Guide to flashing PC SIL3112 SATA cards for Mac

[Project Alice]

Any chance you would be able to tell us which eeprom chip it has? If it’s a 1 Megabit chip, could you also copy the eeprom for the rest of us to use? Haha

I'm not sure, I'll have to pull it out and check it on monday when I'm finished with my work stretch. I know it says "flash" on the chip.
And I will certainly copy the eeprom, as soon as I can figure out how to do that lol. I'm certain I can I just haven't ever done it before.

 

[Brain-Freeze]

I'm not sure, I'll have to pull it out and check it on monday when I'm finished with my work stretch. I know it says "flash" on the chip.
And I will certainly copy the eeprom, as soon as I can figure out how to do that lol. I'm certain I can I just haven't ever done it before.

Its not too difficult,
1. just format a usb stick with rufus, make sure you select "FreeDOS" under the boot selection menu. 2. Copy over the flashrom program onto the root of the usb.
3. install the sata card into a free PCI slot in a pc that can also boot to usb.
4. Boot FreeDOS from the USB.
5. Type "flashrom --programmer satasii -r backup.bin" it should say "creating delay loop" etc..
6. Providing it copied successfully (check with the dir command, make sure there is a file called "backup.bin", thats it! your safe to turn off your computer!
7. Plug in the usb back into your main computer, and upload the file on this site, with the "upload a file" button when replying.

just uploaded the rufus program, and also the flashrom program, you can download them below.

 

[Daniel Brown37]

Thanks for sharing it!

 

[mraroid]

Can confirm that flashing this firmware onto a 4 port card with the Sil3114 chip, However you will only be able to boot from the two ports on the rear of the card.
The model of the card is a generic SATA3114-AO1.

******************
Will it boot to OS9, or do I need another card to flash to do this?

mraroid

 

[Project Alice]

Can confirm that flashing this firmware onto a 4 port card with the Sil3114 chip, However you will only be able to boot from the two ports on the rear of the card.
The model of the card is a generic SATA3114-AO1.

******************
Will it boot to OS9, or do I need another card to flash to do this?

mraroid

I haven't been on here in awhile, I still plan to dump the rom from the 3114 that I have. It is indeed a 4-port, and it works perfect. Here's where I got the one I have.

 

[mraroid]

I know that the Sonnet Tempo Serial ATA PCI card can boot SATA drives to OS9 as well as OSX.

Is it possible to buy a PCI card for a PC, and flash it (perhaps with the ROM from the Sonnet) to give the card the ability to boot to OS 9 as well as OSX?

I saw this card on Ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/STLab-A-17...6:g:6iUAAOSwVIBcL5Po:rk:2:pf:1&frcectupt=true

It is called "STLab A-171 Sil3112 PCI 2 Port SATA Card Raid Support"

The Silicon Image chip is a S113512ECTU128
The Rom chip is a little hard to read, but I think it says:
HT27C010-70
ASO7X052 (or maybe AS07K052)

I am open to any other PCI SATA cards that I can flash to give me OS9 as well as OSX support.

Thoughts?

mraroid
[doublepost=1549316435][/doublepost]Another flashing question....

A fall back option for me would be a PCI IDE controller card for a Mac. I am running a Blue & White G3, soon to be upgraded to a Yikes! G4 motherboard running a 500Mhz CPU.

I have found no used Mac PCI IDE controller cards. Have folks found a PC version of this card and flashed it so it can run in a Mac?

Thanks in advance,
mraroid
[doublepost=1549317017][/doublepost]

I haven't been on here in awhile, I still plan to dump the rom from the 3114 that I have. It is indeed a 4-port, and it works perfect. Here's where I got the one I have.

As is, you can install OSX using the last two SATA ports on the card you linked to on ebay? And when you flash this card, you hope it will let you boot to OS9?

I am knew to flashing cards. Can you post the entire name of the card you are calling 3114 please?
Thank you for your help.

mraroid

 

[weckart]

I know that the Sonnet Tempo Serial ATA PCI card can boot SATA drives to OS9 as well as OSX.

