EEPROM Dump File Help!

[BarelyHuman]

I need help figuring out how to interpret dump file data!
I'm working on a project that utilizes an S-24CXX series EEPROM (S24C02AD1Y1206). I am new to dump files and EEPROM programming but would like to learn to interpret the data and eventually be able to program my own data utilizing a T48 programmer. Currently I have been able to get Xgpro working to read the data off the chip (using the preset SEIKO S-24C02A @SOIC8) and then input the data into HxD. I am not sure how to do a byte swap with HxD or if i even need to byte swap the data. I will attach the dump data below. If it helps at all one of the numbers that should be stored on the chip is 628. I am hoping someone can point me in the right direction as to what i may be doing right or wrong and where i need to go from here. Thanks ahead of time!

Edit:

00 00 00 06 06 06 C7 C7 C7 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 92 27 06 96 27 06 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 28 06 04 28 06 04 04 28 06 08 28 06 0C 08 28
06 12 28 06 1A 12 28 06 16 28 06 04 16 28 06 20
28 06 36 20 28 06 24 28 06 04 24 28 06 28 28 06
0C 28 28 06 32 28 06 1A 32 28 06 36 28 06 04 36
28 06 40 28 06 76 40 28 06 44 28 06 04 44 28 06
48 28 06 0C 48 28 06 52 28 06 1A 52 28 06 56 28
06 04 56 28 06 60 28 06 36 60 28 06 64 28 06 04
64 28 06 68 28 06 0C 68 28 06 72 28 06 1A 72 27
06 76 27 06 04 76 27 06 80 27 06 F6 80 27 06 84
27 06 04 84 27 06 88 27 06 0C 88 27 06 92 27 06
1A 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

[wraper]

It's a totally worthless question. Interpret what? It's just some data, could be whatever. The only way to guess what it could mean is if you know what particular device does, and what say config it may store in EEPROM. It's not some program code which you could disassemble.

[BarelyHuman]

The device is used to measure and display the rotational speed of rotating equipment and collects data on how fast the components are spinning. It also collects persistent running hours data.

[wraper]

Then it may store some settings in there, and the data it collects. What, how and in which format it stores the data is completely arbitrary. The most efficient way is sniff with logic analyzer how it interacts with EEPROM when doing certain things, say saving particular settings. Also you could just change some settings and see what data changes.

[BarelyHuman]

Thank for the reply. Is there any information I can collect with the code itself? I don't have access to a logic analyzer and am not sophisticated enough to use one (yet), but is any of the data going to be useful in figuring out what the coding scheme is or data ordering? I am looking for the persistent data mainly and the string 628 (persistent hours) shows up a lot in little endian. if it helps at all the device was manufactured in japan around 2006-2007.

00 00 00 06 06 06 C7 C7 C7 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 92 27 06 96 27 06 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 28 06 04 28 06 04 04 28 06 08 28 06 0C 08 28
06 12 28 06 1A 12 28 06 16 28 06 04 16 28 06 20
28 06 36 20 28 06 24 28 06 04 24 28 06 28 28 06
0C 28 28 06 32 28 06 1A 32 28 06 36 28 06 04 36
28 06 40 28 06 76 40 28 06 44 28 06 04 44 28 06
48 28 06 0C 48 28 06 52 28 06 1A 52 28 06 56 28
06 04 56 28 06 60 28 06 36 60 28 06 64 28 06 04
64 28 06 68 28 06 0C 68 28 06 72 28 06 1A 72 27
06 76 27 06 04 76 27 06 80 27 06 F6 80 27 06 84
27 06 04 84 27 06 88 27 06 0C 88 27 06 92 27 06
1A 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

Edit:
I will try adding hours to the device by inputting a signal to the speed trigger and get the value to 629 or higher and compare the new dump, maybe this will help determine if this is faulty thinking

[JustMeHere]

Have you tried to analyze the data with a Hex Editor?  I see some file separator records and small data chunks.  Believe it or not, the "non-printable" characters show up a lot in data and provide a very good hint about the data. 

[BarelyHuman]

Im not very good with HxD yet, still learning and watching videos, but here is a screen grab of the HxD output. Any insight is VERY welcome!

[ledtester]

What is the device?

Is "628" a decimal or hexidecimal number? What is it suppose to represent ("presistent hours")?

One thing you could do is first take a snapshot of the EEPROM. Then run it for some length of time and take another snapshot and compare. Maybe only a few bytes change.

If I was really desperate I would replace the EEPROM with a blank one (all FF's) and see what happens. The EEPROM might get initialized when you turn on the device.

Of course, I'd only do this if I was pretty sure this wouldn't cause any damage to the device or  other equipment.

What is the device???

[BarelyHuman]

Is "628" a decimal or hexidecimal number? What is it suppose to represent ("presistent hours")?

The 628 is displayed as a whole number representing the devices operating hours , i believe it has a 4 digit display (8888) but the thousands digit is not illuminated until it reaches 1000+ hours. Its a tach for an old marine engine. I have a second one i may pull apart and read the data off of. Im trying to figure out if I can match the hours on both devices, one is reading much lower as it was disconnected for a long time. I was thinking about putting a new chip on the board but I want to understand what im doing before i try and put a new chip in. Im not even sure if I can write to this EEPROM yet but it would be nice to have a matching set.

[perieanuo]

hi, you didn't attach the hex file, forcing us to make a file with your data.
anyway, a programmer can do whatever he wants when he save data into eep, but in this case i doubt he scrambled anything, so chances you get values from whatever parameter/read value converted to hex are great.

