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Thread: How to Upgrade the Thinkpad x61 BIOS

  1. #31
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    Re: How to Upgrade the Thinkpad x61 BIOS

    Quote Originally Posted by tarlipe View Post
    With the windows version for step#1, it worked like a charm!
    It just need to type command.com and everything went right.

    Thank you.
    ... That is both good and bad news (for me, anyway). This means the Linux upgrade instructions are flawed, somehow.

    They worked for me (upgrade from 2.07 to 2.14 on an X61), but there must be some problem. I will try to investigate.

    Mike

  2. #32
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    Re: How to Upgrade the Thinkpad x61 BIOS

    Hi all,

    While I was not able to reproduce the errors found by schmolch and tarlipe exactly (since I already have BIOS 2.14 running), I did poke around with downgrading to a previous BIOS version, following the Linux instructions exactly.

    There is some problem with the Linux portion of the instructions. Until I figure it out, I've removed those instructions from the tutorial.

    Mike

  3. #33
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    Smile Re: How to Upgrade the Thinkpad x61 BIOS

    Updated a Thinkpad x61 bios successfully from version 1.11 to 2.16. Many thanks.

    Might be worth noting, however, after step 1 that you should NOT copy up the remaining files from win98boot.zip -- the 3 system files that are copied up by the formatter are all you need in step 1.

    I (stupidly) copied up all the files from win98boot.zip (and then the files from the CD) and got stuck in an endless win98 boot screen. I tried again and only copied up files form the CD and it worked fine.

    Pengo.

  4. #34
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    Re: How to Upgrade the Thinkpad x61 BIOS

    it didn't work for me here. i got a blank screen with a blinking cursor, when i tried to type command.com grub appeared and booted into ubuntu. any help?
    Last edited by openmoho; November 4th, 2008 at 01:55 PM.

  5. #35
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    Re: How to Upgrade the Thinkpad x61 BIOS

    Thank you
    Last edited by beneficity; February 4th, 2009 at 12:47 AM.

  6. #36
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    Re: How to Upgrade the Thinkpad x61 BIOS

    Do you know if I can also rollback/downgrade that way ? The new Embedded Controller is blocking my non-IBM battery (new battery "management" I guess) and I'd like to be able to use my battery once again.

  7. #37
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    Re: How to Upgrade the Thinkpad x61 BIOS

    Quote Originally Posted by spreeendaz View Post
    Do you know if I can also rollback/downgrade that way ? The new Embedded Controller is blocking my non-IBM battery (new battery "management" I guess) and I'd like to be able to use my battery once again.
    I can't promise you anything, but my guess is that it will work. In the past, I repeatedly flashed between two versions in order to test different methods (definitely not recommended, but I was curious).

    If you try it, let me know!
    Mike

  8. #38
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    Re: How to Upgrade the Thinkpad x61 BIOS

    Quote Originally Posted by mbsullivan View Post
    I can't promise you anything, but my guess is that it will work. In the past, I repeatedly flashed between two versions in order to test different methods (definitely not recommended, but I was curious).

    If you try it, let me know!
    Mike
    I should add the following information to my previous interrogation:

    "Notes
    If you update to the BIOS version 2.06-1.03 or later, you are not able to get back to the older BIOS versions."

    http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/si...cid=MIGR-67982

    Do you still think it's doable even if I have version 1.11 ?

  9. #39
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    Re: How to Upgrade the Thinkpad x61 BIOS

    I should add the following information to my previous interrogation:

    "Notes
    If you update to the BIOS version 2.06-1.03 or later, you are not able to get back to the older BIOS versions."

    http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/si...cid=MIGR-67982

    Do you still think it's doable even if I have version 1.11 ?
    That might change things... thanks for bringing it to my attention. But I don't think so. I assume you have an x61/x61s, you have a BIOS installed which is after 2.06/1.03, and you want to roll back to 1.11/1.02?

    The way I interpret their message, I'm guessing that will be impossible. I'm not sure what would happen if you tried... It could be anything. Given the new developments, I guess I would err on the side of caution if I were you.

    The only BIOSes I went back and forth between were 2.14 and 2.07. I never went as far back as 1.11, though, so I can't lend any personal experience.

    Mike

  10. #40
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    Re: How to Upgrade the Thinkpad x61 BIOS

    **UPDATE**

    I just updated the tutorial with information from the most recent BIOS, and included a new method which works without a Windows machine.

    I used the new procedure to successfully flash from 2.14 to 2.20 on an x61.

    The update fixed an issue that had crept up with recent kernels, where bootup would freeze after the message:

    Code:
    ACPI: Checking initramfs for custom DSDT
    With the new firmware, I no longer need my previous workaround of the noapic and nolapic kernel options.

    I would appreciate feedback from anybody who flashes to a new BIOS, especially if you try the new Linux-based procedure.

    Let me know if you have any questions!
    Mike

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