Re: HP BIOS unlock tool



As far as I was able to verify on the field.. the content of the BIOS image can definetely vary from time to time and from Windows program to Windows program.
The basic concept, yet, is that the BIOS should be read when the machine is in a stable status (not working, power switched off even if with the mobo with voltage).

So if the PC led blinks... to me that's not a right moment to take the snapshot of the BIOS.
Plug the PSU , verify that the PC is off, plug the clip, insert the programmer in the USB and take...

Re: HP BIOS unlock tool

I'd like to thank the moderators and all the contributors of this thread and forum.
I achieved the goal: the BIOS of the Probook 5320 was fixed.
Hoping it can be helpful for new beginners, here are the steps:
0) I took a photo of the system information of the BIOS (UUID, MAC, Serial and so on)
1) I checked the version of the BIOS chip (in that case MX25L3205D).
2) I retrieved the datasheet to verify that it was NOT a 1,8V chip (it is a 3V)
3) I received my CH341A programmer, black version, with the caps on the left...

Re: HP BIOS unlock tool



Hi. Checking on aliexpress I found that sellers of the Black CH341A programmers are now offering the XTW100 programmer. It has the same USB layout of the CH341A but it's using a different chip (Contex ARM CPU, 72Mhz). Is there any experience/track record with this (new) programmer (XTW100 aka XTWPRO) ?
thanks...

Re: HP BIOS unlock tool



Yep.. I am reading many contributes here and that's the reason of the raised hand asking for help.
Another Moderator (SMDFlea) here on BadCaps has written that some of the CH341a black pcb versions need a volt mod (and put an external link where I found more details) [url]https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair...er-supply-fix/[/url]

Basically in the Ch341A all Vcc connections in the ZIF socket are 3.3V but the CH341A is powered at 5V.
So all I2C and SPI signals are 5V while the external memory is powered at 3.3V...

Re: New Members - please post your introductions here

Hi there !
Glad to have discovered this nice site.
Quick intro: first machine: ZX80 black nd white SLow ROM. Then .. everything else... ZX81, Spectrum,, VIC20, C64, First 2Mhz PC, Amiga500, PC286,386,P,PII,PIII and so on..
Now on ROG Strix+AMD3700+Pulse5700

regards

Re: HP BIOS unlock tool



Hi RethoricalCheese and thanks for your work. I read through the full thread(s) and as you always suggest to ask before doing wrong things, well, here I am asking your help.
I'm going to try reading, erasing, patching and writing bsck a bios for a HP 5320. Chip is MX25L3205D. I saw that the Black version of the CH341A (MinProgrammer) seems to have 5V issues. On the other hand I saw few videos (youtube) of people reading and working with MX25LXXXX chips with not modified Black versions (so in theory applying the 5V to the bios chip)....