Unbricking Samsung Chronos and Series 7 Laptops NP-500 and NP-700

Applies To:

OS: Windows 10, and Linux Installations effected by BIOS Mode changes.

Hardware: Phoenix BIOS, Samsung NP700Z7C-S01US, NP700Z7C-S01UB, NP700Z7CH, and plausibly all Chronos laptops of this generation, (Centrino chipsets, Third Generation Intel, etc).

Issue:

Samsung BIOS Mode changes from Legacy to UEFI, (and vice versa), may result in a perpetual boot/reboot loop.

Users cannot enter BIOS Setup by pressing F2, or F4.

Windows 10 Updates and installations may also fail, throwing a FAT_FILE_SYSTEM exception. Windows Updates, and Installations, will also result in endless reboot loops, throwing FileSystem exceptions, and endlessly try to repair itself.

Causes:

• BIOS Configuraiton Log/Corruption. See: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/03/22/uefi_boot_memory_full/
• Although the BIOS may have been configured to UEFI, the System may actually still be in Legacy BIOS Mode, and still report "Legacy BIOS Mode".
• Detect BIOS Mode - Linux: /sys/firmware/efi/vars/
• Detect BIOS Mode - Windows Install, Shift+F10 Command Prompt:
  reg query HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control /v PEFirmwareType
• Windows Installation and Repair Processes may loop endlessly, trying to resolve the conflict in configuration, (a hard drive with a GPT or MBR partition table vs. a BIOS Mode that was not fully set to "UEFI" but still reporting "MBR".

Prerequisites For Fix:

• Not a Laptop specific firmware image ... (I didn't need one. Your mileage may vary.)
  
• sflash64.exe: Most any Samsung firmware image in that class of laptops contains sflash64.exe.
  
• F1-F12 key that is bound to a boot device, (F9 for USB HDD on NP700Z7CH).
• A WindowsPE USB/DVD, or Windows Installation Media, or Linux Live USB, with the ability to run sflash64.exe; or perhaps sflash32.exe may work under older dos/windows 98 boot media.

Steps to Fix, to Enable UEFI And Still Be Abile to Enter BIOS Normally with F2 Key:

• Required: Acquiring some Samsung Firmware executable to extract sflash64.exe or sflash32.exe, (or from a different package).
• Optional: Acquiring Your Firmware: Samsung's BIOSUpdate utility will not work, (because you cannot launch windows). However, their Firmware Update Webservice can be used to download the specific firmware executable, which must be extracted. Consult: http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/samsung-laptops-roll-back-bios-updates.696197/
• Firmware Webservice for NP700Z7CH Phoenix BIOS P06AAE and P04AAE: http://sbuservice.samsungmobile.com/BUWebServiceProc.asmx/GetContents?platformID=AAE&PartNumber=AAAA
• Firmware Executables For NP700Z7CH:
  http://sbuservice.samsungmobile.com/upload/BIOSUpdateItem/ITEM_20130313_1027_WIN_P06AAE.exe ; and http://sbuservice.samsungmobile.com/upload/BIOSUpdateItem/ITEM_20120809_617_WIN_P04AAE.exe
• Manually Extract Firmware Executable: It is originally, "UnPacker.exe"(??) and cannot be extracted with 7-zip, or as a RAR. But - When it runs on a different computer, a pop-up should appear, (an error about the battery or something) - DO NOT CLOSE. The extracted files will appear in %APPDATA%\Local\Temp\__Samsung_Update. However, on my system the files were still deleted before closing that pop-up window. As a work-around - opened up two command prompt windows, and spammed "xcopy *.* /S /Y C:\Temp" over and over after running the Firmware executable from another command window, (As Administrator).
• Note: The Samsung Publisher certificate expired, so you will have to run the executable in an escalated command prompt as administrator.
• Boot to USB Media, (Or CD, Floppy, whatever works): On NP700Z7CH - USB Boot Function key, (F9) Should still work. Boot from Windows Installation USB, dos recovery disk, or linux with wine, etc.
• • At Command Prompt: sflash64.exe /cvar /patch, (or perhaps sflash32.exe if using an older dos recovery disk). Wait for the process to complete. It should automatically REBOOT. WAIT.
  • Enter BIOS using F2: After reboot - Function Keys should work normally again to enter BIOS, (F2 in my case).
  • DISABLE FastBoot. (Will likely help with future issues).
  • Configuring for UEFI is FINE - as long as it is the FIRST configuration, (after this fix) - set to UEFI, reboot - and then disable FastBoot just to be extra safe. The issue seems to revolve around subsequent configuration changes made AFTER changes from Legacy BIOS Mode to UEFI Mode - those subsequent changes, especially after OS installation will likely result in data corruption.
  • Set Partition Table Type: In Windows Setup - Press Shift+F10 for command prompt BEFORE starting installation. Use Diskpart to create a GPT disk if still in UEFI mode if desired, or MBR disk if in Legacy BIOS Mode. Example that will wipe the drive: > diskpart ; > select disk 0 ; > clean ; > convert gpt ; OR > convert mbr;
  • Monitor Partition Table Type: Alt+Tab back to Windows Install, and make drive partition changes as desired. (Alt+Tab back to diskpart to verify the disks are still GPT or MBR; Example: > list disk, (will show an asterisk if it is GPT).
  • Test 1: If you have set the disk to GPT, and Windows will not install to it, with a "GPT error", or - if after the partitions have been made, and checking diskpart shows that Windows has created an MBR Disk - then the BIOS is still reporting Legacy BIOS Mode, and the data corruption issue was not resolved.
  • Test 2: After Windows is Installed, BIOS should still be accessible with F@ keys after Shutting down the computer and rebooting.