Is it possible to buy a PCI card for a PC, and flash it (perhaps with the ROM from the Sonnet) to give the card the ability to boot to OS 9 as well as OSX?

mraroid

That card is somewhat overpriced. I would search a little harder. You shouldn't pay more than $10-15.

If you want to boot from MacOS 7.6-9.x as well as OSX, you need to flash it with the SeriTek BIOS but only after replacing the BIOS chip on the cards with one of the three specific ones that the SeriTek firmware supports.

As for Sonnet cards, I had a Sonnet Tempo HD dual SATA card recently that was flashed with Windows firmware for some reason. I could not find a way to flash it back to Mac as the firmware blobs were tied up with the flashing software and refused to cooperate, even though the hardware was identical between Windows and Mac versions. Sonnet couldn't help me either.

 

[Project Alice]

As is, you can install OSX using the last two SATA ports on the card you linked to on ebay? And when you flash this card, you hope it will let you boot to OS9?

I am knew to flashing cards. Can you post the entire name of the card you are calling 3114 please?
Thank you for your help.

mraroid

The card I linked to has 4 internal ports, no externals. It boots OS 9, and it I have Three drives connected to it. two of them are boot drives, and honestly I don't remember which drive is connected to which port.

That card is somewhat overpriced. I would search a little harder. You shouldn't pay more than $10-15.

I agree, $50 is a bit steep. But, they have 4 ports and are already flashed. I bought the one I have because after going through several sil3112 cards none of them worked after flashing, in a PC or in a Mac (one of them was a read only eeprom hence wouldn't flash at all). Plus I wanted the rom off a known working compatible card. And since it happens to be a 3114 it could be used to flash other ones.

 

[weckart]

I agree, $50 is a bit steep. But, they have 4 ports and are already flashed. I bought the one I have because after going through several sil3112 cards none of them worked after flashing, in a PC or in a Mac

I was actually replying to mraroid with that comment, who linked to a generic PC card. Definitely not worth $50.

As for your flashing attempts, did you replace the BIOS chip to use the SeriTek firmware or did you just flash with the Wiebetech firmware (OSX only)? I have flashed a few 2 port cards with the SeriTek firmware and all happily boot from MacOS 7.6 onwards.

 

[Project Alice]

I was actually replying to mraroid with that comment, who linked to a generic PC card. Definitely not worth $50.

As for your flashing attempts, did you replace the BIOS chip to use the SeriTek firmware or did you just flash with the Wiebetech firmware (OSX only)? I have flashed a few 2 port cards with the SeriTek firmware and all happily boot from MacOS 7.6 onwards.

I flashed with the firmware attached to the OP of this thread. It was awhile ago. I haven't replaced any chips, a little beyond my expertise unfortunately.

 

[mraroid]

The card I linked to has 4 internal ports, no externals. It boots OS 9, and it I have Three drives connected to it. two of them are boot drives, and honestly I don't remember which drive is connected to which port.

To be clear Project Alice, you are saying that this card:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Port-SAT...h=item1ede766a76:g:uhEAAOSwef9a0SBX:rk:2:pf:0

Out of the box (unless flashed for windows, defective, etc) will boot OS 9.22 as well as early OSX?

Sorry for the many questions. I am new to flashing cards and trying to lean as quickly as I can.

mraroid
[doublepost=1549381928][/doublepost]

If you want to boot from MacOS 7.6-9.x as well as OSX, you need to flash it with the SeriTek BIOS but only after replacing the BIOS chip on the cards with one of the three specific ones that the SeriTek firmware supports.

Are you talking about this card weckart?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Port-SAT...h=item1ede766a76:g:uhEAAOSwef9a0SBX:rk:2:pf:0

mraroid

 

[Project Alice]

To be clear Project Alice, you are saying that this card:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Port-SAT...h=item1ede766a76:g:uhEAAOSwef9a0SBX:rk:2:pf:0

Out of the box (unless flashed for windows, defective, etc) will boot OS 9.22 as well as early OSX?

