Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

Adjusting BENQ Blur Reduction and DyAc (Dynamic Acceleration) including Blur Busters Strobe Utility. Supports most BenQ/Zowie Z-Series monitors (XL2411, XL2420, XL2720, XL2735, XL2540, XL2546)
pipapo
Posts: 1
Joined: 06 Feb 2018, 14:33

Re: Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

Post by pipapo » 06 Feb 2018, 15:05

First of all: A big thank you to everyone contributing to this thread. I successfully flashed V4 on my BenQ XL2420z.

I always had a BenQ XL2420z with the first firmware version. Back in the day BenQ agreed to flash V2 for me if I send the monitor to their HQ. When it came back it had V2 installed but the OSD/Menu was unreadable. So they retook it and gave me back one with V1. I gave up on V2 after this.

Fast forward today and I somehow stumbled across Blur Busters again and read about the DIY Linux method. Searched for a VGA cable, took out my trusted Lenovo X300 and went to town. Followed everything in the guide until this occured:

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flashrom v0.9.7-r1846 on Linux 4.4.0-31-generic (x86_64)
flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org

Calibrating delay loop... OK.
Info: Will try to use device /dev/i2c-1 and address 0x49.
Info: WILL reset the device at the end.
Found Macronix flash chip "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E" (2048 kB, SPI) on mstarddc_spi.
Reading old flash chip contents... done.
Erasing and writing flash chip... Error sending write command: errno 6.
spi_nbyte_program failed during command execution at address 0x0
Reading current flash chip contents... 
The monitor wouldn't turn on again. I was a bit distraught and tried to connect the monitor via VGA to my onboard-gpu and tried to flash again. Same result over and over.

At last I connected the monitor with my usual DVI cable and tried again. This time the bus changed from '1' to '11'. And it worked :)

Complete log for the interested:

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ubuntu@ubuntu:~/flashrom$ sudo modprobe i2c-dev

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ubuntu@ubuntu:~/flashrom$ sudo i2cdetect -l
i2c-15 i2c card0-DP-5 I2C adapter
i2c-3 i2c i915 gmbus dpc I2C adapter
i2c-13 i2c Radeon i2c bit bus 0x97 I2C adapter
i2c-1 i2c i915 gmbus vga I2C adapter
i2c-11 i2c Radeon i2c bit bus 0x95 I2C adapter
i2c-8 i2c Radeon i2c bit bus 0x92 I2C adapter
i2c-18 i2c DPDDC-D I2C adapter
i2c-6 i2c Radeon i2c bit bus 0x90 I2C adapter
i2c-16 i2c DPDDC-B I2C adapter
i2c-4 i2c i915 gmbus dpb I2C adapter
i2c-14 i2c card0-DP-4 I2C adapter
i2c-2 i2c i915 gmbus panel I2C adapter
i2c-12 i2c Radeon i2c bit bus 0x96 I2C adapter
i2c-0 i2c i915 gmbus ssc I2C adapter
i2c-9 i2c Radeon i2c bit bus 0x93 I2C adapter
i2c-10 i2c Radeon i2c bit bus 0x94 I2C adapter
i2c-7 i2c Radeon i2c bit bus 0x91 I2C adapter
i2c-17 i2c DPDDC-C I2C adapter
i2c-5 i2c i915 gmbus dpd I2C adapter[/code]

I found the right bus by cycling through the list

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ubuntu@ubuntu:~/flashrom$ sudo i2cdetect 11
WARNING! This program can confuse your I2C bus, cause data loss and worse!
I will probe file /dev/i2c-11.
I will probe address range 0x03-0x77.
Continue? [Y/n] y
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 a b c d e f
00: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
10: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
20: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
30: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
40: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 49 -- -- -- -- -- --
50: 50 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 59 -- -- -- -- -- --
60: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
70: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

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ubuntu@ubuntu:~/flashrom$ sudo i2cdump -r 0-127 11 0x50
No size specified (using byte-data access)
WARNING! This program can confuse your I2C bus, cause data loss and worse!
I will probe file /dev/i2c-11, address 0x50, mode byte
Probe range limited to 0x00-0x7f.
Continue? [Y/n]
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 a b c d e f 0123456789abcdef
00: 00 ff ff ff ff ff ff 00 09 d1 2d 7f 45 54 00 00 ........??-?ET..
10: 2b 17 01 03 80 35 1e 78 2e 9d e1 a6 54 54 9f 26 +????5?x.???TT?&
20: 0d 50 54 a5 6b 80 d1 c0 45 7c 61 7c 81 80 81 bc ?PT?k???E|a|????
30: 95 3c 31 7c 01 01 02 3a 80 18 71 38 2d 40 58 2c ?<1|???:??q8-@X,
40: 45 00 13 2a 21 00 00 1e 00 00 00 ff 00 30 30 30 E.?*!..?.....000
50: 30 30 30 30 30 53 4c 30 0a 20 00 00 00 fd 00 38 00000SL0? ...?.8
60: 90 1e a0 21 00 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 00 00 00 fc ???!.? ...?
70: 00 42 65 6e 51 20 58 4c 32 34 32 30 5a 0a 01 01 .BenQ XL2420Z???

