Modem stopped working on BH

[LazLong]

Yes, it is the problem, I did a bad flash.
I have received the instructions for emergency flash from quectel support, recently, and it's a complex procedure indeed, I will need to dedicate some time to try and perform the steps.

Do you mind sharing the instructions you received from Quectel?

I have searched their site and other sources in the past and derived bits and pieces but not a clear method.  I have a BH PP with inoperative EC25 that has failed initial PMOS and latest recent PMOS factory tests since it was received and has never been able to detect working sims.  I have been waiting for V1.2 main boards to become available but would like to give flashing the modem's firmware a chance before abandoning it all together.  Any help will be much appreciated.

I'm curious if anyone in the community has successfully flashed the EC25 firmware on the PP?

[afigegoznaet]

Yes, it is the problem, I did a bad flash.
I have received the instructions for emergency flash from quectel support, recently, and it's a complex procedure indeed, I will need to dedicate some time to try and perform the steps.

Do you mind sharing the instructions you received from Quectel?

I have searched their site and other sources in the past and derived bits and pieces but not a clear method.  I have a BH PP with inoperative EC25 that has failed initial PMOS and latest recent PMOS factory tests since it was received and has never been able to detect working sims.  I have been waiting for V1.2 main boards to become available but would like to give flashing the modem's firmware a chance before abandoning it all together.  Any help will be much appreciated.

I'm curious if anyone in the community has successfully flashed the EC25 firmware on the PP?

Try to create a ticket here:
https://e-service.quectel.com/en/support/tickets
The instructions I have assume you have the firmware to flash, and it's best you ask for correct firmware from quectel support .

[bcnaz]

I am glad I did not attempt to flash my modem,

I thought I saw the symptoms of a corrupt modem,

But the old Brave Heart is purring now, running the September 05 nightly release of Mobian.

[LazLong]

Yes, it is the problem, I did a bad flash.
I have received the instructions for emergency flash from quectel support, recently, and it's a complex procedure indeed, I will need to dedicate some time to try and perform the steps.

Do you mind sharing the instructions you received from Quectel?

I have searched their site and other sources in the past and derived bits and pieces but not a clear method.  I have a BH PP with inoperative EC25 that has failed initial PMOS and latest recent PMOS factory tests since it was received and has never been able to detect working sims.  I have been waiting for V1.2 main boards to become available but would like to give flashing the modem's firmware a chance before abandoning it all together.  Any help will be much appreciated.

I'm curious if anyone in the community has successfully flashed the EC25 firmware on the PP?

Try to create a ticket here:
https://e-service.quectel.com/en/support/tickets
The instructions I have assume you have the firmware to flash, and it's best you ask for correct firmware from quectel support .

Alright, thank you.  The "e-service" link is not working for me but I will contact them through their support link and hopefully they will be as helpful with me as they were with you.

Good luck with your firmware flashing attempt and please keep us apprised.

I would love to hear if someone has successfully flashed and restored their EC25!

[Djhg2000]

Apparently we should be able to pull USB_BOOT high (1.8V) on the modem to enter "Emergency Download Mode" where it can apparently be flashed over USB even with a corrupt firmware.

Now, the USB_BOOT pin is routed on the v1.2 schematics to test pad T1501 but the test points are not labeled. Does anyone know which test pads are which on the motherboard?

Also I'd like to suggest adding a software controlled switch (or MOSFET) for this on the v1.3 board so that we can recover soft-bricked modems without opening the phone.

[bitnick]

It's probably not a good idea to make it possible to write new modem firmware without some kind of physical input from the user? That would make it possible to write a virus that kills Pinephones... or installs tracking software or similar that is persistent even after flashing a new OS.

[Djhg2000]

It's probably not a good idea to make it possible to write new modem firmware without some kind of physical input from the user? That would make it possible to write a virus that kills Pinephones... or installs tracking software or similar that is persistent even after flashing a new OS.

The modem can be flashed without the USB_BOOT pin as well, the only difference is with the USB_BOOT pin it doesn't need a functioning firmware to flash the new one. From what I can gather the USB_BOOT pin makes the modem load a small shim from ROM capable of talking over USB and writing to flash but not much else.

[LazLong]

Apparently we should be able to pull USB_BOOT high (1.8V) on the modem to enter "Emergency Download Mode" where it can apparently be flashed over USB even with a corrupt firmware.

Now, the USB_BOOT pin is routed on the v1.2 schematics to test pad T1501 but the test points are not labeled. Does anyone know which test pads are which on the motherboard?

Also I'd like to suggest adding a software controlled switch (or MOSFET) for this on the v1.3 board so that we can recover soft-bricked modems without opening the phone.

Interesting.  Hopefully someone will be able to help identify/define the test pads.  Those of us with defunct modems with corrupted firmware will greatly
appreciate it.

[biktorgj]

Apparently we should be able to pull USB_BOOT high (1.8V) on the modem to enter "Emergency Download Mode" where it can apparently be flashed over USB even with a corrupt firmware.

Now, the USB_BOOT pin is routed on the v1.2 schematics to test pad T1501 but the test points are not labeled. Does anyone know which test pads are which on the motherboard?

Also I'd like to suggest adding a software controlled switch (or MOSFET) for this on the v1.3 board so that we can recover soft-bricked modems without opening the phone.

Interesting.  Hopefully someone will be able to help identify/define the test pads.  Those of us with defunct modems with corrupted firmware will greatly
appreciate it.

Already done!
Just in case someone ends up in this thread, I made a recovery package with instructions on firmware recovery: https://github.com/Biktorgj/quectel_eg25_recovery

[LazLong]

Apparently we should be able to pull USB_BOOT high (1.8V) on the modem to enter "Emergency Download Mode" where it can apparently be flashed over USB even with a corrupt firmware.

Now, the USB_BOOT pin is routed on the v1.2 schematics to test pad T1501 but the test points are not labeled. Does anyone know which test pads are which on the motherboard?

Also I'd like to suggest adding a software controlled switch (or MOSFET) for this on the v1.3 board so that we can recover soft-bricked modems without opening the phone.

Interesting.  Hopefully someone will be able to help identify/define the test pads.  Those of us with defunct modems with corrupted firmware will greatly
appreciate it.

Already done!
Just in case someone ends up in this thread, I made a recovery package with instructions on firmware recovery: https://github.com/Biktorgj/quectel_eg25_recovery

I will definitely try this when time allows.  Thanks!