Quite often, the average user of a personal computer or laptop needs additional ones. A USB hub is an incredibly useful device designed to create additional USB serial ports. This is necessary, for example, in cases where the factory quantity is clearly insufficient for the user.
Another similar hub is purchased to create the convenience of connecting many USB compatible devices. There are times when this is really necessary, since the design itself miniature computer does not imply simultaneous access of various devices to free USB sockets.
Sometimes varied WiFi adapters, flash drives and 3G/4G modems cover adjacent sockets with their bodies. This problem is especially pronounced on ultrabooks. A USB hub is something that every owner of such a computer should have. In this article, we will look at how to choose the right USB hub for specific tasks.
USB hub placement method
All devices that can now be found on the market are divided into two types according to the type of their placement: external and internal. The last type is very specific. In most cases, it finds active use only as an integral part of the housing.
In addition to the function of increasing the number of USB, such a hub is used as an internal card reader.
Devices for external placement differ from internal analogues not only in the placement method, but also in the interface connector.
If the built-in USB hub can only be connected to the corresponding connectors that are soldered on the motherboard, then with external USB With the hub everything is much more interesting. A standard USB input cable makes these hubs more versatile. Others technical specifications in many respects they duplicate similar parameters of an internal USB hub.
What inputs are needed on a USB hub?
Firstly, all those users who are actively involved in photography will need memory card slots. With their help, a USB hub synchronizes such a miniature flash drive with a computer. The user can easily copy the necessary photos to a computer for subsequent editing and posting on the Internet.
Secondly, decide on the required number USB connectors for connecting a variety of devices. The greater their number, the better device in use. A large number of output jacks allows you to connect several external devices at the same time. Particular attention should be paid not so much to the quantity as to the quality of the connectors. Make sure that the device supports USB 3.0, because the fact that there are connectors of this type provides significant improvements in read and write speeds.
If we compare new standard with outdated USB 2.0 version USB standard, then it turns out that it works about 10 times faster. In addition to better power supply, this interface provides fantastic speed, which at its peak can be 4.8 Gbps.
Of course, for owners of outdated laptops that do not support USB 3.0, purchasing such a hub will be a waste of money. If you have old computer or laptop, then the number of USB 2.0 connectors is paramount for you.
Unfortunately, more old version cannot boast of any impressive data reading speeds. IN ideal conditions such a hub can provide a maximum data transfer speed of 480 Mbit/s.
And thirdly, decide whether you need external power supply. Availability of a separate pulse block power supply is a definite plus for any USB hub, since the load capacity of the device increases significantly.
Hubs that have such a block are called active, and all others are called passive.
A user who has purchased an active hub has the opportunity to connect to such an advanced device, for example, an external hard drive.
Share.The creation of home or office computer networks will not surprise anyone now, however this process presupposes that the relevant specialist has certain knowledge about their construction. Also, among the huge number of special network devices and devices, it is important to choose the most necessary ones, since building a computer network is only half the battle. The result should be a solution with maximum optimization and operating speed with sufficient system fault tolerance under load.
Why do users of computers and computer devices need networks? The answer is simple: for rapprochement, communication and information exchange. The age of paper letters and telegraph messages is long gone, and the time has come for “online life.” Information for studies, work schedules and projects, engineering developments and technologies, video communication with friends, relatives and colleagues, communication in social networks and a wide variety of hobby tools are only a small part of what a person is capable of doing when immersed in a computer network on both a local and global scale. Therefore, in order to be ready to become a full-fledged participant in such information exchange, it is important not only to be able to use a computer, but also to understand what a hub, switch, router and much, much more are.
Computer networks
What are computer networks? In the classical sense, this is a set of interconnected computer machines, office equipment and other possible devices for the purpose of exchanging and storing information, as well as sharing access to various devices. Such networks can be very diverse - from large to small and from narrow to wide.
Based on the level of access, it is customary to distinguish two types of networks: local and global. Local computer networks are networks built within a certain limited space, such as a home, office, district, city. Global ones, in turn, are networks that provide access to all networks in the world, that is, they are in direct association with them. Example global network You can call the Internet, which has become an integral part of the life of every person on planet Earth.
Features of building computer networks
Obviously, large local or global networks are the combination of small local areas into a single whole. Therefore, in order to understand the process of building networks, you need to start small - using a small example home network.
