Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

[Falkentyne]

There are two service menus (hell, there may be a third, for all I know).

the normal service menu (where you can adjust strobe duty, strobe phase, hdmi/dvi hpd (whatever this means, I don't know), and autopower (whatever this means), is, with the power button off, holding down menu and pressing power on, then releasing menu then the leds flash on for the first time (before the 2nd flash).

There's another service menu where you hold down (Edit) the THIRD button only, while pressing the power button on, then releasing the button after you get the led flash. You''ll know you did it right because you won't get any input source notification on the screen. Then the "exit" (last) button enters that service menu, with different options (instead of the menu button entering the previous service menu), and the enter button brings up an input selection list. the other service menu has gamma and color adjustment gains, autocolor and "RS 232" (what?) and burnin mode on/off. No overdrive gain options though (the VG248QE had an OD gain that was linked but separate from tracefree OSD setting).

[Dignitas]

Hey guys!

I just got stuck with flashing V2 firmware. The vga port in my case is 10. Can anyone tell me, whats wrong?
Till "sudo i2cdump -r 0-127 10 0x50" everything just went fine (displayed .BenQ XL2411)

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# build
svn co svn://flashrom.org/flashrom/trunk flashrom
cd flashrom
wget -O- http://boeglin.org/static/benq/0001-Add-programmer-for-the-MSTAR-I2C-ISP-protocol.patch | patch -p1
make -j

# load i2c-dev driver
sudo modprobe i2c-dev

# list all i2c buses
sudo i2cdetect -l
# list i2c devices on bus 1
sudo i2cdetect 1
# get EDID (0x50) from bus 1
sudo i2cdump -r 0-127 1 0x50

Here the message I get after entering "sudo ./flashrom -p mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-10:49"

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ubuntu@ubuntu:~/flashrom$ sudo  ./flashrom -p mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-10:49
flashrom v0.9.7-r1786 on Linux 3.13.0-24-generic (x86_64)
flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org

Error: Unknown programmer "mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-10:49". Valid choices are:
internal, dummy, nic3com, nicrealtek, gfxnvidia, drkaiser, satasii, serprog,
buspirate_spi, rayer_spi, pony_spi, nicintel, nicintel_spi, ogp_spi, satamv,
linux_spi.
Please run "flashrom --help" for usage info.

I hope somebody can help me

[Bishi]

I have successfully flashed a 2720Z using this method. You sir are an absolute legend!

Some notes:
Used VGA cable.
Your site boeglin.org is completely inaccessible to me, UK ISP: BT. I had to use a proxy to see it and download the files.
Tried to use a VMware VM of ubuntu first but this didn't work because I couldn't see the i2c devices (nothing would list)
Worked flawlessly using Ubuntu LiveCD method on an old VAIO laptop.

Thanks!

[ziConiCz]

I have successfully flashed a 2720Z using this method. You sir are an absolute legend!

Some notes:
Used VGA cable.
Your site boeglin.org is completely inaccessible to me, UK ISP: BT. I had to use a proxy to see it and download the files.
Tried to use a VMware VM of ubuntu first but this didn't work because I couldn't see the i2c devices (nothing would list)
Worked flawlessly using Ubuntu LiveCD method on an old VAIO laptop.

Thanks!

Hi Bishi! Could you post here some step by step guide? I'm quite confused about what has to be done.. Thank you!

[Dignitas]

Ok i finally flashed my XL2411Z to V2
I just formated my Ubuntu USB and repeated all steps.