[m k]

Ring buffer.

Start, end and how many ticks.

00 00 00 06 06 06 C7 C7 C7 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00
92 27 06
96 27 06 04
00 00 00
00 00 00 00
00 28 06
04 28 06 04
04 28 06
08 28 06 0C
08 28 06
12 28 06 1A
12 28 06
16 28 06 04
16 28 06
20 28 06 36
20 28 06
24 28 06 04
24 28 06
28 28 06 0C
28 28 06
32 28 06 1A
32 28 06
36 28 06 04
36 28 06
40 28 06 76
40 28 06
44 28 06 04
44 28 06
48 28 06 0C
48 28 06
52 28 06 1A
52 28 06
56 28 06 04
56 28 06
60 28 06 36
60 28 06
64 28 06 04
64 28 06
68 28 06 0C
68 28 06
72 28 06 1A
72 27 06
76 27 06 04
76 27 06
80 27 06 F6
80 27 06
84 27 06 04
84 27 06
88 27 06 0C
88 27 06
92 27 06 1A
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

[BarelyHuman]

Thanks! That was a huge help! I did some reading and looked at the code related to the circular buffer pattern and isolated the strings related to 628. If I wanted to change the output to say 500 instead of 628 does the following code look about right? I’ll post the dump files when I get back to my computer later today.

00 00 00 06 06 06 C7 C7 C7 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
00 00
92 1F 06
96 1F 06 04
00 00 00
00 00 00 00
00 28 06
04 28 06 04
04 28 06
08 28 06 0C
08 28 06
12 28 06 1A
12 28 06
16 28 06 04
16 28 06
20 28 06 36
20 28 06
24 28 06 04
24 28 06
28 28 06 0C
28 28 06
32 28 06 1A
32 28 06
36 28 06 04
36 28 06
40 28 06 76
40 28 06
44 28 06 04
44 28 06
48 28 06 0C
48 28 06
52 28 06 1A
52 28 06
56 28 06 04
56 28 06
60 28 06 36
60 28 06
64 28 06 04
64 28 06
68 28 06 0C
68 28 06
72 1F 06
76 1F 06 04
76 1F 06
80 1F 06 F6
80 1F 06
84 1F 06 04
84 1F 06
88 1F 06 0C
88 1F 06
92 27 06 1A
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

[m k]

628 is a decimal value, so 500 would be 00 05.
Leftmost is also quite possibly a decimal of 1/100.

How buffer is filled is another thing.

[ledtester]

If I wanted to change the output to say 500 instead of 628 does the following code look about right?

I would just change all of the 06 bytes in the third column to 05. I would expect the output should be "528".

However, the presence of the "1F 06" byte sequences raises some questions as to whether "628" is a decimal value or not.

[m k]

Maybe it's not a ring buffer.
Maybe all positions are static and leftmost values also.

If so then it continues from 72 27 06 and replaces 27 to 28.
Initial speed would be 04 but next F6 possibly something else.

It's also pretty fond of number 4.

[BarelyHuman]

I’m going to crack open the other device to give another data set to compare, hopefully it can give clues as to what is going on.

[BarelyHuman]

I pulled apart 2 other devices and was able to get dump files on them, I also successfully cloned one of the devices onto another so the chip is not in a write protect mode. Here are the 3 dump files. The devices store 2 sets of hours data onto them, one is trip. Hopefully somebody can give me some insight into where to hours data is stored within the code. I labeled the files with their corresponding hours, the third device is set at 0 hours on the trip.

[ledtester]

What's your ultimate goal?

Have you run the device for an hour or two and compared how the EEPROM contents changed? I think that would be very helpful.

[BarelyHuman]

I left it powered on via a benchtop power supply for well over an hour and the hours did not change, the trigger wire for the rpm must be involved in sending a signal to let the unit know it is “running”. I might pick up a signal generator and play with that a bit. My ultimate goal other than to match my pops old boat tachs, which I think I have been able to do just by cloning the data, is to understand the data and how and why it is stored the way it is and to have fun along the way. I played around with electronics and micro controllers a long time ago and thought you know I might be able to do something with this.

[radiolistener]

The 628 is displayed as a whole number representing the devices operating hours , i believe it has a 4 digit display (8888) but the thousands digit is not illuminated until it reaches 1000+ hours.

It looks like it store 628 in BCD format: 28 06
With reverse byte order you will get 06 28...
Your dump has a lot of copy for these values, I have no idea what is the reason to duplicate it.
Maybe it stores some kind of log in eeprom with records and different records contains that value.

Hex representation of 628 = 0x274, but there is no 02 and no 74 byte in your dump. So, it definitely not store it in hex format.

[BarelyHuman]

The 628 is displayed as a whole number representing the devices operating hours , i believe it has a 4 digit display (8888) but the thousands digit is not illuminated until it reaches 1000+ hours.

It looks like it store 628 in BCD format: 28 06
With reverse byte order you will get 06 28...
Your dump has a lot of copy for these values, I have no idea what is the reason to duplicate it.
Maybe it stores some kind of log in eeprom with records and different records contains that value.

Hex representation of 628 = 0x274, but there is no 02 and no 74 byte in your dump. So, it definitely not store it in hex format.

I just tried changing all of the [28 06] values to [28 01] trying to get an output of 128 but something is going wrong with the buffer when I try to write to EEP and it fails the write.