Teclast X98 Air III 32 GB (M5C5) – hardbricked (flashing BIOS) – repair-methods?

[kelebek]

Just recently I purchased a Teclast X98 Air III 32 GB (Android 5 only) – Tablet. Immediately when holding it in my hands I hardbricked it successfully. (Oh my … )

My aim was (is) to reconfigure this tablet to dual-boot with Android and Windows.

From my reading around here and on other forums I got the impression that I am not the only one with this intention. And it seems that I am by far not the only one running into soft- and (for my case) hardbricking problems right from the first step (failed BIOS flash).

So, here is described how I did not succeed (so far):

(Oh, I am sorry for all my misuse of the English language; which has to be expected to happen. I haven’t really used this language for a while and I guess I’ve never been all too good at it. Well, as I have the impression, that there is some bunch of other German native speakers around here, they might help out, if it is running for really nasty misunderstandings … hopefully.)

I hardbricked the tablet trying to flash the BIOS to dual-boot using this (http://techtablets.com/2015/09/teclast-x98-air-iii-gets-dual-boot-bios-and-files-released/) method at TECHTablets.

As a result it’s just all dark now. No way to turn in on. No entering into DnX-Mode (pressing Power + Vol+ - Vol- all together), no answering on fastboot commands (of course not, I guess).

Next step is flashing this tablets BIOS-chip directly with an EEPROM-clip and –flasher following these instructions (http://www.android-hilfe.de/thema/teclast-tablet-unbrick-anleitung.664569/) from android-hilfe (German).



I did borrow those and I am too stupid to get the clip hold on that chip!



For the moment I hope, it’s not purely me not being able to connect that clip on that chip, but that it is the quality of that clip. Following what has been said on TECHTablets (http://techtablets.com/forum/topic/unbrick-x98-pro-bios-usb-flash/) that might be the case. So I ordered a quite expensive (for what it does) alternative clip for € 20,--, which should arrive within three days.

Supposing I haven’t just already destroyed the tablets board manually with my first tries to get the clip getting grip of that BIOS-chip, which BIOS should I flash?
I thought of flashing the 2.05 BIOS-Version from Mireks 7.0 - ROM. Is that a good idea or bad idea? Has anyone already experienced (positive) results trying this (or something else)?


The original, single-boot BIOS is shown here:



After attempting to flash the 2.02 - dual-boot - BIOS from the mentioned TECHTablets-description the tablet first booted into BIOS …

“ROM Image update denied
EFI_NOT_FOUND! Rom Image not loaded”​

… I cannot remember exactly, what I did there within the BIOS itself, but it then flashed again, went off, stayed off = hardbricked.

 

[blackbile]

1. You flashed 1.00 BIOS not 2.02
2. Do you have a pendrive connected when try to power on?
3. Did you charged overnight? How about the battery status?

 

[kelebek]

1. You flashed 1.00 BIOS not 2.02

Yes but no. The file I flashed was BIOS 2.02. I checked that. It doesn't really make sense. But now it shows BIOS Ver. 1.00. I saw that and have been pretty confused. Anyhow, I just messed it totally up.

2. Do you have a pendrive connected when try to power on?

No. Should I?

3. Did you charged overnight? How about the battery status?

Well, it is just totally dark. It cannot be powered on. Charged for 3 h before I tried to power it on again after the failed flashing. Nope. Darkness.

 

[blackbile]

Mine is work now, but was in a state as the last photos of you, (that was if I disconnected a pendrive after flashed a bad changed BIOS - if I connected nothing happen just black screen...) in short - dont connect the pendrive.

Try to charge more and after that try to power on and step in the BIOS.

Maybe send me a link what BIOSes you tried to flash the first one is very interesting 1.00 - 2.02

 

[kelebek]

...

Maybe send me a link what BIOSes you tried to flash the first one is very interesting 1.00 - 2.02

Following TECHTablets instructions (http://techtablets.com/2015/09/teclast-x98-air-iii-gets-dual-boot-bios-and-files-released/) I downloaded from the provided link "dual system BIOS: http://pan.baidu.com/s/1kTyAH2f": http://pan.baidu.com/s/1kTyAH2f. <--!!! CAUTION! I hardbricked !!!

 

[blackbile]

NO fellow!!!
Here is the version number what you flash first - from this "pan.baidu.com/s/1kTyAH2f":

Version %x.%02x.%04x. Copyright (C) 2013 American Megatrends, Inc. BIOS Date: 09/11/2015 14:54:18 Ver: tPAD100 $LGO$

So what we see on your photo that you flash 1.00 dual BIOS. After that what did you do? Did you changed the partition what seen in the mentioned Techtablets tutor?
Maybe you had to flash Windows 10 after 1.00 BIOS, but I could not help more, I have original dual boot Air 3G...