It may consist of two or more computer devices and office equipment. To connect two computers, you will need either a patch cable (a twisted pair cable with the edges crimped with connectors) or two patch cables and a connecting device. Such a device can be a local hub, switch or router.
Creating a network using just a cable is the simplest process, assuming that users want to connect only the two computer devices. This will allow you to transfer data, communicate and access connected devices of one of the network elements. However, access via the network to devices such as a printer or scanner will only be available when the second computer is turned on, which is not always convenient.
In this case, it is better to use a hub - a device that acts as an intermediary between computers and other network devices. At the same time, for regular access to network resources without the need to turn on a specific computer, a local server is used - a computer device that provides users with constant access to the network and provides additional capacity for storing and using information. The server can also communicate with the outside world, that is, connect the local network to networks or the Internet.
What is a hub?
A network hub or hub is a network device for combining computer devices and office equipment (or any other specialized equipment) into a complete unit. Its main task is to receive a signal with information on one of the ports and transmit it further to other ports. However, collisions are possible in the operation of the hub due to a possible collision of a data packet on one of the ports, which significantly slows down the data transfer process.
What is a hub for the average user? The answer is simple - it is a small box with blinking lights that extends a computer local network or provides access to an existing network controlled through a server.
What is a switch?
Switch, hub and other network devices have minor, but fundamentally important differences. A switch (or switch) is a device that allows you to divide a network into certain areas, which may include separate first-level hubs. Being a second-level network device (i.e., located above the hub), the switch can receive a signal on one of the ports, and then transmit it further to an entire network segment through another connected port. In this case, information is already divided using special mac addresses of network devices. In this case, the “switching” of the signal can go to different types of connections, for example, from Ethernet to Token Ring or 10/100Base-T and vice versa.
Using a switch instead of a hub will speed up the network process, since it will no longer provide a narrow single pass, but a whole broadband access for transmitting information. Also, its use creates certain potential for the development and expansion of network resources.
Switches can be 2-, 20-, 40-port or more. In this case, they may optionally contain specific ports for printers, scanners and other devices, depending on the need.
What is a hub and what is a switch is already clear. But they have one big drawback, namely, when the created network connects to the global Internet, users will not have the opportunity to get equal speed access, since if one of them runs a heavy application that uses the Internet, then the others will experience a strong drop in speed. These devices do not know how to share Internet speed. A way out of the situation may be to use a router or special administrative rules on the central network server that artificially limit the speed for each network cell.
What is a router?
A router, or router (from the English “route”), is a special device for combining computers into a network space with the creation of separate subnets, which, in turn, can contain both switches and hubs. In the hierarchy of network devices, the router is higher, surpassing the switch and hub. Setting up this device is a separate process that requires certain skills, because the router already has special computer logic and a software component, which is firmware. Therefore, you will need to enter local network data: device network addresses, mac addresses, subnet mask, DNS, but also WAN port settings to obtain a connection to the global Internet. Typically, the router firmware provides special control, accounting and security capabilities for the network and subnets, which significantly improves the performance of all connections.
These days, routers can be found at home, in the office or in cafes and restaurants, since with their help users are able to connect to the Internet via wireless technology Wi-Fi data transfer.
What is an access point?
An access point, unlike a router, is a kind of wireless/wired signal extender and does not create subnets, so it allows only one device to connect. The access point is not designed to receive Internet from the provider and transmit it further, since it is not equipped with a WAN port and does not have such a software capability.
Now, knowing what a hub, router, switch and access point are, you can create computer networks or optimize existing ones. Do not confuse a network hub with a USB hub, as these are completely different devices.
What is a USB hub?
Many people know how difficult it can be to fit a huge number of different devices, chargers and data cables into a limited number of USB ports on a computer or laptop. In this case, a special splitter (hub, or hub) will help. It connects with one connector to the USB port of a computer device, and on the other side provides a certain number of ports instead of one. In case there is not enough voltage for all devices, there is a hub with external power supply. In all other situations, a passive hub is usually used, without additional power.
Passive USB hub
Such a device is usually used for 2-7 external USB devices with low power consumption. For example, flash memory, phone charger, printer, scanner (with its own power supply), etc. The range and variety of types of such concentrators is amazing - it can be animal figures, cars, geometric shapes and much more in different colors.
