Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (
More info?)
In article <dkyqc.49772$325.1025850@news20.bellglobal.com>, P2B
<p2b@sympatico.ca> wrote:
> Paul wrote:
>
> > In article <wgrqc.21273$Zxc.15842@news04.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com>,
> > "RedRider" <redrider@rogers.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>I have a P4P-800 that the bios chip needs to be reflashed. I have a chip
> >>remover tool, and another P4P-800 that is running. Can I safely remove the
> >>working bios chip when the computer is on, replace it with the chip that
> >>needs to be re-flashed, and perform the reflash.
> >>
> >>I am concerned with shorting out the board or working chip.
> >
> >
> > You could buy a BIOS Savior, plug in into the working system,
> > program the EEPROM soldered to the BIOS Savior, then plug it into
> > the non-working system, and use it to program the bad EEPROM.
> > A BIOS Savior has its own EEPROM, plus room for another EEPROM.
> > It costs around $25 or so, and the only difficult part, is finding
> > a vendor.
> >
> > If you want to do a hot flash, be aware of the orientation of
> > the device, and that a rotation of the device or even touching
> > the pins of the chip to the wrong pins on the socket, could cause
> > a problem. For example, on one device pinout I looked at, a
> > 180 degree rotation will result in power being applied to the
> > device in reverse (i.e. VCC and GND switch roles).
> >
> > It would help if the extractor was an insulator, but the two tools
> > I've worked with had metal teeth (the lip that fits under
> > the device), and it also wouldn't be healthy for the tool to touch
> > pins either.
> >
> > Having given all these cautions, yes, someone in this group did
> > manage to hot flash a PLCC. So, yes, it has been done.
> >
> > With the power off, pull and reinsert the EEPROM about a half
> > dozen times, to loosen up the pins a bit, and make the real
> > experiment a little less nerve wracking. As I've pulled and
> > inserted at least a hundred of these, it helps to practice.
> >
> > Consider it being like "double or nothing" at Los Vegas
> > I've pulled and inserted both DIP and PLCC devices, and some
> > days, that PLCC just flies around the socket when you are
> > trying to reinsert it. (It is a lot like dropping dice on
> > a hard table top.) So, practicing first will give you some
> > idea of whether you have the dexterity and control required
> > to guarantee success. The DIP is a LOT easier.
> >
> > Paul
>
> I often need to hot-flash when repairing boards, so I bought a ZIF
> socket and plugged it into the existing socket on my bench board - much
> easier. I wonder if there's an equivalent available for PLCC devices?
>
> P2B
You could look through this page of links, but don't hold
your breath. I really think the BIOS Savior is as good
a mechanism as any, and it is cheap compared to buying
any adapter devices from this page:
http://www.rfcafe.com/vendors/components/connectoradapter_links.htm
HTH,
Paul
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram