Service Forum

Phalaris · Nou Venit Joined: 25 Dec 2021 Posts: 6

I have an IBM TP 385XD. I had to disassemble the laptop to find the 24C01 chip, as it is completely inacessable with the laptop assembled.

I want to run the EPROM Reader and Password decoder on it. Looking at the schematics for building this, I know I don't have to desolder the chip, but in order to power it, I would have to reassemble the laptop.

My question is IF I follow the instructions for a desoldered chip, by using 3 AA batteries, Can I leave the chip soldered in, and just run the software on the mainboard with the laptop disassembled?

Of if I use this method, does the chip actually have to be out of the board?

victor · S.F. Boss Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 2581 Location: Staff

I think you have to power on the motherboard. Just solder two tiny enamel wires over the SDA and SCL and use the GND from any USB port.
Or desolder the chip.
_________________
Victor Voinea
ALLservice HQ, Romania.

Phalaris · Nou Venit Joined: 25 Dec 2021 Posts: 6

Ok, so I'm having more trouble with this 24c01 eeprom, and reading it. I built the simple circuit, and when I run the interface tester that's included with the r24rf08 package, it seems to test fine, and I get 1 in and 1 out.

However, regardless of which program I run, the r24rf08.exe or the r24c01.exe, I get the same results.

ERROR: Eeprom not available!

and the bin file that gets created is 0 bytes, and completely blank when I try to read it.

Now, if I add the /i it will find the eeprom, and read it, however, all the lines in the bin file are all

00 00 00 00 00

I've checked the circuit many times, and everything seems to be correct based on the schematics.

victor · S.F. Boss Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 2581 Location: Staff

Do not use /x /d /i !!

Change the address in r24c01.ini to AE
_________________
Victor Voinea
ALLservice HQ, Romania.

Phalaris · Nou Venit Joined: 25 Dec 2021 Posts: 6

I've tried editiing the r24c01.ini file to both AE and OO. Regardless of which ones I use, the error is the same.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PNukyWQAkkItVpy-cWcQS1sKlp7LuTSD/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zkmb3mrn8cOjjsTLPYkyub7-lX-T__yg/view?usp=sharing

ERROR: Eeprom not available!

When I was looking for the eeprom in the 385XD motherboard, this was the only one I was able to find. But perhaps there is another one somewhere else on the board, that I haven't found.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19VBzlqOHDfBMdv49oLOuX5VgbAEM9x5s/view?usp=sharing

This one os located on the bottom of the laptop, just below the memory socket / door, but not easily accessable unless you disassemble the laptop,

Thank you.

victor · S.F. Boss Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 2581 Location: Staff

Yes, but the laptop has to be turned on. What is the COM1 address? Is a native port or not?
_________________
Victor Voinea
ALLservice HQ, Romania.

Phalaris · Nou Venit Joined: 25 Dec 2021 Posts: 6

The computer that I am running the r24c01 program on, does not have built in com port. I purchased a PCIe card from Amazon to give me com ports.

I purchased the one below.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B5L9P36?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

Upon install it defaulted to COM3 & 4. Using WinXP Device Manager, I can change them to COM 1 & 2. There are no physical jumpers on the card, for IRQ settings.

The Thinkpad is turned on, and displaying the following screen when I run the r24c01 program.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wp1C3LnXj1et5v84nT-0HVUjMaqokQwr/view?usp=sharing

I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but the CMOS battery is disconnected, as well as the laptop's battery.

Phalaris · Nou Venit Joined: 25 Dec 2021 Posts: 6

I have the following settings that I can change within Windows XP.

Bits per second: Currently set to 9600.

Data bits: Currnetly set to 8, but can be set to 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8.

Parity: Currently set to None, but can change to Even, Odd, None, Mark or Space

Stop Bit: Currently set to 1, but can change to 1, 1.5, or 2.

Flow Control: Currently set to None, but can change to Xon / Xoff, Hardware, or None.

victor · S.F. Boss Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 2581 Location: Staff

I asked about the I/O address.
_________________
Victor Voinea
ALLservice HQ, Romania.

Phalaris · Nou Venit Joined: 25 Dec 2021 Posts: 6

Tbe I/O Address is handled through Windows XP, however, it will not allow me to change the I/O Address.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b0jBbUFUCW0BAYIOHWHWWE7QgKdgblnp/view?usp=sharing

victor · S.F. Boss Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 2581 Location: Staff

Yes, I was afraid of that. The COM1 port must have 0x3F8.

You gotta have a real COM port, that's a surrogate over PCI-x bridge. Almost all these trashy PCI-X boards are a waste of time. I probably could modify the software to accept a particular port range but that's for another day.
_________________
Victor Voinea
ALLservice HQ, Romania.