Bricked ASUS BW-16D1HT (2024) via ODD FW Changer - Need help locating 8-pin SPI Flash for EEPROM programmer

[z1z59z]

Hi everyone,

I accidentally bricked my ASUS BW-16D1HT (manufactured in 2024, original firmware 1.01) using ASUS ODD FW Changer.

Currently, the drive is completely dead:
- No power / LED light is off
- Drive tray won't open electronically
- Not recognized by BIOS or OS (SATA connection)
- Seems the bootloader/EEPROM is corrupted.

I have disassembled the drive and plan to unbrick it using an XTW100 EEPROM programmer with a SOP8 (8-pin) test clip. However, I am having trouble locating the exact 8-pin SPI Flash IC on the PCB.

How is the firmware handled on this 2024 revision? Is it integrated into the MT1959 or stored elsewhere? And can this "hard-bricked" state be recovered via the TX/RX UART header using a USB-to-TTL adapter?

Looking at the PCB:
1. Main Controller: MediaTek MT1959UDWN

1791634181731_2.jpg

2. IC201 (marked 314 825R): Appears to be power management.

1791634181938_2.jpg

3. IC303 (marked 1848 PYYJ): This IC has 10 pins, so it's not a standard SOP-8 Flash.

1791634182063_2.jpg

Could anyone guide me on where the actual 8-pin SPI Flash chip is located on this newer 2024 PCB version? Is it hidden under the thermal pads/shields, or on the other side of the PCB?

Additionally, I noticed a 4-pin UART/TTL header on the PCB. The two middle pins are clearly labeled "TX" (left) and "RX" (right), flanked by two unlabelled outer through-holes (likely VCC/GND).

If unbricking via an EEPROM programmer turns out to be unfeasible, is it possible to recover or read bootloader logs via USB-to-TTL (UART) using these TX/RX pins?

Also, if anyone has a clean full dump (EEPROM/Flash dump) or knows the correct recovery procedure for a 2024 BW-16D1HT bricked state, I would greatly appreciate your guidance!

Thanks in advance for your help!

---
Update on PCB layout:
After further inspection, I removed the thermal pad. The large IC under it is actually marked "R2A3 0254 SP" (which is a motor/servo driver IC, not flash memory). It appears that this newer 2024 MT1959 revision does NOT have a traditional external 8-pin SOP-8 SPI Flash chip on either side of the PCB.

Therefore, using an EEPROM programmer with an SOP8 test clip is unfeasible for this specific board.

Given that:
1. Main Controller: MediaTek MT1959UDWN
2. No external SPI Flash chip can be found.
3. There is a clearly labeled 4-pin UART/TTL header (TX, RX, and ground through-holes).

[MartyMcNuts]

Hi everyone,

I accidentally bricked my ASUS BW-16D1HT (manufactured in 2024, original firmware 1.01) using ASUS ODD FW Changer.

Currently, the drive is completely dead:
- No power / LED light is off
- Drive tray won't open electronically
- Not recognized by BIOS or OS (SATA connection)
- Seems the bootloader/EEPROM is corrupted.

I have disassembled the drive and plan to unbrick it using an XTW100 EEPROM programmer with a SOP8 (8-pin) test clip. However, I am having trouble locating the exact 8-pin SPI Flash IC on the PCB.

How is the firmware handled on this 2024 revision? Is it integrated into the MT1959 or stored elsewhere? And can this "hard-bricked" state be recovered via the TX/RX UART header using a USB-to-TTL adapter?

Looking at the PCB:
1. Main Controller: MediaTek MT1959UDWN
1791634181731_2.jpg
2. IC201 (marked 314 825R): Appears to be power management.
1791634181938_2.jpg
3. IC303 (marked 1848 PYYJ): This IC has 10 pins, so it's not a standard SOP-8 Flash.
1791634182063_2.jpg

Could anyone guide me on where the actual 8-pin SPI Flash chip is located on this newer 2024 PCB version? Is it hidden under the thermal pads/shields, or on the other side of the PCB?

Additionally, I noticed a 4-pin UART/TTL header on the PCB. The two middle pins are clearly labeled "TX" (left) and "RX" (right), flanked by two unlabelled outer through-holes (likely VCC/GND).

If unbricking via an EEPROM programmer turns out to be unfeasible, is it possible to recover or read bootloader logs via USB-to-TTL (UART) using these TX/RX pins?

Also, if anyone has a clean full dump (EEPROM/Flash dump) or knows the correct recovery procedure for a 2024 BW-16D1HT bricked state, I would greatly appreciate your guidance!

Thanks in advance for your help!

---
Update on PCB layout:
After further inspection, I removed the thermal pad. The large IC under it is actually marked "R2A3 0254 SP" (which is a motor/servo driver IC, not flash memory). It appears that this newer 2024 MT1959 revision does NOT have a traditional external 8-pin SOP-8 SPI Flash chip on either side of the PCB.

Therefore, using an EEPROM programmer with an SOP8 test clip is unfeasible for this specific board.

Given that:
1. Main Controller: MediaTek MT1959UDWN
2. No external SPI Flash chip can be found.
3. There is a clearly labeled 4-pin UART/TTL header (TX, RX, and ground through-holes).

It's a Chinese fake knockoff drive. This is an old MT1939 (pre 2016) model (1.xx firmware is a dead giveaway!) likely slapped together in a newer shell with a new label on it.

Return it or at least get your money back!