T400 Vista x64 BIOS Update 2.01

[jasonth]

Lenovo requires that Vista 64 users use a bootable CD to flash the bios to the latest version. Apparently they can't be bothered to support us with the same great software flash that other users have.

Anyway - I download the ISO file, burn it to a CD-R, reboot, and F12 to boot from CD. All I get is a flashing cursor in the upper left corner. After waiting a bit, I power off and power back on.

Redownload the ISO (incase of corrupted download), reburn (in case of a bad CD-R), and try again. No luck.

I downloaded the ISO directly from www-301.ibm.com

Here's the MD5: 3462FC25BCEC47F4D4B1BE8E05417A0C

I even mounted the ISO in a virtual XP machine running on VMWare Workstation - it was empty according to Windows Explorer.

Now I think maybe the file they're hosting is farked, so now what? Anyone have a better idea on how to flash this beasty?

Also as a side note - this method sucks, because the bios update won't show up in System Update when I run it...

[Marin85]

I just downloaded it and despite its 23.3 MB the .iso appears to be indeed empty... LOL Apart from this, if you think you don´t really need any of the fixes listed for this BIOS update, don´t bother updating it. If you have a bad day, it could make a brick out of your ThinkPad...

[jasonth]

The thing is... this update actually fixes a problem I've got and has been annoying me to no end.

When I put my t400 to sleep, it won't wake up without powering off, then posting, then powering off again, and finally rebooting. This bios update is the last step before I call Lenovo for a new mobo.

[Marin85]

Maybe a long shot, but if you have a spare windows 32bit media (XP, Vista, Win 7) you can try installing it in a dual-boot configuration to your current setup, no need to activate for your purpose, manually download the BIOS flash from Lenovo for 32bit systems and install it the "normal" way.

Marin

[jasonth]

Maybe a long shot, but if you have a spare windows 32bit media (XP, Vista, Win 7) you can try installing it in a dual-boot configuration to your current setup, no need to activate for your purpose, manually download the BIOS flash from Lenovo for 32bit systems and install it the "normal" way.

Marin

I could... and that would be a royal PITA... can I boot and flash from USB? How about flash the bios from the pre-desktop - is that possible?

[Marin85]

I´m not aware of any method how to flash BIOS from the pre-desktop are. However, there are a few google results on BIOS flash USB. Maybe some of them will work for a ThinkPad too. Keep in mind that such unofficial BIOS flashing methods always bear some potential to break your system...

[bill bolton]

Anyway - I download the ISO file, burn it to a CD-R, reboot, and F12 to boot from CD. All I get is a flashing cursor in the upper left corner. After waiting a bit, I power off and power back on.

The current public release BIOS for a T400 is v2.03, not v2.01.

I have succesfully downloaded 7uuj10uc.iso, burnt a CD using Nero 9, and updated the BIOS in my T400.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[gregormacgregor]

THERE IS A BUG IN ROXIO. THE CD YOU ARE BURNING IS BOGUS. IBM HAS A PATCH FOR THIS. I FORGET THE LINK. PERHAPS SOMEONE ELSE CAN PROVIDE THE EXACT MIGR-XXXXXX LINK TO THE FIX FOR ROXIO. ONCE THE PATCH IS APPLIED, YOU REBURN THE CD AND THE BIOS UPDATE FROM CD TO 64 BIT VISTA SYSTEM BIOS WORKS FINE.

[Marin85]

THERE IS A BUG IN ROXIO. THE CD YOU ARE BURNING IS BOGUS. IBM HAS A PATCH FOR THIS. I FORGET THE LINK. PERHAPS SOMEONE ELSE CAN PROVIDE THE EXACT MIGR-XXXXXX LINK TO THE FIX FOR ROXIO. ONCE THE PATCH IS APPLIED, YOU REBURN THE CD AND THE BIOS UPDATE FROM CD TO 64 BIT VISTA SYSTEM BIOS WORKS FINE.

I don´s use Roxio. Neither MagicIso, nor PowerIso, nor Deamon Tools or any other virtual CD software sees anything in the v2.01 iso. But I guess it doesn´t really matter since the last BIOS version is 2.03.

[jasonth]

THERE IS A BUG IN ROXIO. THE CD YOU ARE BURNING IS BOGUS. IBM HAS A PATCH FOR THIS. I FORGET THE LINK. PERHAPS SOMEONE ELSE CAN PROVIDE THE EXACT MIGR-XXXXXX LINK TO THE FIX FOR ROXIO. ONCE THE PATCH IS APPLIED, YOU REBURN THE CD AND THE BIOS UPDATE FROM CD TO 64 BIT VISTA SYSTEM BIOS WORKS FINE.

Ding! Winner winner - chicken dinner.

I use Roxio's software that came with my Thinkpad, it's all I ever needed.

Thanks G!

And, here's the link:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-71773

[jasonth]

I don´s use Roxio. Neither MagicIso, nor PowerIso, nor Deamon Tools or any other virtual CD software sees anything in the v2.01 iso. But I guess it doesn´t really matter since the last BIOS version is 2.03.

Jesus... I made a mistake, alright. The link I posted was for 2.03 - get over it already.

[Marin85]

Jesus... I made a mistake, alright. The link I posted was for 2.03 - get over it already.

I guess I don´t get your point... It doesn´t matter that the version you linked to was older. I was simply wondering why there is this empty .iso file on Lenovo website... That´s all. I hope I have now cleared all misunderstandings

[jasonth]

I guess I don´t get your point... It doesn´t matter that the version you linked to was older. I was simply wondering why there is this empty .iso file on Lenovo website... That´s all. I hope I have now cleared all misunderstandings

I found it strange that when I mounted the ISO in a virtual machine - it was blank. It must not be formatted in a commonly read CD format. Either way, I would never have guessed that my burning software was the root cause after examining the actual iso file this way.

All good and the bios update actually fixed my original issue.