Netgear CMD31T - any hope?

[teddyalmonds]

When I cannot get the SPI to detect with 3.3v, I've tried 3.v (basically connecting 2 AA batteries to power it), if I can't get a consistent read then I go up to 5v.

I did read something about someone putting together an arduino based spi reader/programmer but they're nowhere near as fast as using a Blackcat/Flashcat or an JTAG NT to read and write back. Alternatively, if you already have one of those random Atmega32U2 boards with all the gpio points on it, you could flash the Blackcat/Flashcat spi hex on it and use that instead.

For clips, I suggest you get the pomona 5252. I've went through several of the 3m clips and found the pomona to have a softer spring on it and the wider base make sit easier to open and close the clip without the risk of bending the pins on it.

Here's the link for the clip: http://www.newark.com/pomona/5252/test-c...=soic+5252

I have one for every one of my programmers.

[neo_]

Now as for flashing through less conventional methods, namely using an arduino or just a serial port - does such a possibility exist?

It has a 4 pin 3.3V serial header soldered onto it. You can try flashing it through the bootloader console by TFTP transferring the firmware. If you need additional instructions and can't find it, let me know and I'll try going through the process to document it.

[theinfiniti]

Now as for flashing through less conventional methods, namely using an arduino or just a serial port - does such a possibility exist?

It has a 4 pin 3.3V serial header soldered onto it. You can try flashing it through the bootloader console by TFTP transferring the firmware. If you need additional instructions and can't find it, let me know and I'll try going through the process to document it.

I would be super grateful. I just don't have anything more than $20 to invest in the process and will likely not be repeating this until I absolutely need another modem. It is also the reason I bought this netgear in the first place as any new Motorola modem is a good $20 extra if not more.

---

When I cannot get the SPI to detect with 3.3v, I've tried 3.v (basically connecting 2 AA batteries to power it), if I can't get a consistent read then I go up to 5v.

I did read something about someone putting together an arduino based spi reader/programmer but they're nowhere near as fast as using a Blackcat/Flashcat or an JTAG NT to read and write back. Alternatively, if you already have one of those random Atmega32U2 boards with all the gpio points on it, you could flash the Blackcat/Flashcat spi hex on it and use that instead.

For clips, I suggest you get the pomona 5252. I've went through several of the 3m clips and found the pomona to have a softer spring on it and the wider base make sit easier to open and close the clip without the risk of bending the pins on it.

Here's the link for the clip: http://www.newark.com/pomona/5252/test-c...=soic+5252

I have one for every one of my programmers.

Thanks for the advice will look into Blackcat/Flashcat. No room in my budget for clips. A pair of spliced ide connectors and some solder will have to do.

---

I bet its a Spansion S25FL064PIF flash chip, but that's just guessing off the part number you gave.

I've never seen an Ardiuno based eeprom programmer, it's possible I just don't think anyone's ever wrote one for our purpose, plus you would need more than 9600buad serial to do it in any reasonable amount of time... dumping 8MB of flash @ 9600buad would take 2 hours, even 115200 buad would take 10 minuets or so and I'm not even sure of the clocks are fast enough to read/write a SPI flash chip @ that speed on an Ardiuno. The closest thing I know of is the FlashcatUSB that uses the Atmega32U2

Time is not an issue. Definitely willing to wait 30 minutes for the chip to be flashed or dumped. The part number sounds right, I looked at the part description for it and took out my multimeter to test and everything matches.

[theinfiniti]

http://flashrom.org/RaspberryPi

Can I use flashrom to push the .bin to the chip using my RaspberryPi then? This looks super plausible.

[drewmerc]

http://flashrom.org/RaspberryPi

Can I use flashrom to push the .bin to the chip using my RaspberryPi then? This looks super plausible.

i dont see why not, i use flashrom myself when flashing via spi (tho i dont use a pi)

[daviddds]

I bet flashrom would work. I see it supports the spansion flash, just need the correct rom layout. I'd definitely try dumping the entire flash chip first and checking the dump to make sure if everything is ok.

[teddyalmonds]

Flashrom will work for sure, it'll just take a long time for it to work.

The Flashcat bootleg on eBay right now goes for $20 so maybe you could purchase one of them when you can afford to later on? As for the clip, I completely understand. That link I gave you is the cheapest place I've found them. There are people who buy them in bulk from there and resell on eBay for 3 times the amount. Now that I put this out there, I expect them to start selling out quicker =/

That's life..

[drewmerc]

Flashrom will work for sure, it'll just take a long time for it to work.

i would not imagine the Pi GPIO being slow (i really nothing about Pi's) with an ft2232 its quite fast

[andy m]

easy enough to flash it like flash 6120 all over again make sure u have found the ISP point if not , 5v wire to pin 2 on the chip

[teddyalmonds]

i would not imagine the Pi GPIO being slow (i really nothing about Pi's) with an ft2232 its quite fast

I was basing that comment on the examples I saw online for the time it took to program other SPI based flashes.

For all I know things may have improved since?