to explain to me how to “add” these parts together to flash it ?

Please see also Linux universal CH341a programmer for 24xxx/25xxx/93xxx chip series IMSProg

1 Like

I wrote a presentation of the program in the topic

1 Like

I’ve tried using the ch341a programmer however each time I flash and verify the chip upon replacing the chip it boots momentarily then stops doesn’t post and continuously starts and stops.
For reference it’s a Z97M Plus

What are you trying to flash? Post / attach the file!

Hey is the programmer working with am5 boards?

That’s not dependig on socket but much more on board layout, spi type and package form, programming software and if the chip is desoldered or still on the board.

1 Like

tnx. the board is x670e from asus, 256 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS. how to figure out the spi type + package board - not sure.

also here is a photograph of the mb itself, i cant seem to see where is the bios - maybe can you help

https://dlcdnwebimgs.asus.com/gain/25c02cba-dbea-4503-bbce-71c132348f06//fwebp

Nice try.

Check the manual, search for chips that look like a spi, check their naming, read the datasheet, check other forums, maybe.
If you have to ask you need a pic with covers removed that’s so sharp that one at least can guess the inscription on the chip and maybe the markings on the board.

here it is:

Good.

Now you need the type, then the datasheet to find voltage and package (looks WSON but which width?). Then you can begin to search for a software that knows this chip and ponder if you will invest in some Pogo Pins (you’d need the correct width specific for this package) since the SOIC clamp works poorly with WSON.

ok so i found out the chip, managed to snag a photo - its a Winbond “25q256jweq”

can you help me next
tnx

I’d recommend some reading.

The forum has a search function, maybe someone had this chip already? Look the documentation of the programing software mentioned here.

I don’t have such a board or chip and never programmed it. So it’d have to do the same job.

You need a programmer that supports 1.8V / a CH341 with 1.8V adapter, and you have to decide if you will try a SOIC clip first of just order a probe with pogo pins which is supposed yo give better contact for WSON. And you need to measure your chip if it’s WSON 6 or WSON 8 mm…

https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-ch341-wson-1.8V%20pogo-pin.html
(No recommendation just examples)

Why do you want to reprogram the firmware, bu the way?

1 Like

mostly to dump/export current bios(es) before upgrading, incase the new bios is giving me less or performance or adding bugs.

cause i dont know if this x670e boards of asus have the ability to revert to previous version… like those modern boards have ANY specific info/serial/mac/ etc…? i dont want the info to get deleted

someone knows?

Well, revert to previous version… There’s Asus Crash Free Bios 3 / USB Flashback which should recover the bios- but this normally covers just the static code, not NVRAM for example.

Resetting the RTC RAM by jumper doesn’t reset NVRAM values normally and if you have bricked the board by a setting Crash Free Bios or resetting the RTC won’t help you.

I don’t think you get a 100% answer here, it depends very much on the kind of brick, and waht Asus did implement.

There might be a serial, mac mostly for Intel systems with GbE. Serial might be relevant for warranty, but otherwise…

1 Like