XFX Radeon HD 4870 1 GB BIOS Updater Bug Found

[AgentGOD]

I was personally curious as to what's different with XFX's ATI BIOS'es compared to the others, but I could not find anywhere to download a copy of the BIOS. So, I decided to look on XFX's own site, and download their "BIOS Update" for the HD 4870.

Here is where I got it from:


So I downloaded the "Windows" version of the updater.

Then I found that it did not have a BIOS file in the archive!


So I looked further with a Resource Editor. I found that the main flasher EXE file had a BIOS image embedded inside. But, to my surprise, it's NOT for RV770 (HD 4870)!

Look:


So then I found that several people are saying the BIOS update didn't work. This may be why.

In case anyone's curious, I've made a dump of the embedded BIOS file and uploaded it here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/204533022/RV410.bin.html

[Shintai]

Scary there is no validation check in their code. Just a brute force flash.

[AgentGOD]

Scary there is no validation check in their code. Just a brute force flash.

Yea, and I opened it (the exe) on this rig yesterday, and it appeared to be preparing to flash, and luckily, I closed it before it could do so. Phew, not dead HD 4870 X2.

[Miwo]

thats a pretty serious blunder on their part.
And if they are using the -f force flag, that is a great way to brick cards. Nice way to enter the Radeon market XFX

[Luka_Aveiro]

XFX is an nVidia SPY!!!!1!111!!11!one!!11!!!!

[AgentGOD]

XFX is an nVidia SPY!!!!1!111!!11!one!!11!!!!

That joker is a heavy!

[AgentGOD]

At least the customers don't really have to worry, there's a lifetime warranty on it...Oh wait, it's not covered! If you read the readme that comes with the flasher, they say this (verbatim):

HD-487A-ZDD BIOS Update
======================

Please extract ALL files into a suitable folder.
Then RUN the 487AZDD2.exe file to complete the BIOS update.
Please ensure the system is not turned off or loses power during the process.
When finished please REBOOT the system.

Please note XFX do not accept any responsilibility for any consequences of updating the firmware.
For any advice or questions, please use the ticket system to contact a Technician.

[Aerwidh]

Big no-no

[AgentGOD]

It's too bad XFX won't cover any bricked cards from flashing this.

[SKYMTL]

A manufacturer should never, EVER publically post a BIOS update to a GPU.

[AgentGOD]

A manufacturer should never, EVER publically post a BIOS update to a GPU.

Technically it's not public, you have to have had registered an XFX HD 4870 card there first :P

[SKYMTL]

Technically it's not public, you have to have had registered an XFX HD 4870 card there first :P

It is still an open invite for people to brick their cards.

[AgentGOD]

It is still an open invite for people to brick their cards.

Well, look at the bright side! More bricked cards (warranty does not cover this, as their readme says) = more profit for XFX, since people have to buy a new card! It's great for the consumer and the economy too, since it's more spending!

</poor attempt at sarcasm>

[highoctane]

Well unless something has changed you can always throw in a pci card and reflash.

[madgravity34]

Or do a blind flash. Happened to me a couple times, just have to memorize the flash screens! lol.

[Ket]

... and people wonder why I will never, EVER, buy a XFX product. This is just yet another catastrophic blunder by XFX. Avoid.

[drunkenmaster]

did anyone actually check this bios isn't the right one or is everyone jumping to conclusions based on that code. XFX didn't make the cards listed in the code so why would anything they have, have such code in it. Reusing working code is the cornerstone of the programming industry, and seeing as you never actually tried to make it work, for all you know it is the working and correct bios.

Not only that but the surrounding parts are the "the power cable is not connected" cable, which could well mean the whole section is ONLY for that, the message, and so its simply been copied and reused since it first got put in and worked. Its completely normal for companies to reuse bits of code and its completely normal for bits of code like that with old names/dates to make it into newer programs, also remembering that bios's have barely changed in the past 20 years.

I'd suggest getting a bios for another card, and checking the same section to see if the same data is there, not sure if you can still get a copy of your current gpu bios from gpu-z or not but that would be a start.

I wouldn't be remotely surprised if you found that every single bios for the past few years has that same section of code in it to be perfectly honest.

[AgentGOD]

did anyone actually check this bios isn't the right one or is everyone jumping to conclusions based on that code. XFX didn't make the cards listed in the code so why would anything they have, have such code in it. Reusing working code is the cornerstone of the programming industry, and seeing as you never actually tried to make it work, for all you know it is the working and correct bios.

Not only that but the surrounding parts are the "the power cable is not connected" cable, which could well mean the whole section is ONLY for that, the message, and so its simply been copied and reused since it first got put in and worked. Its completely normal for companies to reuse bits of code and its completely normal for bits of code like that with old names/dates to make it into newer programs, also remembering that bios's have barely changed in the past 20 years.

I'd suggest getting a bios for another card, and checking the same section to see if the same data is there, not sure if you can still get a copy of your current gpu bios from gpu-z or not but that would be a start.

I wouldn't be remotely surprised if you found that every single bios for the past few years has that same section of code in it to be perfectly honest.

I made an image dump of the embedded BIOS file. I have it linked on the first post. It's 64 KB sized, definitely not a 4870 BIOS. And RBE doesn't recognize it.

[phsinc1]

I made an image dump of the embedded BIOS file. I have it linked on the first post. It's 64 KB sized, definitely not a 4870 BIOS. And RBE doesn't recognize it.

something is wrong, it should be 128 KB

someone who already using XFX 4870 1GB, should dump his bios with GPU-Z and post it

[Hicksetto]

What about ISO version of BIOS?