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Fixing a bricked Framework laptop
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
A Framework 13" laptop owner fixed a bricked AMD 7040 series BIOS with $20 tools. The fix shows repairability can beat costly motherboard replacements.
Background
The owner's Framework laptop became bricked after a failed BIOS update (version 3.20) that hung and displayed a corrupt image. Framework support said the warranty had expired and offered a new motherboard for at least CA$500. The owner chose to repair it themselves using a flash programmer and documented the process.
How it unfolded
- 2023Owner purchased a Framework 13" laptop with AMD Ryzen 5 7640U, attracted by repairability and Linux support.
- recentlyFramework newsletter recommended BIOS update 3.20; the flash failed, bricking the laptop.
- recentlyFramework support suggested draining battery and powering on, but it didn't recover; warranty expired, so replacement motherboard offered at CA$500+.
- recentlyOwner purchased a flash programmer and other tools for about $20, extracted the BIOS image, and successfully reflashed the chip.
Who’s saying what
- Owner
- The owner believes that buying a new motherboard would be 'playing Russian roulette' since Framework hasn't acknowledged the BIOS issue, so self-repair was the better option.
- Framework
- Framework support stated that since the warranty had expired, the only option was to purchase a new motherboard at a cost of at least CA$500.
Still unverified
The owner claims Framework has never acknowledged the BIOS issue or indicated it was fixed; this is based on their forum research and personal experience, not an official statement.