Fixing a bricked AMD 7040 series Framework 13” laptop with $20 tools

In 2023, I was in need of a new laptop that should hopefully last me for a while. While looking at my options, I was seduced by Framework’s promise of a repairable and upgradable laptop that supports Linux out-of-the-box without weird driver issues, as well as the option to assemble the laptop myself1 and buy the RAM and SSD I want separately2, back when they were cheap. For three years, the laptop has served me well, until Framework suggested via newsletter to install the latest BIOS3 update, version 3.20, with a bunch of security fixes. Unfortunately, the system hung and displayed a corrupt image on the screen, signifying a failed BIOS flash. Naturally, I reached out to Framework support, who told me to unplug the laptop, let the battery drain, and power it back on again afterwards, hoping the laptop would recover by itself. Unfortunately, it never did, and after giving Framework a bunch of information, they informed me that since my 1-year warranty has expired, I have no option but to purchase a new Framework motherboard, which will cost at least CA$500. A quick search revealed that many people had issues with BIOS flashes with this specific BIOS update on the Framework forums, even those in warranty, and on a different thread, people have been having similar issues with BIOS flashing in general on this model since at least March of 2025. To my knowledge, Framework has never acknowledged the issue or offered any indication that the problem was fixed, so buying a new motherboard would simply be playing Russian roulette if I ever wanted to update the BIOS again, on top of spending CA$500+ through no fault of my own. Thus, I opted against buying a new motherboard and embarked upon a journey to flash the BIOS myself. I documented this journey in excruciating detail so that hopefully, by following along, you’ll understand exactly how you might fix similar problems. Table of Contents Why Framework? The fatal BIOS flash Reaching out to support Troubleshooting on my own The BIOS chip The flash programmer Purchasing the tools Response from Framework The data breach Extracting the BIOS image Delivery of the tools Connecting the chip Executing the flash Consequences of flashing Conclusion Why Framework? In 2023, my basic requirement for a laptop was as follows: Compatible with Linux; Small and light enough for travel; A standard US keyboard layout, not that horrible Canadian Multilingual Standard layout that’s somehow very common in Canada4; A modern CPU, but not necessarily super high core count, as I don’t intend to do intensive compiling or gaming while travelling; and Socketed RAM and SSD, so I can upgrade those down the line, or buy from a third party if it made financial sense. I wanted to start it at 32 GiB of RAM5 and 1 TB of SSD6, since those were reasonably affordable in 2023. As such, my options are effectively limited to the 13” thin-and-light laptops without a discrete GPU. At the time, AMD Ryzen was ahead of Intel in the performance department, so I decided to go for an AMD CPU. There were a plethora of 13” thin-and-light AMD Ryzen laptops that fit the bill, but since I didn’t need the new laptop right away, I figured I might as well try something new. At the time, Framework was a relative newcomer on the laptop scene, promising a repairable and upgradable experience, along with swappable ports. I rather liked the idea of not being locked to the ports that the manufacturer decided to put onto the laptop, and I wanted more upgradability also. It definitely helped that Linux came with full first-party support and no requirement to run patched kernels or anything crazy like that. Furthermore, Framework was a very big proponent of the right to repair movement, and I strongly believe that laptops should be repairable, like desktops, and not just thrown away after a minor problem, so I also wanted to support them on that front. So I looked at the price premium for Framework, and it wasn’t actually that much more expensive once I opted for the DIY edition, sourced my own RAM and SSD, and skipped the pointless Windows licence. With another laptop brand, I would have to either buy the model with the lowest RAM and SSD and upgrade it to the 32 GiB of RAM and 1 TB of SSD that I wanted, or pay a premium for the manufacturer to put those in. So I decided to just go for it and pre-ordered a Framework laptop, and it finally arrived a few months later to much anticipation. I simply slotted in the RAM and SSD, connected the input cover, screwed it in, installed the bezels, and that was it. It honestly felt a bit anti-climactic for a DIY laptop. I then put in a Debian netinst USB drive, and I was off to the races. For the next three years, I actually had a relatively nice experience, and the AMD Ryzen 5 7640U with Radeon 760M Graphics was still plenty fast for what I needed the laptop to do. There was definitely no need to upgrade, though I could, in theory. The fatal BIOS flash