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BIOS Flasher

New MessageBIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) jsmmd
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The spanish "group" that runs http://www.distribucionpakito.com/ (I've contacted the company to see if they'll ship to the US, still waiting to hear back from them.), made the following announcement.


Reported by Scaner
http://www.distribucionpakito.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=61#61

(Translation via BabelFish)


In Pakito Distribution we have continued advancing for hacerte to arrive the best one from our efforts.

For that reason now we gave the program that will make you recover your Intel Dot Station anchored to the original contracted system, so that it can work like any PC.

The only thing that you will need will be a distribution from which to be able to take Linux to execute this program.

It follows the instructions that we indicated to you more down for all the procedure.

It remembers to verify that the chip of the BIOS of your plate that is opposite of the module of memory next to jumper of blue color is labeled like N8280ĀB or ST M50FW040, if it is thus and you have a Pakito Distribution, then spirit that already you have it.

You can unload the file of this connection:
http://www.distribucionpakito.com/flashpack.tar.gz

These are the instructions (Also they are including in the previous package of files):

##############################################################
##### Distribution Pakito Flasher v.1.0 ###########
##############################################################

1. - INTRODUCTION

Dear friends despues of long time of investigation, finally
already this aqui. The flasheador program that esperabamos and as much necesitabamos
those that we are usuary of the Intel Dot Station original so and as Intel
I throw them to the world, and never rather.


The objective therefore of this program is to give back to the life to this Pakitos,
and to allow us to use them like standard PC's.

For it we are going to explain the process that there is to do and as it works.


ATTENTION!
Very important to exactly follow each one of the steps.


2. - PASSAGES FOR THE CORRECT FLASH OF THE BIOS


Contents of the package:

The package contains the following files:

East README.Spanish file
README.English File of aid in Ingles
comp Feasible to compare in binary two archives
flash_rom Feasible to flashear the bios
bios.bin File of Standard BIOS PC
chipimagen.jpg Image of the CHIP of the BIOS and like cortocircuitar.


2.1. - Requirements to flashear the BIOS


To have the CHIP of the BIOS: N8280ĀB
To have a Linux distribution able to take the Intel Dot original Station
and to be able to execute this program.

Like for example Pakito Distribution:
http://www.distribucionpakito.com

Forums of Support
http://www.distribucionpakito.com/phpBB2


2.2. - Procedure to flashear the BIOS


The first step is to desproteger the chip Firmware Hub to allow its recording.
This is a manual process since via software cannot be done.

1. - To position to us in the directory of our files and to execute the commando:
/flash_rom - r bios.fw

2. - To execute the commando:
bios.fw dwells

To be pressing Space repeated times. There is content in the beginning, but once
exceeded 15% it disappears and everything is in target.

That means that those blocks of memory could not have been leidos because
firmware this blocked.

3. - To unblock firmware.
To watch the file chipimagen.jpg.
Kview can be used for example, that is available in the distribution
pakito.
Cortocircuitar during 10 seconds the sideburns indicated in the figure.

4. - To execute the commando:
/flash_rom - r bios.fw

5. - To execute the commando:
bios.fw dwells

To be pressing Space repeated times. To observe that now when exceeding 15%
and even until the end there is content different from target. If he were not asi
to repeat the process of cortocircuitar the indicated sideburns.

6. - To record firmware:
/flash_rom - w bios.bin

To wait for patiently until the process concludes.

NOT TO REINITIATE!!!!!!!

7. - To again extract the content of firmware:
/flash_rom - r bios.fw

8. - To compare bios.fw and bios.bin:
/comp bios.fw bios.bin

The result of the execution of this commando does not have to give back nothing.

9. - If not devolvio nothing the execution of the previous commando then:

BRILLIANT ALREADY YOU HAVE IT.

10. - To execute:
reboot


12-03-2003 20:10:07

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) jsmmd
Profile

Well in fact I did yesterday. And the program-utility is finished.

The tool is able to program the chip Intel N82802AB or ST M50FW040 which is other one assembled with that motherboard. You need to open the machine as I explain in the README file included in the package because there is a hardware lock activated into the firmware hub chip that forbid you to flash the bios. So you have to shortcut during 10 secs using a screwer or a cable or something like the some pinouts of the chip.

An image in high resolution is included in the package to explain that. You have to do that when computers is power-on and you are following the steps that I defined.

As a result a nice computer :)

I'm really happy, because it was a complete challenge for me and I finished it with success after 2 years working.

Take this message and send it to your forums. My nickname: latas



He got it done! (I'm jealous of his skills.)

So, this makes the hack 100% easier, anyone intersted in a "group" buy just start a new thread called group buy, and/or post there.

12-04-2003 04:39:31

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) latas
Profile
Hi. Latas here.

Try to click here:

http://www.distribucionpakito.com/catalog/

And click in the BIG LINK of your language or directly here:

http://www.distribucionpakito.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=25

Is the translation into english of the text shown above.

Go to the forums index in:

http://www.distribucionpakito.com/phpBB2

to look for further information translated into english about other related topics.

Thanks.

12-04-2003 07:07:38

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) radarman
Profile
For what has to be the first time ever, the instructions worked exactly as listed. I managed to reflash the BIOS on my dot.bob2 (following the "standard" nomenclature ;) The only trick is finding a place on the hard disk that doesn't get erased/moved/remounted. I tried a number of places before settling on /dev/hdb8/blueriver/bin. Just put the files in the directory (all you need is the flash_rom, comp and bios.bin (or whatever .bin you are writing).

