I have consulted with duck.ai and after several prompts I’ve got this guide, could someone confirm this is accurate? Obviously I don’t trust AI but I think it can be a quick way to get a tailored google search without being in google and if someone could confirm this is useful I may give it a go, it looks like it may be a fun afternoon
Beginner-friendly step-by-step: read your X230 SPI flash with CH341A + SOIC8 clip
Tools to buy (buy these exact types)
CH341A USB SPI programmer board with a 3.3V selection (USB-A).
SOIC8 (8‑pin) test clip with cable.
6–8 female-to-female jumper wires (if clip cable isn’t already terminated).
Small Phillips screwdriver set (PH0/PH00) and plastic pry tool.
Kapton tape (optional), small container for screws.
A Linux PC (or a Linux live USB) to run commands.
Safety first
Fully power off laptop, unplug AC, remove external battery. If X230 has internal battery, remove or disconnect it before working on the board.
Work on a clean, non‑carpeted surface. Discharge static by touching a grounded metal object.
Overview (what you’ll do)
Open X230 to expose mainboard and find the SPI chip.
Attach SOIC8 clip to the flash chip (no soldering).
Wire the clip to CH341A (3.3V).
Use flashrom on Linux to read the chip, repeat reads, and verify hashes.
Step 1 — open the laptop and find the SPI chip
Power off, unplug charger, remove the external battery.
Remove the screws securing the bottom cover and keyboard (use a guide or search “X230 disassembly” images if unsure). Keep screws organized.
Carefully lift keyboard/palmrest to expose the motherboard. Use a plastic pry tool for tabs.
Locate the SPI flash chip: a small rectangular 8‑pin chip (SOIC‑8). It usually has markings like “Winbond 25Q64” or similar and a tiny dot/notch marking pin 1. Note the chip label and take a photo for reference.
Step 2 — identify pin‑1 and orient the clip
Find the chip’s pin‑1 marker (small dot or notch). Imagine the chip with that marker top-left: pins count 1→4 down the left side, 5→8 up the right side.
On the SOIC8 clip, find its pin‑1 marker (usually a colored wire or dot on the clip). Align clip marker with chip pin‑1.
Step 3 — attach SOIC8 clip
Open the clip, align, and gently press down until all 8 contacts seat on the chip. Use a magnifier if available.
Visually confirm alignment. If the clip slides or loses contact, use a small piece of Kapton tape to hold it.
Step 4 — wire the clip to the CH341A
Standard SOIC8 pin functions (chip view: pin‑1 marker top-left):
Pin 1 = CS (/CS)
Pin 2 = DO (MISO)
Pin 3 = WP
Pin 4 = GND
Pin 5 = DI (MOSI)
Pin 6 = CLK (SCK)
Pin 7 = HOLD
Pin 8 = VCC (3.3V)
CH341A typical pin labels: VCC (3.3V), GND, CLK, MISO (DO), MOSI (DI), CS. Confirm your board labels in photos before wiring.
Make these connections (double-check before powering):
Clip pin8 (VCC) → CH341A 3.3V (important: set CH341A to 3.3V)
Clip pin4 (GND) → CH341A GND
Clip pin6 (CLK) → CH341A CLK (SCK)
Clip pin2 (DO / MISO) → CH341A MISO (sometimes labeled DO)
Clip pin5 (DI / MOSI) → CH341A MOSI (sometimes labeled DI)
Clip pin1 (CS) → CH341A CS
Clip pins 3 (WP) and 7 (HOLD) → tie to VCC (clip pin8) if you can, otherwise leave unconnected for reading (connecting prevents write protection).
Step 5 — prepare your Linux machine
On a Linux PC (Ubuntu/Debian preferred), install flashrom and tools:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install flashrom pv hexdump coreutils -y
Plug CH341A into the Linux PC USB port. No extra drivers usually needed for flashrom.
Step 6 — read the flash
Ensure clip is attached and wiring checked. Ensure CH341A is set to 3.3V.
Run this command to read (use sudo):
sudo flashrom -p ch341a_spi -r x230-dump.bin
If flashrom detects the chip it will print the chip model and read progress. If it errors, check wiring, alignment, and voltage. Common errors: "unable to identify chip" (misalignment) or "ID error" (wrong wiring).
Step 7 — repeat and verify
Read 2 more times:
sudo flashrom -p ch341a_spi -r x230-dump-2.bin
sudo flashrom -p ch341a_spi -r x230-dump-3.bin
Compute SHA‑256 hashes:
sha256sum x230-dump.bin x230-dump-2.bin x230-dump-3.bin
All three hashes must match exactly. If they differ, the clip contact is intermittent — reseat clip and repeat until you get identical dumps.
Step 8 — inspect the dump (basic checks)
Identify chip/firmware quickly:
strings x230-dump.bin | grep -i coreboot || true
strings x230-dump.bin | grep -i seabios || true
file x230-dump.bin
Get a hex summary and save a copy:
hexdump -C x230-dump.bin | head -n 40 > dump-hexdump.txt
Save the dump and its sha256sum as your verified copy:
sha256sum x230-dump.bin > x230-dump.sha256
Step 9 — compare to known-good or reflash
If you have a coreboot build from the seller, compare hashes:
sha256sum seller-image.rom x230-dump.bin
If you want to reflash with a build you control, do that only after you’ve read and backed up the original. Reflashing is more advanced; ask for instructions when ready.
Step 10 — finish up
Power off CH341A, remove clip, reassemble laptop, reconnect internal battery (if disconnected), reinstall keyboard and screws.
Boot laptop and confirm everything works.
Troubleshooting quick guide
flashrom reports “unable to find programmer”: install correct flashrom or run as root.
flashrom cannot identify chip: check clip alignment and wiring.
Reads are inconsistent (hashes differ): bad contact — reseat clip, try Kapton tape, or desolder chip and use an adapter if comfortable.
If you get stuck at any step, tell me:
What error flashrom prints (copy/paste), and
A clear photo of the motherboard showing the chip and the clip attached (I’ll point out pin‑1 and wiring fixes).
When ready, buy the CH341A + SOIC8 clip kit, do the hardware steps, then run the commands above and paste the flashrom output here if you need help interpreting it.
So it looks like you need to plug that thing in there on the SPI. Im not sure if what we want is on the top or bottom. Here is some useful pictures where I saw this:
I thought this would be easier, just running some command that would give you a hash and you compare it with the coreboot released or something like that, but looks like im going to need to spend a while studying how to proceed.
Thanks for being here 