Regards

Dignitas

[Bishi]

Sure, I'm a complete Linux noob too - summarised in the other posts but I'll copy and paste here for brevity:
Download the ISO for Ubuntu - http://releases.ubuntu.com/14.04/
Burn ISO to USB drive using - http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal- ... -as-1-2-3/
Get firmware for your monitor from here http://gaming.benq.com/downloads/

None of the below are my words except the lines marked with *** and I take no credit
-----
Here's what you'll need to build the tool, using the Ubuntu 14.04 LTS iso (which also behaves as a live CD):
boot in "Try ubuntu" mode (the default), open a terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T);
type "sudo gedit /etc/apt/source.list";
an editor opens, add "universe multiverse" at the end of the second line, to it reads "deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty main restricted universe multiverse" Save, then exit the editor;
type "sudo apt-get update", to update the package list;
type "sudo apt-get install i2c-tools subversion libpci-dev" to install required packages.
You can then follow the procedure, building flashrom with the patch, and detecting your I2C buses.

you might have to modify one line to match your I2C device : line 73 of mstarddc_spi.c, the "/dev/i2c-1" device has to match the one corresponding to your VGA port (you get this info using "i2cdetect -l").


*** Once you've done the above, run the following (not the hashed lines)
*** Note I couldn't access boeglin.org for some reason so I used a proxy and mirrored the patch file here if anyone needs it http://www.sendspace.com/file/6xqg6f (hope this is ok)

# build
svn co svn://flashrom.org/flashrom/trunk flashrom
cd flashrom
wget -O- http://boeglin.org/static/benq/0001-Add ... ocol.patch | patch -p1
make -j

# load i2c-dev driver
sudo modprobe i2c-dev

# list all i2c buses
sudo i2cdetect -l
# list i2c devices on bus 1
sudo i2cdetect 1
# get EDID (0x50) from bus 1
sudo i2cdump -r 0-127 1 0x50

# identify flash chip, on bus 1 (/dev/i2c-1) at address 0x49
sudo ./flashrom -p mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-1:49

# dump current firmware
sudo ./flashrom -p mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-1:49 -c "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E" -r backup.bin


***Make sure the bin filename you use below matches the downloaded file and place it in the flashrom folder before running the following


# extend firmware to 2MB, to match the flash chip size
tr '\000' '\377' < /dev/zero | dd of=firmware.bin bs=1k count=2k
dd if=XL2411Z_V2_20131209_8B72.BIN of=firmware.bin conv=notrunc

# write firmware
sudo ./flashrom -p mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-1:49 -c "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E" -w firmware.bin


***After you've done all this you should have the v2 firmware, make sure to disable burn in mode if its on and enable single strobing.

[ziConiCz]

Thank you so much Bishi, I'll try this tommorrow and then come back here.
Anyway thank you and thanks to the author of this tool pipomolo42.

[ziConiCz]

Sure, I'm a complete Linux noob too - summarised in the other posts but I'll copy and paste here for brevity:
Download the ISO for Ubuntu - http://releases.ubuntu.com/14.04/
Burn ISO to USB drive using - http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal- ... -as-1-2-3/
Get firmware for your monitor from here http://gaming.benq.com/downloads/

None of the below are my words except the lines marked with *** and I take no credit
-----
Here's what you'll need to build the tool, using the Ubuntu 14.04 LTS iso (which also behaves as a live CD):
boot in "Try ubuntu" mode (the default), open a terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T);
type "sudo gedit /etc/apt/source.list";
an editor opens, add "universe multiverse" at the end of the second line, to it reads "deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty main restricted universe multiverse" Save, then exit the editor;

When I write "sudo gedit /etc/apt/source.list" I get this error:

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(gedit:6363): Gtk-WARNING **: Calling Inhibit failed: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name org.gnome.SessionManager was not provided by any service files

What can be the problem?

[Bishi]

yeah i had that problem, you can enable universe / multiverse via the GUI or another method like they show here - http://askubuntu.com/questions/148638/h ... repository

then just skip the editing source file step and do the updates

[pipomolo42]

When I write "sudo gedit /etc/apt/source.list" I get this error:

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(gedit:6363): Gtk-WARNING **: Calling Inhibit failed: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name org.gnome.SessionManager was not provided by any service files

What can be the problem?

Does it prevent the gedit text editor from opening the file? If it's not the case, you can ignore this error.