+bf2k+ Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 So while attempting to flash my old SIDE 1 cart, the process has hosed up my U1MB. The machine will not longer boot... nothing but a dark screen. Any ideas how to fix this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 Sounds like this will require removing the flash from the U1MB and re-programming in an external burner. Several of us here have the hardware to do this. One word of caution - you must use the proper puller to remove the flash (small square IC) from the U1MB. DO NOT try just using a small screwdriver or similar, to pry the chip out from the corner. You will crack the socket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted November 7, 2021 Author Share Posted November 7, 2021 I would be willing to pay someone to do this... I could ship the entire U1MB to someone because I don't have the hardware to pull or burn the chip. My burner is a Willem which only does the 27xx(x) type chips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivop Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 Do you have a MaxFlash cart? If so, you can use it to flash the flash ROM. I have done so multiple times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted November 7, 2021 Author Share Posted November 7, 2021 2 hours ago, ivop said: Do you have a MaxFlash cart? If so, you can use it to flash the flash ROM. I have done so multiple times. I have plenty of Atarimax Flash carts. This would work assuming I can get the flash chip out of the U1MB and plug it in? Ahh but I don't have Steve Tucker's USB Flashing hardware. Is there a way to create a bootable flash program (like the old way we did it?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 Maxflash studio software: https://www.atarimax.com/flashcart/documentation/downloads/Maxflash_Studio_Installer.exe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 Get yourself one of these tools, search for "plcc chip extractor" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted November 7, 2021 Author Share Posted November 7, 2021 Ordered the PLCC extractor. It will be here tomorrow. I already have Maxflash Studio installed on my old XP BBS machine. Will this software run on Windows 10? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 Runs fine on Windows 10 as far as I recall. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Larry Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 A purchased puller is certainly best, but I made a puller from a large paperclip, and that worked fine for me. Postage is a killer these days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted November 7, 2021 Author Share Posted November 7, 2021 22 minutes ago, Larry said: A purchased puller is certainly best, but I made a puller from a large paperclip, and that worked fine for me. Postage is a killer these days! With my luck, I would end up breaking the socket, tearing traces off the board and formatting my hard drive... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted November 7, 2021 Share Posted November 7, 2021 For posterity, the reason this happened in the first place is that the SIDE1 banking register is at the same location as that of the U1MB. No such issue exists with SIDE2. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted November 7, 2021 Author Share Posted November 7, 2021 2 minutes ago, flashjazzcat said: For posterity, the reason this happened in the first place is that the SIDE1 banking register is at the same location as that of the U1MB. No such issue exists with SIDE2. I didn't know that... but I knew something was wrong as soon as I hit the <return> key... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted November 9, 2021 Author Share Posted November 9, 2021 After attempting to read the maxflash studio documentation, and obtaining a PLCC extractor, I am at a loss as to how to re-flash the U1MB. Maxflash docs don't tell me how to create the stand-alone bootable ATR that I can flash from. So is there anyone I can pay to do this for me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 Will depend on the size of your ROM file for the U1MB. (@flashjazzcat should be able to confirm or even prep a file for you) e.g. if it is 512KB then this needs to be double to fit the cartridge, e.g. on a Windows Command prompt use: copy in.bin /B + in.bin /B out.bin /B Then in the cart studio app select the menu to convert the file to an ATR image. This way, either EEPROM in the cart will contain the same. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted November 9, 2021 Author Share Posted November 9, 2021 Cool... I got that far but the BIN was 512k and it needed to be twice as big for the 8mbit cart. I didn't realize that I could just append the bin file to itself to double the size. I will try later this evening... Thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivop Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 19 hours ago, bf2k+ said: Cool... I got that far but the BIN was 512k and it needed to be twice as big for the 8mbit cart. I didn't realize that I could just append the bin file to itself to double the size. I will try later this evening... Thanks. Yes, you will end up with two firmware flash ROMS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted November 11, 2021 Author Share Posted November 11, 2021 So which socket in the Atarimax cart does the U1MB chip go in? (Maybe it doesn't matter???) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 either 1 of the bottom 2 will be fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bf2k+ Posted November 11, 2021 Author Share Posted November 11, 2021 FIXED! Thanks to all who provided help... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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