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Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

X230-X280, X390 Series
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hamish
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#301 Post by hamish » Thu Jun 08, 2017 9:03 pm

coqui wrote:
Sun May 21, 2017 11:48 am
You can add the T530 to the list of "verified keyboard swap works" machines.
Thanks, I've marked that.
coqui wrote:
Sun May 21, 2017 11:48 am
A couple of function keys don't do exactly what the table says they should:

Fn+F6 (Camera/Audio) gives me the message, ...

Fn+F8 (Mouse Switch) does nothing as far as I can tell.
Both these keys are handled by software on the operating system side, so they will depend on what you have installed. I verified that the raw keysyms generated by these keys were the same on a patched xx30 as they generated on an xx20 , but if the Lenovo software 'knows' what keys exist (and dont exist) on the current model, then it might not cope with them.

hamish
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#302 Post by hamish » Thu Jun 08, 2017 9:17 pm

derball2008 wrote:
Tue Jun 06, 2017 3:51 pm
Will I be able to update the BIOS (for security reasons) without losing the patch? More specifically, if the EC firmware version wasn't updated, will it still be updated during the update process of the BIOS/ UEFI?
If the EC version number does not change, then the standard bios flash tool should not overwrite it. However, if you find that it has, you can always reuse the thinkpad-ec patch to fix it again.

lightpeak
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#303 Post by lightpeak » Wed Jul 05, 2017 4:57 pm

Hey, I know this is a long shot but would anyone be up for sending me a PM with a link to the bootable image for the keyboard and battery mods? I don't have much experience with linux and have been trouble making sense of the instructions. Thank you!

Edit: OK, I just went ahead and did this with a Debian VM. It was overall easier than expected. All the options seem to run smoothly, but it's not resulting in a USB stick that's bootable, so obviously something is going wrong at some point.

After running sudo dd if=patched.x230.img of=/dev/sdb1, a quick look at the stick via gparted seems to indicate an unknown file system. Is this expected?

Should I be mounting the USB stick before running the above command? edit: running the command while mounted gives "failed to open '/media/usb': Is a directory". So I guess it's not supposed to be mounted.

Have tried with NTFS, FAT32, FAT16 and ext3, none successful.

result of the operation is
65536+0 records in
65536+0 records out
33554432 bytes (34MB, 32MiB) copied, 0.0702241 s, 478 MB/s

The X230 is definitely set to Legacy only boot, and I'm selecting the USB stick manually from the boot menu, so it's not that it's getting passed over in favour of the HDD.

Any help appreciated.

Edit: went slowly again from the beginning of the instructions, including a "make clean" command. I realised I had been pointing the dd command at a partition rather than the whole drive, which is probably what was causing it to fail. Once I set it to work on /sdb instead of /sdb1, it took its time, but eventually finished copying and turned into a bootable USB stick. I haven't swapped the keyboard or battery over yet but the function keys are remapped on the x230 keyboard, so I'm assuming it worked.

Well, that was a fun evening of linuxing. This is a nice thread, thank you all.

lightpeak
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#304 Post by lightpeak » Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:16 am

Just one more thing: I didn't tape the pins on the x220 keyboard, because I got the impression there was only a small risk of frying the keyboard. Mistake! My keyboard is cooked. Tape those pins folks, it's not hard to do. Once a new keyboard arrives I'll be up and running.

joergie
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#305 Post by joergie » Wed Jul 12, 2017 3:40 am

Hey there!
I am pretty new here. So I am trying to make battery mod on my T430s. I have a question before i actually do the modification, as the usb boot for bios flash is already made, just have to be applied.
The notebook have 2.66 bios version actually. The bios file hamish's program downloaded\ used is 2.65.
Will it be any convenience about that? The EC firmware version is the same for both bios versions(2.65 and 2.66).
If it works i will make a step by step guide for hungarian users who are not familiar with linux\debian, like me :)

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#306 Post by RealBlackStuff » Wed Jul 12, 2017 6:19 am

Found some How-to pictures in this Reddit thread

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#307 Post by TankPad » Wed Jul 12, 2017 7:02 am

joergie wrote:
Wed Jul 12, 2017 3:40 am
Hey there!
I am pretty new here. So I am trying to make battery mod on my T430s. I have a question before i actually do the modification, as the usb boot for bios flash is already made, just have to be applied.
The notebook have 2.66 bios version actually. The bios file hamish's program downloaded\ used is 2.65.
Will it be any convenience about that? The EC firmware version is the same for both bios versions(2.65 and 2.66).
If it works i will make a step by step guide for hungarian users who are not familiar with linux\debian, like me :)
One of the first steps mentioned by Hamish is to update your BIOS to the latest version, so I would do that just in case. In theory though, you should be ok.
| 701c | X220 | T420 | X230 | T430s | W540

oppenhizzy
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#308 Post by oppenhizzy » Sun Jul 23, 2017 1:27 pm

I've been trying but haven't been able to get the firmware mod to work on an X230T. The patching and everything goes smoothly, and I can boot the created USB drive. The flashing appears to work without errors (and the firmware updater shows the listed patches before it updates the firmware), then reboots like it should, but none of the keys actually change. Any ideas why its not working? I have the latest BIOS installed.

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#309 Post by Tasurinchi » Sun Jul 23, 2017 1:53 pm

Do you have the (full loaded) battery connected?
IBM Convertible 5140/L40SX/220/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x

oppenhizzy
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#310 Post by oppenhizzy » Sun Jul 23, 2017 2:52 pm

Battery was probably around 90% full and it looked like is was updating the firmware. The the progress bar showed and it said it was copying new firmware.

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#311 Post by oppenhizzy » Sun Jul 23, 2017 9:05 pm

It finally worked. When I rebooted it said flashing BIOS and all is well now.

zogthegreat
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#312 Post by zogthegreat » Wed Sep 06, 2017 1:37 pm

Hi everyone!

I know that I saw this question somewhere, but I can't find it now.

Is it possible to do the reverse and put the keyboard from a X230t on a X220t? My girlfriend convinced me to give her a X220 tablet built from spare parts that I had laying around, (OK, I admit from that statement that it sounds like I might have a "Thinkpad problem" :lol: ). Unfortunately, she's using it for an mp3 player so I want to swap, (steal), keyboards.

## EDIT ##

I just did the EC mod for battries on both of my X230 tablets, (i5 and i3 models), and after market batteries are working perfectly.

Thanks to hamish, matt and nitrocaster for the excellent work!
Thinkpad X230 Tablet - i5, Thinkpad X230 Tablet - i3, Thinkpad X220 Tablet - i5, Dell E5410 - i7, Thinkpad X201 - i5, Thinkpad T60p - T7600, Thinkpad X61 Tablet - L7700, Thinkpad X61 laptop - T8300, Thinkpad X61 motherboard - T7500, configured as firewall/router/vpn

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#313 Post by chx1975 » Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:32 am

One thing that have left me speechless in 2015 July and any sane company would do some serious soul searching over it: the word cloud in http://blog.lenovo.com/en/blog/retro-th ... y-keyboard has "please" as one of the most frequent words. Only thinkpad and "keyboard" are larger. Notably "screen" follows.

Seriously, your would be customers are begging for a machine with a seven row keyboard and a better screen. Begging.

The disappointment is understandable. And yes, I still will buy, I will recommend it to buy but gosh, the disappointment is understandable.

They could have asked: look, we estimate the machine to be roughly X. If we use a 16:10 panel, the price is roughly Y. What say you? This is not hard. We are here. We answered then. We would've answered this one as well. Hell, they could've turned to crowdsourcing to gouge the interest! Talos ran a campaign with a 3.7M USD goal selling $7100 workstations. High prices and high goals are definitely not unheard of.

RealBlackStuff
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#314 Post by RealBlackStuff » Mon Sep 18, 2017 11:37 am

How did you miss the Retro laptop? viewtopic.php?f=77&t=118165
Loooooooong read (52 pages) but the end/reveal is near: early October 2017
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
.

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#315 Post by Kielbasa » Thu Oct 19, 2017 1:41 pm

seasonshu wrote:
Tue Feb 28, 2017 1:21 pm
Greddy7 wrote:the thinklight also working with the classic keyboard (FN + Page-UP) ?
Yes, it does!

EDIT: I have an X230.
WAIT!!!

If I swap a ThinkLignt to the x230, it will just work (after the firmware flash), with no extra wiring, programming, or magic incantations?!?!?!

Somebody pinch me, I must be dreaming ...

OK, seriously, someone needs to post some pics, or it didn't happen!

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#316 Post by RealBlackStuff » Thu Oct 19, 2017 1:55 pm

The X230 has both a ThinkLight plus the option of backlit or non-backlit keyboard.
It's the only machine that has both.

Kielbasa
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#317 Post by Kielbasa » Thu Oct 19, 2017 6:42 pm

RealBlackStuff wrote:
Thu Oct 19, 2017 1:55 pm
The X230 has both a ThinkLight plus the option of backlit or non-backlit keyboard.
It's the only machine that has both.
Appreciate the info.

I'm ebay bound! ; )

lightproof
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#318 Post by lightproof » Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:55 pm

RealBlackStuff wrote:
Thu Oct 19, 2017 1:55 pm
The X230 has both a ThinkLight plus the option of backlit or non-backlit keyboard.
It's the only machine that has both.
Did I miss anything? Last time I checked both T430 and T430s had ThinkLight as well as backlit keyboard.
ThinkPad T430s — i7, HD 4000, 16GB RAM, 128GB mSata SSD + 320GB HDD, FullHD IPS mod (b140HAN01.2), classic keyboard mod (not yet EC flashed).

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#319 Post by RealBlackStuff » Mon Oct 30, 2017 6:52 am

Nope, but I have just never seen a T430/s (or T530 or W530 which might also still have it).
So please excuse my lack of knowledge here.

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#320 Post by Thinkpad4by3 » Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:14 am

My T430s came with a backlit KB.
Thinkpad4by3's Law of the Universe.

The efficiency of two screens equally sized with equal numbers if pixels are equal. The time spent by a 4:3 user complaining about 16:9 is proportional to the inefficiency working with a 16:9 display, therefore the amount of useful work extracted is equal.

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#321 Post by lightproof » Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:20 am

RealBlackStuff wrote:
Mon Oct 30, 2017 6:52 am
Nope, but I have just never seen a T430/s (or T530 or W530 which might also still have it).
So please excuse my lack of knowledge here.
No problem. Apparently, all **30 series ThinkPads have ThinkLight, with the exception of T431s, x230s, L430, L530 and E330.
ThinkPad T430s — i7, HD 4000, 16GB RAM, 128GB mSata SSD + 320GB HDD, FullHD IPS mod (b140HAN01.2), classic keyboard mod (not yet EC flashed).

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#322 Post by lightproof » Wed Nov 01, 2017 10:39 am

Hello everyone!

There is now a guide on Instructables on how to fit the classic keyboard into a xx30 series laptops:
https://www.instructables.com/id/ThinkP ... board-Mod/

Please, let me know if there are any errors, or omissions (I'm the author of the guide). Thanks!
ThinkPad T430s — i7, HD 4000, 16GB RAM, 128GB mSata SSD + 320GB HDD, FullHD IPS mod (b140HAN01.2), classic keyboard mod (not yet EC flashed).

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#323 Post by fflip » Thu Nov 23, 2017 6:28 pm

I'm trying to install an X220 keyboard from eBay onto an X230 machine and it's not quite working out.

The keyboard is a United Kingdom layout, FRU no. 45N2170. I taped the pins, and aside from the expected wrong mappings that are listed at thinkwiki (I haven't touched the EC yet), I also have the V key acting like a 'V' press and release immediately followed by a 'B' press and release, and the B key doing the same; the N and M keys are similarly tied together, and so are the comma and dot; the trackpoint doesn't work nor does its buttons; and the power button acts like a press and release of six different keys, but unfortunately not like a power button (I had to turn the machine on with the original keyboard then swap them over to test this one. Also I checked with the Linux 'showkey' program which is how I'm being so precise about the power button).

Is it likely that this keyboard is busted (either to start with or due to my meddling), maybe? I don't have an X220 machine to test it on unfortunately. Seems my only option now is to try it without the tape. I hope this won't harm the base machine; I see in post 55 a statement that it would blow an internal fuse, and a reply reassuring that it wouldn't. There are no burn marks on the keyboard currently. The original X230 keyboard still works fine when I put it back.

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#324 Post by fflip » Fri Nov 24, 2017 1:05 pm

Also, when I've got my not-quite-right X220 keyboard attached, the trackpad on the base unit stops working. Can anyone confirm that in a successful transplant of X220 keyboard to X230 laptop, the trackpad continues working concurrently with the trackpoint? I'm not sure I've seen this confirmed in my reading around, and am wondering before buying another keyboard.

To be precise - with my X230 keyboard attached, I can't actually influence the pointer with both trackpoint and trackpad at the same time (trackpoint seems to take priority in this case) - but I can alternate between them by just starting to use the other control, and the machine responds to it after maybe half a second, without having to have pressed any particular mode switching keys. And I'm hoping that with a working X220 keyboard, it can still be the same as that.

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#325 Post by seasonshu » Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:23 pm

Hi, try unscrewing your taped connectors (NOT the tape itself) and re-assembling? One of my modifications resulted in rows of keys not working (e.g. XDR5 and the like), so in your case it seems the pins got shifted left or right so sending the wrong signal -- though I am not sure that is possible as the place to the cable in is pretty snug. Nevertheless, this is something that is likely to have happened. And yes, the trackpad and trackpoint keep working just fine.

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#326 Post by dr_st » Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:50 pm

Given these recurring stories, maybe we should revisit the pros and cons of taping the keyboard pins?
Thinkpad 25 (20K7), T490 (20N3), Yoga 14 (20FY), T430s (IPS FHD + Classic Keyboard), X220 4291-4BG
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#327 Post by jupiter44 » Mon Nov 27, 2017 11:42 am

I have updated my T430 BIOS to v2.74 which using g1uj41us.iso to flash.
I've read somewhere that this BIOS cannot be downgraded.

I tried to flash EC from this https://github.com/hamishcoleman/thinkpad-ec
but it failed to flash the BIOS since this github using g1uj38us.iso to flash.

Is there anything that I can do?

fflip
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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#328 Post by fflip » Sat Dec 02, 2017 11:34 am

Thanks for the ideas - I just unscrewed and rescrewed it, everything's snug with the metal tray border filling the cable notches, pins all visibly neat and perfectly in line, but no dice. In fact I had already tried that a few times, and this time I also replaced the slightly fat electrical tape with very thin clear tape, and did the screws up as tight as I could, even giving it a bit of help with some pliers as someone mentioned earlier in thread.

It's probably new keyboard time, at least after I'm done thoroughly destroying this one in an effort to learn something. The characteristics of the wrong behaviour have stayed exactly the same throughout all of my efforts; bending and flexing here and there doesn't uncover an intermittent side to the fault. Not sure if it's broken or a model with an unexpected wiring.

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#329 Post by prime07 » Wed Dec 20, 2017 7:16 pm

I just installed the classic keyboard and flashed the ec patch, all keys seem to work, except the mouse buttons. Are there any news about this issue?
I taped the pins on the internal keyboard connector correctly. The keyboard is FRU 45N2071 (american english).

//edit: It worked for me to put a layer of paper between the connector and the metal clip in order to put more pressure on the connector.

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Re: Installing classic keyboard into X230 with EC firmware mod

#330 Post by souporglue » Mon Jan 29, 2018 9:53 am

Just flashed the firmware on my W530, both the keyboard and battery. Both worked successfully, but I'm writing this only an hour after I did it. If I find any other bugs, I will post them here.

I originally tried to write the .img file to a usb stick. I tried to change settings in my BIOS but I could not get it to boot. All the data was there, but there was nothing to boot it. I tried different partitioning ideas I had, but nothing worked. I wound up creating an .iso file and writing it to a CD, then booting from the CD. That worked perfectly. I'm sure there was a solution for the USB option but I didn't want to spend time troubleshooting.

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