Thinkpads Forum

i am installing xp for a friend on there thinkpad 600e. i downloaded the bios update inet36ww and had to burn it to a cd becouse they dont have a floppy drive and my usb flopy drive wont boot on it. now my problem is i cant install the update becouse the battery is dead and i dont have one to replace it how can i get past this. i saw a site that said how http://www.thinkpads.com/batteryless.htm but i cant figure it out please help

I think you are going to have to make a new CD (sorry!)

On the CD you burned, there are three files:

FLASH2.EXE
and two files with $something.FL1 and $something.FL2

The procedure seems to require you have a floppy and create a bootable floppy. Then you copy the FLASH program and the two other files mentioned. The two files with the FL extensions have to be renamed:

$nnnn000.FL1 becomes BIOS.ROM
$nnnn000.FL2 becomes PLATFORM.BIN

You need to create the bootable CD with these three files (and no AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS).

Note: I have a 600X BIOS disk and it has:

FLASH2.EXE
$0045000.FL1
$0045000.FL2

Now, you might need to find this alternative program called "PHLASH" because the IBM disk doesn't create one with that name.

Please note I have never tried this either, and you are on your own.

It might be worth the investment to get a floppy for this thing from Ebay, or post a WTB message here. You should be able to get a floppy for under $25.00.

If no floppy and you need to take these files off of a floppy disc that's created, then go to another computer, create the floppy there and also burn the bootable CD there. Don't use CDRW as the 600E has trouble reading these. I wish you were near me...I have a few extra floppy drives that would fit the 600E as well as a fully charged battery I'd lend you.

ok i got a battery and updated the bios still no luck

Since you were able to update the BIOS, I suppose then that you can't load WinXP. Tell us what happens when you try to install it and maybe we can help.

You must boot from a Floppy, and a USB floppy will not work, it has to be a compatable IBM floppy. If you are in/near S.E. Michigan I can help you, else the only option is to find someone else who can loan you a floppy for a few minutes.

Note on bios updates, You will spend thirty minutes reading screens warning you of dire conquenices should you remove power or otherwise halt the update before it finishes. Finally you will get to the final do or die screen, you will press <enter> to give it the go-ahed and by the time you remove your finger from the key the bios will be flashed and updated and the program will have terminated.

I totaly fail to understand those 30 minutes of warning screens