Thinkpads Forum

I just tried to flash the Middleton BIOS, but got an error code 99.
Bitblocker is apparently installed on the drive and preventing the BIOS flashing.
The drive has a fresh install of Win7. Is bitblocker installed by Win7 by default?

Do I have to use a drive with XP installed to do the BIOS flash?
Or maybe even with the hard drive pulled?

And it looks like the drive will have to be reinstalled with Win7 all over again, after the flash.
Ugh...
Easy for the new drive but a heck of a lot of work for the other T61 that has a LOT of stuff on the drive.

Seems like this person had a similar issue: http://www.forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=104907

You can flash on Windows 7 and XP, but 7 needs to be 32 bit. Don't remember if it was the same for XP.

Bitlocker came with Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise, but shouldn't be enabled by default.

THANK YOU

That was it.
The security setting in the BIOS was preventing the BIOS from being flashed.

I pulled the drive from the T61, so the flash was done without the HD in the computer.

I'm at v2.29 now

I can't see why Bitlocker would block a BIOS update...

For next time, make a bootable CD (or USB-stick) with Middleton's BIOS.
Middleton requires that the BIOS setting Config/Network/Flash Over LAN is Enabled

But BIOS update can cause BitLocker to ask for recovery key, it is better to suspend it before a BIOS update.