[GUIDE] Flash BIOS with CH341A programmer

[MikeJTT]

I was looking for good tutorial for ch341a programmer use and this is an excellent guide. All thanks goes to Lost_N_BIOS. 
The pics for this tutorial were removed and I found them online and re-posted them below.. 

PART 1 ----------------

CH341A details
This guide is based on the winbond 25Q64 bios chip.
CH341A programmer:


PINs details:





PIN 1 on the BIOS chip:





If you receive this error(s) with the CH341A programmer connected to bios chip:



This error(s) is caused by the bad connection of the clip or by the wrong software version.

Try the following steps:

Exit form C341A software.
Disconnect ch341a programmer from USB.
Disconnect the test clip from the bios chip.

Connect the test clip to bios chip.
Connect ch341a programmer to USB.
Run C341A software.
Press detect button.

OR

Please try another software version.

[MikeJTT]

Updated PICS...

PART 2 ----------------

INSTALL DRIVER, READ, VERIFY, SAVE BACKUP:
Download  the CH341A tools from URL in original posting (Thanks to Lost_N_BIOS)
Unzip the downloaded pack and install the ch341a drivers (run CH341PAR.EXE)





Remove CMOS battery from your motherboard.
Connect the test clip to bios chip.
Connect ch341a programmer to USB.
Run CH341A_c.exe from CH341A programm v1.29 folder.





Go to "Auto" and uncheck "Erase" and "Blank check" options:



Press "Read button" and wait until the process is finished:





Now press "Verify" and wait until the process is finished:






Attention, before continuing with the PART 3, please check the content of the backup file.
You can compare the backup file with the original bios file from manufacturer site, using one hex editor software.
The contents of the files is not the same but it is very similar.

Run read, then verify, once it says "Chip/Buffer match" then that is verified, click save and then open that file in hex editor 
and make sure it's valid BIOS and not all FF's.
If it is all FF's, that's verified invalid blank and you need to use another software version or CHIP ID and try again 
until you get verified and valid backup).

Then install driver in above package. Then open software of your choosing to try first, I already try newest version first. 
Hit detect and if it detects your chip by ID OK, then select that one. Sometimes you might need to choose less than full ID, 
or different than ID too, like BIOS ends in FV sometimes BV works better, but you'll figure that out later if it comes to that. 
Once you've done that, hit read and when it's done hit verify. If it verified good, then you hit save BIOS. 
Verify after reading it should tell you chip and buffer or memory match, then that is possibly a good verified file (not always). 
Open that file in hex editor and make sure it's not all FF"s. Then repeat that a time or two and compare those two verified files, 
if they're always good files and match then probably OK. Save this BIOS somewhere safe as backup. 
Make sure it opens properly and looks correct in any BIOS editing tools you are familiar with too, then you'll know it's OK.

Backup file examples (OK and wrong):

[MikeJTT]

Updated to provide missing PICS...

PART 3 ----------------

ERASE AND FLASH BIOS
After checking and saving your backup press the "Erase" button and wait until the process is finished:




Now press the "Blank" button and wait until the process is finished:


Attention!
If the next window appear, when you press the blank button:


Chip Main Memory Not Null = this means you erased (Should be all FF) and then ran blank check and it found 
not all FF's (Some other data still) so erase not complete. Also will say that if you do not erase, and just 
run blank check when you know there is data there.

Possible solution:
Please Re-Erase chip and check Blank again OR use another software version.
If it does not work, you can try this (You can use a heat shrink tube.):



If the "Chip Main Memory are blank" message appear, you can continue with the next step. 
Press "Open" button and find your new bios file:




After the new bios file is opened press "Auto" button and wait until the process is finished:

[jays0109]

@MikeJTT

Im trying to flash winbond 25Q32BV chip. The chip is detected successfully but when I try to read the chip it shows "Detection fails, could not find chip".

Can you guide me on what I'm doing wrong. Im using the 1.34 version of the programmer.

Please see attached pictures for the output of the programmer

[junjo]

New images added in the first post.

https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-G...#pid146663

[Crawl71]

Good Afternoon,

I am hoping to get a little bit of direction and found myself here! I have NAS box that I was given which has an Intel DH77DF board with a Winbond 25Q64FYSIG bios chip. I have done quite a bit of troubleshooting on the board and I get LED, power across the board, etc. I'm down to a bios issue and I stumbled upon the flashing process and have picked up the reader/programmer listed here and was able to get a read off the chip, however, when it comes to flashing the only file I have been able to find from Intel is '.bio' file used for USB flashing (that process didn't work either!).

Is there a way to get a known working version of my bios or a fully modded one for me to attempt a flash?

[asrockuser]

Confusion about usage of the CH341A bios programmer

Recently I bought CH341A bios programmer for my 8 pin bios chip from asrock motherboard and I asked you here to clarify some procedures and software setup.
I already read this guide

I watched many tutorial videos in youtube and I confused about the insertion of the bios chip
Majority of youtuber tech guys inserted bios chip like following

but the software which I downloaded from this guide, display the insertion of the chip like following software version 1.30


In youtube the tech guy they software dissplay insertions of this bios like following:

For me its obvious there some uncertainty how to insert the bios chip, due to this reason I ordered a backup bios chip (already programmed by the bios chip seller).
Why i am writing this you ask me?
I preparing myself for the procedure , for the case when my “backup bios chip” not delivered on time or doesn't work at all and i didn't received the CH341A programmer yet, but as soon as I get it, I would write about my experience here and I already ask the ebay seller to give me a link for software for the programmer which I bought, becuase i assume that theirs software would some different from what i already saw here and on youtube.
Any suggestions on how to insert the bios chip are welcomed.

[Maxinator500]

i assume that theirs software would some different from what i already saw here and on youtube.

Does not matter which software. Key to the handle is mandatory for CH314A!

[asrockuser]

Maxinator500
I am not sure what you mean, do you mean that what the software display is a real representation how to insert the bios chip into the programmer?

[Maxinator500]

do you mean that what the software display is a real representation how to insert the bios chip into the programmer?

No.
Follow the tech guy on youtube representation. Your last attached image.