[HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

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DCSmith
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by DCSmith »

I have tried a few different RAM modules with no luck.
I have 2 new Crucial DIMMs on order, should be here Friday, that are on the supported list.
According to support the unit should at least POST and have beep codes without RAM installed.
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dolbyman
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by dolbyman »

beep codes .. yes
visual post with output on screen ?... no
DCSmith
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by DCSmith »

OK well at this point it is no beep codes and no visual with or without ram and a spinning fan.
I'll wait until Friday when new "known good" RAM is on hand and re-test.
If it still won't post I might try and get the BIOS file for a flash with RPi.
DCSmith
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by DCSmith »

Well I finally was able to flash the unit and I have some Crucial ddr3l ram that is on the approved list and I still get the fan and all lights lit except the status light. Anyone have any thoughts beyond shelling out for a new MB?
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by DCSmith »

P.S. FW used was QW32AR32.bin
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dolbyman
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by dolbyman »

then you might have a busted MB .. nothing else to do other than swap the MB or buy a new unit
DCSmith
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by DCSmith »

No chance the DOM is at fault?
mrhyde1971
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by mrhyde1971 »

I had your same symptoms: sorry, my NAS is still dead!
I bought a device to flash the bios on Amazon, I flashed correctly the BIOS, I also replaced the files in the DOM but nothing worked.
I simply bought a new NAS.
jelinek.01
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by jelinek.01 »

Hello,
could somebody be so nice on me and send me the QW37AR36.BIN bios IMG?
I'm trying to register on the Polish QNAP forum to download it for a week now, but it seems that they have broken the e-mail verification on registration and it is the only place I've found it (via links from here and some Italian forum).
My TS-453 Pro has a dead motherboard (no POST messages, beeps...) after a (Ubuntu) system update and I'd like to try to save it.
I've already done some SPI BIOS flashing with other motherboards.
Thank you very much,
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dolbyman
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by dolbyman »

you could ask qnap via ticket if they can send you a bios
jelinek.01
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by jelinek.01 »

I'm trying that too, but the ticket is also unanswered for a week.
jelinek.01
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by jelinek.01 »

habee wrote: Tue Jul 04, 2017 4:53 am by the way, i just found a new bios (QW37AR33) on the italian Qnap-Forum: http://www.qnapclub.it/viewtopic.php?t=14065

You can flash it directly from ssh-console:

cd /share/Public/
wget http://download.qnap.com/Storage/tsd/bios/QW37AR33.zip
unzip QW37AR33.zip
chmod +x flashrom
./flashrom -p internal -w QW37AR33.BIN
reboot

It has many more options, and they might have fixed something. Unfortunately there is no changelog. But it is dated from 2016-05-10.
The previous file (QW37AR32) http://eu1.qnap.com/Storage/tsd/bios/QW37AR32.zip had a changelog where many options have been changed in comparison to QW37AR22 which was on my machine
Finally :-)
It has ended by just modifying the link:
http://download.qnap.com/Storage/tsd/bios/QW37AR36.zip

Now let's try to revive the machine.
buffmanjeff
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by buffmanjeff »

jelinek.01 wrote: Tue Feb 26, 2019 1:53 am
habee wrote: Tue Jul 04, 2017 4:53 am by the way, i just found a new bios (QW37AR33) on the italian Qnap-Forum: http://www.qnapclub.it/viewtopic.php?t=14065

You can flash it directly from ssh-console:

cd /share/Public/
wget http://download.qnap.com/Storage/tsd/bios/QW37AR33.zip
unzip QW37AR33.zip
chmod +x flashrom
./flashrom -p internal -w QW37AR33.BIN
reboot

It has many more options, and they might have fixed something. Unfortunately there is no changelog. But it is dated from 2016-05-10.
The previous file (QW37AR32) http://eu1.qnap.com/Storage/tsd/bios/QW37AR32.zip had a changelog where many options have been changed in comparison to QW37AR22 which was on my machine
Finally :-)
It has ended by just modifying the link:
http://download.qnap.com/Storage/tsd/bios/QW37AR36.zip

Now let's try to revive the machine.
Is this the latest version still? How did it work out for you?
jelinek.01
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by jelinek.01 »

It seems to be, there is no mention about newer version.
Unfortunately it didn't help, my NAS Is still dead.
QNAP support responded to the inquiry about new motherboard, much more expensive than a new NAS.
I'm going to build a new one with Turris Omnia.
RockenRod
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Re: [HowTo] QNAP BIOS recovery of completely dead mainboard [SPI flash method] [x51, x53]

Post by RockenRod »

@Buggy82 - Thanks so much for your work it has helped me.

I can confirm the JSPI1 header pin assignment on the QNAP mainboard for my TS-EC1679U-RP is the same also.
I used a FLASH programmer to recover mine.

JSPI1
1 Voltage (VCC)
2 Ground (GND)
3 Chip Select (CS)
4 Clock (CLK)
5 Data Output (DO / MISO)
6 Data Input (DI / MOSI)
7 NC
8 NC

Please note I made a custom cable to patch from my programmer to the FLASH chip header JSPI1.
I had a lot of problems initially with it but soon realised the cable needed to be kept under 30cm (ish) to reduce errors in programming/reading over SPI.

I used a MiniPro TL866A EEPROM Programmer. My board had a 16 pin SOIC PCT25VF064C FLASH chip 8bit (Byte) x 8Mbit = 64Mbit. I selected an SST25VF064C device in the software which is the same specs (actually just a rebrand it appears).
I wired my cable to the 8 pin SOIC but you could do either 8 or 16 pins as they are compatible, just different pinouts.
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