1 Topic by choonway (edited by choonway 2015-05-13 02:53:26)

  • Registered: 2014-06-11
  • Posts: 6

Topic: eeprom oops and lcd problems on novena laptop

Got my novena laptop yesterday and tried to start up. The LCD backlight lights up for a while but goes blank after a while and remains that way.

When rebooting and using the hdmi external monitor this appears

i2c 2-005c: Driver it6251 requests probe deferral
eepromoops 2-0056: Unable to set EEPROM page: -11

after some time the xfce deskop starts up fine on the external monitor.

running novena-eperom  on the console returns:
Current EEPROM settings:
Unable to communicate with i2c device: Resource temporarily unavailable

any ideas? Thanks in advance.

  • Registered: 2014-06-15
  • Posts: 146

Re: eeprom oops and lcd problems on novena laptop

I think the Senoko can block the i2c bus... see here:

http://www.kosagi.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=210

Maybe that's your problem?

  • Registered: 2014-06-11
  • Posts: 6

Re: eeprom oops and lcd problems on novena laptop

dbtayl wrote:

I think the Senoko can block the i2c bus... see here:

http://www.kosagi.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=210

Maybe that's your problem?

I managed to remove the battery board, the GPIO expansion card, the hard disk and run the CPU board on ac power.

I didn't remove the eDP adapter board and power button board though, as I'm not confident enough remove the flexible pcb without damaging it.

However, the result is still the same, can't access the EEPROM.

I did notice that the senoko driver complains about probe deferral when I remove the battery board, is the problem with the eeprom related to the eDP it6521 chip somehow messing with the i2c bus like how the Senoko can interfere with it?

Has anyone tried to remove the eDP adapter board?

  • xobs
  • Administrator
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  • Registered: 2014-05-25
  • Posts: 442

Re: eeprom oops and lcd problems on novena laptop

Page one of the schematics is particularly helpful here.  It lists the Utility EEPROM as being on the same bus as the LCD and ES8328.  Since those are the two things you're having trouble with, I'm betting you also aren't able to get audio.

Looking at the LCD connector on page 13 of the schematics, it seems like the I2C lines are right next to a ground pin and a power switch.  It may be that it got cross-threaded, and the lines are mis-wired.

Try removing and re-seating the eDP adapter board.  It's slightly finicky to re-attach the screws, but it should be alright as long as you're careful with it.  Circuit Stickers (a side project we do) is flex PCB LEDs that we give to young kids to use in art projects.  It's pretty robust, you just have to make sure not to pull on the connectors themselves too much.  There's a plastic hinge you have to pull up to release the cable.

Release and re-seat the cable on both ends, or try booting without the eDP board connected at all.

  • Registered: 2014-06-11
  • Posts: 6

Re: eeprom oops and lcd problems on novena laptop

It seems that the eDP board is the source of the problem.

Did the following tests:
1. removed the flex pcb and eDP adapter - works wonderfully, boots up much faster than before
2. attached the flex pcb but left out the eDP adapter - same as 1
3. attached the flex pcb and the eDP adapter - the problem with eeprom surfaces.

Just discovered a similar problem here. http://www.kosagi.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=151

Tried to wiggle the flexible pcb many times to make it work, as well as reseating it again. Still doesn't work.

Examined the eDP adapter board chip it 6251 - on pins 13 and 14 there seems to be some gunk trapped between the pins, they definitely belong the i2c bus but I don't have the equipment to test continuity now. Will try again tomorrow.

xobs wrote:

Page one of the schematics is particularly helpful here.  It lists the Utility EEPROM as being on the same bus as the LCD and ES8328.  Since those are the two things you're having trouble with, I'm betting you also aren't able to get audio.

Looking at the LCD connector on page 13 of the schematics, it seems like the I2C lines are right next to a ground pin and a power switch.  It may be that it got cross-threaded, and the lines are mis-wired.

Try removing and re-seating the eDP adapter board.  It's slightly finicky to re-attach the screws, but it should be alright as long as you're careful with it.  Circuit Stickers (a side project we do) is flex PCB LEDs that we give to young kids to use in art projects.  It's pretty robust, you just have to make sure not to pull on the connectors themselves too much.  There's a plastic hinge you have to pull up to release the cable.

Release and re-seat the cable on both ends, or try booting without the eDP board connected at all.

  • Registered: 2014-06-11
  • Posts: 6

Re: eeprom oops and lcd problems on novena laptop

Did some continuity tests, AUX_I2C_SCL and AUX_I2C_SDA are shorted to each other.
I also noticed some shorts (not temporary) between some of the differential pairs.

I can't see any visible solder bridges - and the copper traces are not easy to follow when it's all black...

I think i'll contact crowdsupply on this...

choonway wrote:

It seems that the eDP board is the source of the problem.

Did the following tests:
1. removed the flex pcb and eDP adapter - works wonderfully, boots up much faster than before
2. attached the flex pcb but left out the eDP adapter - same as 1
3. attached the flex pcb and the eDP adapter - the problem with eeprom surfaces.

Just discovered a similar problem here. http://www.kosagi.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=151

Tried to wiggle the flexible pcb many times to make it work, as well as reseating it again. Still doesn't work.

Examined the eDP adapter board chip it 6251 - on pins 13 and 14 there seems to be some gunk trapped between the pins, they definitely belong the i2c bus but I don't have the equipment to test continuity now. Will try again tomorrow.

xobs wrote:

Page one of the schematics is particularly helpful here.  It lists the Utility EEPROM as being on the same bus as the LCD and ES8328.  Since those are the two things you're having trouble with, I'm betting you also aren't able to get audio.

Looking at the LCD connector on page 13 of the schematics, it seems like the I2C lines are right next to a ground pin and a power switch.  It may be that it got cross-threaded, and the lines are mis-wired.

Try removing and re-seating the eDP adapter board.  It's slightly finicky to re-attach the screws, but it should be alright as long as you're careful with it.  Circuit Stickers (a side project we do) is flex PCB LEDs that we give to young kids to use in art projects.  It's pretty robust, you just have to make sure not to pull on the connectors themselves too much.  There's a plastic hinge you have to pull up to release the cable.

Release and re-seat the cable on both ends, or try booting without the eDP board connected at all.