Print

[dani92]

Hi everybody, this is my great work dumping a benq drive.

http://img502.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pic0093mo9.jpg

http://img502.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pic0094my2.jpg

http://img490.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pic0095ug6.jpg


http://img490.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dibujobq3.jpg





REGARDS


_______________________

[Sativaman]

QUOTE(dani92 @ Sep 11 2007, 03:33 PM)

Hi everybody, this is my great work dumping a benq drive.

Nice...  You used the win32 version too!  Did you have a special chipset?  I am curious if the win32 version really does work with any chipset.

I was thinking about modding my Benq using method #1.  I am not comfortable soldering connections to legs on a chip.  I've burnt out too many chips that way.

Anyways, I was thinking about using a 3-block dip switch instead of a switch.  I would have dip switches 1 & 2 reconnect the severed traces 1 & 2, dip switch 3 would bridge the connection between traces 1 & 2 (where the switch would normally be).  Another idea would be to use a jumper block similar to what you would find on the back of a hard drive.

It seems this method would save a lot of hassle in the long run if I wanted to re-flash the drive.  However, I imagine that you could totally f**k up your drive if you aren't careful that 1 & 2 are off when 3 is on.

[Gogu]

QUOTE(dani92 @ Sep 11 2007, 08:33 PM)

Hi everybody, this is my great work dumping a benq drive.

You can play your backup now ?
Thx !!!

[dani92]

Hello, first i have nforce4 chipset and i flashed my drive in windows.

I recommended you, do the method that i have done with the switch.


I CAN NO TPLAY BACKUPS BECAUSE THERE ISNT ANY IRMWARE.


REGARDS

[Toddler]

Regarding method #1, is there a need to reconnect the traces for use again in the 360, or can you just leave the switch in place?

[Toddler]

Disregard my previous question.

I finally got my drive to read out the firmware.  I'm concerned, however...each time I read it, I get a different DataSum value.  I noticed in the DosFlash tutorial that the DataSum was 9FAE, as was the DosFlash32 screen shot on page 2 of this thread.  But dani92's is another value, and each time I run it I get a different value, too.

Can anyone explain what's going on?  That can't be expected, can it?

[Toddler]

Cutting the traces deeper and resoldering solved the problem, I have successfully read the BenQ firmware.

[p3eps]

QUOTE(Toddler @ Sep 14 2007, 09:41 AM)

Cutting the traces deeper and resoldering solved the problem, I have successfully read the BenQ firmware.

I take it you didn't check it with a multimeter then?!

QUOTE(Sativaman @ Sep 11 2007, 09:11 PM)

Nice...  You used the win32 version too!  Did you have a special chipset?  I am curious if the win32 version really does work with any chipset.

I was thinking about modding my Benq using method #1.  I am not comfortable soldering connections to legs on a chip.  I've burnt out too many chips that way.

Anyways, I was thinking about using a 3-block dip switch instead of a switch.  I would have dip switches 1 & 2 reconnect the severed traces 1 & 2, dip switch 3 would bridge the connection between traces 1 & 2 (where the switch would normally be).  Another idea would be to use a jumper block similar to what you would find on the back of a hard drive.

It seems this method would save a lot of hassle in the long run if I wanted to re-flash the drive.  However, I imagine that you could totally f**k up your drive if you aren't careful that 1 & 2 are off when 3 is on.

I've been thinking about something like this too - as it would be a pain to have to un-solder and re-solder the traces every time you want to update the flash.  As its going to be a new firmware for the benq when it comes out, I imagine there will be a couple of revisions until its perfect!

3 switches would be ideal, but would be a mess of wires!  Its something that I'll need to figure out before the benq firmware gets released.

[caster420]

QUOTE(p3eps @ Sep 14 2007, 08:26 AM)

as it would be a pain to have to un-solder and re-solder the traces every time you want to update the flash

Hopefully it will only be a one time deal, as an enable0800 disc should be possible for the benq fw.

Caster.

[dknightx]

QUOTE(p3eps @ Sep 14 2007, 08:26 AM)

I take it you didn't check it with a multimeter then?!

I have a question:  I've cut the traces on my Benq drive and checking resistance on either side of the cut.  I expected to get an infinite resistance but it is actually something like 40 ohms (I forget the exact value) on both traces.  I tried cutting deeper but no matter what I still seem to be getting some resistance.

The resistance was definitely 0 Ohms before the trace was cut.

Does this sound normal?

[p3eps]

QUOTE(dknightx @ Sep 14 2007, 08:04 PM)

I have a question:  I've cut the traces on my Benq drive and checking resistance on either side of the cut.  I expected to get an infinite resistance but it is actually something like 40 ohms (I forget the exact value) on both traces.  I tried cutting deeper but no matter what I still seem to be getting some resistance.

The resistance was definitely 0 Ohms before the trace was cut.

Does this sound normal?

Set the multimeter to continuity so that it beeps if you touch its leads together.  Then try putting one lead on one side of the trace and the other on the other side.  If it beeps, you haven't cut it properly.  Once you solder wires on, test from one end of the wire to the other side of the trace to make sure you havent accidently bridged it.