Active USB hub
A powered USB hub, or simply an active one, is a device that comes to the rescue when the standard power of one USB connector is no longer enough for all connected external devices. Externally, this is the same regular hub, only with an additional external unit power supply for connection to an electrical outlet. With such a hub they will no longer disappear from view various devices consuming more power.
What is a chipset? This- kit electronic circuits, designed on a PCB substrate to perform a set of connecting functions. The motherboard chipset plays an important role as a component, ensuring the joint operation of all components and peripheral devices connected to the motherboard (USB, SATA, etc.), be it an external hard drive or a regular USB 2.0 flash drive.
Reasons for chipset failure:
1.Physical impact. The chipset is represented by two bridges (north and south) or on modern boards, one bridge (crystal), which are often covered with cooling radiators to protect them from overheating. During transportation, improper installation, or impact or a careless attempt to remove the radiator, one or more corners of the Hub chipset may be chipped, which will not lead to the fact that you will need to replace the chipset (soldering the BGA chip) of the motherboard, that is removal and installation of a new one at a professional infrared station.
Replacing BD82Z77 SLJC7 BGA chipset on GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-D3H motherboard
2.Overheat. A very common type of chipset failure (especially on laptops). In this case, there is a 100% probability that the faulty element will have to be replaced, but this requires diagnostics and determination of the faulty chipset.
3. Software error. A rare case, but still encountered, as a variant of a malfunction of the hub (chipset).
4. Manufacturing defect (or poor quality). We should not forget about the fact that Chinese factories also employ people and electronics that can fail, as a result of which the chip may be defective due to violations of production technology, which can be revealed either in a month or in a few years .
How to troubleshoot and replace the chipset?
You can fix the malfunction and replace the chipset (hub), soldering of the BGA chipset in our AppSPb service, in 1-3 days (depending on stock availability) at the professional station ThermoPro IK-650 from 2000 to 4500 rubles. Repair and replacement of the chipset on the system motherboard is carried out ONLY after diagnostics and determination of the malfunction.
In rare cases, at the client’s request, we may not perform diagnostics and change the hub, but the result of the board’s performance falls on your shoulders. When you contact our service with a malfunction, we will diagnose it and notify you of ways to solve it. We always try to save our customers time and money, which is why first of all we consider the possibility of eliminating a fault by repair, and only then by replacing it, since repairs cost significantly less than replacing with a new component.
Repair and replacement of the chipset (hub) of the motherboard is carried out within one to three days, which will allow you to receive your friend the very next day or the day after submitting it to AppSPb for repair.
Replacing the hub chipset on the motherboard from 2000 - 4500 rubles
To create a local or home network, you need special devices. From this article you will learn a little about them. I will try to explain as simply as possible so that everyone can understand.
Purpose .
Hub, switch and router are designed to create a network between computers. Of course, after creation, this network will also function.
Difference .
What is a hub
A hub is a repeater. Everything that is connected to it will be repeated. One is given to the hub and therefore everything is connected.
For example, you connected 5 computers through the Hub. To transfer data from the fifth computer to the first, the data will pass through all the computers on the network. It's like a parallel phone - any computer can access your data, and so can you. Due to this, the load and distribution also increases. Accordingly, the more computers are connected, the slower the connection will be and more load to the network. This is why nowadays fewer and fewer hubs are being produced and less and less are being used. Soon they will completely disappear.
What is a switch?
The switch replaces the hub and corrects the shortcomings of its predecessor. Each connected to the switch has its own separate IP address. This reduces the load on the network and each computer will receive only what it needs and others will not know about it. But the switch has a disadvantage associated with dignity. The fact is that if you want to divide the network into more than 2 computers, then you will need more IP addresses. This usually depends on the provider, and they usually only provide one IP address.
What is a router?
Router - it is often also called a router. Why? Yes, because it is a link between two different networks and transmits data based on a specific route specified in its routing table. To put it very simply, the router is an intermediary between your network and Internet access. The router corrects all the mistakes of its predecessors and that is why it is the most popular nowadays. Especially considering the fact that routers are often equipped with Wi-Fi antennas for transmitting the Internet to wireless devices, and also have the ability to connect USB modems.
The router can be used either separately: PC -> router -> Internet, or together with other devices: PC -> switch/hub -> router -> Internet.
Another advantage of the router is its easy installation. Often, only minimal knowledge is required from you to connect, configure a network and access the Internet.
So. Let me summarize briefly.