Sorry for the many questions. I am new to flashing cards and trying to lean as quickly as I can.
mraroid

I have booted OS 9.2 with this card. I have not tried to boot anything under 10.4 as I only use 10.4 and 10.5 on the machine it's in. I booted OS 9 on it once just to test the functionality. It should work with any operating system though, idk why it wouldn't.

 

[mraroid]

I have booted OS 9.2 with this card. I have no tried to boot anything under 10.4 as I only use 10.4 and 10.5 on the machine it's in. I booted OS 9 on it once just to test the functionality. It should work with any operating system though, idk why it wouldn't.

Thanks so much Project. I think I will buy one. It sure would be nice to boot a SS drive into OS 9 and another SS drive into a early OSX.

mraroid

 

[weckart]

I flashed with the firmware attached to the OP of this thread. It was awhile ago. I haven't replaced any chips, a little beyond my expertise unfortunately.

I'm a little confused. Were all your unsuccessful attempts with the firmware in the OP on 2-port SiI3112 cards and the 4-port card you have now was bought already flashed and is also capable of booting MacOS 9?

Are you talking about this card weckart?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Port-SAT...h=item1ede766a76:g:uhEAAOSwef9a0SBX:rk:2:pf:0

Also that one. That is a cheap card with the Wiebetch firmware on it as posted by the OP. It won't boot OS9.

 

[Project Alice]

I'm a little confused. Were all your unsuccessful attempts with the firmware in the OP on 2-port SiI3112 cards and the 4-port card you have now was bought already flashed and is also capable of booting MacOS 9?



Also that one. That is a cheap card with the Wiebetch firmware on it as posted by the OP. It won't boot OS9.

I'm pretty sure I've booted OS 9 from that card. But I will check it out when I get home from work today.

 

[weckart]

I'm pretty sure I've booted OS 9 from that card. But I will check it out when I get home from work today.

That would be interesting. Wiebetech says it won't boot anything earlier than 10.2. The eBay seller says the same.

 

[mraroid]

That would be interesting. Wiebetech says it won't boot anything earlier than 10.2. The eBay seller says the same.

If it will not boot to OS9, is it possible to flash this card to give it that ability? Would one need to swap out the ROM chip before flashing?

mraroid

 

[weckart]

If it will not boot to OS9, is it possible to flash this card to give it that ability? Would one need to swap out the ROM chip before flashing?

mraroid

The SeriTek firmware is for SiI3112 chip cards with 2 SATA ports and yes, you would need to swap the BIOS chip for one of 3 compatible chips because the firmware checks for the presence of that chip and refuses to initialise if one is not detected. To my knowledge, nobody has tried to flash the SeriTek firmware onto a 4-port card but there appear to be some 4-port cards pre-flashed on eBay on which all 4 ports are working. Those only appear to work with OSX.

Page 2 of this thread has a little more on what is involved with the SeriTek firmware. https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-is-the-state-of-compatibility.1650568/page-2

If you look back through this thread, others have posted pictures of the cards they have used but most have flashed the Wiebetech firmware on them, which only works with OSX. Using the firmware in the OP on a 4-port card appears to work but only 2 ports will be operational. The cards on eBay appear to have some other Wiebetech firmware on them or someone has somehow hacked the firmware to detect and initialise all 4 ports.

This seller in Germany has supplies of the card you need for the SeriTek firmware but he only ships to Europe.

https://www.ebay.de/itm/PCI-2port-SATA-Controller-mit-RAID-h849/300721542775

Occasionally, these cards come up now and again in the US. Chinese sellers have pretty much burned through their supplies and only have the 4-port SiI3114 cards and occasionally 2-port SiI3512. All of these will work with the Wiebetech firmware (a different one is available for SiL3512 cards).

 

[mraroid]

The SeriTek firmware is for SiI3112 chip cards with 2 SATA ports and yes, you would need to swap the BIOS chip for one of 3 compatible chips because the firmware checks for the presence of that chip and refuses to initialise if one is not detected.

