X220i not booting - only flashing lights

[ulix]

Hi,

I have here a X220i Thinkpad and after setting it up, it worked perfect it's dead now.
The only thing it does, when the start button is pressed, all the leds (bluetooth, battery and so on) power on, after that they shut all down.
The thinkpad is not able to do more...

I tried to fix it with the following things:
- replacing the RAM and testing another slot
- replacing the BIOS Battery
- disconnectiong the hdd

nothing worked....
What could I do next?

Thanks a lot

! I want to add, there are no beep sounds at all, only the fan powering up and then shuting down as well....

[brchan]

Disconnect HDD, palmrest touchpad, wifi, battery, bluetooth adapter, and any other non-essential devices (could even disconnect lcd cable and use an external monitor) and leave only the minimum amount of memory necessary to boot (ie. 1 stick instead of 2). Leave the keyboard in, plug the charger and press the power button. Does anything change?

[ulix]

Disconnected: -HDD -WLAN modul -Bluetooth -LCD -Battery
No change: need no LCD at all....

Could it be that it is a failed eeprom? It's a X220i from 11-11-11, was only used and put back in the package. So it could be a eeprom fail?
Is there any change I can change the chip and reprogramm a new one?
cheers

[Puppy]

Could it be that it is a failed eeprom? It's a X220i from 11-11-11, was only used and put back in the package. So it could be a eeprom fail?

Unfortunately yes.

[ulix]

Any chance to get more infos on the eeprom?

Where does it sit, what type is it?
Could I solder in a new one and programm the new one with a rom programmer?

(I have three here, so it is possible that the other two will fail...)

[ulix]

Does no one have any infos on that?
thanks

[RealBlackStuff]

Someone swapped the Eeprom from a bad X220 (same problem as yours) onto a good X220T, and the X220T worked with that.
However, the good Eeprom from the good X220T did NOT bring the bad X220 back to life.
Which means that it is most likely NOT the Eeprom, but rather a poorly soldered CPU or chipset!

[ulix]

Ok,
I could do the same. Which EEPROM was it?

[RealBlackStuff]

It's marked L08, follow the arrow: http://wallyoz.smugmug.com/photos/i-bhL ... MZ4-XL.jpg

[ulix]

@RealBlackStuff: Ok, funny thing is the thinkpad has 2 EEPROMs.
The eeprom in your picture is I think where the security data is saved.
But there is a second chip:
https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread- ... ware-Flash

I'm thinking the second one failed, don't ask why.... now what?is there any chance i can get the bin file for the second chip?

[RealBlackStuff]

That BIOS-mod thread is about an X230.
I don't have any X220/X230 handy for comparison right now.
You say you have 3 X220 machines, do a readout of one of those chips for your experiment.

[ulix]

Do I have to desolder them? How could I read them out?

[RealBlackStuff]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/262347213691
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141377097279
And now do your own homework.

[ulix]

Well,
I did my homework and guesswork! I changed the SPI Chip and programmed it with the content of another X220i, which has installed an older Bios version.
Now, the laptop is booting... BUT

It has the MAC Adress of the copied Machine and it says when booting "ME is in Recovery State".
How can I fix this two things?

Thank you... Hope we can solve this problem!

[RealBlackStuff]

http://www.howtogeek.com/192173/how-and ... x-and-mac/

Verify that the Intel Active Management Technology was configured.
Update/Reflash the BIOS and when done, go into BIOS and click F9 for default values/save with F10.

FYI: all this info is readily available on the web...

[jaspen-meyer]

Coreboot supports the x220.

[ulix]

I don't really get it

I can't get into the intel Managment Engine (I tested it on another X220i). How can I get into it or reset the Intel Managment Engine?
Or should I at first reset the bios?
Thank you

[ulix]

Hi,
flashing a new bios didn't help, default values included.
When I activated diagnostic Mode, I get the error:
MEBx Error State: 0303

Setting Supervisior Password didn't help either.

[ulix]

I made the update with the ME Programm on Win, no change. Now I don't know any further.
Can anyone help me?
thanks

[RealBlackStuff]

Try this: https://raywoodcockslatest.wordpress.co ... ebx-error/

[ulix]

Hi RealBlackStuff,
this didn't help me. I found it but this doesn't fix it. At first, the Bios Mac Adress is wrong and the ME Recovery mode.
Do you have another idea?
thank you

[axur-delmeria]

Has anyone tried replacing the failing EEPROM chip itself? Is it a custom part that's not easily obtainable?

[ulix]

Hi,
I did replace the chip itself! but now have problems with the image...

[nitrocaster]

Hi,
I did replace the chip itself! but now have problems with the image...

What exact problems?

[ulix]

Because of the defect chip the image on it got manipulated. So I'm missing the right image for the chip.
I used another image from another laptop, but now get the Inter ME Recovery Mode.

[RealBlackStuff]

Please be more specific.
And links to some pictures wouldn't go amiss either.

Did you completely follow the https://raywoodcockslatest.wordpress.co ... ebx-error/ instructions?

A good place for more info on the X220 can also be found here: http://x220.mcdonnelltech.com/resources/

[ulix]

Sorry,
I thought I had before posted some summary!

Introduction: I have three X220i form 2011 (11-11-2011). This Model had/ has problems with the bios chip, which lenovo changed for the customers.

Problem: One of the three (the second one is broken now as well) X220i didn't work after a bios update. I don't know it the Bios update was done clean, because I didn't do it. (Installed over Windows, Thinkpad Updatemanager). We think that the Laptop worked after it perfect. (The Second one did, so did the first one would probably)
What is the error? The Thinkpad didn't boot any more, only the leds were flashing and the van was spinning. Then after a short while the thinkpad powered down. No beep.


Chipreplacement: I changed the SPI1 MXIC 25l6406E. Before desoldering I read it and after 4-5 read operations with a programmer, I always got different results on the read bin file.
Then I wanted to erase the chip, without luck, there were some parts where it was not possible to delete the content.
So for me it was clear that the chip is faulty. I desoldered it and programmed the chip with the content of another x220i (will name it now x220i_u) which I have. The Bios of the x220i_u had an old bios version (bios was updated on the machine where the chip was replaced).


After the chip replacement the thinkpad boots up, but now shows the message: „ME Recovery State“. Now there is the "ME Recovery Modus" error and the problem that the thinkpad with replaced chip has the ip-adress of the x220i_u thinkpad!
I wanted to get with Strg-P into the Intel ME Bios but I'm not able to get in there... I tested the default settings in the bios no luck! Made a bios update, no luck! after bios-update default values no success as well. Tested it with setting a supervisor password... no luck as well...
http://fs5.directupload.net/images/170102/2ohtlnwf.jpg

Does this help and do you need any more info?
thank you
I made as well the ME Update no luck...

[RealBlackStuff]

Instead of Strg/P (Ctrl/P) try Strg/S (Ctrl/S)

[axur-delmeria]

I don't know if this could be of help, but http://hackaday.com/2016/11/28/neutrali ... nt-engine/