Did I destroy my laptop? Firmwareupdate, no screen output internally or externally

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1

I was so happy to get my CJ64 working, but then I think I totally bricked it with a firmware update.

It went and did the update but during it the screen turned off and wouldn’t turn on again.

I let it sit for more than half an hour, then tried the power button, nothing.

So I put everything back into the laptop case and turned it on. Laptop display stays dead and no external displays are getting a signal.

When I turn it on the led on the side for charging is white (full battery) and the power button led glows white, no other colors but the screen stays dead.

Now I took out the ram just to see if it would flash error codes when turned on… but nothing, still power glows white and so does the charging led. After some time the cpu fan begins spinning, I thin k because the mainboard is heating up. A LAN expansion card shows solid green led and blinking amber led, like it should. But that all the life signs I am getting.

I tried the “Press power button for 60 seconds while battery is disconnected” … no change.

Is it dead Jim?

2

“Damn it, Jim, I’m a doctor, not an electrical engineer.”

If you find no other options, might I suggest a flash programmer and a pogo pin jig?

3

If it was a bad firmware flash and borked itself in the process something is probably corrupt or there is a version mismatch.

@MJ1 is probably on the right track and it might take low level diagnostics to recover.

Curious if a mainboard reset could get it to at least POST.

The EC console might have a clue as to what is going on. I wish this was a part that was offered from Framework directly. Others have made their own expansion card to get the output; it would be a nice little accessory that might sell really well.

4

Thanks for the hint, if I understand knuts writeup correctly I need a CH341a flash programmer and a WSON8 Probe to connect the usb flash programmer directly to the EC chip on the mainboard, power the mainboard and reflash it via a program called ectool?

That seems way above my current knowledge level. :slight_smile:

Would a clip like this work on an ultra 7 155h?

DFN8 QFN8 WSON8 Chip Probe Line Read/Write Burning Probe 1.27 Test Probe (6X8Mm und 5X6Mm)

Though from reading the write-up, would that even work if the computer doesn’t boot at all? No screen (display output) etc.?

Sorry for the basic questions and thanks for the help!

p.s.

Sorry, another question, is it the Winbond 25R256JVEN chip for the Ultra 7 155h too? Are they all using the same EC chip?

Thanks!

5

Yep.

That looks good.

It shouldn’t matter. The flash programmer just talks directly to the chip.

This I don’t know. But the chips have markings with their model. So we could confirm if it’s the same chip or at least a pin-compatible one.

6

Thanks! The tools will get delivered tomorrow and I will try doing it.

There is still hope!