CWWK Mini PC Bricked. Any way to reload BIOS?

[Roveer]

Recently I got a CWWK N305 Mini PC. Unfortunatly I bricked it with a BIOS update last night while trying to fix a slow ssd problem. Most likely used the wrong BIOS from CWWK since they website is a dumpster fire.

Does anyone know of a way to load a fresh BIOS onto this machine? Im imagining some sort of put the bios on a fat32 usb key, then some series of hold a button while powering on. Ive tried a whole bunch of things with no success. I've emailed support with no response (yet). I figured I'd give it a try before I get rid of this thing. Probably one of the more frustrating PC configs that I've had in a long time. Very flaky device.

Thanks,

Roveer

Alder Lake N305

 

[KevinR]

Someone on one of the main threads recently reflashed a BKHD model using a clip on flash tool. Writing directly to the bios chip. Search CH341a, SPI flash, and posts by binfree here. (though I'm finding forum search isn't setting July posts!)

 

[splifingate]

Do you have a rPi?

Personally, using a ch341a flasher, I have always had extremely mixed (mostly negative) results.

I have since switched to {always} successfully using my rPi4b to re-program spi's

see: How to flash bios chips with Raspberry Pi - #Tom's Weblog

 

[quaker]

Hello,

Yes, I know that it happend almost 6 months ago.

But for future readers, can you remember what board you had (cwwk-n100-4l) v1 or v2? And what wrong version of BIOS you used?

 

[bruce1066]

Hello,

Yes, I know that it happend almost 6 months ago.

But for future readers, can you remember what board you had (cwwk-n100-4l) v1 or v2? And what wrong version of BIOS you used?

I had a similar challenge for a different reason. I had two n305 machines (the 'magic' pc's). They ran windows like a complete dog. Patrick commented on this when he reviewed originally. Cwwk provided a bios upgrade which seemed to improve things. But then a couple of weeks later both machines died within a few minutes of each other - there was a time related bug in their firmware. The machines were unbootable by normal means. So, the instructions from cwwk was to reflash the original firmware (once they sent it to me) and do that with Ventoy - this is the secrete sauce. It was an automatic process once I plugged the usb thumb drive in. Cwwk never did re-publish the updated firmware - so the machines went back to sloooow running with Windows. I swapped them to linux tasks.

 

[quaker]

(...)
So, the instructions from cwwk was to reflash the original firmware (once they sent it to me) and do that with Ventoy - this is the secrete sauce. It was an automatic process once I plugged the usb thumb drive in. Cwwk never did re-publish the updated firmware - so the machines went back to sloooow running with Windows. I swapped them to linux tasks.

So they send you BIOS (probably as ISO). You created VENTOY PENDRIVE, put file on it, plug it into DEAD minipc and after boot magic happend?

 

[bruce1066]

Yup, exactly. Both my computers were dead, both recovered.

 

[quaker]

That very optimistic. I chat with CWWK employe trying to get all information about BIOS upgrade. But was unable to get information why BIOS dated version 2023-11-08 is outdated compared to 2023-09-27 (this version was pointed by support to use).

This minipc is my main router so I need to be prepared for fast recover in case of BIOS update failure.

In bonus I recived info, that BIOS can be updated using ch341 (got it) and clamp (waiting from ali) without desoldering (got pictures, how they do it). I've managed to do backup of current bios (using software) - so I keep my finger crossed and in free time I'll do update.

 

[HaOtiC]

That very optimistic. I chat with CWWK employe trying to get all information about BIOS upgrade. But was unable to get information why BIOS dated version 2023-11-08 is outdated compared to 2023-09-27 (this version was pointed by support to use).

This minipc is my main router so I need to be prepared for fast recover in case of BIOS update failure.

In bonus I recived info, that BIOS can be updated using ch341 (got it) and clamp (waiting from ali) without desoldering (got pictures, how they do it). I've managed to do backup of current bios (using software) - so I keep my finger crossed and in free time I'll do update.

Hi! Thanks for sharing your experience - it’s really helpful.

I’m also dealing with a corrupted BIOS on my mini PC (also from CWWK). I took it to a local repair service, but they told me they couldn’t help because they didn’t know where to find the BIOS file — they said it’s a Chinese board and not well-documented.

