CH341A programmer always giving me a corrupted bin files

[Kaiser0000]

Recently purchased myself a Lenovo Laptop L14 Gen 2 AMD version.

Like with a lot of these used laptops sold on ebay, they come with a bios password.
I tried the typical solutions of unplugging the cmos battery, shorting the terminals, and waiting an hour. Didn't work.
So I dug deeper to find out I need a CH431A programmer and SOIC8 clip to read the bios off the GD25Q80CSIG NOR Flash and decrypt the password.
I have tried doing this, but each time I try loading the .BIN file in UEFITool, i get: "not a single Volume Top File is found, the image may be corrupted".
Taking a look at the file, it's a lot of FF and 00 (error codes).

Is there something I am doing wrong? I am stuck at this point.

[mon2]

Wait for other comments but suspecting the issue is that you are working with the wrong flash chip. This is a low density device so it is not the main bios chip.

[Kaiser0000]

Wait for other comments but suspecting the issue is that you are working with the wrong flash chip. This is a low density device so it is not the main bios chip.

Yes it does seem to be the wrong chip. I think I should be looking at the Winbond W74M25JVZEIQ chip instead.
Clips or test probes for the 8-WSON (8x6) seem to be harder to find and also a lot more expensive.

[mon2]

Clips are not recommended. If you have the tools and experience, suggest to flux and hot air the part off the logic board. Take a pic first of the part so that you know the location of pin #1.

Practice on a donor board first.

then use a zero force socket adapter or a wson 8*6 to pdip pcb.

AliExpress has many:

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out! US $0.19 23％ Off | Original QFN8 /WSON8/MLF8/MLP8/DFN8 TO DIP8 Socket/Adapter 6*5MM and 8*6MM Chip for T48 TL866II RT809F/H CH341A EZP2019/2023
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mLfbwUg

do you prefer to buy in the us? Digikey should have a similar pcb.

[mon2]

https://www.amazon.com/WSON8-Universal-Socket-Adapter-Chips/dp/B08VGVBWNP

https://www.amazon.com/WSON8-Programmer-Adapter-Board-Floppy/dp/B0CMZ7PDG3/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=DLLROT1ULPXY&keywords=wson8+ad apter&qid=1702954461&sprefix=wson8%2Caps%2C193&sr= 8-3

Search for ‘wson8 adapter’ on Amazon to view a few cheaper options.

[Kaiser0000]

I gave a shot with a 20ga rainbow ribbon cable widdled down on one side, and held against the legs.
For sure the contacts are not the most stable, but this is the flashrom reading I get back:

- BEGIN -
Using clock_gettime for delay loops (clk_id: 1, resolution: 1ns).
Found Winbond flash chip "unknown Winbond (ex Nexcom) SPI chip" (0 kB, SPI) on ch341a_spi.
===
This flash part has status NOT WORKING for operations: PROBE READ ERASE WRITE
The test status of this chip may have been updated in the latest development
version of flashrom. If you are running the latest development version,
please email a report to flashrom@flashrom.org if any of the above operations
work correctly for you with this flash chip. Please include the flashrom log
file for all operations you tested (see the man page for details), and mention
which mainboard or programmer you tested in the subject line.
Thanks for your help!
Read is not working on this chip. Aborting.
- END -

Am I screwed?

[baba33]

Hello, I also have a CH341A and it is not a good programmer, I had a lot of errors with this one but it can troubleshoot

[mon2]

Recommentions to improve the operation of this tool:

1) Use a good quality USB 2.0 High Speed certified cable. Keep this cable as short as possible. Although the USB bridge onboard this design is full speed (12mbps); the use of a 480mbps rated cable can only help.

2) Test with other application s/w. There are many on the internet. In the end, the application is 'bit-banging' out the SPI bus specification so speed of these transaction will matter and impact the R/W/E operations with the flash memory devices.

3) Never understood how the clip on method can work since the programmer socket is being used to power the target flash that is soldered on the board. Respectively, the same wimpy low current power rail from this tool will be powering the other components of the target board? Sounds like trouble to me. Better idea is to carefully desolder the flash device -> solder onto a SMD to DIP adapter or a zero force socket if one is available for this footprint -> then use this tool for a solid seating and connection.