Troubled with updating Bios at T43p and more

[Tinebine]

Hi,
I have a T43p and I recently wanted to update a couple of things. So I installed/udated ThinkVantage SystemUpdate and here I learned that I should (?) update the Bios and the Embedded Controller Program.

Updating Bios and the Embedded Controller Program did not work, neither by using the SystemUpdate nor by manually taking both programs from the website and installing them. The Computer restarts, but nothing is changed after the restart. We checked the bios by interrupting startup.

Different topic now, but it will come together:
I also defragmented the hard drive by using the windows utility and it showed me that the RRUbackups folder is fairly fragmented (80 or so pieces).

I learned that I need a current Version Rescue and Recovery to delete this RRUbackups folder (for backup, I use TrueImage, so I am not too worried to delete this 7MB folder). I wanted to install the newest Version of RR but it said in the instructions I have to update the bios first.

I rely heavily on my laptop for work and don't want to mess things up.

1. Do you even recommend updating the bios?
2. If so, how do I do it?
3. Is there a way to roll back the bios if things go bad?
4. How BAD is it actually, if there is a file in 80 fragments?
5. If there is any input on RR I would also appreciate it.

Thanks!

[GomJabbar]

Updating the BIOS always carries some risk, but that has never stopped me in the past. FYI, if the update fails you may need a new motherboard. Some have reported that they have downgraded to a previous version of a BIOS update. Whether this will work in all cases I cannot say.

I and others have also had problems updating the BIOS using the Windows version of the update. I suggest you use the diskette version instead. If you do not have an external USB floppy drive, try the method winpitt used in the following thread.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 888#234888

BIOS Update (Diskette) - ThinkPad T43, T43p (2668, 2669, 2678, 2679, 2686, 2687)

Note that you will likely need to update the Embedded Controller as well.

As far as the \RRUBackups folder, you can delete it in Windows Safe Mode. See following for how to delete a folder in SAFE MODE.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?p=83914#83914

[Tinebine]

Hi GomJabbar, thanks for the tip!

By now we tried everything: We called support, they adviced us to start not with the current version of Embedded Controller and Bios, but with EC 1.04 and Bios 1.23 and work our way up through the versions. It did not work. After restart nothing had changed.

We also tried the stand alone update.

We tried the bootdisc2bootstick.

Nothing works. What happens is you run the .exe file or bootstick and the installation program runs and the computer shuts down and restarts. But you can see it does nothing unusual after restart and then you see nothing has changed.

We explained that to support and they finally admitted they can not help us and all we could do is to send the laptop in. Which I will not do, since it is a fine running laptop...

So I stopped worrying about it. I just wanna let you know.
Thanks
Tine