T420 BIOS Headscratcher

[Scorpion8]

So I was looking at going to the modified BIOS for my T420, and I checked my installed version. I have version 1.30 of 6/16/11 (83ET60WW) and the modified BIOS routine tells you first to flash to the latest Lenovo BIOS, version 1.41 (8CUJ20US). The trouble is that I go to Lenovo's support section for my T420 and run the updates and there is no version 1.41 BIOS listed. The self-scanner always says that I have the latest.

What am I missing here?

ETA: McDonnell's website took me to a Lenovo BIOS page that contains a version 1.46 (8CUJ24US) but that is past what the READMe for the custom BIOS directs, and is for the T420s and T420i, but doesn't list T420. ??

[axur-delmeria]

Isn't the T420i just the same as a regular T420, save for having slower (Pentium or Core i3) processors?

[RealBlackStuff]

Modded T420 BIOS are all 1.46 versions from what I have seen.
Try and find: Lenovo_ThinkPad_T420_83ET76WW-83uj28us_NWL_LEN21_ADV_RAM_Speedo_AES_vBios-2119.rar

[Scorpion8]

Modded T420 BIOS are all 1.46 versions from what I have seen.

/
So I would have to flash the OEM v1.46 BIOS first before using this mod'ed BIOS?

[RealBlackStuff]

Yup.

[TonyJZX]

This is last comprehensive thread:

viewtopic.php?f=45&t=126592

Here's my machine:

BIOS Manufacturer: Phoenix Technologies
BIOS Date: 06/04/2018
BIOS Version: 83ET82WW (1.52)
UEFI BIOS: Capable

I seem to recall its an arcane way to get this this poiint... ie. did an update to the latest 1.52 and there was some further patch to add whitelist removed bios so you can use whatever wifi card.

I like this machine despite the fact that batteries are not super common now, especially NOS genuine. Also expect kbds and other stuff to get scarce.

But hey a decade old machine that has been innoculated to spectre etc. and with 8gb 120gb ssd and intel 6300 wifi. Learn to live with the crappy TN 1,600 x 900 business spec screen.