Anyone here know how to mod a BIOS?

[fuzzybabybunny]

The Samsung Q1UP runs a Core 2 Solo on the 945GMS chipset. The 945GMS supports Core 2 Duos, but the Samsung's BIOS does not. Does anyone know how, or would be willing, to mod a Samsung Q1UP BIOS to accept a couple C2D CPUs?

While the Core 2 Solo is soldered into the board, it IS possible to put in a C2D, but without a modded BIOS only one core is seen.

 

[Lord Banshee]

Not about the question:

hmmm if the "Core 2 Solo" is really "soldered" on there is almost no way going to unsolder and resolder a new cpu on the pcb board... That work isn't cheap either if you have to send it out and most the time not always error proof even from the professional. So do you work at this rework places that does this kind of work? If you care to look into it i hear good things about vapor phase rework does pretty good.

IF you plan on doing this kind of work by yourself at home remember x86 core2 has roughly 478 pins and they are all "under" the package.


About the Question:

MY guess if the Samsung Q1up offers different cpu ranges than it will work without any kind of mod, if it doesn't then it is still possible it will still work without a mod. How do you know the Samunng bios does not support core2duos resulting from your second questions and my first response?

*Edited: x86 mobile pin count*

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Yes, it is possible for a new CPU to be soldered onto the board. There's a guy doing it for the Sony UX, another micro PC, replacing the Core Solo with a Core Duo, making it a 1.5lb PC running C2D. The service is not cheap though at $275. He uses an infrared station. I made a thread in Highly Technical about it.

Yeah, lots of contacts. I would have to find some kind of template for reballing all the contacts under the BGA CPU.

One person has already replaced his Core Solo in his Q1UP with a C2D, but it failed because only one core was detected. I suspect that the CPU microcode in the BIOS doesn't specify the C2D as being compatible with the board, even though it is. So I would need someone to modify the CPU microcode in the BIOS to include the C2D.

 

[PCTC2]

Originally posted by: Lord Banshee

IF you plan on doing this kind of work by yourself at home remember x86 core2 has roughly 478 pins.

fixed

 

[Lord Banshee]

Originally posted by: PCTC2

Originally posted by: Lord Banshee

IF you plan on doing this kind of work by yourself at home remember x86 core2 has roughly 478 pins.

fixed

Ahh Yes 478 for mobile (oops)

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Yes, it is possible for a new CPU to be soldered onto the board. There's a guy doing it for the Sony UX, another micro PC, replacing the Core Solo with a Core Duo, making it a 1.5lb PC running C2D. The service is not cheap though at $275. He uses an infrared station. I made a thread in Highly Technical about it.

Yeah, lots of contacts. I would have to find some kind of template for reballing all the contacts under the BGA CPU.

One person has already replaced his Core Solo in his Q1UP with a C2D, but it failed because only one core was detected. I suspect that the CPU microcode in the BIOS doesn't specify the C2D as being compatible with the board, even though it is. So I would need someone to modify the CPU microcode in the BIOS to include the C2D.

Well that's much cheaper than expected

Now to the question: What kind of bios is it? Award/Phoenix/Samung specific?

Type "Brand of Bios" Bios Modding in google you get some results:
Award
http://home.arcor.de/frogge/pepper/bmreport1.html
Phoenix
http://www.xtremesystems.org/F...howthread.php?t=201549
General
http://www.xtremesystems.org/f...index.php/t-44953.html


I have not looked into bios too much but i am going to assume it is a bunch of dos/x86 commands to set all the registers in the core components in the northbridge/southbridge/clocks&reset and to start booting code from first device.

Keep us posted