Firmware upgrade using Linux tool, requires no hardware

[shaakz]

So i decided to try this yesterday and cay say that it worked flawlessly, thank you so much pipomolo42 for the information on how to do this, and to Chief for the utility aswell.

I do however have one issue, i cannot for the life of me get the Vertical Total 1350 tweak to work, i get blackscreen whenever i turn on the blur reduction mode.

These are the few different approaches i have taken, all to the same effect.
#TRY 1
1. Enable custom resolution with 120hz and 1350 VT
2. Override the crosstalk and lower persistance in utility
3. Enable Blur reduction on the monitor menu

#TRY 2
1. Enable Blur reduction on the monitor menu
2. Override the crosstalk and lower persistance in utility
3. Enable custom resolution with 120hz and 1350 VT

#TRY 3
1. Enable Blur reduction on the monitor menu
2. Enable custom resolution with 120hz and 1350 VT
(Without enabling override in the utility, leaving values at default)

#TRY 4
1. Enable custom resolution with 120hz and 1350 VT
2. Enable Blur reduction on the monitor menu
(Without enabling override in the utility, leaving values at default)

All of the above will leave me with a black screen, it works flawlessly without 1350 VT.
Blackscreen only occurs when i enable the Blur Reduction Mode, the picture returns if i disable it.

If anyone has any input as to how i can resolve the issue it would be much appreciated.

#EDIT
So i noticed some information in another thread about the factory settings in V2 being bad.
Im gonna check on that when i get home, something about Strobe Duty and Strobe Phase having bad values that cause black screen when using VT1350.
I know that Single Strobe is on tho, i noticed that yesterday after checking the firmware version after upgrade.

[quintosh]

Successfully got it working after 7 hours (I was running into a lot of hardware problems which I can't be bothered listing)

If you don't have an i-series CPU or if you're using a Laptop then don't bother flashing your firmware using this "tutorial". VGA cable to connect the BenQ is ok. BIOS will be different if your motherboard doesn't match mine, just look around. Watch out for proper filenames representing the V2 firmware for your monitor in the code.
Relevant hardware for me:
BenQ XL2411Z, MSi H87M-G43, i7-4770, Nvidia GTX 760 (Set it to boot with integrated graphic configurations in BIOS), my TV, a HDMI cable, a DVI cable, a USB stick

So basically I'm a total Linux noob. I've worked with Linux once or twice about half a decade ago but since every step was given it was fairly easy to go ahead anyway.
To start off with a problem you want to really avoid, I couldn't get unrar, wine or 7zip working on Linux for shit. So I was stuck with the .RAR that contains my firmware and had to get a friend to upload the actual bin. Do this BEFORE running Linux and put it in C:/. You can copy it from there on Linux later on. http://gaming.benq.com/downloads.

First off, I got myself Ubuntu http://ftp.halifax.rwth-aachen.de/ubunt ... -amd64.iso and a program that makes your USB stick bootable with Linux http://www.linuxliveusb.com/download. Back up data on your USB stick, select it in LinuxLiveUSB and keep the default settings - What you basically want is a "Live version" of Linux (boot once and data after each session is lost). Don't try to run it on a virtual machine through Windows.

Then, I shutdown my computer. Connected my TV to the motherboard with HDMI and connected the GTX 760 with the BenQ using DVI (Connect your hardware BEFORE booting your PC).
Now after I boot my PC I want to load up the BIOS menu. For my mainboard this is just DEL. Set the graphic configuration to integrated by going into Advanced>Graphic configuration. Also set the boot settings to put priority on USB Hard Drive. Booted Linux from USB like a charm.
Hit test ubuntu, (had to enable WLAN on the two laptops I've tried it on too, ended up doing it on my PC anyway), CTRL-ALT-T to open the Terminal.

Installed every necessary tool using these commands:

Code: Select all

type "sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.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.

And then went ahead with the other code.
"Hashtag" lines are to be ignored.
Put the .BIN that contains the firmware in /flashrom/ after executing the first line.