Thank you for the links and good feedback. I will start reading. I am assuming that this card can support SS drives larger then 128 GBs?

mraroid

 

[weckart]

It should support any SATA drive. Just remember that MacOS 9 has an addressable volume limit of 190GB.

I think there may be issues with SATA optical drives due to the protocol used for those. I vaguely remember someone posting in this or another thread to that effect.

 

[Project Alice]

So it turns out I didn't boot OS 9 on that card. I must've booted from one of the IDE drives in it. I just tested it and was unable to start Mac OS 9 off of the 3114 card I linked to. Works great in Tiger and Leopard though! The graphics card I have installed won't get any acceleration under OS 9 anyways.

 

[amedias]

any luck pulling the working firmware from a 4 port bootable card?

I have one of these generic cards with the 3114, I flashed it with the 3112 firmware from original post and although it works in my G3 with the rear 2 ports making SATA drives accessible, it's not *bootable*.

Clearly there is working, bootable 4 port/3114 firmware out there but I can't find it. It sounds like you have such a working card from your posts above, would you be able to pull the firmware and share it here?

thanks

 

[mraroid]

Hello....

I bought this card on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Port-SAT...h=item1ede766a76:g:uhEAAOSwef9a0SBX:rk:2f:0

It arrived yesterday. Last night I tried to do a install with it in my blue & white G3 running at 400Mhz. I used a 64GB Sandisk solid state drive.

I have not upgraded the stock CD optical drive. The only CD OSX version that I have is Panther. So I loaded that. I made two partitions in the SS drive - one was Mac OS extended and one was Mac standard. I loaded Panther with out issue onto the extended partition. I can reboot into Panther and shut down the machine and boot into Panther. I was using the top SATA port in the card - the one closest to the rear of the computer. I put the card in the PCI slot furthest from the slot the video card is in. Using the drive tools in Panther I can see both partitions.

This morning I booted to my apple branded OS 9.2.1 CD. I was unable to see the SS drive at all. I will experiment some more to see if I can get the card to see OS9. Anyone think that if I had a CD of OS 9.2.2 things would be any different?
If I had partitioned the SATA card using Tiger would that have helped in installing OS9? I will report back after my ongoing OS 9 install attempts today.

I am new to flashing, so my questions are remedial - please forgive me.

Can I flash this card so that I can also use it to boot into 9.2.2? And if so, do I need to remove a ROM chip on this card and install a new one?

mraroid
[doublepost=1549641354][/doublepost]

The graphics card I have installed won't get any acceleration under OS 9 anyways.

Project - Are you using an ATI 9200? I am getting some OS 9 drivers for that video card in the mail soon. If you like, I can pass on what I receive. While they are the proper drivers, I am unsure if they take advantage of the acceleration of that card. One can only hope......

mraroid

 

[amedias]

Hello....

I bought this card on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Port-SAT...h=item1ede766a76:g:uhEAAOSwef9a0SBX:rk:2f:0

It arrived yesterday. Last night I tried to do a install with it in my blue & white G3 running at 400Mhz. I used a 64GB Sandisk solid state drive.

I have not upgraded the stock CD optical drive. The only CD OSX version that I have is Panther. So I loaded that. I made two partitions in the SS drive - one was Mac OS extended and one was Mac standard. I loaded Panther with out issue onto the extended partition. I can reboot into Panther and shut down the machine and boot into Panther. I was using the top SATA port in the card - the one closest to the rear of the computer. I put the card in the PCI slot furthest from the slot the video card is in. Using the drive tools in Panther I can see both partitions.

That is promising... would you be kind enough to dump/backup the firmware and share it on here so I can try it on my 4 port Sil3114 card?

Thanks
(instructions for dump firmware are earlier in the thread)

 

[mraroid]

That is promising... would you be kind enough to dump/backup the firmware and share it on here so I can try it on my 4 port Sil3114 card?

Thanks
(instructions for dump firmware are earlier in the thread)

OK. I will try to do this. I have never done this before, but will re read this thread and try to find the post.
I am new to flashing.

mraroid