T510 - Bios Rescue Fail

[t510user]

One of my programming courses uses software which requires hardware acceleration. In order for me to enable hardware acceleration on my Laptop (Thinkpad T510), I had to update the Intel AMT file which prompted me to update the bios to the latest version.

After the installation, my laptop restarted. I believe, this is a failed bios update, because my laptop cannot get past the "Initializing Intel(R) Boot Agent Ge v1.3.51 PXE 2.1 Build 089 (WfM 2.0)" I am unable to select what device to boot from and inserting a bootable bios cd does not work. Disabling Intel AMT on the Bios Configuration does not change anything, Disabling the external network rom on the bios, does get rid of the message, but I am still unable to get any further. I've reset the CMOS battery and the settings/clock were reset to default. However, I am still unable to get past get past the "Initializing Intel(R) Boot Agent..."

I’ve attempted to create a Phoenix Crisis Rescue USB. I’ve followed these instructions I found here (http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=100330 & http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=107098) to retrieve the FL1 file from the T510 bios utility .exe file. I've used the crisis package to convert the FL1 file into the bios.wph file. After formatting the 2GB usb as FAT, I used the WinCrisis software in XP compatibility mode to flash the usb. The software said the recovery disk was successfully created, but only 64kb was written on to the usb. So I copied BIOS.WPH, MINIDOS.SYS, PHLASH16.EXE on to usb.

When I plug this usb into my computer, i unplugged the power, battery, then pressed and held fn + b, replugged the battery, then power adapter, then pressed the on button. Unfortunately it does not boot into recovery mode. I tried FN + R, FN + ESC, WIN + B and WIN + R. Nothing seems to work, so I am wondering where the flaw is?

Any help is appreciated, thank you very much.

Thanks

[Cigarguy]

When a BIOS flash goes wonky a brick is a real possibility. It'll all depends on what went wrong with the new BIOS flash which I doubt no one really knows. If you are lucky and it allows you to reflash a known good BIOS then you should be able to recover otherwise I think you are hooped.

[Saucey]

I bricked an SSD while doing a bios update from under windows. It updated the bios but wiped out the harddrive to where its not even recognized.

Do you have the new BIOS version now? Because seeing that "initializing Intel Boot Agent" thing sounds familiar to my problem, its like if there's no harddrive insterted at all.

[t510user]

I bricked an SSD while doing a bios update from under windows. It updated the bios but wiped out the harddrive to where its not even recognized.

Do you have the new BIOS version now? Because seeing that "initializing Intel Boot Agent" thing sounds familiar to my problem, its like if there's no harddrive insterted at all.

Hi Saucey, thank you so much for your concern.

No my bios version still did not change, and there is still a harddrive in my laptop.

during my diagnosis, i did remove the harddrive and ram to pinpoint the problem... but i did not get any new insights.