When you use one of the Intel Atom Z3735F mini PCs, there’s very little chance to brick it as long as you use the pre-installed operating systems. But if you play around with the BIOS, or use one of the recent dual boot firmware that re-flash the BIOS when you switch OS, there’s a real possibility to completely brick your device. Ian Morrison (Linuxium) and Deadhp1 posted separate instructions to flash the BIOS and recover their devices.
Both bricked MeegoPad T01, and deadhp1 used CH341a USB programmer which only supports 3.3V/5V, while the SPI flash on T01 only support 1.8V. It worked for him, but it could potentially fry the flash. So it’s probably better to with Ian’s solution involving EZP_XPro USB Programmer and some SOIC8 Test Clips.
Once you get the hardware, you’ll need to download on install EZP XPro Flash 1.4 on a Windows PC. Now follow the steps below:
- Ttake out MeegoPad T01 out of its casing, and disconnect the battery.
- Assemble the test clips with the socket adapter and plug into the programmer
- Connect the programmer’s USB cable to your PC and attach the test clips to the BIOS chip (pin 1 must be correctly aligned)
- Run “EZ” program which should automatically detect the BIOS (flash) chip
- Load the BIOS (for example that one for MeegoPad T01) using the “brower” button
- Finally click on “Erase”, “Program”, and “Verify”
Ian made a video with the steps to follow with EZ software.
Once all is done, simply disconnect the test clips, re-plug the battery and put back the board in the casing, connect Meegopad T01 and check it can boot again. Good luck!
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Linuxium’s method is the way to go if you’re going to be buying a new programmer.
My method is a little risky, but I already had the soic clip and the ch341a programmer and really couldn’t justify the extra cost.
If someone did go my route, it would be wise to add a bi-directional logic level converter in between the ch341a and the soic test clip. Make sure to use a 1.8v voltage source for the reference voltage for the converter to go from 3.3v to 1.8v.
Sparkfun sells a logic level converter for $2.95
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12009
Mine arrived the day after I flash my t01 lol
Can i send my t01 with some cash to unbrick it?
Very nice info, thanks for sharing.
Nice
Another option could be using the buspirate + level converter for the 1.8v/3.3v adaptation. But this needs more hacking.
Look this MeegoPad T02 UBUNTU Edition … http://www.gearbest.com/tv-box/pp_183132.html 90$
Hi, i got a Terratec Pad 8 its like the Nextbook8 Windows 8.1 Tablet and I also bricked the BIOS 🙁
I found out its an MXIC mx25u1635ezui SPI 1.8V chip in it. But i think its USON8 and not SOIC8 because the chip is very thin. Can i still use the Soic8 Test Clips? because its my first time i need to do it. THank you
hi, i have a cube iwork8 ultimate (intel atom x5-z8300) and I have performed a clean install of win 10, then I installed the drivers and finally I tried to update the drivers via windows update.
He updated firmware and after you restart your tablet, started the installation but then was bricked irreparably.
now I can not turn it on, it remains with black screen, only if put under charging turns on the red light
does anyone know how to make the unbrick?
@deadhp1
I bricked by morefine m1 trying to flash using T01V01Linuxium.bin . I use your method to unbrick. Thanks for your guide at http://armtvtech.com/armtvtechforum/viewtopic.php?f=570&t=79751&sid=8c9cac042977be359471dc0c5f2708dd
Hy. My meegopad t02 brick . how to flash bios ? EZP_XPro USB Programmer ? CH341a usb programmer ?
I found some time to unbrick my mele pcg02u. I followed Ian blog. First of all, the clips I bought where crap. After losing a lot of time with them, I just soldered the wires to the spi chip. Now I had to update, in the mele bios zip, there where to files, a afu.bin file of 4Mb and a smt.bin of 8Mb. Seems it should be the smt file. Now I wonder, what does the afu.bin do and how do you need to apply it?
Thanks for this article. I have just one quick question : is a EZP_2010 programmer suitable too to do this or do I have to buy precisely a EZP-XPro ?
As long as the programmer supports the BIOS chip on your device including supporting 1.8V if necessary you should be okay..