8 pin smd ZIF on Dell XT2 laptop - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2013, 08:11:39 pm
content: I was working on a Dell XT2 laptop last night and noticed this (picture from google search, not me)A ZIF socket with an 8 pin flash chip inside. It was labeled SPI1 so I assume that's an SPI flash chip. There's a metal wire clamp that presses down on it.Back years ago I used to flash PLCC and DIP flash chips "HOT" by popping out a bios chip on a PC while it was running and using the bios flash program to load something else in them. Not sure how that would work in this case but it could possibly be done.I powered the laptop with the chip removed and the power light came on for about 10 seconds and then went off.That's the first time I've seen any configuration like this. Previously I've seen smaller Dell laptops with a chip soldered to a board plugged into a dual row socket similar to LCD plugs and the laptop would boot with the chip removed so I was unsure of its purpose.

author: Steffen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2013, 08:29:34 pm
content: Maybe it's a BIOS flash chip.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2013, 12:56:10 am
content: Quote from: Steffen on October 31, 2013, 08:29:34 pmI knew that part, just strange to see them do it this way in production.

author: fluxcapacitor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2013, 02:38:10 am
content: ive been looking for some of those sockets in the uk,ive looked on ebay and aliexpress and cant find any at farnell ,RS etc.The only place i havee found them,so far, is an australian shop. :http://www.darkwire.com.au/html/spi_flash_sockets.html

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2013, 10:41:53 am
content: That is rather surprising since it's an ultraportable, but since it's also a business-class model perhaps they had easy unbricking/BIOS reflashing in mind. Many "premium" desktop mobos still have socketed BIOS chips.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2013, 11:50:56 am
content: It would be good if you could buy a SMT ZIF to DIP converter so you could program SMT components with a programmer which only has a through hole ZIF socket.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2013, 06:46:34 pm
content: Quote from: amyk on November 01, 2013, 10:41:53 amThe more usual way that I've seen the Latitude line is just an 8 pin soic chip soldered down. The older C series sometimes had a soldered plcc and sometimes socketed.

author: ConKbot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2013, 08:50:33 pm
content: Quote from: amyk on November 01, 2013, 10:41:53 amPerhaps with business stuff in mind its a TPM/crypto etc related chip rather than BIOS?

author: tsmith35
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2013, 10:30:10 pm
content: Quote from: Stonent on October 31, 2013, 08:11:39 pmWell, it took me a good bit of digging, but it appears those sockets are made by Wieson Technologies:http://www.wieson.com/go/en/wieson/product_ctocshow.php?subSerialNum=205&SerialNum=3&TypeName=Connectors&subTypeName=SPI%20SocketPretty cool!

author: tsmith35
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2013, 12:20:22 am
content: There's also a company called Meritec that has SMT SOP ZIF sockets for 0.5mm TSOP (40, 48 and 56 pin), 1.27mm PSOP (44 pin) and 0.8mm SSOP (56 pin).Neat stuff:http://www.meritec.com/catalog/connectors-adapters-sockets-3/smt-sop-sockets-18/

author: fluxcapacitor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2013, 05:51:15 pm
content: Thank you for the info tsmith35

author: tsmith35
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2013, 08:35:23 pm
content: Quote from: fluxcapacitor on November 02, 2013, 05:51:15 pmYou're welcome. Here's a UK source for the sockets:Grains BIOS Repair