Thinkpads Forum

Hi All,

I have looked through the forum but cannot come up with an answer to my question and wondered if someone can help me please?

Can I install the BIOS update for my 600E using a CD that I made from the IBM site?

I have tried making the multiple floppies but cannot seem to do it (computer thick I'm afraid, but learning all the time thanks to you guys) so the CD seems the way out. In my ignorance I thought that I could boot into BIOS, select the option to boot from CD, and then switch off and on again and the CD will kick in.

If you know better then please let me know. There is no rush as I need to buy a new battery from somewhere, ebay I suppose, as it won't update without a battery in it (got that bit from the forum thanks).

Regards,

Derek.

The 600E BIOS update should only require the use of one bootable floppy. You apparently need to select the proper BIOS update package depending upon your system's TYPE number:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... SHY-46HLKQ
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... SHY-43DNQ5

Instructions for creating the boot floppy are also on those pages. What basically happens is that you download the spxxxx.exe file to your computer, then you execute (launch; start; run) that file and it will walk you through the steps to create the floppy. Full details are here:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... SHY-3TEPF6

Assuming that you could even properly transfer the contents of the floppy disk into a bootable CDROM version, I don't know if the BIOS upgrade program will allow running from what is essentially a write-protected disk (the CD).

If I may ask, why the decision to update the BIOS on your system? Is there something not working right? Also, what is the current version number? You can get this from the Easy-Setup (aka BIOS) screen by holding the F1 key while powering the system up.

Hi Ray,

Thanks for the reply to my question.

The reason I want to know about the update is that I asked a question on the STICKY forum about the maximum memory allowable in the 600E and recieved a reply telling me that I would need the latest BIOS before I updated. I know I need a battery for this so there is no rush on anything at the moment but thought it would be nice to know in advance.

When you say it only needs one floppy on the download page it states the size of the download, the second one on your post, my model being 2645-58G, so the update is Version 1.15 (IHET47WW), and says the file size is 627,657 and I assumed that it was Mb.
As the floppy is only 1.44 Mb I thought it wouldn't fit. I have tried to download on to a floppy and I am informed it is not big enough to accept the download. So when you say I can get it on one floppy I am a bit bemused.

Everything seems to be working OK and it is making me wonder if I need to increase the memory. The version in it at present is IHET42WW dated 09/11/99 and everything seems to working OK so I am wondering if it worth increasing the memory.

I hope you can understand my ramblings and thanks again for the reply.

Regards,

Derek.

You have the older version of the 600e and there was never a bios update for memory. The bios size is in bytes and you can't save it directly to a floppy and have it work. The file is an executable that writes an image to a floppy. With Win2K and an older 600e I'd leave the memory as is since you have enough and the older 600e doesn't really support more memory natively.

Thanks Bill,

I will do what you say and do nothing. I will leave it the way it is.

Regards,

Derek.