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Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

IBM or Lenovo Desktops, Workstations, ThinkStations, etc. Recent vintage, hardware/software..
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Jake.Werecat
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Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#1 Post by Jake.Werecat » Wed Jan 12, 2022 9:39 pm

Soooo, as I have enough ThinkPads (for now), and until recently had no ThinkCentres at all, I decided to buy one. The M73 Tiny in decent shape and very reasonable price. I've just got it delivered and started wiggling around with it.
First thinkg - BIOS update, i went were I was supposed to:
https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/prod ... IOS%2FUEFI
and was pleasantly surprised that the newest version FHKT87A has just been released on 04 Jan 2022. Downloaded, followed the instruction, and went to an error.

Code: Select all

Unable to flash the system BIOS to a different level
Google a bit, and found the solution:
https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/solu ... e-m73-tiny
I was pretty happy, and tried to download fix provided there:
https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/thin ... iosfix.zip

But it appears that *.zip file asks for password. Recheck on other PC and different unzipper - same thing.
I then followed inviting bot-link "Chat with Lena to resolve the issue" which was underneath only to learn that my ThinkCentre is out of warranty (no surprise to me...), and I can go.....f....look elsewhere.
I tried talking with Live Agent as well. But after an hour of waiting with "Please wait for a moment, there is "1" person in the queue ahead of you." information on the screen I gave up.
What the hack? Lenovo? What? So I basically ran out of solutions.
Would much appreciate any hints, suggestion and help.
T470

Jake.Werecat
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Re: Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#2 Post by Jake.Werecat » Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:02 pm

OK, I just found a workaround, instead of flashing via windows, I made a bootable USB stick with Rufus, downloaded the USB version of BIOS flashing utility and booted it up. Worked like a charm with no problems. I should have though about this earlier. Sometimes I'm getting a little bit "Windows-locked" sometimes.
So my problem is solved and I'm running newest available BIOS. :)
T470

RealBlackStuff
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Re: Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#3 Post by RealBlackStuff » Thu Jan 13, 2022 2:40 am

FYI: M73 parts lists can be found here: https://support.lenovo.com/cz/en/solutions/pd029642 (3x PDF near bottom)
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
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Jake.Werecat
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Re: Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#4 Post by Jake.Werecat » Thu Jan 13, 2022 5:25 pm

RealBlackStuff wrote:
Thu Jan 13, 2022 2:40 am
FYI: M73 parts lists can be found here: https://support.lenovo.com/cz/en/solutions/pd029642 (3x PDF near bottom)
Thanks, but I already have it. I got a habit of downloading documentation for my machines, i.e. User Guides, Parts list, Service manuals etc.
T470

andymetal3`
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Re: Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#5 Post by andymetal3` » Mon Dec 12, 2022 12:14 pm

Jake.Werecat wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:02 pm
OK, I just found a workaround, instead of flashing via windows, I made a bootable USB stick with Rufus, downloaded the USB version of BIOS flashing utility and booted it up. Worked like a charm with no problems. I should have though about this earlier. Sometimes I'm getting a little bit "Windows-locked" sometimes.
So my problem is solved and I'm running newest available BIOS. :)
I downloaded the Lenovo Support software that automatically updated the BIOS on my M73 Tiny and... it bricked my PC.
So I read about entering Recovery, flashing the USB with Rufus and installing the update from there.
Would you explain how you did it?

Here's what I did:
1- put the PC on recovery with jumper on 2 and 3 pin
2- flashed the USB with Rufus with BIOS firmware "fhjt87usa.zip" USB Drive Package
3- Turned on PC on Recovery with USB on port USB 3 [back side]
4- Computer displays video, but just a black screen with underscore for more than 5 minutes and no response
5- I tried turning on the PC and then putting the USB. Nothing happens, just bipping and no display after more than 5 minutes.

Not sure if I'm missing any steps on this process or just to throw my PC to the trash

Jake.Werecat
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Re: Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#6 Post by Jake.Werecat » Tue Dec 13, 2022 4:35 pm

Hmm, I am afraid I don't know. My M73 was never bricked at any point. I just made a bootable USB with BIOS image and flashed it from there, but keep in mind that I had a 100% working PC to begin with.
T470

JPOESQ
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Re: Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#7 Post by JPOESQ » Tue Dec 13, 2022 11:12 pm

andymetal3` wrote:
Mon Dec 12, 2022 12:14 pm
Jake.Werecat wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:02 pm
OK, I just found a workaround, instead of flashing via windows, I made a bootable USB stick with Rufus, downloaded the USB version of BIOS flashing utility and booted it up. Worked like a charm with no problems. I should have though about this earlier. Sometimes I'm getting a little bit "Windows-locked" sometimes.
So my problem is solved and I'm running newest available BIOS. :)
I downloaded the Lenovo Support software that automatically updated the BIOS on my M73 Tiny and... it bricked my PC.
So I read about entering Recovery, flashing the USB with Rufus and installing the update from there.
Would you explain how you did it?