Tried and Failed:

• Pressing F2/F4 May result in an immediate reboot.
• Holding keys (F5 / F8, etc), may result in Windows in an endless boot loop trying to fix drives.
• Adding an external keyboard, and unknown format DVD disk, (PS4), does slow down the boot process, allowing users to find more keys.
• Removing the DVD drive does not reset, or resolve, boot disk priority issues.
• The Battery Discharge PIN button, (under the laptop), does not reset the BIOS.
• Unplugging the BIOS battery, (small under the motherboard), does not resolve the issue. (It may be resetting configuration options, but NOT clearing the corrupt data).

Please feel free to offer corrections / notes, or questions!

 

Does this apply to Samsung NP540U3C-A02UK? If it does I don't know how to get the BIOS update. I tried Samsung site but unfortunately the is no place to download the BIOS.
I would be grateful if someone can direct me to a site that I can get it.

 

Use the link in this thread to get the Samsung BIOS Update program. Then run that program.

John

 

The issue is, I cannot get to the BIOS because my system is on loop boot, let alone getting the BIOS version. If I can get the link to NP540U3C-A02UK to get the BIOS would be a lifesaver.
I am reading this post Unbricking Samsung Chronos and Series 7 Laptops NP-500 and NP-700:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...ptops-np-500-and-np-700.795912/#post-10477291
I want to unbrick my laptop.

 

OK. Have you seen this thread which gives guidance for finding BIOS files.

John

 

I checked the thread, but where I got stuck is I don't know the Platform ID my laptop NP540U3C-A02UK, because I cannot get into the BIOS. Please if anyone has the link on how I can get the ID for NP540U3C-A02UK I would be grateful.

 

A quick search brought me to this post which mentions P**AAJ BIOS for the NP530U3C. The exact version of the notebook is not specified but I think the BIOS numbering probably follows the same pattern as the Series 9 notebooks of the same period in that P**AA* indicates a BIOS for the notebooks shipped with Windows 7 and P**AB* was provided for Windows 8. So did your notebook ship with Windows 7 or Windows 8? It's the latter, with UEFI, which are most vulnerable to bricking.

Did you try getting into the BIOS by booting without the HDD installed, as discussed here?

John

 

I did everything said in the thread, but unfortunately to not avail. I tried booting without HDD, hot plugging didn't work. The laptop is shipped with Windows 8. I will follow the post as you suggested to download the BIOS and give it a try.

As suggested in a post I came across to use Gandalf's WinPE 8.1 x64 I will download it and give it a try.

Thanks for the response.

 

Hi @Mdbahmad,

The thread you want to study about clearing NVRAM, when you cannot boot and/or cannot get into BIOS, is this one (that was a link) which is also the one linked in our samsung Forum Sticky list.

It is where we have gathered the most significant knowledge about it in the last 2-3 years. The guide in the opening post of this thread contains some additional and useful details, but the gist of it mostly repeats what is in post #7 of that other thread.

If you study the last few pages of that thread, you will see some suggestions for how to boot Windows or WinPE -- which is usually the biggest challenge in these cases.

 

Don't use the P**AAJ BIOS if your notebook came with Windows 8 as I think you need a BIOS with AB in the name. First follow the advice of @Dannemand (who understands this problem better than I do) but if that doesn't work then search around for BIOS info relating to the NP530U3C as it is more common.

John