Flashing a TS-943 with an Intel ICH8-chipset motherboard

[Zarok]

Greetings.

I am attempting to firmware flash a TS-943 (not sure which mk it is as I don't have the drive handy, its at work). I tried with some random Dell PC I had at work and I couldn't get iPrep to recognize any SATA controller for it, thus the flashing was not successful. I was now planning on bringing my own pc to work tomorrow, which shows Intel ICH8 2 port serial ata storage controller - 2825 or Intel ICH8 4 port SATA controller - 2820 as options on the IDE side. On the SCSI side I get a VAX347S SCSI Controller - this device is not supported message. The motherboard is a MSI P965 Platinum.

So my question basically is, is it in any ways possible to manage to do the flashing with the ICH8 chipset? I tried following CoFrees video guide(excellent btw) to do it earlier, but the broken SATA controller on the Dell PC I was using made my earlier attempts useless, so I'd like to use my own PC for it.

I've seen people say both on the ICH chipset that it will work and it won't work, what do you guys think?

[MsK]

This is our general advice - get the via 6421 card - they work on every drive

For what they cost vs the time you waste in between you actually save money & precious time.. not to mention you will still have a full head of hair cus there's no need to pull it out due to frustation

[Zarok]

Yeah, I've noticed, but I'd really rather not.... Heh. I'm so utterly utterly broke atm that if I have to buy ANYTHING new atm, even something as trivial as a SATA card ( which I don't know how easily I could find over here in FInland), it's gonna end up with me not flashing it for now. And I'd hate pulling the machine apart again later cause its done now I guess I'll just try it at work tomorrow on my ICH8 chipset motherboard on my own desktop and cry if it doesn't work, heh. Atleast you didn't say no, it WONT work

[MsK]

Yeah, I've noticed, but I'd really rather not.... Heh. I'm so utterly utterly broke atm that if I have to buy ANYTHING new atm, even something as trivial as a SATA card ( which I don't know how easily I could find over here in FInland), it's gonna end up with me not flashing it for now. And I'd hate pulling the machine apart again later cause its done now I guess I'll just try it at work tomorrow on my ICH8 chipset motherboard on my own desktop and cry if it doesn't work, heh. Atleast you didn't say no, it WONT work

It might work but I doubt iprep will do it... possibly going the long way round & manually hex editing MTKflash

But in all honesty.. VIA6421 all the way
even if you brought the card you could easliy sell it on - they are in demand & easy to flog.
You are sure to get you money back

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?&_nkw=via+6421" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

nothing comes for nothing - there is always a price to pay
wether it be consumption of time or >> taking sound advice, arming yourself with the right tools & saving yourself the agro! If you choose the 1st path it will most likely fail & eventually lead you to follow the suggested path anyway.

[Zarok]

Yah, I hope I can get it done, I can spend all day messing with it tomorrow really so... I found some URLs saying they could get it done, atleast with the hex-editor way, I guess I gotta look into that and hope to find some guides on how to do that right.

[CoFree]

well let me put my 2 cents in own this.
im with msk on getting the card.
that being said.
there is some off chance you get it to dump or part of a dump.

Do not flash that drive till you know 100% that you have a good dump and there is a good key.
if you get it to dump
stop right there
reboot in windows and check the orig firmware and the hacked firmware with firmware toolbox.
if you flash with a bad firmware or bad key
its over man.
dont get all worked up if it looks like it worked.
Do the check.

[Zarok]

CoFree, thanks for the words of encouragement

I'm off to work in 10, I'll try. And yeah, I'll definately do the checking phase, I'd never flash something I wasn't SURE its gonna work. Don't wanna end up with an expensive paperweight, hehe. Wish me luck!

[CoFree]

good luck

[Zarok]

*sigh*
I guess I just can't win with this one, it seems that I would have to do the so-called vcc trick to get even the hex-editor thing to work, which I'm not prepared to do. Thus I think I'm giving up and packing it in, I know this guy who has the SATA card needed and is willing to do it for 50$, which is basically what I'd have to pay for the card(or even less), so I'm probably just gonna give it to him and give up.

[CoFree]

man
i dont know about over there,but this card works good.
http://tekgems.com/Products/la-pci22-vt6421a.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
its like 12.00 usd plus shipping.
im sure you can find one around the same price over there.
thats a long way from 50.00

[MsK]

yep.. a card should cost you no more than £8-15 including postage... they are not expensive

[Zarok]

Well I'm getting somewhere, I noticed my old PC I though DOESN'T have SATA on it has a Via 8237-chipset which many people have said has lead to excellent results on the flashing process. I'm gonna drag that one to work tomorrow and try with that one , see if it works. I sure hope so.

[CoFree]

that just may work.
remember to check the key if you get a dump

[Zarok]

Success! Atleast I hope so. The firmware process went ok, original games work fine, I just haven't had a chance to test a backup yet because I've had internet issues and haven't been able to get me one. Ah well. I'll have plenty of time now

[CoFree]

test a backup yet because I've had internet issues and haven't been able to get me one

hmmmm
sounds like the forbidden fruit to me.


nuff said