Here's what I did:
1- put the PC on recovery with jumper on 2 and 3 pin
2- flashed the USB with Rufus with BIOS firmware "fhjt87usa.zip" USB Drive Package
3- Turned on PC on Recovery with USB on port USB 3 [back side]
4- Computer displays video, but just a black screen with underscore for more than 5 minutes and no response
5- I tried turning on the PC and then putting the USB. Nothing happens, just bipping and no display after more than 5 minutes.

Not sure if I'm missing any steps on this process or just to throw my PC to the trash
I hope that you can figure this out. I had the same thing happen to an M93 tiny and was never able to recover the unit.
John P. O'Banion, JD, PE, BSEE
Registered Patent Attorney
http://www.intellectual.com

X220 (McDonnell bios), X230 (1vyrain bios), T530 (1vyrain bios), X1 Carbon 5th Signature Edition

axur-delmeria
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Re: Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#8 Post by axur-delmeria » Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:00 am

An external flasher is probably the only option, though TBH I've never tried it.
Planned Purchase: T480s i5-8350 FHD Touch
Impulse Buy: Thinkpad not named for safety reasons :lol:
RIP: X220 4291-C91 X61 7676-A24 760XD-U9E :cry:

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Re: Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#9 Post by RealBlackStuff » Wed Dec 14, 2022 3:55 am

Why would anyone want to update a BIOS on such an old machine?
IMHO that's asking for trouble, which has proven to be right...

On a side note: any and all BIOS updates should NEVER be done inside Windows.
Use a self-booting CD/DVD or USB stick instead.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
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Jake.Werecat
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Re: Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#10 Post by Jake.Werecat » Wed Dec 14, 2022 10:32 pm

RealBlackStuff wrote:
Wed Dec 14, 2022 3:55 am
Why would anyone want to update a BIOS on such an old machine?
IMHO that's asking for trouble, which has proven to be right...

On a side note: any and all BIOS updates should NEVER be done inside Windows.
Use a self-booting CD/DVD or USB stick instead.
Hey... why not? Newest BIOS is usually best, in terms of bug fixes, functionality and most up-to-date. M73 is not that ancient either, roughly 4th gen of i5/i7 CPU. Besides, I see no reason why updating a BIOS on a 10 years old machine would be any worse then on a 1 year old one?
I agree that bootable USB is more reliable for BIOS upgrade, but Windows-based bios updaters from Lenovo usually works with no problems either, I've used them plenty of times.
T470

heilong
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Re: Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#11 Post by heilong » Sat Jan 14, 2023 9:30 am

RealBlackStuff wrote:
Wed Dec 14, 2022 3:55 am
Why would anyone want to update a BIOS on such an old machine?
IMHO that's asking for trouble, which has proven to be right...

On a side note: any and all BIOS updates should NEVER be done inside Windows.
Use a self-booting CD/DVD or USB stick instead.
Some BIOS updates contain important security fixes.
E.g. here's the changelog for the most recent X230 BIOS update: https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/mobiles/g2uj33us.txt
- Update includes a security fix.
- Security fix addresses LEN-27764 ThinkPad Embedded Controller Update 
  Vulnerability(CVE-2019-6171). Refer to Lenovo's Security Advisory page for 
  additional information. 
  (https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/len-27764)
AFAIK the only risk of doing BIOS updates from within Windows is if for some reason Windows itself crashes during the update, the partially flashed BIOS will be left in an unusable state, requiring a hardware flasher to make the laptop bootable again.
Since Windows 7, I can recall maybe a couple of times that I saw the blue screen of death, so one would have to be extremely unlucky to have it happen during a BIOS update.
I think all the BIOS updates I've done for the past 10 years were made from within Windows, I can't recall ever bothering with making a bootable drive for it. I do usually quit every application before running the update (you're going to reboot after the update, anyway),
and don't do anything on the laptop while flashing. I think the chance of Windows crashing under these circumstances is really really low. But well, if you're the type of guy who likes to have a plan C, D, E ... Z (in addition to a plan B), then sure, use a bootable drive.
X220 i7-2640M 16GB RAM, X230 i7-3520M 16GB RAM, 2x X230t i5-3320M 16GB RAM, W530 i7-3940XM 32GB RAM K2000M
All X230(t), W530: Classic Keyboard Mod
X230, W530: Intel AX210 Wi-Fi 6E / BT 5.2
eGPU: ASUS Phoenix GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, Dell DA-2 220W PSU, EXP GDC Beast (ExpressCard)

Jake.Werecat
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Re: Unable to flash BIOS Lenovo M73 Tiny

#12 Post by Jake.Werecat » Sat Jan 14, 2023 2:29 pm

Furthermore, most of the windows-based bios updating software for Lenovo just checks the current bios version, compares it to a new one, loads the flashing program to RAM, and triggers a reboot, after which the real flashing occurs in a quasi-DOS environment.
T470

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