This is the link for the bios binary file from Dell: https://dl.dell.com/FOLDER09935884M/1/BIOS_IMG.rcv
I am trying to program bios using a USB programmer.
I got a bios image myself using HxD for this version. I need the EC image to flash. Problem is I cannot find it using “IFLASH” as a search term. Though “EC” turns up results so I’m pretty sure it is in the bios file somewhere.
How do I get the EC image from this bios file? Please help if you know how.
I’m not familiar with these gaming notebooks- do they have a separate keyboard controller for the RGB effects or is this included in the normal keyboard controller which works as EC controller, too?
Alienware m18 R1 AMD has a separate keyboard firmware listed, seems to be for an ITE-8291?
I’m on the m18 R1 AMD bios page, I don’t see a separate keyboard controller file, or a normal keyboard controller file. I noticed M18r1 AMD and M16r1 AMD both share a bios. Could you post the Dell link to where this EC file should be?
That’s like a 10MB file, EC firmware is kilobytes to 1MB max, and it gets updated with the bios. It is likely in that bios file I sent, I just cannot figure out how to get it out.
You’re certainly right, but I still wonder a little why they called one of the two flashers ‘EC Flash Application’
In 3 there are 5 blocks 0x16780 which
But since you seem to have the machine you might be able to identify the EC chip and search for corresponding expressions?
I unzipped the file w/ 7-zip I got something different (attached a pic). I noticed you are pulling the .exe from your temp folder. When I try to run the program nothing is generated in temp, it just creates two text files on my desktop:
One is called “Results.txt” and its only contents are “PASS”
Another is called “return_code.txt” and its only contents are “2”.
I noticed that the m18r1 AMD has this EC updater file, but the m16r1 AMD does not have the same file on its Dell page. Could it be the m18r1 AMD has an EC while the m16r1 AMD doesn’t?
Oddly enough both systems use the same bios file though, so I think the m18r1 AMD has extra software for its keyboard that the m16r1 AMD does not.
I checked the bios of the m18r1 AMD from the page you linked, and like the m16r1 AMD it mentions an “EC” updating and what to do if it fails in the bios file, but does not have an actual IFLASH_EC_IMG in there.
First pic is m18r1 AMD bios showing no EC image, basically the same style of bios as m16r1 AMD.
No, did not run the file, it’s not a system ‘temp’- folder, I have one on every drive. File was opened in 7zip, open it, go one level up and right click the file to get 7zips options for opening like this:
For me everything is the same?
I think I can’t help you here. All PCs have aan EC controller or somthing that does have this function. It’s the difference between 'charging light and at least ‘some’ lights and ‘really nothing at all’. Firmware (ME/bios) comes after EC has powered up the machine.
As I wrote earlier: Since you have the machine, I’d try to find the chip type and in the worst case try to read it from keyboard port (most often special programmer needed).
I checked with my device tag on dell and that driver does not work for the m16r1 AMD. You are on the section with 44 drivers that apply to all the variants of both the m16r1 AMD and m18r1 AMD. My specific one does not have that driver.
I think I will just grab the EC firmware from the chip. Do you think this chip is the EC chip? I read on some forum EC chips have an “80” on them to denote 8Mbit = 1MByte of storage.
That chip is easy to access, can you tell by looking at it if it is the EC chip? If so, what do I read it with, just CH341a?
There is also two other 8-pin chip heres, the rest are on the back of the mono unfortunately:
EC firmware is stored most often in the keyboard controller, accessed via keyboard port and a special programmer. Very, very few EC controller do have an SPI for EC firmware!
Those other SPIs are maybe video, thunderbolt, the 1,8V 256MBit MX25U256 73 WSON8 chip might be bios.
Even the controller named in the Dell firmware is a larger 64 pin chip (and rather small for an EC controller):
Pic ITE 8291
Do you think rolling the bios back 10 versions (by programming w/ usb) without changing the EC would brick my laptop?
I’m trying to downgrade, and even when I access the EC chip I don’t have the lower version firmware to flash to it.
I don’t know. I wouldn’t do it if it was my machine.