# 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
((You have to determine which bus connects to your BenQ monitor. This were neither the obvious ones when I used VGA nor when I used DVI. Just go through all the buses and Y the queries for probes (Z for Germans

# list i2c devices on bus 1
sudo i2cdetect 1
# get EDID (0x50) from bus 1
sudo i2cdump -r 0-127 XX 0x50 //Replace XX with the proper bus. One is the "main monitor" you're using, one is the BenQ. Just look at the names

# identify flash chip, on bus 1 (/dev/i2c-1) at address 0x49
sudo ./flashrom -p mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-XX:49 //Same thing here. Should know the actual I2C bus now.

# dump current firmware
sudo ./flashrom -p mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-XX:49 -c "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E" -r backup.bin //Replace XX with the I2C bus. The process of reading the flash took about 5 minutes. Looking into other posts, people seemed to have problems with this. Look around on page 2-4.

# 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 //If this tells you that a file is missing, you messed up somewhere. Check if both files firmware.bin and XL2411Z_V2_20131209_8B72.BIN (<-- this is the firmware for my monitor. If you have a different one the file is called different) are in /home/flashrom/

# write firmware
sudo ./flashrom -p mstarddc_spi:dev=/dev/i2c-XX:49 -c "MX25L1605A/MX25L1606E" -w firmware.bin //Replace XX again. Re-reading, writing and verifying the flash took about 15 minutes.

If everything worked your monitor should tell you to exit Burn-in mode. The flashing colors will always chase you whenever your monitor goes to sleep, so just disable it. There's a few ways to do that, but I don't know which one did it for me. Try looking around on page 3 or Google. If you successfully enabled the service menu for the XL2411Z, you should be able to enter it by pressing the Exit button (button right next to the power button) and navigate to Burn-in mode using the other buttons.

Enable Blur Reduction by hitting the far left button on the XL2411Z twice. Some (like me) might still run into the problem that strobelight tells you that it hasn't detected a Z-series monitor.See: http://www.blurbusters.com/benq/strobe- ... otdetected.
If none of the steps work, try shuffling around different picture modes.

And if it does work, then congratulations!

[pandelemon]

Can someone pls helpme and tell me how i can upgrade my Firmware to V2
I was a bit confused from both Pages from boeglin.org stand follow the instruction and go to blurbusters and here the same follow the instruction and go to boeglin.org page x)
Im rly sorry my english knowledges are poor
i need a step by step instruction with a full list what i should have to do cuz im not able to buy a mstar isp upgrader.
i will thank you verry mutch if someone would pick this to his hands to help a fool like me

[wayneuntamed]

So I followed the instructions here and I think the process went by rather smoothly on my new XL2720Z

I feel like it's updated to firmware V2 since the service page shows "V002-20131209" for the F/W version. Or is this wrong? I was under the impression that V002 Should be V2 firmware, and V001 would be something else. Anyhow, I'm just a bit confused because when I run blurbusters utility it says no supported Z monitors found

Anything I'm missing here?


Edit: I powercycled and it's working. glad to see I'm able to run blurbusters utility. I'm super pumped to experiment with it now

[pandelemon]

turn Blur Reduction ON

[Alexg87]

Hi,
i have a Benq xl2411z with FW1 too. I have a Intel Laptop and a Linux Bootstick to connect the monitor with a VGA cable.
I have not so much programming skills. Can someone post which tools I need and write or link a nooby friendly way to flash the monitor?

thx and best regards

[Chief Blur Buster]

I have not so much programming skills. Can someone post which tools I need and write or link a nooby friendly way to flash the monitor?

The newbie friendly method of upgrading BENQ Z-Series is via the easy MSTAR method:
www.blurbusters.com/benq/diy-firmware-upgrade-for-benq-z-series/

[rapt0r]

Thank you pipomolo42 for this awesome guide!
My XL2411Z should arrive on Saturday so will be flashing it then if it's V1 like Amazon seem to think it will be. I haven't used Linux since the early 90's at high school but I can make sense of your instructions I think Your guide is definitely easier than trying to find someone who still has PC with a LPT port thats for sure

[Alexg87]

I have now flashed my XL2411Z from Amazon.de with quintosh tutorial.
I have used the vga port from a dell intel laptop and his ubuntu version.

[alex667]

oh my gawd.
It stops at " Reading flash"
My monitor is on standby and I am doing it with a vga connected laptop

edit : ok it worked ! But its saying to me after I wrote this " dd if=XL2411Z_V2_20131209_8B72.BIN of=firmware.bin conv=notrunc"
that there is no file or directory...
in my home ordner it is called "firmware.bin"