The system seems almost impervious to changes, and would actually erase directories I created.

Regards,
- radarman

12-09-2003 00:21:57

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) TheBigDog
Profile
It has been a while since I touched my dot.bob. Everything is disassembled and I have the HD in hand. However, I haven't done a thing to it but been checking up on this forum for the latest update on it. Can someone refresh my memory and give me a brief run-down of what needs to be loaded in order to "hack" the firmware? I notice the distro that they are suggesting cost $$. Any suggestions are appreciated. I want to swap it w/ the bigger HD and put win2k / winXP on it.

Thanks in advance.

12-09-2003 20:39:41

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 1 times) radarman
Profile
All you need is a minimal linux install of any distro. I just happen to have used RH9 (I downloaded the ISO's), but any distro will do. I believe a lot of people are using the Knoppix "demo" CD to do the work, which has the benefit of not requiring an additional hard disk for the install.

The dot.station website has a good walkthrough of the process - using the Knoppix CD. Check under Linux OS. http://www.linux-hacker.net/~jsmmd/os.htm The only thing NOT on the website are the actual flash instructions - which are just up a ways on this page. If you already have your dot.bob apart, it doesn't take to long. I went from fully assembled out of the box to installing Win2k in just over 2 hours.

BTW - note my previous post. The OS apparently can detect new directories, so just copy the files from the tarball into the /blueriver/bin directory. Don't put them in a new directory, or they will disappear on boot.

12-10-2003 08:15:37

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) TheBigDog
Profile
Thx Radarman.
12-10-2003 23:50:26

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) jsmmd
Profile
As I posted in another thread I just recieved another dot.bob today!

I will be creating a walk-throught for all betweem now and the 31st, outlining the steps to flash the bios. I hope to also document the illusive "screw" issue. Believe it or not, I have 4-10 extra screws from other dots. I gotta' make a listing of them for the "record".

I'll post new info. as I have it. Promise!


http://www.linux-hacker.net/~jsmmd/
email
12-15-2003 22:17:17

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) Kludgemeister
Profile
Latas, I am late to reply, but congratulations! You did something that seemed impossible--crack the protection of the Intel firmware hub. To a non-programmer like me, that is almost magic. Well done!

Kludgemeister

12-20-2003 01:39:42

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) jsmmd
Profile
I can confirm this works. I am working on a start to finish tutorial on the process. If anyone is looking for a unit email me. I have plenty here.
02-19-2004 22:28:03

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) TheBigDog
Profile
during the "shorting" process outlined in the procedure, are we shorting it while the unit is ON or OFF? The step didn't mention and USUALLY one doesn't short out anything while the machine is ON. However the guide seems to indicate that the machine needs to be ON (@ prompt) while shorting......

can someone confirm please?

Thanks in advance.

02-24-2004 23:23:43

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) jsmmd
Profile
I shorted out the bios while it was powered ON!

-Edited (8/2004)

02-26-2004 01:04:18

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) TheBigDog
Profile
So you rebooted it and attemp to flash the rom agian, rite?
02-26-2004 11:48:58

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) radarman
Profile
I shorted the pin while the system was on. The pins involved are Vcc and #INIT. Actually, come to think of it, I'm not sure why this worked at all. I would have imagined that shorting the pin to ground should have done the trick.

Regardless, if you do it right, the second pin is an input - so it should be safe to do with the system on.

02-26-2004 19:19:27

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) TheBigDog
Profile
I copied the files to blueriver/bin and now when I run ./flash_rom -r bios.fw, i get the following messages.

Calibrating timer since microsleep sucks ... takes a second
Setting up microsecond timing loop
40M loops per second
OK, calibrated, now do the deed
Enabling flash write on i82801AB...Can not set io priviliage: Operation not permitted

I then get back to the prompt. What did I do wrong? Am I missing something here? Please help. I'm using Dot.Bob btw.

02-26-2004 23:19:29

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) TheBigDog
Profile
well, nevermind my previous message, what went wrong was that I didn't SU'd using password "1234". But now I have another problem....

I flashed the rom, compared and it shows no difference. I reboot and it doens't give me any video signal and hangs @ BIOS bootup. I keep hearing this short two consecutive beeps. Did I do something wrong? I can't even boot into my the original HD anymore....has anybody experienced this? Am I screwed??

02-27-2004 01:02:26

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) TheBigDog
Profile
ok, i finally figured this out...I needed to SU using the password "1234" otherwise the hack won't work.

Sorry for all these confusion. :)

02-27-2004 17:31:39

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) Curious
Profile
I had this problem before and stopped working on this unit. I get the xterm window on startup, but the keyboard won't respond. There is only a small square box symbol after the #. Any other way to flash the bios without the xterm hack?
03-06-2004 20:06:30

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) TheBigDog
Profile
Curious,

The trick to your problem is to move the mouse (the "X") to the xterm window, then you will be able to type. Otherwise, it won't respond to your typing if your "X" isn't in the xterm window area.

03-07-2004 01:02:43

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) Curious
Profile
Thanks, that was my problem. However the files are gone from the directory. When I unpacked the files it created a directory in bin called flashpack and its gone. Any way to download without having to swap the hard drive again?
03-07-2004 21:57:12

New MessageRE:BIOS Flasher (modified 0 times) TheBigDog
Profile
as long as the file is put in /dev/hdb8/blueriver/bin, u should be alright. If they are not there, u will need to do swap the HD again and drop the file there. As far as I know, that's the only way.
03-07-2004 23:02:09

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