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What files are required to upgrade bios of T20?
Posted: Mon May 09, 2005 2:36 am
by jayeola
Thinkpad T20, [264744G, bios version version: IYET43WW (1.07 ) (12/21/1999)]. Went to ibm.com to look for an upgrade for the bios. [
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... idate=true]
The file "spsdiy61.exe" was offered. What else do I need to upgrade the bios? Something like command.com?
Also I'm using a floppy connected to the laptop via a usb cable. Do I `fdformat /dev/fdo1440H` as normal. Are the any special considerations to take when using a floppy via usb?
Posted: Mon May 09, 2005 6:04 am
by egibbs
Hmmm... I've never tried to make a BIOS update under Linux. Under WinDohs you just extract the files to the floppy and boot from it, but I'm not sure if WinDohs makes the floppy bootable or if all the boot stuff is included in the BIOS updater.
I think you have another problem though - I don't believe a T20 can boot from USB. I think the T23 was the first T series to support USB booting. The way to find out for sure is to go into the BIOS and look in the boot order list - see if USB is listed there.
My T20 came with both Ultrabay floppy and CD-ROM, both of which are bootable. Do you have either of those?
Ed Gibbs
Posted: Mon May 09, 2005 6:18 am
by jayeola
The machine -can- boot from cd. Checked in the bios and the listing is set to this ordercd; removable media, hard disk. By removable media, I wonder if they include floppies connected via USB. I have flashed a bios before by making a doze boot disk but that was a doze box. I'd like to keep the hdd -intact- without any doze stuff....
can a bootable cd work? What files do I need?
Posted: Mon May 09, 2005 11:08 am
by egibbs
I think by "Removable Media" it means in the Ultrabay. An Ultrabay CD reader should work fine, but I don't believe a USB one will.
You should probably try extracting the update somewhere and seeing what files are in it. If it has command.com and autoexec.bat I would think it is self contained and you wouldn't need anything else. Of course even if they aren't there it might still have the system files it needs.
You could hit bootdisk.com to try to find whatever boot files you need. I hope someone else jumps in here because I'm a Linux noob and making a MS-DOS bootable floppy from Linux is not something I have tried.
Ed Gibbs