Emachine laptop dead after flash

by **stevemaximus** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:48 pm

I attempted to flash my emachines M5312 Laptop. The flash seemed to go fine but after reboot the unit turned off and now will not POST.

MOBO: Arima W720-K7
Chip: MX29f004tqc-90
BIOS File: 720ME009.WPH

I initially used phlash.exe. I am attempting a HOT FLASH but have run into an issue.

When using phlash16.exe 1.4 build 59a it cannot find the chip ID.

I then attempted to use UNIFLASH. It can see the correct chip but gives me an error when flashing that the file is too big for the chip.

I see the WPH file is 516k in size. I have searched the forum and found similar issues but with no specific resolution, some say to edit the file and chop it down to 512K, what specific program shoud I use to do this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

--Steve

by cp » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:33 pm

you can use any hexeditor. make sure to chop the correct bytes off..otherwise you'll end up with 512k of garbage flashed into the chip.

if you could point me to the bios file, i could take a look into it.

by **stevemaximus** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:38 pm

cp wrote:you can use any hexeditor. make sure to chop the correct bytes off..otherwise you'll end up with 512k of garbage flashed into the chip.

if you could point me to the bios file, i could take a look into it.

Thank You for the reply!

Is there anyway to tell which part of the file can be safely removed? I saw in previous posts it was reccomended to chop off the end of the file down to 524288 bytes.

by cp » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:52 am

there is no general way to tell which part can be chopped off. it may be even possible that the file is encoded in any way to protect..well..to make the customer use the manufacturer's flash util.

by **netsurfer** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:52 am

Worse comes to worse, u can get a EPROM programed and mailed to u.
Disassembling the notebook is not hard. I found pics on how to do it, so took the guesswork out. Inserted new EPROM into the socket, reassembled, bootedup and away i went

by **john345** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:14 pm

Where did you get your EEPROM programmed?. I had one done and it does not work..

by **netsurfer** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:04 am

I sent BIOS file and asked them to burn it onto the EPROM.
Plugged it in, assembled the notebook, no probs.

I got it from Worldwide Electronic Components in Perth WA Aust

here's their page with phone numbers
http://members.iinet.net.au/~worcom/

Please send me a PM if u need any more help

Edit - Removed the OP's e-mail address. KW