Changing T60 / T61 BIOS splash screen with IBM logo?

[Theokretes]

There seems to have been a lot of threads on this, but it's all sort of scatter brain and nothing cohesive yet.

I DO know it's possible to change the T60 BIOS splash screen image (perhaps the T61 as well). Does anyone have the exact procedure for modding the BIOS to accept the "IBM ThinkPad" bitmap, along with removal of the 'product of lenovo' text on the side?

Thanks!

[RealBlackStuff]

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/How_to_ch ... ash_screen

[Theokretes]

The problem is, whenever I place my 16-colour bitmap image and run LOGO.BAT, it does nothing and refuses to create the .MOD file.

EDIT: I got it working *sigh* I'll do another post explaining the process if I get it down right.

[Theokretes]

Advanced apologies for the double post.

Quick steps on flashing any IBM thinkpad with the 'IBM' BIOS splash screen:
#1 download a copy of the thinkpad logo (such as https://www.flickr.com/photos/14501843@N03/4783130638/)
#2 download a tool to reduce the finalized image to *16* colours (such as segger emWin -- go to image > reduce colors > 16 colors)
#3 paste a copy of the finalized 16 colour bitmap to the BIOS flash directory called LOGO (ensure extension is .BMP)
#4 run LOGO.BAT
#5 flash the BIOS

Done. No need for a waterfall of confusing information.

I still haven't figured out how to remove the 'product of lenovo' and 'intel' decals. Seems like no one else on the thinkpad forums has either. I may take a look into that some time later.

[FryPpy]

I still haven't figured out how to remove the 'product of lenovo' and 'intel' decals. Seems like no one else on the thinkpad forums has either. I may take a look into that some time later.

Some hints about logo:

Some time in the past i wanted to build pure Thinkpad (T60 or frankenpad) without any signs of lenovo. There was some early T60s with IBM (not Lenovo) sticker on bottom plastics. Also they have LCD icons sticker without lenovo word. "Thinkpad" stickers on palmrest and LCD cover can be easily changed with IBM ones. But BIOS screen:(

I have flashed logo like you. Moreover i have done image with gray background (thought that it makes lenovo decal invisible) but no luck. Lenovo (and bottom strings - like "Press blue thinkvantage button") decals is a rectangle with black background and gray letters. So do not use BIOS LOGOs with non black background - it makes them even worse.

After that i have unpacked BIOS image (some different tools can be found in the net). And have found all this resources (decals). They have strange packed format (not normal BMP). And they can be changed with empty black rectangles and repacked in new BIOS image. But i didn't do this because the size of new decals have changed and i don't shure if new (packed) BIOS is not corrupted after this modification.

Maybe some help can be obtained from Thinkpad BIOS GURUs like Middleton or Zender.

[Theokretes]

Some hints about logo:

<snipped quoting>

That's very interesting, thank you.

My primary T60p is the early one without any Lenovo badging (I bought it years ago when these things were still 'current'). Another difference is that the port legends are molded into the plastic, opposed to *white printing* on later T60 chassis. I think this is better as the legends won't wear off, despite being harder to see.

[RealBlackStuff]

Try this info for creating a changed logo:
(in the BIOS-files this is stored as: LOGO.SCR)

Code: Select all

# Select compression algorithm.  Choices are NONE, LZSS, and LZARI
# (Catenate reports a fatal error if the decompression code selected in
# MAKE.MAK doesn't match this value.)
#
COMPRESS  LZINT			# Use LZINT when compressing modules

#
# Load IBM preboot notification text
#
LOGO LOGO.BMP -F:10             # Logo file

[FryPpy]

That's very interesting, thank you.

My primary T60p is the early one without any Lenovo badging (I bought it years ago when these things were still 'current'). Another difference is that the port legends are molded into the plastic, opposed to *white printing* on later T60 chassis. I think this is better as the legends won't wear off, despite being harder to see.

My 1st thinkpad was bought in 2007 and it was with from later series... And it have port legends molded into the plastic. Moreover 14" 4:3 T61 from beginning of 2008 have port legends molded into the plastic.

Another thing that can distinguish T60s - early ones have silver screen open lever and later ones have black lever...

[dr_st]

I think there may have been general trends, but nothing 100% consistent in regards to port markings, and even IBM/Lenovo logos.

While it's true that later machines generally had Lenovo stickers, some corporate orders still carried IBM stickers all the way to T61.

Both my T60s are from 2007. 15" has black lever and IBM stickers, 14" has gray lever and Thinkpad stickers. Both have "lenovo" on the clear plate, and engraved port markings (not painted).

My older T60 2623-D3U had gray lever, IBM stickers, and no "lenovo" on the clear plate. Don't remember about the port markings.