firmware / eeprom of USB device

Sethioz · **Posted:** 24 Mar 2010 00:57

this is really weird yet interesting question.
is there a way to update / re-install firmware on a USB device, such as wireless adapter.

my problem is that my laptop has a bad USB port (lil bit loose or something).
first time it totally fucked up my GPS's mini SDcard and next time i tought that there is nothing that can go wrong with USB wireless adapter and put it there, but it fucked up.
now it is partially working, sometimes it says that "USB device not reconized" and sometimes it magically disappears after working for 1 min.

i was just wondering if there is a way to actually install firmware on a USB device. i have identical adapter, so i could rip the firmware from it and put it on other one, but honostly i have not even slightest idea how. im sure it is possible SOMEHOW.

aluigi · **Posted:** 24 Mar 2010 11:25

uhmmm as far as I know an usb port doesn't have an own firmware, it's only a connection (like parallel/serial) that send/receive bits of data.
the only firmware you MUST upgrade is the one of your motherboard, it controls the USB port

Sethioz · **Posted:** 24 Mar 2010 22:41

no no, not the usb port, the usb device.
wireless adapter < firmware seem to be corrupt on it, i wanted to know how i can upgrade the firmware on that device. i just said how it happend, because of the broken USB port. it doesn't work in any computer, it always messes up.

JD · **Joined:** 08 Jun 2008 07:17 **Posts:** 92

First you are looking for the eeprom not the firmware.

You have to reflash the eeprom of your device.

Very high chance you will mess up, don't try it on windows. Do it under a linux distro.

If you mess up, your usb device is considered bricked.

The chance of you finding the eeprom data to your device floating on the web is slim to none.

Hope it helps.

Sethioz · **Posted:** 27 Mar 2010 18:16

basically eeprom is same as firmware, considered as ROM. anyways i have no idea how i can even do that on USB device.
i need some kind of software to do so, i could rip it off of my other device and put it on the broken one.

JD · **Joined:** 08 Jun 2008 07:17 **Posts:** 92

http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/int ... rom.1.html

Sethioz · **Posted:** 28 Mar 2010 16:56

nice one, i gonna try it out soon, luckily i have ubuntu too, just upgraded to 9.10 yesterday.

Sethioz · **Posted:** 28 Mar 2010 17:20

seems like i can't figure out how to use this. im trying to read eeprom, but ..

Code:

--read-eeprom
              Read eeprom and write to ???filename??? from config-file.

so i do this:
ftdi_eeprom --read-eeprom mysavefile, but i don't know the name of the config file or what am i missing ?
i could easily read it off of a working device and flash the broken one with the working one.

EDIT:
i mislooked, but i still don't get it. do i like need to specify my own stuff in example.conf ? where do i get such info. could somebody post a detailed guide what i need, in order to READ the eeprom and write into a file. it is a USB wireless adapter (a-link).

EDIT:
I also googled lil bit and found some tools for XP, but none of them even detects my USB device/s.
if somebody has success, plz post details here.

Luigi Auriemma

firmware / eeprom of USB device