topic Quote:LAURIE J. (Intel) wrote in Software Archive

How to unlock the flash?

WLiao5 — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 01:10:45 GMT

As my previous thread:
https://software.intel.com/en-us/forums/intel-firmware-engine/topic/798856

My minnowboard was locked after updating firmware which was built via Intel Firmware Engine.
"Update failed. Please make sure the flash is not write protected"
I can't do anything now.

Is there any solution to solve it?

I may need Dediprog if I want to go back to the binary images from https://firmware.intel.com, but it's not cheap, is there a compatible alternative?

Thanks

Hi,

Jarlstrom_Intel — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 16:32:32 GMT

Hi,

I am sorry you are having problems updating the firmware on your MinnowBoard Max. Unfortunately, once the firmware (BIOS) on the SPI flash device on the MinnowBoard Max has been updated with the .fd image file from the Intel Firmware Engine, the only way that it can be updated is with a UEFI application CapsuleApp.efi from Intel Firmware Engine. The UEFI application MinnowBoard.MAX.FirmwareUpdateX64.efi can no longer be used since the application will not recognize the existing firmware (BIOS) in the SPI flash device in the MinnowBoard Max.

The message you are seeing "Update failed. Please make sure the flash is not write protected" is because the firmware (BIOS) on your MinnowBoard MAX now has the Intel Firmware Engine image in the SPI flash. I am sorry but there is no way to get back to the previous or original firmware (BIOS) without a SPI update method such as the Dediprog tool.

The work a round is to use the UEFI application CasuleApp.efi but it must be from the SAME project otherwise the CapsuleApp.efi will not update the firmware(BIOS) either. Make sure to open the same project as was used with the first .fd file image built that you then updated using the UEFI application MinnowBoard.MAX.FirmwareUpdateX64.efi. The Intel Firmware Engine can be used with the SAME project to make other changes to the firmware (BIOS) and then the CapsuleApp.efi can be using with the resulting .CAP files.

Quote:LAURIE J. (Intel) wrote

WLiao5 — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 01:25:50 GMT

LAURIE J. (Intel) wrote:
Hi,
I am sorry you are having problems updating the firmware on your MinnowBoard Max. Unfortunately, once the firmware (BIOS) on the SPI flash device on the MinnowBoard Max has been updated with the .fd image file from the Intel Firmware Engine, the only way that it can be updated is with a UEFI application CapsuleApp.efi from Intel Firmware Engine. The UEFI application MinnowBoard.MAX.FirmwareUpdateX64.efi can no longer be used since the application will not recognize the existing firmware (BIOS) in the SPI flash device in the MinnowBoard Max.
The message you are seeing "Update failed. Please make sure the flash is not write protected" is because the firmware (BIOS) on your MinnowBoard MAX now has the Intel Firmware Engine image in the SPI flash. I am sorry but there is no way to get back to the previous or original firmware (BIOS) without a SPI update method such as the Dediprog tool.
The work a round is to use the UEFI application CasuleApp.efi but it must be from the SAME project otherwise the CapsuleApp.efi will not update the firmware(BIOS) either. Make sure to open the same project as was used with the first .fd file image built that you then updated using the UEFI application MinnowBoard.MAX.FirmwareUpdateX64.efi. The Intel Firmware Engine can be used with the SAME project to make other changes to the firmware (BIOS) and then the CapsuleApp.efi can be using with the resulting .CAP files.

Thanks for your reply.

I want to make sure something..
1. I have to build the .CAP from my first project which build the .fd file.
2. I can update firmware via CasuleApp.efi and .CAP which are built from the same project.
3. I need to use Dediprog tool if I would like to update via MinnowBoard.MAX.FirmwareUpdateX64.efi and .bin.

Thanks

Yes all 3 assumptions are

Jarlstrom_Intel — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 15:56:49 GMT

Yes all 3 assumptions are correct.

Please see response: https://software.intel.com/en-us/forums/intel-firmware-engine/topic/798856#comment-1929063