For the longest time, Framework appeared to be a very consumer-friendly company, providing regular BIOS updates and an easy way to install them on Linux through the Linux Vendor Firmware Service (LVFS) and fwupd. In fact, I am subscribed to Framework’s newsletter, which informs me of any updates coming out. I’ve done many BIOS updates on Framework through fwupdmgr update, and save for the annoyance of rebooting the laptop and waiting like ten minutes for the BIOS updater to finish flashing, nothing bad has ever happened. On July 7th, 2026, Framework sent me the following email: From: Framework <support@frame.work> Subject: Software update for your Framework Laptop 13 (AMD Ryzen™ 7040 Series) - BIOS 3.20 We have a BIOS update for your Framework Laptop 13 (AMD Ryzen™ 7040 Series). We recommend always installing the latest version of BIOS and drivers to keep your system secure, stable, and running at high performance. BIOS 3.20, with updaters for Windows and Linux Added support for Framework Laptop 13 Pro features - Enabled compatibility for the haptic touchpad, touch panel, and 74W battery. Updated the audio verb table to support the new speakers in the Framework Laptop 13 Pro chassis. Updated AMD PhoenixPI-FP8-FP7_1.2.0.0f. Fixed an issue where the system was unable to boot from partially locked self-encrypting drives (SEDs). Fixed an issue where the Battery Extender status was reported incorrectly following a reboot, hibernation, or shutdown after the timer had expired. Fixed an issue where the system boots with black screen when a Dell U2725QE monitor and a mouse were connected. Supported 16bits postcode. Fixed an issue where system audio volume was lower on 3.19 beta. Security fixes CVE-2025-54502 - CVSS score N/A. CVE-2025-29949 - CVSS score N/A. CVE-2025-0040 - CVSS score N/A. CVE-2024-36355 - CVSS score N/A. CVE-2024-36310 - CVSS score N/A. You can learn how to check your current BIOS version, see the full details on the updates, and always get access to the latest software on the Framework Laptop 13 (AMD Ryzen 7040 Series) downloads page. However, I suspected that flashing a BIOS right away might not be a good idea, given the potential for bugs, so I decided to wait for a bit. I figured that if there were problems, either a new update would be released, or the update would be pulled. Seeing neither, I finally decided to do a quick flash in the morning of August 5th, while I cooked breakfast. However, when I came back, I saw this screen, and instantly knew something had gone horribly wrong: Framework BIOS flasher showing a triangle and diagonal patterns it’s not supposed to show7 Given that the BIOS flasher was stuck and probably rendering random stuff from memory to the screen, I have no choice but to conclude that the BIOS flash had failed. Still, I left the laptop for a few hours, just in case it decided to recover. It never did. Reaching out to support Naturally, I reached out to Framework support, hoping for a quick response and a solution to my problem: Subject: Stuck on BIOS Update Support Request Category: Problem with my Framework Product Was your Framework Product Delivered within the last 30 days?: No it wasn’t Product: Framework Laptop 13 Framework Laptop 13 Generation: AMD Ryzen 7040 Series Operating System: Linux Linux Distribution: Debian 12 [typo, should have been 13] BIOS: 3.20 Order number: [redacted] Product Issue Selection: Mainboard Description: I tried to update the BIOS with fwupdmgr update, and upon reboot, the system is stuck in this weird state and not making any progress for over an hour at this point. It’s not displaying properly, see picture. What do I do now? I’ve also attached that picture of the screen above. Support did not respond until one day and 8 hours later. Troubleshooting on my own In the meantime, I figured that letting the computer hang indefinitely—especially with the CPU fan spinning loudly—wasn’t the best idea, so I decided to do some research. It wasn’t very long before I came across this thread, with a bunch of people having the same problem doing the same update to BIOS 3.20 from 3.18, just like I did, though I saw a slightly different screen. Users on the thread who were under warranty reported getting their motherboard replaced, while those out of warranty reported Framework offering zero help. This was very concerning to me. Seeing on that thread that support recommended that people in a similar situation unplug the charger and let the battery drain until the laptop eventually powers off, I did exactly that, while diving deeper on the forums to see what was in store for my future. I then came across this other thread, wherein the forum user @cesfahani, who saw the exact same screen I did, detailed how they used their Raspberry Pi and soldering skills to flash the BIOS chip externally. While I could do some basic soldering, as seen when I built my stratum 1 NTP server8, I was not prepared to solder tiny wires to a tiny BIOS chip. It soon became apparent to me that if BIOS flashing on