 

[kelebek]

...
Here is the version number what you flash first - from this "pan.baidu.com/s/1kTyAH2f":

Version %x.%02x.%04x. Copyright (C) 2013 American Megatrends, Inc. BIOS Date: 09/11/2015 14:54:18 Ver: tPAD100 $LGO$

So what we see on your photo that you flash 1.00 dual BIOS. After that what did you do? Did you changed the partition what seen in the mentioned Techtablets tutor?
Maybe you had to flash Windows 10 after 1.00 BIOS ...

Well, no, there was no chance to change anything like the partition table after the first step. At least there was not the possibility to follow that guide any longer. because I was stuck in the tablets BIOS and then the tablet went off ... and stays off so far.

Basically I still have the question, which BIOS I should flash now using the BIOS-chip-clip and the EEPROM-flasher mentioned in the first post.

(And if that works, after charging the battery, I would continue using DnX-mode, I guess?)

 

[ionioni]

Well, no, there was no chance to change anything like the partition table after the first step. At least there was not the possibility to follow that guide any longer. because I was stuck in the tablets BIOS and then the tablet went off ... and stays off so far.

Basically I still have the question, which BIOS I should flash now using the BIOS-chip-clip and the EEPROM-flasher mentioned in the first post.

(And if that works, after charging the battery, I would continue using DnX-mode, I guess?)

while i am not familiar with that usb programmer you used, still:
- when you flashed (write) the bios did you performed a verify at the end?
- if the verify was OK then it means you don't need another clip (should this not work the verify would have failed)
- have you disconnected the battery after the bios flashing (if it was connected) ? it is needed to reinitialize the board
- what voltage is that programmer using? to my knowledge your bios works at 1.8V so a 3.3V programmer may easily do bad stuff on your board (even if the bios verifies, which means it is in good status other components on the board will be 'touched' by the voltages)
- if you used multiple/differnet bios files i would rule out the bad bios file possibility

 

[kelebek]

while i am not familiar with that usb programmer you used, still:
- when you flashed (write) the bios did you performed a verify at the end?

I didn't get as far as programming the BIOS-chip with that programmer. (Because I couldn't make that clip get grip of that BIOS-chip.)

...
- what voltage is that programmer using? to my knowledge your bios works at 1.8V so a 3.3V programmer may easily do bad stuff on your board (even if the bios verifies, which means it is in good status other components on the board will be 'touched' by the voltages)

The programmers type is CH341A and I do have the impression, that it works at 3.3 - 5 V. From what I have read at android-hilfe it worked for programming an Air III anyway. And there are positive reports using this programmer with Teclasts Air 3G - tablets on android-hilfe ... and on TECHTabelts too I think.

I realized your warning about this but feel to not having too many other options. (You might possibly name a programmer, that should work here and that provides the correct voltage?)

...

 

[ionioni]

I didn't get as far as programming the BIOS-chip with that programmer. (Because I couldn't make that clip get grip of that BIOS-chip.)

well what can i say, on my Lenovo Yoga Tab 2 the SPI has his pins with much less exposure than what you are having on your x98 so no clip would have been good (as the lateral descending part of the pins basically were not existent, but from the pictures you posted is not your case as i can see there is area on the pins for the clip to grasp), anyways in my case i had to chose between buying an spring loaded adapter (such as this one ) or solder some wires, considering i already waited one month for my programmer to come and the adapter would have take another one i went for soldering thin wires, but this is a delicate operation and can easily destroy other stuff if you don;t have the required tools know/how

The programmers type is CH341A and I do have the impression, that it works at 3.3 - 5 V. From what I read at android-hilfe it worked for programming an Air III anyway. And there are positive reports using this programmer with Teclasts Air 3G - tablets on android-hilfe ... and on TECHTabelts too I think.

I realized your warning about this but feel to not having too many other options. (You might possibly name me a programmer, that should work here, and that provides the correct voltage?

hmm... what can i say, mine was a 1.8V capable programmer and yes others have programmed using a 3.3V programmer (the SPI has an absolute maximum voltage rating of Vcc + 1V = 2.8V, higher than that there's no warranty from the OEM, still 3.3 is bigger than 2.8, what can i say could work or not), but for sure a 5Vcc one will break him

 

[joney94]

Opening the x98 air iii

Hey, I'm not even at the point where you are: I can't get this thing openend. I saw a Video on android-hilfe, which shows how to open the earlier Versions of the x98, which have round corners. So how did you manage to open the tablet?

Thanks in advance!
Jonas

Just recently I purchased a Teclast X98 Air III 32 GB (Android 5 only) – Tablet. Immediately when holding it in my hands I hardbricked it successfully. (Oh my … )

My aim was (is) to reconfigure this tablet to dual-boot with Android and Windows.

From my reading around here and on other forums I got the impression that I am not the only one with this intention. And it seems that I am by far not the only one running into soft- and (for my case) hardbricking problems right from the first step (failed BIOS flash).

