+kheller2 Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Here is the latest known good firmware for the device: minipro_setup670.rar I don't know how to get it onto the bricked device, though. Version: V6.80 Support:14318--2018.07.20 <-- DO NOT USE ADD: MB85R256H BQ4010YMA/BQ4011YMA/BQ4013YMA/BQ4014YMA/BQ4015YMA BQ4011LYMA/BQ4013LYMA/BQ4014LYMA/BQ4015LYMA FIXED: DS1245/DS1250 Algorithm(read and write) Version: V6.71 Support:14299 --2018.04.17 ADD： PM25LQ512 /010/020/040/080/016/032 GD25B32 /GD25B64 Fix: S24S45 DS1220(RW)Algorithm. Version: V670 Support:14260 --2018.03.7 ADD： AK6410/6420/6440/6480 AK6510/6512/6514/6516 BY25Q10/20/40/80/16/32/64/128 K8D1616x/1716x/3216x/6316x K8P1615U/K8P3215U/K8P6415U Fix：MX25L6475E @SOP16 Algorithm and BR93Hxx Algorithm. 6.71 http://www.autoelectric.cn/MiniPro/minipro_setup671.rar I have not updated mine beyond 6.60 to test the 6.7x line Might this help in reseting the device: http://blog.obdii365.com/2018/02/14/reset-mini-pro-tl866a-tl866cs-programmer/ 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 He is correct. I thought this applied to counterfeit devices and, knowing mine is legit, foolishly did the update to test it. I bricked my TL866. I have been trying, but haven't yet found a way to revert to old firmware. There is a good older tl866a firmware.hex in my first post. I can't find any way to flash that to the unit. The TL866 tool just freezes up yith the yellow ERASE light on.... I also wonder if this happens on units that were flashed to A from CS. Actually, now I think its just shoddy coding as v 6.50 could brick it: Re: EEVblog #411 - MiniPro TL866 Universal Programmer Review 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share Posted July 21, 2018 That's what happened to mine. I flashed it from CS to A and it worked great until this update. I'll try the reset link above and see what happens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgeld Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Thanks for the heads up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KylJoy Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Oops... And I was going to do this mod. FYI - The mod does indeed work GREAT! I did it and it is very cool. BUT... Do not use the firmware that nukes the device. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 at least the eevblog talks of un-bricking that works 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindFlareRetro Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 (edited) I see XG Autoelectric released v6.81 yesterday (July 20/18) as well. Does anyone know if this corrected the bricking issue of 6.80? Version: V6.81 Support:14318--2018.07.20 Edited July 21, 2018 by MindFlareRetro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morelenmir Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 I am pretty sure it is illegal--in England at least. They can prevent their client software from running with a cloned/modded device but they cannot wilfully damage your private property even if it is a clone. Good luck actually doing anything about it though! Its also pretty ironical for a Chinese manufacturer to get all up in arms about very minor infringement in copyright or piracy!!! Worst of all I find it no end suspicious that this happens just after they release their new 'TL866II'... As things stand there has just been a release of of a v6.81. By all accounts this de-bricks the TL866 so it can once again flash EEPROM's or whatever, but keeps the annoying engrish popup. Personally I am never going to apply another of these bastard's updates. Here is the latest known good firmware for the device: minipro_setup670.rar I don't know how to get it onto the bricked device, though. Many thanks for the file Kyle22!!! I have been looking for the last safe one was for a bit. In regards actually flashing it to the device--I have sent off a PM to 'Radioman', the bloke on the EEVBlog forum who wrote the opensource flasher in the first place. I asked if he was aware of the problem and if he'd mind taking a look at it when he has a spare moment. Maybe he will be able to tweak his software so it works again. Failing this, apparently you can use a 'PicKit2' to reflash the TL866 in-circuit. Sadly I don't have one so I cannot swear to this working. I also suspect it might be tricky finding exactly where to attach the ICSP lead. Nonetheless I expect I will have to buy one from eBay have a bit of an experiment regardless. How about version 6.71? And was yours a fake version? http://www.autoelectric.cn/images/IMG_0681.jpg Honestly the fake/not fake and modded/clean question is irrelevant--there have been reports of v6.80 bricking totally untouched and absolutely genuine TL866CS/A units. I guess its worth giving v6.81 a try if you arre absolutely sure your's is 100% genuine and in factory condition. Personally I wouldn't advise it however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morelenmir Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 I also wonder if this happens on units that were flashed to A from CS. Actually, now I think its just shoddy coding as v 6.50 could brick it: Re: EEVblog #411 - MiniPro TL866 Universal Programmer Review I'll give that 3.3v reset process a shot. Do you know where the ICSP header is on the internal board? Apparently you can short the reset pin on there as well--not to mention use the PicKit through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morelenmir Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Update: I am pretty sure the unpopulated header marked 'J1' on the lower TL866 PCD is the device's own ICSP connector--ironical that a flasher has its own flashing point! That will make reprogramming with a PicKit2 fairly easy. Sadly I don't have a digital camera at the moment so I cannot take pictures. However it is very obvious once you get the thing out of its box: if you orient it with the big--fake--3M ZIF socket on top and the usb socket to the right you will see J1 at the very bottom left of the bottom PCB. I think there will just be clearance to solder in a vertical, female pin-header and get the PicKit connections down in to it. It may need a bit of encouraging but I think it will be possible. Otherwise you'll have to desolder the two supports and separate the two boards before re flashing. Previously I had a lot of admiration for this company as the construction is very solid and well made. Now... Not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morelenmir Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 That 'Reset' dodge mention on the site above does not work. At least I couldn't get it to reset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roydea6 Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 My MiniPro TL866 was never modified for the 'A' option and I downloaded Version 681 and all went well. So Mine is not a clone. or the software no longer bricks the MiniPro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morelenmir Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 A little more reading on the matter has turned up a successful workaround. Basically the material linked to by kheller2 above does indeed cover the necessary ground. However I found the site rather confusing and I was unable to use the very brief directions it gave. However, the same topic is illustrated in far more detail by 'radioman' from the EEVBlog forum in the documents that accompany his open-source flashing software. Specifically this *.PDF: https://github.com/radiomanV/TL866/blob/master/docs/TL866_prog.pdf I found this document made fascinating reading and more importantly I could properly follow his explanation of the method to reset the microprocessor inside the TL866 and thereby enable re-flashing. It is worth mentioning this process would work to reinstall any version of the firmware. These are the steps I followed: First of all, since I had installed the booby-trapped v6.80 MiniPro software I made sure to uninstall it. While perhaps unnecessary, I also removed the USB driver when I was given that option. I installed the known-good MiniPro v6.71 distribution which kheller2 provided a link for above--making sure I permitted it to re-install the USB driver. I again dismantled the TL866 and extracted its PCB assembly. I soldered a 200ohm pull-up resistor between a source of 3.3volts and the RC1 leg of the TL866's micro controller--as pictured in the *.PDF above. It goes without saying you need to ensure no part of the resistor's legs short any track or component on the PCB. I plugged the bare PCB back in to my PC via USB and started the MiniPro v6.71 software. The TL866 hardware was recognized and within the 'Tools(V)' menu the 'Reflash firmware' item was finally available. On selecting this option the old, known-good firmware is written in to TL866 micro-controller. I disconnected the TL866 from USB and then desoldered the pull-up resistor from its PCB. It is important to do this as otherwise the device would remain in 'boot' mode every time it was powered up! As a last step I re-cased the device, reconnected it to my PC and ran a few successful read/write/erase tests with a handy AT29C256 EEPROM. So, all's well that ends better--as someone once wrote! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Hmm.. maybe one day the will get it right... Version: V6.82 Support:14318--2018.07.24ADD: MB85R256HBQ4010YMA/BQ4011YMA/BQ4013YMA/BQ4014YMA/BQ4015YMABQ4011LYMA/BQ4013LYMA/BQ4014LYMA/BQ4015LYMAFIXED: DS1245/DS1250 Algorithm(read and write) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morelenmir Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 (edited) An update on this; 'Radioman' has just released a new version of his open-source firmware writer. It overcomes and corrects the recent problems discussed above. However, if I understand the situation correctly then if you have already been bricked by the booby-trapped firmware you will still need to do the (minor) hardware mod with the resistor above to put your device into 'boot' mode beforehand. The new open-source tool also works with the 6.81 and 6.82 versions of the official firmware, so I do not think there is a need to remain at v6.71. In order to do this there are a few stages to go through first in regards ensuring the serial-number