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ubuntu@ubuntu:~/flashrom$ sudo ./flashrom -p mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-11:49
flashrom v0.9.7-r1846 on Linux 4.10.0-28-generic (x86_64)
flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org

Calibrating delay loop... OK.
Info: Will try to use device /dev/i2c-11 and address 0x49.
Info: WILL reset the device at the end.
Found Macronix flash chip "MX25L1605" (2048 kB, SPI) on mstarddc_spi.
Found Macronix flash chip "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E" (2048 kB, SPI) on mstarddc_spi.
Found Macronix flash chip "MX25L1605D/MX25L1608D/MX25L1673E" (2048 kB, SPI) on mstarddc_spi.
Multiple flash chip definitions match the detected chip(s): "MX25L1605", "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E", "MX25L1605D/MX25L1608D/MX25L1673E"
Please specify which chip definition to use with the -c <chipname> option.

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ubuntu@ubuntu:~/flashrom$ sudo ./flashrom -p mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-11:49 -c "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E" -r backup.bin
flashrom v0.9.7-r1846 on Linux 4.10.0-28-generic (x86_64)
flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org

Calibrating delay loop... OK.
Info: Will try to use device /dev/i2c-11 and address 0x49.
Info: WILL reset the device at the end.
Found Macronix flash chip "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E" (2048 kB, SPI) on mstarddc_spi.
Reading flash... done.

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ubuntu@ubuntu:~/flashrom$ tr '\000' '\377' < /dev/zero | dd of=firmware.bin bs=1k count=2k
2048+0 records in
2048+0 records out
2097152 bytes (2.1 MB, 2.0 MiB) copied, 0.00701821 s, 299 MB/s

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ubuntu@ubuntu:~/flashrom$ dd if=XL2420Z_V04.BIN of=firmware.bin conv=notrunc
1664+0 records in
1664+0 records out
851968 bytes (852 kB, 832 KiB) copied, 0.0051151 s, 167 MB/s

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ubuntu@ubuntu:~/flashrom$ sudo ./flashrom -p mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-11:49 -c "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E" -w firmware.bin
flashrom v0.9.7-r1846 on Linux 4.10.0-28-generic (x86_64)
flashrom is free software, get the source code at http://www.flashrom.org

Calibrating delay loop... OK.
Info: Will try to use device /dev/i2c-11 and address 0x49.
Info: WILL reset the device at the end.
Found Macronix flash chip "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E" (2048 kB, SPI) on mstarddc_spi.
Reading old flash chip contents... done.
Erasing and writing flash chip... Erase/write done.
Verifying flash... VERIFIED.


Image

Now I need to read into all the small and big tricks I can do :)

What a rollercoaster. Thank you!

Mawet
Posts: 1
Joined: 06 Mar 2018, 12:13

Re: Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

Post by Mawet » 06 Mar 2018, 12:21

Hey

I have 2 xl2411
one v6 and one v7 firmware.

Is there a way to dump v7 ( like a newbie step by step )
or any link to download v7? Cant find anything :/ and i rly rly want to upgrade the v6 to v7 -_-

Falkentyne
Posts: 2793
Joined: 26 Mar 2014, 07:23

Re: Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

Post by Falkentyne » 10 Mar 2018, 19:37

Assuming XL2411 v7 is simply the Zowie rebrand of the XL2411Z, and might be the same as V5.
At least for the XL2720Z, the v7 firmware is just the zowie rebrand, and I saw no differences whatsoever between the XL2720Z V5 and XL2720 V7, besides the logo.

I don't 'have access to any firmwares anymore besides the old ones available like XL2420Z/XL2411Z V4, and XL2720Z V5. I only got XL2720 V7 because some really nice person here was kind enough to dump it with Linux.

I haven't seen anyone willing to dump firmwares of any monitors since that time. The last attempted dump of anything was Strobemaster dumping his XL2730Z firmware with the RT809F ISP device, but he said he got a verify error after dumping it (he had to use the HDMI connection), so it's unknown whether that dump was good or if it would cause a brick.

