05-04-2019, 02:57 PM (This post was last modified: 05-04-2019, 03:24 PM by DIYThings.)
Hey all, I've got an old custom built PowerSpec PC I'm giving to my friend for some general light gaming. PowerSpec went with some OEM cutdown version of what I presume is the ECS G41T-M7, listed as the ECS G41T-TM. Both boards support DDR3, have two dimm slots, and run the same north and southbridge chipsets and controllers. The problem is, the G41T-TM will not post with a 2x4gb configuration of known supported memory, while the G41T-M7 supports a full 8gb of ram. Looking at the spec sheets for both boards, I see no hardware differences that should prevent the board from supporting a full 8gb as well.
Is this one of those rare cases where its possible a bios mod could allow a greater memory capacity? If so, could someone either modify the G41T-M7 bios to work with the G41T-TM board, or modify the existing bios to allow this? A bios unlock for overclocking would be great as well, but isn't as important. I'd be happy to provide the current Bios as I'm pretty sure it would be [censored] near impossible to find online
If all works out I'll toss a small donation to the site--cheers
Additional Specs:
CPU: C2Q Q9500
Memory: 2 x 4GB Samsung 1Rx8 PC3--12800U-11-12-A1 Model No. M378B5173DB0-CK0 ------- Although rated at 1600 the 2gb variant of these sticks worked without needed adjustments.
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Do you have flash programmer? If you do, and you think these boards are exact enough match, I can swap out the related BIOS modules (Setup, AMITSE, AMITSE/Setupdata) and you'd have the other boards BIOS. Unsure if that would solve the memory issue or not, for that, you may need to full crossflash the other BIOS instead, which could be done without a BIOS programmer but it would be best if you have in case it causes some things to not work or it causes a bricked board, and it's much easier with programmer.
Please link both of the actual BIOS you are discussing here, preferably with manufacturer links, but if not and you upload yourself please include all stock downloaded contents in case those need modified for reflash as well.
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05-06-2019, 06:03 PM (This post was last modified: 05-06-2019, 06:03 PM by DIYThings.)
(05-05-2019, 11:32 PM)Lost_N_BIOS Wrote: Do you have flash programmer? If you do, and you think these boards are exact enough match, I can swap out the related BIOS modules (Setup, AMITSE, AMITSE/Setupdata) and you'd have the other boards BIOS. Unsure if that would solve the memory issue or not, for that, you may need to full crossflash the other BIOS instead, which could be done without a BIOS programmer but it would be best if you have in case it causes some things to not work or it causes a bricked board, and it's much easier with programmer.
Please link both of the actual BIOS you are discussing here, preferably with manufacturer links, but if not and you upload yourself please include all stock downloaded contents in case those need modified for reflash as well.
I actually just got one today for a bricked GPU (The kind from Amazon with the alligator clips); not the nicest tool around but that should work if anything goes wrong I assume.
Here's the bios for the G41T-M7 , ECS has absolutely zero support page for the G41T-TM so I'll have to plug in that computer and pull the bios for you myself when I get home in a few hours. Thanks!
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Great, here is guide on how to setup and use - https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-GUIDE-Flash-BIOS-with-CH341A-programmer
And here is main package of general CH341A software and the main driver you install (only once) - http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=44663257455007472602
Try version 1.30 or 1.34, and see if you get BIOS that looks similar to stock BIOS when opened in BIOS tools. If you're not familiar with any BIOS tools, just make a backup with both of those versions and send in a single zip and I'll check. Before connecting the programmer, open all software versions one at a time and uncheck "Erase" and "Blank Check" in the "Auto" function box, so you don't accidentally erase the chip!
Then once you're ready to make some backups, >> Read, then verify, if you get "buffer and memory match or buffer and chip match etc" then save file.
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(05-10-2019, 06:12 AM)Lost_N_BIOS Wrote: Great, here is guide on how to setup and use - https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-GUIDE-Flash-BIOS-with-CH341A-programmer
And here is main package of general CH341A software and the main driver you install (only once) - http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=44663257455007472602
Try version 1.30 or 1.34, and see if you get BIOS that looks similar to stock BIOS when opened in BIOS tools. If you're not familiar with any BIOS tools, just make a backup with both of those versions and send in a single zip and I'll check. Before connecting the programmer, open all software versions one at a time and uncheck "Erase" and "Blank Check" in the "Auto" function box, so you don't accidentally erase the chip!
Then once you're ready to make some backups, >> Read, then verify, if you get "buffer and memory match or buffer and chip match etc" then save file.
Thanks for the walk through, I did some practice on some GPUs but I'm having a [censored] of a time trying to find the bios chip on the motherboard without any kind of technical sheet. So far I've only found one chip which has given me any kind of results on google, but It appears to be voltage related. it says ROM 1 ROM 2 on the PCB next to this large chip, but I have a hard time believing that a chip that large is the bios and I have no idea how i could connect to it.
Here is a few pictures of potential candidates, the first picture contains the larger chip that has ROM written near it---let me know if you can help identify it
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Also, I'm having trouble getting any kind of readings from any of the chips on the motherboard, Ive reattached and applied light pressure on the clip when connecting multiple times, and I've removed the ram/cmos battery but still can't seem to get any kind of reading. I know things are working properly because its worked on chips on other pcbs since I opened it up for this session. Could it be that the programmer isn't delivering enough current to the board itself? Would it be unsafe to attach and read the chip with the power supply connected?
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(05-10-2019, 06:12 AM)Lost_N_BIOS Wrote: Great, here is guide on how to setup and use - https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-GUIDE-Flash-BIOS-with-CH341A-programmer
And here is main package of general CH341A software and the main driver you install (only once) - http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=44663257455007472602
Try version 1.30 or 1.34, and see if you get BIOS that looks similar to stock BIOS when opened in BIOS tools. If you're not familiar with any BIOS tools, just make a backup with both of those versions and send in a single zip and I'll check. Before connecting the programmer, open all software versions one at a time and uncheck "Erase" and "Blank Check" in the "Auto" function box, so you don't accidentally erase the chip!
Then once you're ready to make some backups, >> Read, then verify, if you get "buffer and memory match or buffer and chip match etc" then save file.
Hey again,
Quick update on this, unfortunately I can't identify the chip on the motherboard without desoldering them and looking at them one by one (correct me if I'm wrong), which I don't have the time to do. Would you mind working with the bios I pulled from the board in the first post instead? If not I'll probably go ahead and risk it and try to flash the other motherboard's bios on to the board.