Thinkpads Forum

Topic says all.

Was running a bios update, and the machine blue screened on me. now the machine powers up but will not even post. no display on the screen, no beeps, nothing.

Tell me there's a way i can get this baby back up and running without having to replace the planar board.

-B

ouch, that sux... think you're only hope is to send it off to somewhere to get it repaired. You can prolly call up IBM and tell em that it just wont turn on.

Oh and saw you're in Wheaton, MD, i was there just yesterday... sorry about the T60. I'd cry too..

what else?

I saw that the first time i did a bios update, it made a backup of the bios before putting the new one in. is there a way to get that back up?

I remember once someone said press the power button 5 times with the ac adapter unplugged and the battery removed from the machine..

Just don't want to go through the weekend w/out the machine. I had plans to use it... dammit.

Thanks,
B

bfgun wrote:what else?

I saw that the first time i did a bios update, it made a backup of the bios before putting the new one in. is there a way to get that back up?

I remember once someone said press the power button 5 times with the ac adapter unplugged and the battery removed from the machine..

Just don't want to go through the weekend w/out the machine. I had plans to use it... dammit.

Thanks,
B

Never heard of that power method before. The backup during flashing is likely only usable if something happens and the program is unable to write to some sectors of the bios. If so, then it could simply put the old bios back in the sectors it could write to. If your BIOS is misflashed, then there is no end user method I know of to bring it back, since you cant get to any point where you would be able to reflash it.

On another note, I would be all for a dual BIOS system, where if one BIOS failed then the other would run to start the computer. This would keep them from getting bricked by misfortunes such as bluescreens during reflashing.

gotta love the turnaround time. I posted an service request at 11:32am, they called me at 11:45am. We went over a couple of things, and was told that the board needed to be replaced. we also did a quick test - take out the battery, remove the ac adapter, press the power button 10 times, then on the 11th time, hold the button down for 30 seconds.

after doing that, it was deemed that the board needs to be replaced. at least i'm getting a new board. (praying that they stick one in with an 128 mb ati card...hehehe)

That's about it. Thanks to those who chipped in some feedback. Shotta- where in wheaton did you go?

Thanks again!
B

Ok glad you got that part going... did you tell them you were flashing and it crashed or just that you tried turning on the machine this morning and it wouldn't? Mine is still under warranty and while i update my BIOS from DOS so that it wont BSOD like it did to yours i'm curious if they'd fix it if i had a bad flash.

As for where in Wheaton, i actually live in Gaithersburg so i was down there at the mall Then came back up to Lakeforest mall and then went home.

bfgun wrote: ...we also did a quick test - take out the battery, remove the ac adapter, press the power button 10 times, then on the 11th time, hold the button down for 30 seconds.

so you had the battery out, and the ac unplugged? what did they expect to happen while you hit the power button? or is that just a way to reset the bios?

i'm not sure, i think they wanted to do a full power drain on the machine. Basically told them that it didnt power up after a bios flash. They didnt ask if i did anything to cause it. Either way, it's a lenovo problem on their hands to fix.


shotta- i used to live in g'berg. kentlands to be speficic. landed a new place across from the wheaton mall.

-B

You may want to remove your hard drive before sending your unit in for repair. Otherwise, you may get it back in "factory" configuration.

i have onsite warranty. no way am i sending it in.

ironically, one time i sent in a t42p for a blown usb port, i asked them to reimage the drive and they didnt. lol

jjesusfreak01 wrote:...I would be all for a dual BIOS system...

How does one set up a dual BIOS system?

Gigabyte motherboards and i think some ASUS ones came with that but i don't know any laptops with that. Maybe an Alienware or something but i think that's it.

Oh and when are they supposed to come out to do the mobo swap? I still have warranty on my T42 but it's working like a champ right now... still looks brand new also

Anthony S wrote:

jjesusfreak01 wrote:...I would be all for a dual BIOS system...

How does one set up a dual BIOS system?

I was speaking hypothetically, I didnt know they existed. Even if they do, there is no way to "add" a second BIOS to a system. It would have to be bought with it.

There are dual bios systems. Both of my desktops have it. Giga-Byte boards. I have never seen a laptop with dual bios, but I'm somewhat new to the laptop world and wouldn't be surprised if they existed.

The reason i mentioned duo bios, is because once before when i updated my tpad, i think the progress meter first said "Backing up" then writing the new blocks of data.

Nothenless to say, my machine will be repaired either on monday or tuesday, depending on when the tech in the area gets the replacement hardware.

will let you know how it goes. I'll be watching 'em like an eagle to make sure there arent any loose screws lying around.

heh

It should be a simple fix if the bios chip is dead, just pop a new one in, but call Lenovo about it.

bios chips are non-replaceable devices. The main planar board needs to be swapped out.

On a side note, the ibm guy came by yesterday, whole thing took only 23 minutes. Asked about Vista on a T60 and he shook his head like it's given him one too many problems. i'll probably try vista on it and see how i like it and if it's not all that great, then back to XP it goes.



machine is up and running.

-B

23 minutes?

I had a similar issue (Vista/T60p + BIOS Flash = bad).

IBM came on site.

3 hours later, the technician left. And my pristine T60P now looks like a Frankenstein-like creation. Screws protruding through the bottom of the case, screws missing, battery latch busted.

Not a good day for on-site service, at least in my neck of the woods.

msilano wrote:23 minutes?

I had a similar issue (Vista/T60p + BIOS Flash = bad).

IBM came on site.

3 hours later, the technician left. And my pristine T60P now looks like a Frankenstein-like creation. Screws protruding through the bottom of the case, screws missing, battery latch busted.

Not a good day for on-site service, at least in my neck of the woods.

Had the same experience, except my guy was probably onsite even longer. And he left my palm rest unattached.

Did you guy check your machines before letting the tech leave? if the screws were sticking out the bottom of the machine, then the tech probably got the #2 and #4 screws mixed up and screwed it through the bottom panel.

either way, tell the tech to wait while you inspect the machine.

hope you get 'em fixed up.

-me