XO-4 firmware upgrade blocked by EC 0.3.04 ?

[Adam Holt]

I'm trying to help someone upgrade their XO-4 Touch to the latest firmware
(Q7C05) but this isn't working, seemingly blocked by the EC which cannot
detect good white batteries inside this XO (each white battery's we tried
is fully charged, as verified by other XO's).

The ok prompt announces this XO-4 has firmware Q7B23 but when running
"menu" at the ok prompt, manufacturing tag BV is set to Q7B01 FWIW.

When running "watch-battery" at the ok prompt, it responds:

   EC command result timeout

When clicking on battery within http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XO_Self_Test the
screen goes all red, showing:

   Testing /battery
   Selftest failed due to abort

When running "test /battery" at the ok prompt, it responds:

   No selftest method for /battery

Any workarounds or things to try, regardless whether EC (Embedded
Controller 0.3.04) or some other hardware issue on this very early XO-4
Touch might somehow be to blame?  Thanks for ideas!
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