All these devices are needed to create a network. Hub and switch are not very different from each other. A router is the most necessary and convenient solution for creating a network.
Many people are interested in the question of what hubs are and what they are used with. Now let's look at this issue. In general, a hub is a node in a network. This term has different meanings in different industries.
Using the hub in various industries
For example, in transport, hubs are transfer or transshipment nodes, hub airports. In the energy industry, this is a kind of special center in which one route is divided into several. On SUVs, this word refers to the freewheel installed on the front axle. Various Internet networks also use hubs. What is this on the Fidonet network? Here, a hub is a node that serves to transmit mail. In the Direct Connect file sharing network, this is the name of the network server.
But the concept is most widely used in computer technology and the Internet. A specific set of network equipment is based on the tasks assigned to the designed network and the costs of implementing a specific solution. An important element of such tasks is the choice of devices, among which main role routers, switches and hubs play. What is this, we will try to figure it out.
Hubs in computer networks
Technologies for building computer networks are constantly evolving. The devices that underlie them and are used to organize communication between computers are called differently: hub, switch and router. We will look at what this is in more detail.
Each of the listed devices plays its role in organizing communication between network computers. Externally, they may look the same: small metal boxes with a number of ports or connectors where an Ethernet cable is connected. As for such concepts as switch, hub, hub, router, they are often used as synonyms, but this is a mistake. These are all different devices.
Hub
One of the first network devices are hubs. What kind of devices are these? The term is of English origin. The word hub means center of activity. A hub, or network concentrator, is designed to connect computers into a simple peer-to-peer network. The device has a number of ports to which you can connect all personal computers networks. Most often, twisted pair cables, which are crimped in a special way, are used for this purpose.
How the hub works
Let's consider the principle of operation of a network hub. When any computer on a network equipped with a hub attempts to access another PC, the first device sends a special block of information called a packet to the address of the network hub.
Let's try to figure it out using an example of a circuit with three computers. Let's say computers PC1, PC2 and PC3 are connected to the device. The role of the hub is to replicate the data packet from PC1 by transmitting it to other devices connected to the local network, that is, PC2 and PC3. At the moment the signal arrives at PC3, for which it was intended, the latter sends a response packet to the hub. The network hub sends this packet to everyone again network computers until the response from PC3 returns to the sending computer PC1.
This is an approximate diagram of the interface of computers connected to a local network with a hub. The main disadvantage of such networks is that too much information is sent. Network hub continuously sends data packets to all devices computer network, even if the recipient is one specific PC. At the same time, computers receive blocks of information that they often do not need at all. The technology turns out to be very expensive. This is why network hubs are now almost obsolete. Instead, more intelligent devices were developed - network switches, which are commonly called switches.
Switch
The term "switch" is of English origin and means a switch, or network switch. Like a hub, a switch is required to connect computers on the same local network. The circuit for connecting it to computers is no different from the circuit with a network hub. Instead of a hub, PCs are simply connected to a switch.
While outwardly very similar to a network hub, the switch has fundamental differences from it, consisting in the method by which information is transferred between computers on the local network.
After receiving a packet of information from a computer, a network switch, unlike a hub, does not forward it to all PCs participating in the network, but organizes the sending of the packet to the address of the computer for which the package is intended. For example, when PK1 sends a packet of information to computer PK3, the switch organizes the transfer to it, bypassing PK2. The network switch also returns the response packet from PK3 only to the sender of the information packet - PK1.
The switch has the ability to remember the addresses of all computers that are connected to its ports, and thanks to this it can work as a regulator, transmitting information only to the recipient’s PC and ignoring others.
The network switch is based on a table of special MAC addresses network equipment users on the external and internal networks. As a result, the information packet arriving at each of the ports is compared with the routing table and sent to the port address where the corresponding equipment is located.
Router
The name "router" gave rise to the English router. This is a router capable of organizing the transfer of information between two or more different local networks. In addition, the router has ports that are required to connect some other devices to it using a cable.
How the router works
Just like a network switch stores a table of registered MAC addresses, a router stores a table of IP addresses as its routing table. The router's main job is to store this data and ensure that other routers know about changes in the network configuration. It is solved by using routing protocols to coordinate with other routers. When packets arrive at a router, the router uses different protocols and criteria to determine the best path to forward the packet of information to the destination.
The router can be programmed to enable multi-level rules that are determined by the content of the information packets that arrive at it. The router is programmed to enable network equipment security, translate network NAT addresses, and provide DHCP network services.
