Take a look at our
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message

Identifying the bios chip location on a X24

X20/X21, X30/X31, X40/X41 Series
Post Reply
Message
Author
qiet72
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 4:45 am
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Identifying the bios chip location on a X24

#1 Post by qiet72 » Sat Sep 09, 2017 5:32 am

Hi,

I have unfortunately a corrupt bios because of a bad flash on a X24. The machine turns on, backlight turns on, but the screen is blank. No POST. I have tried to do a recovery flash using the methods described elsewhere with WINCRISIS without success: The USB floppy drive does get accessed twice, but no reading or loading is done during startup. I have tried using the trick of pressing Fn-R while turning on the power.

Anyways, I have had success in the past of flashing EEPROM's using the linux flashrom program and appropriate bios flash equipment (3Com netcard, eg). I plan on trying to do a recovery using a Beaglebone Black board and connecting the BIOS chip though the appropriate I/O pins of the Beaglebone Black board. Unfortunately, I have tried very hard to identify which chip is the BIOS chip on the X24 system board without success. I have google a lot, looking through a lot of images, finding out what the common names are for bios chips (Winbond, MX, etc) but I have not found a single chip on the system board with any of these names. I have also google almost every chip on the board to identify what is what - most of the chips are power regulators or switches. I know from information on the net about Atmel chips - but AFAIK this chip does not contain the bios.

I have taken high resolution pictures of the board in question. I just don't know where to place them yet.

The X24 model number is 2662-QG6.

Qiet72
ThinkPad X220 - i5 with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD, MC7710 4G card, and Intel 7260 AC Wireless

RealBlackStuff
Admin Emeritus
Admin Emeritus
Posts: 23799
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:17 am
Location: Loch Garman, Éire

Re: Identifying the bios chip location on a X24

#2 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:27 am

Welcome to the Forum.

For pictures, upload them to e.g. https://imgur.com/ and then post the link to them here.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
.

qiet72
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 4:45 am
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Re: Identifying the bios chip location on a X24

#3 Post by qiet72 » Sun Sep 10, 2017 3:43 am

ThinkPad X220 - i5 with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD, MC7710 4G card, and Intel 7260 AC Wireless

RealBlackStuff
Admin Emeritus
Admin Emeritus
Posts: 23799
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:17 am
Location: Loch Garman, Éire

Re: Identifying the bios chip location on a X24

#4 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sun Sep 10, 2017 8:04 am

I've never seen any schematics for the X24.
Also, even on known schematics, the BIOS chip itself is not even (if ever) indicated.
In the end it may be cheaper to replace the motherboard, rather than buy a Beaglebone and go through all its hoops.
But maybe someone else can chime in?

Have a look at these BIOS chips, maybe one is similar to yours? http://www.ebay.com/itm/141285707170
Also try and contact this seller, if he has or knows about your chip? http://www.ebay.com/itm/380545827733

qiet72
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 4:45 am
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Re: Identifying the bios chip location on a X24

#5 Post by qiet72 » Wed Sep 13, 2017 2:05 pm

Thanks for the help.

Did a lot of reading on the net - interesting to know that sometimes the BIOS is embedded into the Super I/O chip. Unfortunately, I did not find any Super I/O chip specs mentioning this for the X24.
In the end, I decided to throw the motherboard out for recycling. I kept the ram, disk, keyboard, and panel. The panel and keyboard I should be able to sell off ebay.

I was quite ready to do the reflashing if I had found the chip. I had access to a Beaglebone board so no need to buy one. I only needed a Pomona clip to complete my setup.

Next time I play with bios flashing, I will find a board that actually has a bios chip on it.
ThinkPad X220 - i5 with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD, MC7710 4G card, and Intel 7260 AC Wireless

rkawakami
Admin
Admin
Posts: 10327
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 1:26 am
Location: San Jose, CA 95120 USA
Contact:

Re: Identifying the bios chip location on a X24

#6 Post by rkawakami » Wed Sep 13, 2017 11:18 pm

The Super I/O chip on the X24 motherboard appears to be a National Semiconductor PC87391. It's on the bottom labelled U241; "below" the memory slot and to the upper left of the docking port connector. Looking at the datasheet, it does not appear to have any EEPROM/flash memory that could be used to store the BIOS firmware.

If you look "above" and to the left of the memory slot, there's a M50FW080 device made by STMicroelectronics (U434). It is a 8Mbit non-volatile memory; i.e., flash. Perfect for storing the BIOS instructions. That would be my best guess if somebody wants to tackle this in the future.

Sorry that I got to this thread after you dumped the board.
Ray Kawakami
X22 X24 X31 X41 X41T X60 X60s X61 X61s X200 X200s X300 X301 Z60m Z61t Z61p 560 560Z 600 600E 600X T21 T22 T23 T41 T60p T410 T420 T520 W500 W520 R50 A21p A22p A31 A31p
NOTE: All links to PC-Doctor software hosted by me are dead. Files removed 8/28/12 by manufacturer's demand.

qiet72
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 4:45 am
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Re: Identifying the bios chip location on a X24

#7 Post by qiet72 » Thu Sep 14, 2017 12:15 am

Hello rkawakami,

I have not quite trashed the motherboard yet - I had set it aside for throwing it out - lucky me for not doing it yet. :-)

You are right. How could I have missed that? I though I had looked up every chip on google. Apparently I missed that chip thinking it was just a memory chip - good find!
Well, that helps a lot, now I just need to find the spec sheet, a Pomoda clip that fits and a way to connect it to the beaglebone board.

Thanks again so much for locating the chip!!

Qiet72
ThinkPad X220 - i5 with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD, MC7710 4G card, and Intel 7260 AC Wireless

qiet72
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2017 4:45 am
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Re: Identifying the bios chip location on a X24

#8 Post by qiet72 » Thu Sep 14, 2017 12:40 am

Hi,

I found the spec sheet. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find a test clip that is wide enough for this kind of chip (TSOP40 packaging - 40 pins). Here is a closeup photo of the chip identified:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=12d0pf ... dtaR55KW6w

Can anybody recommend a good test clip?

Btw, at the time I was looking for the chip, I believe I was looking for an SOIC8 type chip - did not think that the bios would be stored in such a big chip package...

Qiet72
ThinkPad X220 - i5 with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD, MC7710 4G card, and Intel 7260 AC Wireless

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “ThinkPad X20/X30/X40 Series incl. Tablets”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 54 guests