And no one knows if flashrom can dump or flash the new realtek 2796BF firmwares either.

I'm surprised no one has even tried. Maybe people don't care. Or maybe they're just afraid of bricking something. But just reading firmwares won't brick anything.

Ok so let me ask this again since I asked a long time ago but got NO replies...like, literally no one even trying:

Has ANYONE been willing or tried to adopt the flashrom method of dumping the old Benq firmwares (NOT FLASHING THEM, just identifying the i2c address and making a backup only), to any of the newer Realtek 2796BF monitors? Does anyone know if these monitors even use Macronix flash chips anymore?

Referring specifically to the XL2735, XL2540, XL2546 and any newer monitors using this scaler/chipset ?
Of course, the chip identifier string must be known, and flashrom must also support the new scaler/firmware/flash chip as well, since it's not MX25L1606E anymore.

Mydrrin
Posts: 1
Joined: 03 Jun 2018, 12:15

Re: Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

Post by Mydrrin » 03 Jun 2018, 12:20

Hello Guys!
I have the problem that i can't download flashrom from the svn co svn:// and the coreboot link.
It says that i can't connect to the host because the connection is declined.
Can someone post an alternative Link or help me with this problem?

Im thankfull for any help!

csgoglobalelajt
Posts: 2
Joined: 07 Jun 2018, 01:31

Re: Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

Post by csgoglobalelajt » 07 Jun 2018, 01:44

I have a xl2411 zowie "rebrand" and it has v5, does this mean that the v7 firmware is not just the zowie rebrand?
Falkentyne wrote:Assuming XL2411 v7 is simply the Zowie rebrand of the XL2411Z, and might be the same as V5.
At least for the XL2720Z, the v7 firmware is just the zowie rebrand, and I saw no differences whatsoever between the XL2720Z V5 and XL2720 V7, besides the logo.

I don't 'have access to any firmwares anymore besides the old ones available like XL2420Z/XL2411Z V4, and XL2720Z V5. I only got XL2720 V7 because some really nice person here was kind enough to dump it with Linux.

I haven't seen anyone willing to dump firmwares of any monitors since that time. The last attempted dump of anything was Strobemaster dumping his XL2730Z firmware with the RT809F ISP device, but he said he got a verify error after dumping it (he had to use the HDMI connection), so it's unknown whether that dump was good or if it would cause a brick.

And no one knows if flashrom can dump or flash the new realtek 2796BF firmwares either.

I'm surprised no one has even tried. Maybe people don't care. Or maybe they're just afraid of bricking something. But just reading firmwares won't brick anything.

Ok so let me ask this again since I asked a long time ago but got NO replies...like, literally no one even trying:

Has ANYONE been willing or tried to adopt the flashrom method of dumping the old Benq firmwares (NOT FLASHING THEM, just identifying the i2c address and making a backup only), to any of the newer Realtek 2796BF monitors? Does anyone know if these monitors even use Macronix flash chips anymore?

Referring specifically to the XL2735, XL2540, XL2546 and any newer monitors using this scaler/chipset ?
Of course, the chip identifier string must be known, and flashrom must also support the new scaler/firmware/flash chip as well, since it's not MX25L1606E anymore.

wazer
Posts: 3
Joined: 01 Sep 2016, 16:38

Re: DIY Build ISP Questions [Build your own upgrader dongle!

Post by wazer » 20 Jun 2018, 06:18

pipomolo42 wrote:Good news, everyone!

I just managed to flash the V2 firmware on my XL2411Z, using only a VGA cable and some code I wrote.

It only requires a PC or laptop running GNU/Linux, and a video chip that exposes its I2C bus (the Intel graphic chip icluded in most laptops and recent CPUs does).

It's all available here : http://boeglin.org/blog/index.php?entry ... -free(dom)

I'll clean it up a bit soon, but currently, 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").

As always, use it at your own risk.
Hi there will this method work for xl2540?

Margusx
Posts: 10
Joined: 11 Nov 2016, 10:44

Re: Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

Post by Margusx » 20 Jun 2018, 23:28

Got zowie 2536 since idk what flashchip its use its have v3 firmware once i get flashrom complied in linux i check. If chip have realtek then flashrom dosent support it i did dump on my 2411z might i do on 2536 also if flashrom eats that chip.

edit
its use unknown martonix chip this takes for while until i can dump it ic bus communicates with flash but flashrom cant dump on unknown chips.