Packed with intelligence, routers are among the most sophisticated network devices. In addition to the ability to redirect information packet traffic, routers can be used to control traffic on the network. In addition, they have the ability to respond to changes in the network, dynamically detecting them, protecting it with packet filtering, calculating packets for blocking or passing.
USB hub
In addition to Ethernet network hubs, the term "hub" is used to refer to USB technologies. The development of new equipment places increased demands on the level of development user interfaces computer equipment. A lot of different computer peripheral devices connected via a USB connection requires a special device that allows you to connect several devices simultaneously via USB. It's called a USB hub. What is the principle of its operation?
A USB hub (USB hub) is a small device with several ports. Connect it through the computer socket. It allows you to connect multiple USB devices to one USB port on your PC.
USB hub device
The design and arrangement of the hubs are not very complicated. They are designed to switch signals and provide supply voltage. In addition, they monitor the status of peripherals connected to them, making the host aware of changes.
The hub includes two modules - a controller and a repeater. A repeater is a managed switch that connects the input and output ports. It has the ability to reset and pause signal transmission. The controller includes registers that allow you to interact with the host. Registers are controlled using special commands that allow you to configure the hub, monitor the status and change the parameters of downstream ports. It is possible to use a daisy chain hub when devices are connected sequentially.
Types of USB hubs
One of these types is internal map on system bus. It is used to connect USB devices to the motherboard. This is done using USB cards PCI installed on free space PCI buses located directly on the motherboard. This type of USB hub is best used by those who are familiar with the structure of a computer. For those who do not have experience, it is better to choose another type.
Another type is an external USB hub without power. Such a device is simple and relatively inexpensive. This type of USB hub connects to the USB port of your computer. This device is great for laptop owners. For home computer users, it is also possible to use such a USB hub, but you must take into account that a number of devices connected to the computer require power supplied through the USB port. This type hubs are not capable of powering several such devices at once. In this situation, it is best to use powered hubs. What are these devices and how do they differ from devices without power?
A powered USB hub operates in exactly the same way as an unpowered hub. The difference is that it can be plugged into an outlet. This allows you to provide adequate power to all devices that are connected via USB. The largest USB hubs are seven-port.
Another type of such device is computer board USB. This device Suitable for laptop users. It connects to a special USB port located on the laptop body and makes it possible to use two ports instead of one.
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Launch of Lenovo Edge 14 motherboard
Depending on the type of power source connected, the Charger connects either a battery or a power supply unit (PSU) to the common VIN (Voltage Input) power bus. If the ACIN (Alternating Current Input) signal is at a high logic level, this means that the power supply is connected.
Then the standby voltages 5VPCU and 3VPCU (Voltage Pulsed Current) are formed using the ISL6237IRZ-T microcircuit, which forms them from the VIN voltage.
The VIN voltage comes to leg 6 of the microcircuit, the EN_LDO 5V linear regulator enable signal comes to the 4th leg, 5V_AL (5 Volt Always) appears on the 7th leg, which forms 3V5V_EN(Enable) and the 5VPCU and 3VPCU enable signals. The voltage multiplier also generates +15V (+15V_ALWP).
When connecting the power supply, the voltage on the power button will be 3 V, because NBSWON is connected to the standby voltage 3VPCU. When you press the power button, the voltage drops to zero, since when you press the button, NBSWON closes to ground, i.e. on the 125th leg of the EC controller it turns out 0, which gives the controller a command to start.
As a result, S5_ON (94 legs of the EC controller) 3.3V appears.
The next step is the ICH_RSMRST (I/O Controller Hub A Resume And Reset Signal Output) signal from the EC controller from leg 33 that the system is ready to start. The signal goes from the EC controller to the I/O Controller Hub (as SIO_PWRBTN) or the south bridge.
In response to the SIO_PWRBTN signal, PM_SLP_S4 3.3V is generated on the EC controller, which generates voltages 5VSUS, 3VSUS, 1.5VSUS (voltage on the RAM, generated by the UP6163AQAG chip).
Next comes the SIO_SLP_S3 3.3V 18 leg EC controller signal, which is issued by the I/O Controller Hub in response to the SIO_PWRBTN signal along with the PM_SLP_S4 signal. On this signal The EC controller issues MAINON.
