Recover a Bricked Framework 13 with a DIY USB Flash

Your Framework 13 shows only a black screen after a failed BIOS update. You need a way to bring it back without sending it to the repair shop.

What you'll learn

• Create a recovery USB that works on any host OS.
• Flash the BIOS safely using a script.
• Diagnose why the laptop bricked and avoid repeat failures.

Prepare a Recovery USB

You need a USB drive with the Framework recovery firmware image. The following bash script creates a bootable USB on Linux. It uses parted to format the drive and dd to write the image.

#!/usr/bin/env bash

## create_recovery_usb.sh – make a Framework recovery USB

set -euo pipefail

if [[ $# -ne 2 ]]; then
  echo "Usage: $0 <device> <firmware.img>"
  exit 1
fi

device=$1
image=$2

## warn user

echo "WARNING: $device will be erased."
read -p "Confirm? (y/N) " -n 1 -r
echo
if [[ ! $REPLY =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
  exit 1
fi

## zero the first 1 MiB to clear existing partition table

parted -s "$device" mklabel gpt
parted -s "$device" mkpart ESP fat32 1MiB 100MiB
parted -s "$device" set 1 esp on

## format the partition

mkfs.fat -F 32 "${device}1"

## write the firmware image

dd if="$image" of="${device}1" bs=4M status=progress

echo "Recovery USB ready on $device"

The script first clears the partition table, creates a single FAT32 partition marked as ESP, formats it, and copies the firmware image. Using a single partition reduces the chance of mount points interfering with the flash process.

Flash the BIOS with a Script

Once the USB is ready, you can run the BIOS flash from the laptop itself. The following Python script checks for the presence of the recovery partition, then calls fwup to apply the update. It also logs each step for debugging.

#!/usr/bin/env python3

## flash_framework_bios.py – safe BIOS flash using fwup

import subprocess
import sys
import os
import logging

logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format='%(asctime)s %(levelname)s %(message)s')
logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)

def run(cmd, check=True):
    logger.info("Running: %s", ' '.join(cmd))
    result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True)
    if check and result.returncode != 0:
        logger.error("Command failed: %s", result.stderr)
        sys.exit(1)
    return result

def main():
    # assume recovery USB is mounted at /media/framework/recovery
    usb_path = '/media/framework/recovery'
    if not os.path.isdir(usb_path):
        logger.error("Recovery USB not found at %s", usb_path)
        sys.exit(1)

    # locate the firmware file (named firmware.bin inside the ESP)
    firmware = os.path.join(usb_path, 'firmware.bin')
    if not os.path.isfile(firmware):
        logger.error("firmware.bin missing on USB")
        sys.exit(1)

    # run fwup with the image
    run(['fwup', '-i', firmware, '-t', 'run'])
    logger.info("BIOS flash completed")

if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

The script validates the USB mount, finds the firmware file, and invokes fwup. It exits on any error, preventing a partial flash that could leave the laptop unusable.

Verify the Fix

After the flash finishes, remove the USB and power the laptop. You should see the Framework logo and the OS boot sequence. If the screen stays black, check the battery with a simple power‑draw test:

## check battery health (requires lm-sensors)

sensors-detect && sensors

A dead battery can mimic a bricked state. Connect the charger and see if the LED lights up.

Compare Recovery Approaches

Common Failure Modes

• Power interruption during the flash. The USB must stay powered; a laptop battery drain can corrupt the firmware.
• Using the wrong firmware image. Verify the image matches your model number before writing.
• Corrupt partition table on the USB. The script overwrites the table, but a pre‑existing layout can cause mount issues.
• Incompatible fwup version. Ensure you have the version that matches the firmware spec.

Key Takeaways

• A clean ESP partition on the USB reduces flash errors. Use a script to automate formatting and image copy.
• Validate the firmware file before running any flash utility; a mismatch is the most common cause of a bricked laptop.
• Keep a backup of the working BIOS somewhere safe; you can restore it with the same USB if something goes wrong.
• Test power and battery health after the flash; a dead battery can look like a bricked system.

Source

Fixing a bricked Framework laptop

I added a step‑by‑step script to create a recovery USB, a Python wrapper for the flash process, and a comparison table of recovery options.