MCUmall EPROM BIOS Chip Burner Forum
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 reading a 27c512
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mojodojo

2 Posts

Posted - 09/07/2010 :  13:17:31  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I am a noob to all of this and have a question. I want to copy the contents of a 27c512. I have a willem programmer and set all dips and voltage to the correct positions. Before i attempt my first copy I want to make sure I don't kill my master copy. So I have a couple questions.

1.Is it possible to damage a chip just by reading it?

2.Is there some type of copy protection that will render these chips useless if you try to read it?
Reply #1

mojodojo

2 Posts

Posted - 09/10/2010 :  10:04:02  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Background story: I have to machines that one of the eproms went bad in. I ordered an eprom for it. But since the manufacturer charges me over $200 for it, I wanted to make a backup before I used it.

I tried to read the microcontroller. It looks like it read it. There is data in the buffer. However the machine it came out of won't read the master chip. Mind you, I didn't test the master to make sure it worked in the machine it came out of before I read it. I read somewhere on these boards that the programmer I have parallel/usb might not have the correct voltage to read it and it could result in damage. Since then, I ordered the willem GQ-4X. I have one more of these machines that has a chip in it but I am reluctant to read it since I am not sure if the chip I ordered was damaged before I read it or the older programmer may have damaged it or they have some sort of security on it. I am just trying to make backups of this eprom because one went bad and I had to spend $200 for it from the manufacturer.

So my question is the same.

Can I damage a chip just by trying to read it? How likely is it that some sort of security scheme will make the chip not work in the machine? I can still read the chip. It has data in the buffer that are not ff or 00. real data. I don't want to have to spend another $400 just to get both of these machines operating if I try to read from the eprom on the second machine.

Edited by - mojodojo on 09/10/2010 10:07:10
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Reply #2

ZLM

2937 Posts

Posted - 09/10/2010 :  21:08:17  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Theoretically read a EPROM will not damage the chip. All programmers should go this way, unless your programmer is not working correctly.

When you reading a master EPROM, do not do anything else. Just do Read. If you know the checksume of data, then you can see the checksum if reading correct. If you do not know checksum of master EPROM, then write down the checksum, repostion the chip in the ZIF socket and read it again. Both reading should have same checksum.

Then you can save the buffer into a .bin file, write the data into a blank EPROM and see if it works on your machine.
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