The EC controller on leg 96 forms MAINON, which includes voltages 0.75VSMDDR_VTERM (termination voltage), +5V, +3V, +1.8V, +1.5V, +1.05V_VTT. The next step is the GFX_RUN_ON signal, it is generated from MAINON and is needed to start the DC-DC converter chip MAX8792ETD+T, which generates the voltage supply to the video core + VCC_GFX_CORE. It will work if it receives VIN voltage and the GFX_RUN_ON turn-on signal.
VRON is a signal to turn on the processor power; it is synthesized by ISL62882 after power is applied to VIN (17 leg), VDD and VCCP connected to 5VSUS. VR_PWRGD_CLKEN is also issued, which issues CK_PWRGD_R to start the frequency generator of the main logical nodes. GFX_RUN_ON is needed when using a discrete video card.
Then there is a signal to start powering the north bridge and generating the voltage itself, but if there is no north bridge, then the signal is not needed.
HWPG - Hardware Power Good is formed as a general PowerGood from all PowerGood voltage conditioners according to the AND circuit, as a message that all power systems are normal. 3 V will also appear on the 124 leg of the EC controller. If at least one voltage is not in order, there is no signal, it is equal to 0.
ECPWROK (converted to SYS_AGENT_PWROK) will appear in response to HWPG, and three signals SYS_PWROK, ICH_PWRGD, PM_MPWROK will be sent to the I/O power circuits working.
The main chips of the board were previously in the RESET state; to continue starting the board, this state is removed by the RCIN or SIO_RCIN signal from the hub.
A_RST clears RESET from the northbridge, PCI_RST_R clears RESET from PCI-E bus. Then it will become a PCI_RST signal and go to the video chip.
CPU_LDT_STOP and CPU_LDT_RST remove RESET from the processor. Or removal occurs with the PLTRST (Platform Reset) signal from the hub (called PCI_PLTRST).
The processor issues the SM_DRAMRST signal when removing RESET from the RAM.
Then the BIOS works. Like this complex system startup, which you need to know when troubleshooting problems with your laptop.
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South Bridge - typical fault
No translation available.
Customers come to our laptop repair service center with a variety of problems.
Quite often, customers make the following complaints about the operation of the laptop:
Laptop won't turn on
Doesn't load operating system, HDD (hard disk) or ODD ( optical drive) in BIOS
Doesn't work USB port
Power saving does not work correctly (the laptop spontaneously goes into standby or sleep mode, goes into sleep mode instead of standby, or vice versa)
The listed signs may indicate failure of a very important component of the laptop - the south bridge chip.
What is a southbridge?
The Southbridge is a functional controller known as an input/output controller or ICH (In/Out Controller Hub). 
He is responsible for such operations as working out the interaction between IDE interfaces, SATA, USB, LAN, Embeded Audio and north bridge system. The Northbridge, in turn, is directly connected to the processor and other important components - RAM and video subsystem. The south bridge is connected to the processor via north bridge. In more modern laptops, the south bridge is part of the PCH (Platform Controller Hub) or FCH (Functional Controller Hub).
It is worth noting that indirect signs of this malfunction may also include the following symptoms:
The laptop keyboard does not work (the buttons do not respond correctly and do not respond to presses)
Doesn't work Laptop touchpad
Problems with sound (the sound disappears when installed drivers and turned on speakers)
Doesn't work network card(no network connection)
Let's take a look possible reasons failure of the south bridge chip. Basically, the south bridge fails when the power system malfunctions, as a result of liquid getting into the laptop. In addition, this breakdown occurs when USB ports are used carelessly, when the user makes excessive efforts when connecting a flash drive or mouse, when the device is suddenly pulled out of the port, and when the flash drive is unsafely removed.
It happens that on a flash drive or other USB devices x static electricity can accumulate, the discharge of which is transmitted through the USB port to the south bridge, which can cause its failure. In some laptops, the south bridge may stop working when connected large quantity power-consuming devices to USB ports. Often during a thunderstorm, excessive voltage enters the circuit network adapter, through which it can get to the south bridge, which leads to its breakdown. It is worth noting that the problem with the south bridge does not always arise due to incorrect operation of the user’s laptop. There are a number of laptop models in which this chip can fail regardless of the owner’s care, namely: Acer Aspire 5100 series, Asus A6R, Toshiba Satellite L30, Toshiba P200D, Toshiba Satellite M35X, Acer Travel Mate 5520, Samsung NP-R60, Samsung R40, Samsung N143Plus, Asus F5R, F7Z, HP 530 and others. We advise you to use USB ports carefully, do not use force to remove devices from them, and do not forget about safely removing the flash drive (or other devices). If you notice that one of the ports is loose, do not connect external devices to it, but rush to a service center to promptly replace the USB connector. It is important to remember that any presence of liquid near your laptop automatically increases the risk of computer failure due to flooding. 
