I finally got a burner that my father use to burn BIOS chips with (EPROM Burner), and I've become confused. I found that the chip I'm burning is a 27C256, so Im able to identy the chip to the program, but it then asks me for the BUFFER STARTING ADDRESS (This sets the buffer address at which the data from the device will being. The next confusing part is when it asks me, after weather its 16 bit or 32 bit (I'm assuming 32 bit) to SELECT BYTE TO LOAD (0,1,2,3) (Choose the byte which corresponds to the data in the device you wish to read). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Note: With this burner, I guess you have to copy the data into the buffer, then into a file. Its a Andromeda Research Lab EPROM + Programming System.

 

Hey how bout that storm
Just missed me with the twister warning.

The address range for that chip would be 000000 to 007FFF
If you have a bin that is 32K that will give you all of it.
If your bin is 16K it will only be 1/2 that space.
not sure on the setting for 16 or 32. Shouldn't matter though.
Try one of each and see what happens. Probly end up with the same result.
In any case it should download the program to a file you can open in TunerPro and edit.

 

Thanks man.

I got the buffer downloaded to my computer, but it wasnt a *.bin file, it saved as a "file". When I imported it into TunerPro, nothing changed. All of the values stayed the same,but buffer1 (name of file) did appear at the top (TunerPro RT - Buffer1 | XDF File - 8D.xdf). Did it work, or did it not download properly from the chip reader?

/edit: I downloaded a stock version of my V6 bin, and when I opened the XDF file 88.xdf, then opened AZTY.bin, the values changed. Its obvious that the information from the chip reader somehow didn't transfer properly. I guess I'll have to look into it more.

 

I don't get it, I followed the directions from the PROM burner exactly, it creates the file with the name I want, but TunerPro still doesnt get the vaules from it. Is there something Im missing here? To see if the 8D.xdf is working that I get, I imported the V6 bin file, and it even imported data values!

Any insight?

 

8D isn't for a V6 bin, it's for a V8. That may be some of the problem.

 

Im sorry, I never specified exactly what I was doing. I obtained a V8 ECM from the junkyard (for my future V8 swap) and was using that memcal to experimenting programming. Its an AXXB chip, so I assume the 8D.xdf is the correct file for it. I have the 88.xdf for my V6 when I pull the memcal out of that computer.

Thanks, I totally forgot to mention that.

 

anyone use an Andromeda Research Lab EPROM + Programming System ?

 

From what I can tell from your posts it seems like everything is working.

Go back to the AXXB BIN and read that into TP along with the $8D xdf. Then open the main SA table and post a screen shot of it here.

RBob.

 

Hi,

I write the OS for car ECUs here in the UK but I'm by no means an expert with GM ECUs!!! I'd have thought though that the data will be arranged in the same bit width as the processor, which will probably be 16 bits. That's the most efficient way to read it, especially if it's a lookup table etc but then you guys might have already known that :-)

Ian

 

Here is the screenshot, I hope thats the correct table (very much new into the world of PROM burning).

Thanks for the help!

/edit: Would it help uploading the bin for you guys to take a look at? Let me know.

 

The Motorola 68HC11 used in these ECM's is an 8 bit CPU, I think.
You say the chip you're burning is a 27C256. Do you mean that's the chip you're trying to read? If so then the resulting file should be 32768 Bytes long. Is that the size you get, with a .BIN extension?
Some of the formats you can choose to save from a burner can include extra information. You don't want that.
The screenshot, is that using the BIN file you tried to read from the chip, or the one you got from the net? The values in the table are mostly zero's so something's obviously wrong (definition file?).

 

google "gm ecu wiki" .... i think i found a chart of starting addresses and such for differing chips that way...

 

The PROM reading/burning software im using first reads the information from the chip into a buffer. Then, you have the option to save the information stored in the buffer onto your harddrive. When you goto save the information, if you don't put an extension on the filename, you will get a file with the extension recognized as "file".

On the chip, near the top, it says 27C256. Yes, I meant to say reading, not burning (not even close to that step yet !). Do you mean the physical size of the file or do I need to go into a menu in TP to see how long it is?

In the screenshot, I opened 8D.xdf, and then opened buffer1.bin. Buffer1.bin is the information saved from the chip (or so I think).

When I open a bin file I get from the internet in the 8D.xdf I have, values do show up, so does that mean the xdf file or correct?

 

"The next confusing part is when it asks me, after whether it's 16 bit or 32 bit to SELECT BYTE TO LOAD (0,1,2,3) (Choose the byte which corresponds to the data in the device you wish to read). " This part is confusing to me too.. I don't know anything about the ARL system, but the EPROM is 8 bit and the data image in the buffer shouldn't care about any byte sequences. That's not an issue until you involve a specific CPU, like in a (de)compiler. You do get to select the EPROM device type/number?
I was thinking of the file size reported by Windows (or whatever).
256kilobits = 32kiloBytes = 32768 Bytes.
In TP there is a graphical table finder (under advanced functions?). It can be useful to see if and where you have any data. It should work w/o any xdf file. Try it out on the internet file too to see what the pattern should look like.
Yes, your xdf file seems do be doing it's job, more or less.

 

Actually, after I entered in the start and stop information given to me above, it no longer asks me that question.

When I get home, Ill try what you suggested. Thank you.

 

Ok, the file is 32kb. Attached you'll find, what I think is the table your talking about? If not, let me know. They are drastically different. The first one is the one I got from the chip, and the second one is the one I got from the internet.

 

I perused the Andromeda Research web site to get an idea of this programmer. There is a command to "save a device to file." Try that. It is the most straight forward method and all that is required for these ECMs.

The 16 bit & 32 stuff is not required. This is for interleaved EPROMs in 16 bit & 32 bit systems. No need to offset any buffer or device addresses.

Try the "read device to disk file" command and give it a filename. Then look at the file with Tuner Pro.

RBob.

{edit: also be sure that the EPROM is inserted into the socket correctly. 99.9% of the time they are to be positioned to the bottom end of the socket. Open socket pins above the EPROM notch. }

 

Oh, new version's out, neat function.. I only tried 4.0 some time ago & it just had a 2D viewer. Yes, they are very different even if you're only looking at the first 100 bytes. Also notice that your buffer values stop at 64(?) whereas the real AZTY goes all the way up to 255 like some bytes should. Try using 1 row & 32768 columns to get a comple 2D view of the whole file at once. Could there be something wrong with the ARL burner? You sure got some research on your hands here..