I already have a CH341 programmer, so I’m ready to flash if needed. Could I ask what the final result of your BIOS update was? Did it work out in the end?

Also, how did you manage to get in touch with someone from CWWK support? Any advice would be really appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Greg_E]

Are you people using the CH341a latest version with the switch for the voltages? Most of these need to be read/written at 3.3v and the device operates at 5v.

Is the BIOS in a socket? If so it might be worth buying a few extra chips that you can program, should it fail to work correctly. I did this on a lot of HP T740 that were BIOS locked and in sockets. The chips are under/around $1 each so I bought some spares, flashed the BIOS to the spares, installed and set up. Now I have extras and know how to fix them in the future.

 

[quaker]

Hi! Thanks for sharing your experience - it’s really helpful.

I’m also dealing with a corrupted BIOS on my mini PC (also from CWWK). I took it to a local repair service, but they told me they couldn’t help because they didn’t know where to find the BIOS file — they said it’s a Chinese board and not well-documented.

I already have a CH341 programmer, so I’m ready to flash if needed. Could I ask what the final result of your BIOS update was? Did it work out in the end?

Also, how did you manage to get in touch with someone from CWWK support? Any advice would be really appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Update worked fine. I flashed with `2023.09.27` version (from `2023.11.08`). Used

and

as tutorials. No problems.

I was contacting CWWK via WhatsUp, using `+86 131 4856 8254`.

Got this screens (probably from their hardware team), in case I needed some hardware on failure - but not needed it ... On this screens I don't see if any voltage tuning is needed on CH341a programmer (fix 5V->3.3V, or need extra 1.8V converter). They wrote that I need "CH341A programmer + no-disassembly clip" - so unsoldiering is probably not needed. As I was preparing to BIOS update ordered also CH347 programmer (faster), some flash chips same as soldiered one and fancy clamp (look below), that makes easy to flash. Do some dry-runs on ordered chips - but finaly like I said - I don't need this.

 

[Greg_E]

Where did you get that red pogo pin cable? That should allow things like the HP T740 to be programmed without removal.

Also I'll have to check into the CH347 as a better choice to the 341a, thanks for that.

 

[Ozymandias]

https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005007077248869.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2vnm

looks to be the red pogo pin cable

 

[Greg_E]

Thanks, I'm seeing a few different versions for different prices. I'll have to look around to add to my tool kit.

 

[quaker]

My order was:

https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005005615745631.html // faster programmer and used GitHub - hackpascal/ufprog: Universal Flash Programmer to program this at high speed (15Mhz)
https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005008083808809.html // pogo pin
https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005007820627233.html // some chips for raw testing
https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/32702717415.html // 1.8V voltage convert - but chips send me from china only worked with 3.3v

Have you managed to concact CWWK via WhatsApp?



I think they have hints for raw flashing.

 

[splifingate]

Update worked fine. I flashed with `2023.09.27` version (from `2023.11.08`). Used

and

as tutorials. No problems.

I was contacting CWWK via WhatsUp, using `+86 131 4856 8254`.

Got this screens (probably from their hardware team), in case I needed some hardware on failure - but not needed it ... On this screens I don't see if any voltage tuning is needed on CH341a programmer (fix 5V->3.3V, or need extra 1.8V converter). They wrote that I need "CH341A programmer + no-disassembly clip" - so unsoldiering is probably not needed. As I was preparing to BIOS update ordered also CH347 programmer (faster), some flash chips same as soldiered one and fancy clamp (look below), that makes easy to flash. Do some dry-runs on ordered chips - but finaly like I said - I don't need this.

View attachment 44101

View attachment 44097

View attachment 44100

How comfortable is the pogo to use?

I'm trying to imagine having to manually hold this down for two minutes+!

 

[Greg_E]

Not going to be great holding it, but those clips are even more risky.

 

[splifingate]

Not going to be great holding it, but those clips are even more risky.

Aye.

I've found the clips to be often problematic, but "risky"?

 

[Greg_E]

Depends if your chip can be bricked by an interrupted write, that's where risky comes in. For most BIOS, you can just erase and start over, but not everything that gets programmed by one of these can do this.