So, here is described how I did not succeed (so far):

(Oh, I am sorry for all my misuse of the English language; which has to be expected to happen. I haven’t really used this language for a while and I guess I’ve never been all too good at it. Well, as I have the impression, that there is some bunch of other German native speakers around here, they might help out, if it is running for really nasty misunderstandings … hopefully.)

I hardbricked the tablet trying to flash the BIOS to dual-boot using this method at TECHTablets.

As a result it’s just all dark now. No way to turn in on. No entering into DnX-Mode (pressing Power + Vol+ - Vol- all together), no answering on fastboot commands (of course not, I guess).

.

 

[kelebek]

Opening the x98 air iii

... I can't get this thing openend. I saw a Video on android-hilfe, which shows how to open the earlier Versions of the x98, which have round corners. So how did you manage to open the tablet?
...

Are you refering to this video? -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=841pMJC_QOk
That worked for me, even with my Air III. Although I didn't have that plug. I used my fingernails, it took some time and a lot of patience.

 

[kelebek]

I succeeded: Dual-boot, Mireks Android 5 + Windows 10.

But: I had to go the rough road with getting that BIOS on the BIOS-chip using a programmer (see opening post). Therefore I couldn't explain any easy way (without opening the tablet + using a programmer) to get it done.

 

[Dahlorna]

I succeeded: Dual-boot, Mireks Android 5 + Windows 10.

But: I had to go the rough road with getting that BIOS on the BIOS-chip using a programmer (see opening post). Therefore I couldn't explain any easy way (without opening the tablet + using a programmer) to get it done.

Which BIOS version you used? I have a bricked device as well and I didn´t manage to find the original bios from anywhere.. I used to have dual boot version but bricked with an update..

Edit: I am using CH341A programmer.

Edit2: After several attempts I finally found a bios that worked for me. And got my tablet working again The clip did not work with me so I had to solder pins to bios-chip to get it working.

Bios that worked for me can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=64847156&postcount=603, thanks to @SkubiDoo

 

[bosondehiggs]

Which BIOS version you used? I have a bricked device as well and I didn´t manage to find the original bios from anywhere.. I used to have dual boot version but bricked with an update..

Edit: I am using CH341A programmer.

Edit2: After several attempts I finally found a bios that worked for me. And got my tablet working again The clip did not work with me so I had to solder pins to bios-chip to get it working.

Bios that worked for me can be found here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=64847156&postcount=603, thanks to @SkubiDoo

this 2.05 bios is a dual boot bios?

 

[Dahlorna]

this 2.05 bios is a dual boot bios?

Actually it is not, it is Android bios. But I was able to boot to Android partition. I haven't got the time to find right dual boot bios and flash it.

 

[melon96]

Actually it is not, it is Android bios. But I was able to boot to Android partition. I haven't got the time to find right dual boot bios and flash it.

Hi, I had a brick flashing a dualboot BIOS due to a model number mistake (I need coffee please...). I fixed the problem reflashing a correct dualboot bios with this method:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/x98-air/help/baytrail-dnx-mode-bios-flashing-tool-t3295105

http://techtablets.com/2015/09/teclast-x98-air-iii-gets-dual-boot-bios-and-files-released/
bios file (I think it's dualboot 1.00) http://pan.baidu.com/s/1kTyAH2f

I flashed mirek v7 on a 8gb partition (only 4 for data) with his flashing tool, and now i'm installing win10. Yup, very slow.

 

[Dahlorna]

Hi, I had a brick flashing a dualboot BIOS due to a model number mistake (I need coffee please...). I fixed the problem reflashing a correct dualboot bios with this method:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/x98-air/help/baytrail-dnx-mode-bios-flashing-tool-t3295105

http://techtablets.com/2015/09/teclast-x98-air-iii-gets-dual-boot-bios-and-files-released/
bios file (I think it's dualboot 1.00) http://pan.baidu.com/s/1kTyAH2f

I flashed mirek v7 on a 8gb partition (only 4 for data) with his flashing tool, and now i'm installing win10. Yup, very slow.

Thanks! I have to try that out. Unfortunately I somehow brocked my LCD connector and no there is streaks on the screen and nothing else. :s more soldering I think..

 

[kelebek]

Which BIOS version you used? ...

I used the dual-boot BIOS-file from http://pan.baidu.com/s/1kTyAH2f (download). This is version 1.0. If found it mentioned on http://techtablets.com/2015/09/teclast-x98-air-iii-gets-dual-boot-bios-and-files-released/. So far it is the only dual-boot BIOS I could find for the M5C5. This BIOS major plus - from my point of view - is, that I works fine: it gave me dual-boot to Android + Windows on my M5C5.

 

[andrepd]

Did you have to unplug the battery? If yes, what wire did you unsolder?