Hardware flashing bricked T420s

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Lockheed · #1 Post by **Lockheed** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 7:50 am

I have BIOS with unlocked advanced features in it. I changed some settings and rebooted, but the computer won't boot anymore.

All it does, is issue three short beeps, two longer ones, then again three short beeps. In fact, it might as well be 3-1-1-3 pattern, which google says in Phoenix Bioses indicates I/O error (whatever it means).

I figured the way to fix that was to reset BIOS, so I unplugged the CMOS battery for 20 minutes - with no result. I then unplugged it for over two hours - still no result. The computer still does not boot, just issues this sound signal.

I also tried holding Power Buttong for about 2 minutes whith everything disconnected (battery, AC, ram), then reconnecting it. No change.

Here's exacly what's happening after I reconnect the power to the laptop:
1. It starts by itself after few seconds.
2. It immediatelly shuts down for ~5 seconds.
3, It starts again. Proceeds to beeping.

What can I do now?

nitrocaster · #2 Post by **nitrocaster** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 12:38 pm

Which settings did you change?

Lockheed · #3 Post by **Lockheed** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 2:54 pm

I messed up cause I did not write it down. But if I saw the settings pages, I would be probably able to recall it visually.

Anyway, there was three. The one I remember 100% was enabling C7s in CPU states.

Trexie · #4 Post by **Trexie** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 8:38 pm

I have the same issues, someone recommended to change the motherboard and that it should work, i have tried everything and that looks like the only possible answer.

#5 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 4:33 am

Beeping 3-1-1-3 means: Detect and install external RS232 ports.
Unlikely on a T420s, but you never know how the BIOS was "unlocked".
Have you tried booting from a regular BIOS-update CD?

Remove all HD/CD/RAM/wifi/CMOS/battery/AC.
Hold the Power-button down for ~20 seconds to discharge any capacitors.
Connect only AC and try to boot.
Does it now beep 1-3-3-1 (for no RAM)?
If so, there is still life in the old girl.
Reconnect CMOS and reboot.
Still 1-3-3-1?
Insert 1 RAM, reboot and set Date/Time if you can.
If so, you are back in BIOS...
Reconnect the rest one by one and reboot after every addition.

Lockheed · #6 Post by **Lockheed** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 11:47 am

RealBlackStuff wrote:Beeping 3-1-1-3 means: Detect and install external RS232 ports.
Unlikely on a T420s, but you never know how the BIOS was "unlocked".
Have you tried booting from a regular BIOS-update CD?

This was a BIOS from that Russian hacker who sells it. I did not try to boot from a BIOS CD, but I don't think it would even be possible as the computer doesn't boot at all. It's just issuing beeps.

RealBlackStuff wrote:Remove all HD/CD/RAM/wifi/CMOS/battery/AC.
Hold the Power-button down for ~20 seconds to discharge any capacitors.
Connect only AC and try to boot.
Does it now beep 1-3-3-1 (for no RAM)?

No. When the RAM is removed, it beens in another fashion (I'm guessing it signals no RAM).
When I reinsert RAM, it goes back to beeping 3-1-1-3.

RealBlackStuff wrote:Reconnect CMOS and reboot.
Still 1-3-3-1?

Yup. I kept the CMOS battery unplugged for several hours. Then, I put the motherboard in the freezer overnight. No change.

RealBlackStuff wrote:Reconnect the rest one by one and reboot after every addition.

Basically, when EVERYTHING is unplugged (Except AC), the computer beeps differently (no RAM signal, I guess). When I plug in RAM, it goes back to 3-1-1-3.

I gave it back to a service shop. They desoldered the BIOS, hardware flashed it with several BIOSes (including an unmodified 1.39) with a programmer, after converting them from FL format to binary (I hope they knew what they were doing). It did not make any difference!

They have no more ideas for the moment. Neither have I.

Here https://support.lenovo.com/pl/pl/produc ... 9!!3298165 it says

A 3-1-1-3 beep code heard at startup after Thunderbolt Reserved Memory is changed from 1GB to 2GB in BIOS Setup indicates a PCI memory resource shortage. After the beep notification, the BIOS adjusts the PCI memory resource allocated to Thunderbolt, then restarts the system automatically.

Also, from T430 User Manual (not t420s manual) says:

Problem: Three short beeps, pause, one short beep, pause, one more short beep, and three short beeps

Solution: PCI resource allocation failure. Power off and remove device from ExpressCard Slot. If the beeps persist, have the computer serviced.

Web references to generic Phoenix BIOS mention 3-1-1-3 as I/O error.

I will appreciate any help. This is the laptop I am doing all my work on.

#7 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 2:18 pm

1-3-3-1 should not be confused with your 3-1-1-3.

So I ask again, with everything removed, and only AC connected, does it beep 1-3-3-1, meaning there's NO RAM?
If not, WHAT does it beep?

Lockheed · #8 Post by **Lockheed** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 2:18 am

The laptop is at the service shop, so I had to wait till they open today.

So, when I was testing it without RAM before, it was beeping differently, but I did not take a note how exactly.

Now, when they tried it, it did not beep at all, and also it did not beep when started with RAM. This may be cause by them hardware-flashing various BIOSes.

Lockheed · #9 Post by **Lockheed** » Mon Jul 18, 2016 11:36 am

I have my laptop back. They were unable to hardware-flash it with BIOS files one can find on Lenovo’s website or anywhere else in the internet. So they bought (with my money) a binary BIOS from some Chinese website for 20 USD, flashed it with hardware flasher and the computer booted up fine.

It costed fraction more than a new (used) T420s motherboard, but they did that without consulting me and then charged me for both service and BIOS file.

So here it is for others to benefit:

ThinkPad T420s BIOS v1.28
Binary format for flashing with hardware programmer:
https://mega.nz/#!7xggxRTa!HxdST-d-tfTf ... f2T29gh6pk

nitrocaster · #10 Post by **nitrocaster** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:06 am

Probably you've been scammed. Binary BIOS image can be obtained from the BIOS update package which is published on Lenovo website (there are tools for that).

Lockheed · #11 Post by **Lockheed** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:10 am

nitrocaster wrote:Probably you've been scammed. Binary BIOS image can be obtained from the BIOS update package which is published on Lenovo website (there are tools for that).

That's what they tried doing - they said their hardware programmer cuts the Lenovo file automatically to binary size, but for some reason flashing binary obtained in this method did not work.

TonyJZX · #12 Post by **TonyJZX** » Thu Jul 28, 2016 9:37 pm

nitrocaster wrote:Probably you've been scammed. Binary BIOS image can be obtained from the BIOS update package which is published on Lenovo website (there are tools for that).

You know what? I would love to be 'scammed' of $20 and have my issue fixed that could well have cost me over $200...

nitrocaster · #13 Post by **nitrocaster** » Fri Jul 29, 2016 5:34 pm

TonyJZX wrote: You know what? I would love to be 'scammed' of $20 and have my issue fixed that could well have cost me over $200...

Can't disagree here, 'scammed' isn't quite suitable word here. But you got the idea.

Hardware flashing bricked T420s

Hardware flashing bricked T420s

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