Bricked Phoenix BIOS, Compaq Presario C300 Laptop

Discussion in 'BIOS Mods' started by Hanger, Dec 29, 2013.

  1. Hanger

    Hanger MDL Novice

    Aug 13, 2013
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    Hello, not long ago I tried to modify an original bios to unlock hidden menu, however without success. The bios I tried to flash it on, failed after operation was, so called, completed.
    Computer froze out and did not turn off itself. However after flashing there were one short and one long beep. I plugged it out from the power and soon after plugged it back in. Now there is no response to any keyboard combination and no lights flash / come up when powering.

    This is Phoenix BIOS. Tried several methods with USB stick recovery... nothing. No fans, no beeps, no lights, no nothing... Even battery charging light wont turn on.

    Are there any more solutions I could try without de-soldering BIOS? Do not have any floppies around and cant imagine how would I connect it to Laptop.
    I also did remove CMOS battery, no success...

    Any help / opinions appreciated, thank you.
    Sorry if wrong section..
     
  2. Hanger

    Hanger MDL Novice

    Aug 13, 2013
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    Most of the links are dead, for this reason I made new topic. Also it is hard to figure out what the hell is a boot block jumper...
     
  3. Hanger

    Hanger MDL Novice

    Aug 13, 2013
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    #5 Hanger, Dec 29, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2013
    (OP)
    I do want to learn as I study computing at Uni. I cant figure out which one is the bios chip on there but in search of it, I found two unused jumper points with open connection pinpoints, could these be linked to the solution?
    This could be the source of learning if I bricked it. The laptop is not new nor in good condition, could pick up a little better @ local market bargain spot for the price of motherboard, it is just that I have spent some head-wrecking time and money in fixing it already.

    As you already found
    Motherboard Model: IBL30 LA-3342P

    Edit:
    Found schematics, cannot post link due to post count. PM me, just in case anyone is interested in helping out.
     
  4. tonto11

    tonto11 MDL Addicted

    Jun 18, 2012
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  5. Hanger

    Hanger MDL Novice

    Aug 13, 2013
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    You must be a little more clear here, still a newbie, please...
    Even google won't help me: "fool the link rejector by using hxxp".

    I think, I have found the BIOS and data sheet for it.
    Flash: SST39VF080-70-4C-EIE

    Yes, I am not sure with all schematics in front of me (facepalm_me)
     
  6. tonto11

    tonto11 MDL Addicted

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  7. Hanger

    Hanger MDL Novice

    Aug 13, 2013
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    #9 Hanger, Dec 29, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2013
    (OP)
    Drained, repowered, tried without RAM. No success, no beeps. It is just like I would try to run it without CPU in it...

    Oh the hxxp. reuploaded the mobo schematics on my solidfiles account.
    solidfiles - /d/a38c18ec67/
     
  8. tonto11

    tonto11 MDL Addicted

    Jun 18, 2012
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    Got it, bloody Compal written in chinglish, can't even tell what the ic's are
    got to be a code somewhere.

    Had one of these one time. a real Compal, it would boot --sometimes--
    then when it warmed up a bit it would lock up
    good luck with rebooting it

    I gave it back

    Your symptoms sound like the last link I sent you
    I think you've got to take the bios chip out and reflash it with a bios burner
    or replace it.
    now if it's plug in that's one thing, but if it's soldered in that's something else, much more difficult.
    and is this going to really be cheaper than an ebay motherboard.


    ...T
     
  9. Hanger

    Hanger MDL Novice

    Aug 13, 2013
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    Rechecked power pins, 18.5 volts to the board and battery volt splitter seems to work fine as well.
    Will, carefully do the steps provided in link, thanks!

    cba with de-soldering bios. Pins are really small and some buses and other fragile components are really close, but what about shorting some of them to magically unlock something?

    I have had problems with waiting it to "warm up" as well.. hehe
     
  10. tonto11

    tonto11 MDL Addicted

    Jun 18, 2012
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    There ain't no magic bullet for fixing bioses.

    if the boot loader doesn't work then there's nothing software can do to recover it
    shorting pins sometimes is useful to clear registers of passwords and configurations etc
    but this must be done to a strict regimen specified by the designer.
    ...T
     
  11. Hanger

    Hanger MDL Novice

    Aug 13, 2013
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    #13 Hanger, Dec 30, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2013
    (OP)
    Mini pcie also seems to be getting power.
    Probably last question. Is it wise to flash bios via external flash utility while chip is on-board? Like adding conductive tape over flash pins which lead into this flashing device. Could purchase universal bios flash set for mobo price instead, a better investment, i think.

    Cant we just short connect two pins to allow mobo run through recovery via usb a.k.a let voltige and data from other pins pass? Like the boot block jumper principle.
     
  12. tonto11

    tonto11 MDL Addicted

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    #14 tonto11, Dec 30, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2013
    In 1985 I burnt bioses for ibm clones on a stand alone burner , bios chips were plug ins

    more recently I've jtagged fta sat boxes with bins while they were soldered in
    but the boot block had to start to get things going,
    so I suppose it's possible to do what I think you're you're suggesting but I've never gone there.

    If you can't get a blink out of anything when you try to boot
    I think the whole bios has to be rewritten.

    You've got to find a site that talks about how to do that, in depth

    I haven't seen one.
    Like my avatar says, I'm not the Lone Ranger, I'mTonto

    ...T
     
  13. LatinMcG

    LatinMcG Bios Borker

    Feb 27, 2011
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    C300 is a generic model range.. under laptop shows C3####
    missing the proper model to get proper bios.
    not all older bios are easy to desolder/flash .. this might not be SPI type
     
  14. Hanger

    Hanger MDL Novice

    Aug 13, 2013
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    I am curious what those open pins are for.. looks like they lead into flash chip. Will add pic later. Like an unused jumper slot - missing back up flash eh?
     
  15. Hanger

    Hanger MDL Novice

    Aug 13, 2013
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    #17 Hanger, Jan 5, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 5, 2014
    (OP)
    Images as promised.
    imageshack.us/a/img31/3107/wth6.jpg
    imageshack.us/a/img855/6507/9rvz.jpg

    This is ridiculous, none of the universal eeprom flash tools suppor this chip...

    Edit:
    Just read that on different brand computers, instead of boot block jumper, there is a different way to activate bios flash - by upholding the keyboard against its bottom latches. And really, there are two latches that bend towards the motherboard and could connect something. I'll investigate on this further...

    Edit2: After some research on bios chip, it does support boot block, but nowhere I can find which pins to short exactly.
     
  16. nexus76

    nexus76 MDL Addicted

    Jan 25, 2009
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    #18 nexus76, Jan 6, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2014
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  17. Hanger

    Hanger MDL Novice

    Aug 13, 2013
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    #19 Hanger, Jan 6, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2014
    (OP)
    Your help is much appreciated!
    Any thoughts on those open connections? As seen in pictures.

    Edit:
    Found in reference, it is in BIOS page of the board datasheet, humm.. can anyone guess the purpose of it?
    img11.imageshack.us/img11/6515/9i5z.png

    Edit2:
    Will try to short out A15 and A16 pins. Will post results soon. Dont remember which switch I used to flash the BIOS tho', hoping for luck.
    Edit: Nothing... Some pin voltiges pass to and through the chip.