You should not connect faulty or incorrectly working USB devices to your laptop, devices with frayed or broken cords, as well as any devices that can cause a short circuit. So, if you observe the above symptoms in your laptop, we strongly recommend that you contact a service center for diagnostics Your laptop. This will allow repairs to be carried out in a timely manner and with minimal losses. It must be emphasized that professional service centers, in order to return the computer to full functionality, they only offer to replace the south bridge chip with a new one. Some laptop repair companies provide a cheaper way to “revive” a laptop by warming up or reballing the chip. Based on our professional experience and modern repair standards, we believe that these methods do not provide a guaranteed result and are not correct. We will write in more detail about what reballing and warming up a chip are in our next publications.
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The terrible “ME-Region” and how they fight it.
The terrible “Region” and how they fight it.
Since a memory controller, and somewhere an HD graphics system, was stuffed into the i-series processors, the need for the north bridge disappeared, the remnants of its functions were shoved into the south bridge and called Intel Express chipset aka PCH “Platform Controller Hub” is the articulation of the south and north bridge. In fact, these series of chipsets are produced to create platforms based on processors Intel Core i3, i5 and i7. Many, looking at motherboard, they begin to frantically search, where is the second bridge? Intel calmly answered the guys, “All in one” That’s not big block diagram platform organization:
To configure this hub, they came up with ME region with autoconfig (pure), the platform itself, as it were, adjusts this hub to itself. The source of the problem after replacing the hub has already been described; in short, I can say that this is due to chip revisions. In general, those who are interested can find all the information on the Intel website, on the Internet, including on the forums. Now about the regions and the utility. For disassembly dump into regions and work with them, there is a utility from Intel: “Intel® Management Engine Firmware”, also called “AMT Intel xx” where xx is the version of the utility. Support for the family of hubs Intel Series Chipset 5, 6, 7 depends on the version of the utility. Yes three versions of the utility: v6 – for the 5th series of hubs, v7 – for the 6th series, v8 – for the 6th and 7th series. For example (I’m describing a real case that happened the other day) We replaced the hub in the HP Probook 4520s, after the replacement the laptop started working, but the fan cooling after turning on the laptop accelerated to full speed. The speed does not change at all, we check the processor temperature ~36°, we begin to understand that something is wrong here, we look at the diagram, analyze, measure, etc. everything seems to be intact and normal, but it’s not working correctly, everyone is tired, the laptop with its problem is starting to get boring, we look sideways at the hammer, but having come to our senses, we give it a chance and try to replace the ME-region in the dump with the so-called clean one. We unsolder the BIOS chip, merge with the programmer! Full BIOS dump (main) Attention, with the programmer, and not some kind of utility, and put it in a secluded place. Depending on the hub we installed, we take the utility, in the example, the experimental HP Probook 4520s = HM57, which means we need version 6. In the folder itself There are a lot of different utilities, we need Tools/System Tools/Flash Image Tool/fitc.exe - we launch it and see the main window of the utility:
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We remember in which corner the saved dump is located, indicate the extension or just all the files and open the file in the utility. The “Select Platform” window will pop up. Let’s see that this is our hub series and click “OK”:
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After opening the file, the utility will automatically determine which chip your region is for. In our case, everything was determined correctly HM57 – Mobile:
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The utility will also create a folder in its root (where fitc.exe is) based on the name of your dump, we got it with the name “HP4520s”. Next, go to the “Configuration” tab in this utility, it is located at the bottom, click on the “ME” folder and see in the window on the right the parameters, value and help text for the parameters:
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We need to remember the value of the “Value” settings; they will be useful to us after inserting a clean region. Open the “HP4520s” folder, there is a file “HP4520s_MAP” where the addresses, length, names of the BIOS regions and the subfolder “Decomp” are located, in which the region files are located. We are interested in the file “ ME region" let's see what size it is. In our case, 937,984 bytes of the MAP file, you can see that it is located in the dump at the address from 00001000 to 0017FFFF and the length is 0017F000. Let's check it, open the dump in the editor and see the beginning of the region at the specified address 0x1000, all without cheating:
