Update bios from Windows 7 64bit?

[trmsw]

Does anyone have experience updating the bios on an X61s or similar from inside Windows 7 64bit?
I have heard that WinPhlash can be used in 32bit Windows, and that there is a 64bit version, but I'm a bit cautious, not wanting to brick the thing.

[loyukfai]

IIRC, last time I used the floppy image to make a bootable USB flash and used it to flash the BIOS.

Cheers.

[Tasurinchi]

Just out of curiosity... Are you trying to install Middleton BIOS or a standard Lenovo one?

[trmsw]

I'm trying to flash the middleton bios, to benefit from a nice new SSD and an SXGA+ panel

[Tasurinchi]

Then I would avoid flashing it from within Win7 64 bits. The read_me file from Middleton BIOS says:

Code: Select all

There is no BIOS update for X61 Tablet which you can flash under 64-bit Windows. Lenovo recommends the following:
"If Windows Vista or 7 64-bit is already installed on your system, then you must use the bootable CD ISO format
of this BIOS update".
Bootable CD-image is included in this package.

Important note: When you boot from this CD, BIOS update will start automatically.

I have installed this BIOS in my X61s and both T61's using the ISO CD and had no problems at all.

[EOMtp]

... updating the bios on an X61s ... from inside Windows 7 64bit?

Do NOT do it! My understanding is that on an X61, from inside Windows 7 64-bit, the process is guaranteed to fail catastrophically.

[twistero]

So far for me, the only successful method of updating BIOS for an X6x using a bootable USB flash drive is the last approach from this ThinkWiki page.

[TuuS]

If possible, just insert a harddrive with a 32bit windows version and install it from there. That would be my choice, but you can boot from a windows boot disc and install it, or use the bootable cdrom disc, but be careful that bootable disc doesn't deal well with read errors, a sloppy burn on the disc or a drive error and your bios is bricked.

[trmsw]

Thanks for al the advice. In the end I followed the mo described in the first post here
http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo- ... on-80.html

... Though I needed to force the update because no battery was present - using the phlash16.exe method described here, http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo- ... on-63.html.

[Weogo]

Hi Y'all,

My X61S is running Win7Pro 64bit and I was able to use
WinPhlash from within Windows to update the BIOS to Middleton.
It all worked fine.

Thanks and good health, Weogo

[Allstar]

Hi!

I would like to know how can I determine if Middleton BIOS is installed on my X61s running W7 64bit.

At the moment I have 2.22 (7NETC2WW) with date of issue 03/22/2011. But the latest Lenovo BIOS came out 04/11/2011, where as Middleton one dates back to summer of 2010. What also makes me suspicious is that I have SLIC 2.1 table enabled as RW-Everything utility states.