is correctly written. Radioman describes all this in very interesting detail on the eeVBlog page dedicated to the TL866, starting half-way down page 51: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-411-minipro-tl866-universal-programmer-review/1250/ Edited August 1, 2018 by morelenmir 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morelenmir Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 (edited) Yet another update on this: After following Radioman's direction in the post I linked above I can confirm his new firmware flasher works exactly as described. My device is now safely updated to v6.82 for the TL866A version. The official client software now also works properly without any annoying pop-ups or more importantly without flat-out refusing to work at all. The key thing seems to be to retain your original 'Device ID' and 'Serial number' values. I have made a note of them for future safe-keeping just in case... In order to run a realistic test I dumped the entire 512kB contents of my U1MB using uFlash and RespeQt to store it within a PCLink'ed folder via my repaired SIO2PC-USB. I then slotted an spare SST39F040 flash chip into a PLCC32-to-DIL32 adapter and latched the whole into the TL866. Next I erased the flash ROM and loaded the firmware dump into the client software. When all was in place I told it to write the 512kB's of firmware upon the chip. After an allegedly successful operation I zeroed out the firmware buffer in the client software and then commanded the TL866A to read the newly written flash chip. I saved these contents into the same folder as the original U1MB dump. Finally I compared the two images, the original and that I wrote and re-read from the SST39F040 using 'Hex Workshop'. Both files were identical therefore I am pretty sure all is well again with the TL866. At the end of the day this is absolutely excellent work from Radioman--a genuine example of what the old hardware modding and hacking scene used to be like. Edited August 4, 2018 by morelenmir 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 Ditto. Mine has been successfully upgraded to 6.82 as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenixdownita Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 Yet another update on this: .... I have a TL866CS->A (did it way back when) running fine on 6.71. If I understand the procedure to follow now (before any 6.8x shenanigans) is to basically dump the firmware then reflash the A with the regen serial/CRC and the tool v2.4/2.5.... is that correct? [after that I should have the correct CRC (I assume the serial was never really changed) and hence I can update to 6.82] NOTE: it is really sneaky to brick devices that are even no longer produced, c'mon now. I was eyeing a TL866-II but I am not sure anymore. And all of it because some of us made an A out of a CS ... which is what? one connector and a firmware update away ... is not that it costs the guy any support, actually he had to go and spend time to actively block it for no good reasons. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZroe Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) I have a TL866CS->A (did it way back when) running fien on 6.71. If I understand the procedure to follow now (before any 6.8x shenanigans) is to basically dump the firwmare then reflash the A with the regen serial/CRC and the tool v2.4/2.5.... is that correct? [after that I should have the correct CRC (I assume the serial was never really changed) and hence I can update to 6.82] NOTE: it is really sneaky to brick devices that are even no longer produced, c'mon now. I was eyeing a TL866-II but I am not sure anymore. And all of it because some of us made an A out of a CS ... which is what? one connector and a firmware update away ... is not that it costs the guy any support, actually he had to go and spend time to actively block it for no good reasons. What’s new with the TL866-II? Edited October 2, 2018 by CZroe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 it does less.... that's about it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted October 2, 2018 Author Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) it does less.... that's about it.. Let me get this straight. The Newer model has LESS functionality than the old one, and is most likely more expensive. M$ has been removing features from Windows for quite a while now. Same with Apple and their Xs piece of crapple. Where's the home button? How do you double tap to bring up Task Manager? Inquiring minds want to know what is so much better about this crap that it makes these rich idiots give up their money to buy this junk that spys on us. No Thanx Crapple. Edit: Rooted Androids are the best, once you have gotten all the EVIL Goo drained out of it. PIXELKNOT is awesome. Great for covert ops. Try it. Edited October 2, 2018 by Kyle22 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZroe Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) Let me get this straight. The Newer model has LESS functionality than the old one, and is most likely more expensive. M$ has been removing features from Windows for quite a