Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

I flashed the bios chip with clean me bios and replaced the sio chip with a new / blank one and that caused the machine to be completely iresponsive, no charging light, nothing at all. completely dead. I checked that i have 3.3 volts on the bios chip.

ahhh please any help greatly appreciated.

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

No ideas? anything ?

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showth...55#post1232555
Right, from the above thread, back here to continue troubleshooting.
I am confused from the changes of the symptoms when flashing the bioses...

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

When you have a backup post it in that thread

Posted them - https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=77062
.

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

At work i have a jtagulator and JTAG tool. i wonder i i can use them to diagnose possible hardware issues with the SIO or Chipset.

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

Its always recommended to make a good bios backup first before erasing the chip. When you have a backup post it in that thread and we can check if your backup is ok or not, also post a picture of the square white QR code near the ram slots. If there is a model number on the QR we`ll know which bios is the right one for you.If there is a serial number/win key in your backup (its the DMI) it can be transfered to the new bios using a hex editor.

The ME firmware cleaning is only done to Intel machines ,there`s some cleaning guides if you want to know all the gory details https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...41&postcount=3

.

Im having some trouble uploading the pics, ill upload all soon.

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

When you have a backup post it in that thread and we can check if your backup is ok or not, also post a picture of the square white QR code near the ram slots. If there is a model number on the QR we`ll know which bios is the right one for you.If there is a serial number/win key in your backup (its the DMI) it can be transfered to the new bios using a hex editor.
.

I will do that by friday. Thank you so much !

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

as for the original bios backup, i dont have it because the service i have sent the laptop to, flashed the bios without keeping a copy of what was in there before. Now i do have a dump of whatever they put in the bios chip that caused the machine to change fault symptom. As for the windows key, i dont really know. I am going to use some volume license version of windows anyway.

[SMDFlea]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

Im asking because i want to do it properly and then replace the Sio chip and power it up to self program from the bios. I really need to revive this dead laptop. Thank you !

Its always recommended to make a good bios backup first before erasing the chip. When you have a backup post it in that thread and we can check if your backup is ok or not, also post a picture of the square white QR code near the ram slots. If there is a model number on the QR we`ll know which bios is the right one for you.If there is a serial number/win key in your backup (its the DMI) it can be transfered to the new bios using a hex editor.

The ME firmware cleaning is only done to Intel machines ,there`s some cleaning guides if you want to know all the gory details https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...41&postcount=3

.

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

Im asking because i want to do it properly and then replace the Sio chip and power it up to self program from the bios. I really need to revive this dead laptop. Thank you !

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

What is dmi ? Does it have to do with cleaning me regions of the bios ?
By the way is the cleaning procedure the same for all bioses ?
Im sorry for being ignorant... Could you please guide me what to do ?

[mcplslg123]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

Yes, the bios at post#4 is clean me.So just flash it-you can add DMI later.

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

i found this thread :
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showth...hlight=FX504gm
post #4 gives a clean bios dump.
if i just erase my bios and write that file will it equal a clean me main bios ?

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

clean me bios sounds a little complicated. I am going to need help on that.
Does this procedure require hardware other than the xeltek programmer that i already have ?

[mcplslg123]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

Clean me bios stands for a bios with clean me region. Any bios downloaded from net is usually a backup from working machine. Me region is married to that particular board-So it'll be considered dirty for another same board and thats the reason it needs to be cleaned. the cleaning is done through FITC tools. You can read your bios and put the dump in" bios section " and ask for clean me bios. The guys there are very helpful.

01.Cant say with 100% certainity about all asus models. But definitely most of the asus has auto program kbc feature on 1st boot.To be sure you need to check the main bios and if it has kbc bios inside it,99% chance it will self program SIO.
02.No need to connect battery during 1st boot.Only adapter is good enough but do connect screen to understand any activity going on at 1st boot.
03.Yes, you need to plug the ac adapter before 1st boot(make sure you dont connect/disconnect any device after connecting adapter-else there can be serious damages)

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

Cheap KBC programmer are good for nothing-they will invariably fail to program the KBC chip specially ITE. Yes on asus,kbc chip is programmed from main bios on first boot as long as the kbc chip is blank. So i think you can buy a blank ITE8987 and solder it on your motherboard. Do flash clean me main bios before powering on.

It sure is worth trying that. I will order a blank SIO chip. Unsoldering and soldering is not a problem for me since i have hot air station, proper soldering iron and microscope.
Could you please explain to me further the concept of flash clean ?
I have a xeltek superpro 6100 programmer at work. Using that i can use the erase function and then the write function with the FX504GM.301.bin file i have found online. Is that considered flash clean ?

Also i do have a few more (probably silly) questions :

1. Do all Asus models have that auto-program SIO chip or my model happens to be one of them ?
1. Does anyone have a verified working .bin file for that bios ? The one i downloaded is from unknown source.
2. Will that binary file (FX504GM.301.bin) be sufficient for programing the SIO chip during first power up ?
3. Do i connect both the bios battery and main battery during the first power up ?
4. do i plug the ac adapter on to the laptop before the first power up ?

Thank you so much , you are all awesome ! I love the people of this forum.

P.S.
Im sorry for annoying you with all these questions!

[mcplslg123]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

Cheap KBC programmer are good for nothing-they will invariably fail to program the KBC chip specially ITE. Yes on asus,kbc chip is programmed from main bios on first boot as long as the kbc chip is blank. So i think you can buy a blank ITE8987 and solder it on your motherboard. Do flash clean me main bios before powering on.

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

Well it looks suspicious to me that my laptop changed behaviour after flashing the bios chip (post #4). Now keyboard and power led turn on. The battery hont charge but that might be a different issue. The original fault symptom does indicate a problem with the super io chip. Too bad that i dont have a copy of the bios data before they flashed it. I have come to understand that this bios and ec chip need both to be flashed if you mess with either one. if i buy a pre-programmed will it match my bios firmware ? I dont really know. Only if there was a way to test the ec chip's good operation...


Still im searching for cheap programmer (as cheap as possible)
Any ideas fot that ?

[Stevedb]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

Yes it is true asus laptop program the ite chip itself by most model. You can also buy preprogramd SIO chip.

[HellasTechn1]

Re: Asus tuf FX504gm troubleshooting

Im reading that in some asus laptops the IT8987E will self program (at least the very first time used) from the main bios but i doubt thats the case with me because first the chips is used and second because they give the .bin file online. why give it if not needed ?

Still im searching for cheap programmer (as cheap as possible) since i have already payed 450 euro for that laptop that died on my hands the very first day i got it used from an unknown online...