Yo not get communication with DP
DVI did work on me

You can get latest flashrom and use make command that its complie everything you get that command on flashrom site witch complies with mstar so make without extra command not complie mstar support

Mstar is supported newest flashroms only you have to complie with extra command that adds support to flashrom

no need to mess patches and outdated infos

EDIT2

Sent to flashrom devs log to support that flash if i get support from flashrom to support that chip we get dump. Easy as that.

fumz
Posts: 4
Joined: 07 Jun 2014, 06:48

Re: Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

Post by fumz » 06 Jul 2018, 16:44

Hi guys,

I have an xl2720z rev 2 and displayport cable problems where the monitor doesn't get a signal after waking up, and this morning just booting up. I understand V4 firmware solves this, but I have followed the links in this thread and they're all down or gone.

Is there a current V4 firmware file for the 2720Z, along with some instructions that don't look like you need to work for nasa?

Thanks in advance for your time; my apologies if I missed a post.

Falkentyne
Posts: 2793
Joined: 26 Mar 2014, 07:23

Re: Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

Post by Falkentyne » 11 Jul 2018, 13:28

fumz wrote:Hi guys,

I have an xl2720z rev 2 and displayport cable problems where the monitor doesn't get a signal after waking up, and this morning just booting up. I understand V4 firmware solves this, but I have followed the links in this thread and they're all down or gone.

Is there a current V4 firmware file for the 2720Z, along with some instructions that don't look like you need to work for nasa?

Thanks in advance for your time; my apologies if I missed a post.
I have the current V7 firmware for the XL2720Z.
I found no difference between the V7 "Zowie" firmware over the V5 "Benq" firmware besides the logo change.

I still have them on my onedrive.

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AkQqWXPLNfg-gVFgbSqQ9RqLAZ2A

Do the linux instructions still work to flash it?

If not, you would need the RT809F flasher or the Mstar ISP flasher.
But cart100 was renamed to yoycart and I no longer have the link for the mstar device. The rt809f works but is more expensive.

Then again maybe not.

https://www.yoycart.com/Product/5278188 ... ment_tool/

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/RT809F- ... 92102.html

That link gets you the rt809f and all the adapters, but all you need is the VGA cable for the Benq. You still have to find the english verison of the software though (used to have the link, check the blurbusters search to see if it's still posted, I don't remember it anymore, but can google "Rt809f english software".

Chief had the Mstar ISP software hosted on blurbusters. If it's not there, send Chief a message.

@Chief do you stiill have the ISP software?

fumz
Posts: 4
Joined: 07 Jun 2014, 06:48

Re: Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

Post by fumz » 13 Jul 2018, 00:45

Falkentyne wrote:
fumz wrote:Hi guys,

I have an xl2720z rev 2 and displayport cable problems where the monitor doesn't get a signal after waking up, and this morning just booting up. I understand V4 firmware solves this, but I have followed the links in this thread and they're all down or gone.

Is there a current V4 firmware file for the 2720Z, along with some instructions that don't look like you need to work for nasa?

Thanks in advance for your time; my apologies if I missed a post.
I have the current V7 firmware for the XL2720Z.
I found no difference between the V7 "Zowie" firmware over the V5 "Benq" firmware besides the logo change.

I still have them on my onedrive.

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AkQqWXPLNfg-gVFgbSqQ9RqLAZ2A

Do the linux instructions still work to flash it?

If not, you would need the RT809F flasher or the Mstar ISP flasher.
But cart100 was renamed to yoycart and I no longer have the link for the mstar device. The rt809f works but is more expensive.

Then again maybe not.

https://www.yoycart.com/Product/5278188 ... ment_tool/

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/RT809F- ... 92102.html

That link gets you the rt809f and all the adapters, but all you need is the VGA cable for the Benq. You still have to find the english verison of the software though (used to have the link, check the blurbusters search to see if it's still posted, I don't remember it anymore, but can google "Rt809f english software".

Chief had the Mstar ISP software hosted on blurbusters. If it's not there, send Chief a message.

@Chief do you stiill have the ISP software?
Thanks for the reply and current links Falkentyne.

Currently have a buddy trying to sort through this linux stuff and see if it can be done with a rasberry pi? Going to give that a shot first... but my main problem with that method is searching for the right i2c bus. It's all Greek to me, which is why building/buying a tool seems like the safer option.

I grabbed all the mstarl software and V5 firmware. Do you know if the Mstar install software would work with the RT809F-Programmer or would that require some other software? Or should I just grab the mstar device if we can't figure out/aren't comfortable with trying Linux?

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