Recovery Force® Data Recovery Forum

DFL has introduced their own flash ROM programmer that has a clamp to connect to a ROM without having to remove it from a PCB. The concept is not new as my current flash ROM programmer (TL866) that I've owned for many years has this feature too. But I was never able to get it to work and decided that it was better to remove the ROM than to use the clamp for a couple of reasons:

1. Most boards have issues that affect the power when trying to read the ROM directly. This requires modification to the PCB, which kind of negates the time saving value of using the clamp
2. More importantly, some older ROMs have weak soldering. That is, I had an experiment ROM chip rip off the PCB, losing a leg off the ROM chip while trying to get the clamp connected

My big question for DFL is, "have those issues been addressed?" It is possible that the new version of my programmer, the TL866 II Plus, is now better able to handle these issues, too. It goes for under $100 USD on Amazon and has almost every adapter imaginable. So, I'm not sure that paying $150 for the DFL tool is that great a deal, assuming that it is limited in its functions and adapters.

I actually have the TL886 II Plus. And you know what... I had not noticed the clamp for the ROM chip......... Just found it. If you have a PCB number that you know cannot be read by your programmer, let me know and I will try with my II Plus.

ddrecovery wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 3:06 pm I actually have the TL886 II Plus. And you know what... I had not noticed the clamp for the ROM chip......... Just found it. If you have a PCB number that you know cannot be read by your programmer, let me know and I will try with my II Plus.

If I recall correctly, pretty much any Seagate or Western Digital 3.5" PCB. The new power functions, might have a huge impact on that now.

I don't appear to have the correct connector to the adapter from the 'claw'. Let me do some research.