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What to do next? We took the dump apart, looked at it and that’s it, the laptop won’t come to life. Since we are not Intel developers and we’ll get lost in this jungle of the region’s contents, let’s do it a little easier, let’s look for a clean region. Where can we look for it? Yes, anywhere, ask on the forums for clean regions, look for complete dumps from any brands on websites in the form of an update, they always contain only a “clean region”, unless of course it is posted in its entirety, it doesn’t matter what the device is called, the only condition is that the full BIOS must be under your hub, download and disassemble the same scrap, take a clean region, insert it into our dump. The purity of the region can be found out by the content starting from address 0x400 in separate file region or in a complete dump with a mixture of the address specified in the MAP, if from 0x1000 then it means 0x1400 The configured (dirty) region starts from 00 and then 00:
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A clean region with autoconfig starts from 01 onwards FF:
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Based on the above, we will look for a suitable brand and model of note with a bump HM57. I came across a Dell N5010, where the specification states that inside it has what we need, namely HM57, go to the Dell brand website, search for the N5010 model, go to sectiontech. support and download the file:
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We downloaded the file N5010A15.EXE where N5010 is the model, and A15 is the BIOS version, of course it is not written anywhere that this is a complete BIOS dump, and we don’t know, but it’s easy to check, unpack the N5010A15.EXE file with the /writeromfile command into some folder you can create a new one in command line Through the “Run a program” window, you can call the window using the combination of Win + R buttons on the keyboard:
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We unpacked the file, we saw that inside the folder in which we unpacked the file, we are interested in a file with the extension bin or rom, there are other extensions, but less often, in our case we found the file “n5010a15.rom” in the folder, we look at its size, it turned out to be 4,194,304 bytes, Now we understand that this is a complete dump in its purest form, because The SPI flash memory of the Dell N5010 is 4MB. But it’s too early to rejoice, we won’t pour someone else’s dump into our laptop, it’s not good. What to do next? Yes, we pull out the clean region that we need from the downloaded dump, and as always, the junk helps us out, we unpack it according to the above method and see that the hub region coincides with our HM57:
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We created a folder with the name “n5010a15”; we open it and see the same set of files as when unpacking our native dump, and the size of the ME-region file is 937,984 bytes, which is exactly the same size as the region from our native dump. What remains is The smallest thing is to collect our dump with a clean region and upload it to the experimental HP Probook 4520s. Let's start assembling, open our original merged dump again with scrap and go to the “Flash Image” tab, click on the “ME Region” folder, then click on the line “Binary input” file" the "Binary input file" window will open where you are asked to select the ME Region.bin file to replace the current one, in our case we select from the "n5010a15" folder and click OK:
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Next, go to the “Configuration” tab and check the value of the “Value” settings that we had to remember, this was written about earlier, if they differ in some way, then change the settings by clicking on the line with the parameter, a window pops up with a choice of values and a hint:
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In our case, there is a difference in the line of the “LAN Power Well Config” parameter, the value is “0”. We need to change “3” and click OK, then through the “Build” menu open the “Build Settings” window. Where we indicate the name of the assembled file, call it, for example HP4520s_ME_clean:
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We don’t touch anything else, click OK after F5 or “Build Image” in the “Build” menu and we get two files
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You can look at the MAP file, where what is and how much, comparing it with our original. All that remains is to program the flash memory, return everything to its place and turn on the laptop. Sometimes more than one minute passes before the display lights up, be patient. After the procedure described above, the fan started working, just like should change the speed depending on the processor load. In conclusion. If for some reason the dump did not work or you do not have a native merged one, feel free to take someone else’s dump of a similar model, I tried three different dumps and they all worked without problems on the same one laptop. I just gave a specific case and example of replacing a region; you need to analyze other problems after replacing the hub. The utility has a lot of different dump settings, you need to understand it, you can play with the HEX editor, etc. and understand this “Scary Region” in more detail, but that’s another story. The problem related to the region was considered here, but this is not a panacea for For any malfunctions, please take this into account. Collect statistics on problems associated with replacing hubs! Don’t forget that Intel® Q77 Express and 3rd generation Intel® Core™ vPro™ processors for mobile PCs are already on the way.
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