Working dump needed for ambit 256 (MX25l1605)

[newname]

What is the reason for changing the colours of the LEDs?

[ricktendo]

Waaaaaaaaay too much green for my liking, I also would like it to look similar to a SB6121 with channel bonding (I think these color combos are nice)

[mohsin0012]

These are the 16MB & 32MB ram I purchased (bot 16bit & compatible)

These are the blue LED's I got

To do this I bought a cheap hot air workstation, some solder paste and a usb 800x microscope. Will practice first on a couple old routers I have before I attempt to upgrade both my SB5101's (will definitely post pictures if successful)

You have selected the right components. You forgot the tweezers and suction cup pen to lift the RAM. You will also need some flux, solder wick to clean the pads, High temp masking tape to put around the RAM so that other small components like resistors and capacitors don't blow away(that can create a big mess), microscope is not necessary but it's a good tool to have when you are dealing with tiny components, also useful for checking the contact between PCB and component.

[newname]

You boys have too much time and too much $$ on your hands.....wish I were in your shoes....!!!

[ricktendo]

Already got all those except the suction cup (hot air workstation came with a cheap ic remover I can use to flick the component off without too much force that would otherwise damage the pads)

[mohsin0012]

@newname

All this stuff doesn't cost much and no, time is not getting wasted, it's a learning process.

@ricktendo

Suction cup will give you a control over handling and alignment. Alignment is the key!

[neo_]

Nice, I have a similar hot air station. Wish I had one of those powered suction pickup tools, a few advantages with it over tweezers, ic removers or suction cups.

I wonder if you need to edit the boot loader for it to recognize the new RAM. Be sure to document it and post a thread.

[ricktendo]

Kapton tape could function just as well as the suction cup to pull off/manipulate the chip

I don't think you have to do anything special for hax to see the extra ram, from what I can deduce from this topic

[mohsin0012]

Kapton tape is used for protecting the nearby components to stay in place when you are using a hot air. I have never tried lifting off the chip with it.

And there is no need to edit the bootloader. It should just work right away if the RAM is compatible.

[drewmerc]

i have the same set up more or less, my hotair station has the soldering iron built in, i use jewellers eyeglasses http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eyeglasses-Jewel...B007XPLC5M
as usb microscopes are crappy and unintuitive as you looking at a screen and not what you working on

kapton tape is a must, cover everything that is at risk of blowing away or falling off (trust me there's nothing worse than lifting the pcb to have a look at your handy work and seeing a resistor fall off a vanish into the ether)

suction tool is not needed, well i have never needed one i use a scalpel knife (wedged under the chip) to raise the chip while heating to remove, when resoldering i tack a corner align the chip and tack the opposite corner