while now. Same with Apple and their Xs piece of crapple. Where's the home button? How do you double tap to bring up Task Manager? Home button is gone. You bring up the task switcher exactly like WebOS by dragging up from the bottom edge to switch “cards” (remember that?!). Inquiring minds want to know what is so much better about this crap that it makes these rich idiots give up their money to buy this junk that spys on us. No Thanx Crapple. More screen area for a given device size, which is kind of important when balancing device/UI size and portability. Note: I hate Apple too, but answers are answers. [emoji6] Reachability is now invoked by pulling down but it is disabled by default. Control Center and Notification Center are now invoked by swiping down on different sides of the notch/status bar. Yeah, it sucks and is unintuitive, especially without Reachability. Powering off is awkward now too. Edited October 2, 2018 by CZroe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted October 2, 2018 Author Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) How do you 'double click' on the 'home' button to switch apps? (alt-tab) in Windows equivalent? Edit: Oh, maybe I sort of get it now. Is 'reachibility' the 'New!' NON-Feature? Un-Impressed. . Edited October 2, 2018 by Kyle22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZroe Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) How do you 'double click' on the 'home' button to switch apps? (alt-tab) in Windows equivalent? Edit: Oh, maybe I sort of get it now. Is 'reachibility' the 'New!' NON-Feature? Un-Impressed. . Reachability is the old feature that would pull the entire screen down when you touched the TouchID ring twice. It’s what allows you to reach the top of your screen without awkwardly reaching, adjusting your grip, or using a second hand. With no TouchID or Home button to double-touch, you can’t invoke it the old way either, hence the new “pull down at the bottom edge” gesture. Unlike Reachability from the TouchID ring, the new gesture is disabled by default. They probably feel that there are just too many similar gestures going on at the bottom edge of the screen and that it’s a recipe for confusion. It kinda is. You obviously can’t double-click the Home button now that it doesn’t exist, so you’re obviously asking how to invoke the task switcher (app switcher) for multi-tasking. It’s done the exact same way it was always done on Palm/HP’s WebOS from the likes of Palm Pre and HP TouchPad: you simply swipe up from the bottom edge to reduce the current screen to a card in a row of cards. From there you can swipe between them and tap one to switch or you can swipe them off the screen to force-close them. It’s a total rip-off of WebOS except it’s a little clunkier without the Home button. No, you didn’t use the Home button when switching apps on WebOS, but not having one forced Apple to use nearly the same gesture to reach the Springboard (Home screen). You distinguish between the two based on how far you swipe up from the bottom and whether or not you dwell when you are half-way. Continuing to swipe will send the app off the screen and reveal the Springboard behind it. This is nerve-wracking when you are multi-tasking because it feels the same as throwing a card off the screen to force-close. Regardless of how well it works, it’s unintuitive to combine the two functions into nearly the same gesture. Edited October 2, 2018 by CZroe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenixdownita Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 Oh well, done the maneuver (not the update to 6.82) and it seems OK. As I said I had 6.71 installed for my 866CS->A (no bricked TL866) so that's the update.dat I used. The procedure seems easy enough if you have not bricked it yet. 1) get the latest version of the reflasher tool ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/330bs8t4uucnyi9/TL866.zip ) 2) load update.dat from the minipro install directory (I wonder if it just works if you feed it the file directly, after all those minipro setup.exe are archives that can be extracted via 7z) 3) flash bootloader 4) go advanced tab, check the write protection (click write), check the ser number (click write) [both writes do send something to the tl866] 5) close advanced tab 6) flash firmware A (or CS if you so desire) Have not updated yet to 6.82 but I performed the above procedure twice back to back (stopping and restarting the flasher app) and the second time on step 4) the write protection was already checked .... so I guess it worked, I also noticed that since I performed it 6.71 does not ask me anymore to update the firmware (maybe coincidental or the times I used 6.71 I decided not to do it at all, spider-sense maybe) From 6.71 to 6.82 it seems the diff is just: ADD: MB85R256HBQ4010YMA/BQ4011YMA/BQ4013YMA/BQ4014YMA/BQ4015YMABQ4011LYMA/BQ4013LYMA/BQ4014LYMA/BQ4015LYMAFIXED: DS1245/DS1250 Algorithm(read and write) Will do one day but for now glad I should be on the safe if I inadvertently decide to flash it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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