Rebranding the Atheros 928x cards - The guide

[faithie999]

first, thanks for the guide.

i am trying to rebrand a DW1502, 168c:002b, sub 0204:1028.

i have downloaded and run the tool, and executed the /r512 command.
eeprom_dump.rom was written to the folder where the .exe is located.
i downloaded the hex editor and found the subvendor id and subdevice id, and changed them (flipping the bytes) to subvendor 103c, subdevice 3041.

i then clicked Save in the hexeditor, this creates a file called eeprom_dump.rom.bak which is a backup of the original dump, and creates eeprom_dump.rom, which is the edited file.

i opened eeprom_dump.rom and verified that the editing was done properly.

then i executed the /w512 command. the program asked "write raw data?" i clicked yes, and got a success message.

however, i checked device manager and the sub info had not been changed.

how do i specify the filename that the /w512 command should write from?

thanks
ken

 

[philip_petev]

first, thanks for the guide.

i am trying to rebrand a DW1502, 168c:002b, sub 0204:1028.

i have downloaded and run the tool, and executed the /r512 command.
eeprom_dump.rom was written to the folder where the .exe is located.
i downloaded the hex editor and found the subvendor id and subdevice id, and changed them (flipping the bytes) to subvendor 103c, subdevice 3041.

i then clicked Save in the hexeditor, this creates a file called eeprom_dump.rom.bak which is a backup of the original dump, and creates eeprom_dump.rom, which is the edited file.

i opened eeprom_dump.rom and verified that the editing was done properly.

then i executed the /w512 command. the program asked "write raw data?" i clicked yes, and got a success message.

however, i checked device manager and the sub info had not been changed.

how do i specify the filename that the /w512 command should write from?

thanks
ken

You are doing something wrong, if the device IDs haven't changed. You don't have to specify the name for flashing, the program is always looking for eeprom_dump.rom in the current folder. Are you sure you have followed the guide exactly?

 

[faithie999]

You are doing something wrong, if the device IDs haven't changed. You don't have to specify the name for flashing, the program is always looking for eeprom_dump.rom in the current folder. Are you sure you have followed the guide exactly?

i found my mistake, and now i feel like an idiot.

i overlooked the line in the instructions that said the card to be flashed must have the proper driver installed in windows.

i finally found a DW1502 driver and installed it.

then i was able to flash the card.

now the part about being an idiot:

although i double-checked the edited eeprom_dump.rom to be uploaded, i managed to flash the card as sub 103c:3041 instead of 103c:1461


i have searched on the sub vendor/device and can't find which brand card this is, so i can't locate a driver in order to reflash it.

the card that you used for your guide is from that subvendor/subdevice. is that an HP-branded card?


my card is now 168c:002b, sub 103c:3041.

i assume i'm out of luck, but just wondering if there is anyway to reflash without a driver.

if not, i only have $3 invested in the card so not the end of the world

thanks

 

[philip_petev]

i found my mistake, and now i feel like an idiot.

i overlooked the line in the instructions that said the card to be flashed must have the proper driver installed in windows.

i finally found a DW1502 driver and installed it.

then i was able to flash the card.

now the part about being an idiot:

although i double-checked the edited eeprom_dump.rom to be uploaded, i managed to flash the card as sub 103c:3041 instead of 103c:1461


i have searched on the sub vendor/device and can't find which brand card this is, so i can't locate a driver in order to reflash it.

the card that you used for your guide is from that subvendor/subdevice. is that an HP-branded card?


my card is now 168c:002b, sub 103c:3041.

i assume i'm out of luck, but just wondering if there is anyway to reflash without a driver.

if not, i only have 4 лв invested in the card so not the end of the world

thanks

Even if you have set wrong Vendor/Product/SubVendor/SubProduct IDs and everything else has not been modified, you should be able to use the card in Windows, selecting the driver manually. As I told you before, if the correct driver has been selected manually, the card should work, no matter what Vendor/Product/SubVendor/SubProduct IDs have been in its EEPROM.

 

[faithie999]

Even if you have set wrong Vendor/Product/SubVendor/SubProduct IDs and everything else has not been modified, you should be able to use the card in Windows, selecting the driver manually. As I told you before, if the correct driver has been selected manually, the card should work, no matter what Vendor/Product/SubVendor/SubProduct IDs have been in its EEPROM.

success.


why i thought i was screwed was because after i restarted with the improperly flashed card, the driver that HAD worked for the card before flashing no longer worked after flashing.

however, one of the drivers that previously didn't work for the unlashed card, worked for the improperly flashed card. i then was able to set the sub vendor ID properly and now the card passes the pro book whitelist and is functioning fine.

thanks again for your guide and advice.

 

[philip_petev]

Is this step needed every time or does windows 'remember' this (which would make pressing F8 at boot obsolete)?

thanks for clearance!

Once the correct driver for the rebranded card has been installed (automatically or manually), the card should work without any additional settings.

 

[oswaldm]

The zip with the atheros eeprom tool is different than what can be seen on the screenshots. I have 4 folders one of which is named "Debug" and the exe is inside. But it's missing msvcr100d.dll. I can'r run the first commmand to extract those 512bytes of dump. Any ideas?

 

[philip_petev]

The zip with the atheros eeprom tool is different than what can be seen on the screenshots. I have 4 folders one of which is named "Debug" and the exe is inside. But it's missing msvcr100d.dll. I can'r run the first commmand to extract those 512bytes of dump. Any ideas?

Yes, it's the Debug folder that you need. About the msvcr100d.dll error, I've got it too yesterday on my work computer, but I found it somewhere after a short google search. Note that you should copy it in both \Windows\System32 and \Windows\SysWOW64 in case you have Windows x64.

 

[raw99]

Yes, it's the Debug folder that you need. About the msvcr100d.dll error, I've got it too yesterday on my work computer, but I found it somewhere after a short google search. Note that you should copy it in both \Windows\System32 and \Windows\SysWOW64 in case you have Windows x64.

I have changed wrong ID's to my AR9285 (original: 168C:002B), now (168C:0034)
Now, I can't load any driver in windows (also tried to load manually) it always shows error code 10...
Any ideas how to unbrick my card?

Edit:
My card works on Ubuntu, can I flash it from Linux?

 

[philip_petev]

I have changed wrong ID's to my AR9285 (original: 168C:002B), now (168C:0034)
Now, I can't load any driver in windows (also tried to load manually) it always shows error code 10...
Any ideas how to unbrick my card?

Edit:
My card works on Ubuntu, can I flash it from Linux?

Have you tried to undo the changes in eeprom_dump.rom and write it again with atheros_eeprom_tool.exe /w512?