[Request] How to Recover a DELL Latitude BIOS?

BIOS/UEFI Modding BIOS Modding Requests
1

Hello all, I have gone through all possible messages to find a solution to my problem, but no luck, so I decided to post my issue here.

PROBLEM : I have a DELL Latitude 7280 that when pressing the power button, its light goes up aswell as the keyboard lights. But there is a black screen, and after some seconds the battery light shows an error code blinking pattern : 3 white and 3 amber. According to DELL documentation this error corresponds to “BIOS Recovery image not found message”. Suggested solution is “Flash latest BIOS version” or “If problem persistes replace system board”.

TESTS : I have used a CH341 to back-up the contents of both the WD25B128 BIOS chip and the 25Q60DV (EPROM?) chips. I have downloaded the latest DELL BIOS recovery image (here) and written it back to the BIOS chip. When I do this, the PC still is black screen, but no lights are seen on the power button nor keyboard and the battery . If I rewrite back the back-up content of the BIOS, I go back to the orginal state : power button and keyboard light up for some seconds, and then I get the 3 white + 3 amber lights. Therefore I assume the CH341 programmer works, because I am capable of going back to the original dump.

Can someone help me on how to proceed to restore the BIOS recovery image ?

Thanks for your support.


Edit by Fernando: Thread title specified and customized

2

Have you tried official procedures (USB) BIOS Recovery 2/3, since the code led is reported as this laptop is candidate to it?

What’s the model/code of the laptop mb? Have you confirmed those IC models labels?

EDIT: Not answered at all… LA-EXXX rxx W25Q128FVSIQ ???

3

Hello MeatWar, thanks for taking the time to answer. I cannot follow any procedure because I get no response when using the CTRL + ESC keys.
The computer is a DELL 7280 and I have accessed the motherboard to be able to read the contents of both chips.
Thanks.

4

I wonder how you did this, this isn’t a complete firmware image and there should have been a size difference?

5

Sorry, I thought the info was enough. The markings on the chips are : Winbond GD25Q80DVSIG and Gigadevice GD25G128CSIG.

6

Yes, I guess that’s why it’s not working. I opened the BIOS Recovery .rcv file given by DELL for this laptop in the AsProgrammer 2.0.3. Connected the clip on the GD25G128CSIG with the red cables correctly configured. It autodetected the chip correclty, so al the connections were fine, and then I clicked on the “Unprotect → Erase → Program → Verify” button. The programming went “fine” with no error messages but of course the laptop didn’t work, that’s why I am here.
Thanks.

7

Post / attach the dump of the bricked firmware.

What bricked the machine?

8

Yes here they are :
Find here the GD25G128CSIG backup
Find here the GD25Q80DVSIG backup
No idea what bricked the machine, I got it like this.
Thanks

9

Try (full image, flash with CH341):

GD25Q128C_DEL7280_backup2.zip (8.6 MB)

10

Waoh, lfb6 I owe you one beer, the BIOS you posted has relived the laptop ! Such BIIIIIIIIG thanks. :raised_hands: :clap:
Just by cuiriosity, what did you fix ?

11

Thanks for the feedback!

“Glitch in the matrix”- just one bit tilted, can happen for older SPI chips, might work for years or might be a sign that the chip is at it’s end…

(dump left, stock bios right [1.7.3])

image
image1316×211 7.88 KB

C7 1100 0111
87 1000 0111

The recovery image from Dell needs to be unpacked (Dell_PFS_Extract), but even then there’s no complete firmware image:

image
image923×221 13 KB

.

A normal Intel bios structure is this:

image

Firmware is rather old, I’d recommend updating (but maybe do this in several smaller steps)

12

You have sharp eyes to see 1 byte changing :laughing:
Yes, I intend to upgrade now to the latest BIOS.
Thanks again lfb6.