Microshack: I just read your post about motherboards, but couldnt reply as your thread is closed.
My motherboard is an Asus P5AD2-E Premium - which has 4 x Silicon Image 3114R SATA's and 2 x Intel i925XE SATA ports.  I've turned off the Silicon Image ones and I've managed to flash / read all Sammy's. Hitachi's and benq's so far!

On another note... I've just received my MS25 drive from ebay to replace the benq.  I'm not sure whether I should try this at the moment or wait until the fall update incase more bans start?
After reading a post about MS25's on ebay being MS28's with MS25 stickers - how do I check what it REALLY is?!  Will my BIOS on my PC detect its revision number?

This post has been edited by p3eps: Sep 15 2007, 08:10 PM

[Toddler]

QUOTE(p3eps @ Sep 14 2007, 07:26 AM)

I take it you didn't check it with a multimeter then?!

Nope, I don't own a multimeter.

[dknightx]

I FINALLY got my firmware dumped, key extracted and inserted into iXtreme 1.2c, spoofed, and flashed to an MS28 drive.  A few notes and gotchas to help others:

1)  My multimeter did not have a continuity check function; all I could do was check resistance.  The trace on the top left gave me infinite resistance once cut.  However, the other trace (bottom right in posted guide pics) had a resistance of about 30 Ohms when cut (vs. 0 before obviously).

2)  This may have been obvious to others, but you don't need to reconnect the two flat ribbon cables inside the DVD drive to read the firmware.  Just be EXTRA CAREFUL when you plug in the power plug to the board - it is easy to plug it in upside down if you use too much force and that will likely fry your drive!

3)  I couldn't get dosflash32 to read my firmware in Windows Vista, and the 'automatic' dosflash16 did not find my drive either (PCI based VT6421a SATA card).  If you know the port of your drive you can use the manual dosflash mode.  I figured out my port by using 'mtkflash' with no parameters - in my case it was bc00.

Here is the dosflash16 command I used:

"DOSFLASH R BC00 1 A0 1 4 orig.bin"

I did this after powering on the XBox and then flipping the switch and it worked first time.

4)  I used Moda's guide to read the key from the firmware and used FW Toolkit to insert it into a iXtreme 1.2c firmware, then spoofed the FW as a Benq 62430C firmware and saved it out.  My last step was to load the firmware in a hex editor and search for 62430C (in Ascii) and add an R at the end.  My firmware was a 62430CR.  Not sure if this last step was required or not, but my firmware worked once flashed.

5)  Flashing the MS28 drive (which I bought as an MS25 on eBay but was sent the wrong one) was a complete BITCH.  It took me about 30 attempts to get it to finally write, and when it did I just about screamed!

Popped a backed up disc in the drive and it worked first time!

Thanks for all the great help on this forum, and hopefully the above will help a few people pull less of their hair out than I did throughout this process....

[just4747]

Wait so I've been reading so many forums and tutorials like this and just every site I can find about the BenQ...and I can't find a definitive answer to this question:

Is there yet a way to dump the firmware in preparation for the iXtreme f/w coming soon WITHOUT soldering or modifying the internals? Can we yet (or ever?) dump the f/w using SATA cable and chipset only like the other drives? I honest to God looked for a long time and cannot figure it out in all the conversation of soldering and chips, etc..

The reason I ask is because I got a Halo Xbox 360 but it has the Hitachi 0079fl drive which cannot be flashed with soldering and I'm going to exchange it to hopefully get one with a BenQ drive since there is supposedly f/w coming out for it and not for the 79fl ever i guess. Thanks, I appreciate it.  (Didn't post in Noob chat because no one ever answers there and I know what's going on and have done research on it all, just cannot find this answer)

[jsmoovey2007]

QUOTE(just4747 @ Sep 19 2007, 03:31 PM)

Wait so I've been reading so many forums and tutorials like this and just every site I can find about the BenQ...and I can't find a definitive answer to this question:

Is there yet a way to dump the firmware in preparation for the iXtreme f/w coming soon WITHOUT soldering or modifying the internals? Can we yet (or ever?) dump the f/w using SATA cable and chipset only like the other drives? I honest to God looked for a long time and cannot figure it out in all the conversation of soldering and chips, etc..

The reason I ask is because I got a Halo Xbox 360 but it has the Hitachi 0079fl drive which cannot be flashed with soldering and I'm going to exchange it to hopefully get one with a BenQ drive since there is supposedly f/w coming out for it and not for the 79fl ever i guess. Thanks, I appreciate it.  (Didn't post in Noob chat because no one ever answers there and I know what's going on and have done research on it all, just cannot find this answer)

Yeah, I wondered the same thing. I didn't think MS used the Hitachi drives anymore.... Interesting. Honestly, I don't think a software only method will work with Hitachi....at least anytime soon (My Opinion of coarse). Really though, the BenQ was the easiest solder job I have ever done. VERY SIMPLE. I already did 4 and have not screwed anything up.

I'm really excited about the BenQ firmware coming soon. It will help those who recently bought an Xbox with a Benq drive in it. Sorry to hear your drive is a Hitachi....