BIOS update - ok to jump 11 updates in one update?

T430/T440 and T530/540 series specific matters only
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serpico
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BIOS update - ok to jump 11 updates in one update?

#1 Post by serpico » Tue Apr 18, 2017 11:53 am

Bought a T430 that's still on BIOS v2.61. Latest version is 2.72. I know that large jumps forward in BIOS versions can sometimes result in problems. But super safe method of updating the BIOS 11 times is too much work.

Any suggestions on how to update the BIOS efficiently, but without running into problems?
T430: i5-3320M(2.6GHz), 8GB RAM, 120GB SSD, 14" 1600x900, NVIDIA NVS 5400M 1GB
W510: i7-720QM(1.6GHz), 8GB RAM, 240GB SSD, 15.6" 1600x900, 1GB nVIDIA Quadro FX 880M
T410s: Core i5 2.53GHz, 8GB RAM, 120GB SSD, 14.1" 1440x900
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Re: BIOS update - ok to jump 11 updates in one update?

#2 Post by Thinkpad4by3 » Tue Apr 18, 2017 11:57 am

I don't see any reason that might be a huge problem, it's only incremental updates. Might want to do it in stages say of you were on BIOS v1.00 I've never had problems updating in one shot.

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Re: BIOS update - ok to jump 11 updates in one update?

#3 Post by dr_st » Tue Apr 18, 2017 12:13 pm

serpico wrote:Bought a T430 that's still on BIOS v2.61. Latest version is 2.72. I know that large jumps forward in BIOS versions can sometimes result in problems. But super safe method of updating the BIOS 11 times is too much work.
Your sources must be wrong. BIOS updates are never incremental. Any BIOS update just overwrites the entire BIOS in one chunk. Whether updating 11 times, or once, as long as your final version is the same, your BIOS image will be identical. So updating to 11 times to get to 2.72 is not safer than just flashing 2.72.
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serpico
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Re: BIOS update - ok to jump 11 updates in one update?

#4 Post by serpico » Tue Apr 18, 2017 12:26 pm

dr_st wrote:
serpico wrote:Bought a T430 that's still on BIOS v2.61. Latest version is 2.72. I know that large jumps forward in BIOS versions can sometimes result in problems. But super safe method of updating the BIOS 11 times is too much work.
Your sources must be wrong. BIOS updates are never incremental. Any BIOS update just overwrites the entire BIOS in one chunk. Whether updating 11 times, or once, as long as your final version is the same, your BIOS image will be identical. So updating to 11 times to get to 2.72 is not safer than just flashing 2.72.
I remember reading something about this on Dell desktops. Could be wrong.

Anyway, I flashed in 2 jumps - to 2.66, then to 2.72.
T430: i5-3320M(2.6GHz), 8GB RAM, 120GB SSD, 14" 1600x900, NVIDIA NVS 5400M 1GB
W510: i7-720QM(1.6GHz), 8GB RAM, 240GB SSD, 15.6" 1600x900, 1GB nVIDIA Quadro FX 880M
T410s: Core i5 2.53GHz, 8GB RAM, 120GB SSD, 14.1" 1440x900
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Re: BIOS update - ok to jump 11 updates in one update?

#5 Post by MikalE » Wed Apr 19, 2017 10:04 am

I am using a whitelist BIOS so I could upgrade my Wi-Fi card on my T520.

Does this mean I will never again be able to upgrade my BIOS (if such revision should be published by Lenovo) unless I again use another modified BIOS to keep my Wi-Fi card working?
T510 i5, T510 i7 4349-A64 - T520 i7 4242-4UU, technically a CTO now.

T520: i7-2760QM(2.40GHz),16GB RAM, 500GB SSD/500GB 7200 RPM Drive, 15.6in 1600x900 LCD, 1GB NVIDIA, DVDRW, Smartcard reader, media card reader, FPR, Win7 Pro64, whitelist BIOS, Ultimate-N 6300 AGN, German KB, Bluetooth 4.0.

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Re: BIOS update - ok to jump 11 updates in one update?

#6 Post by RealBlackStuff » Wed Apr 19, 2017 10:17 am

Unless the new Lenovo BIOS has its whitelist removed, you'll have to stay with the modded BIOS, until/unless that too gets updated.
Since the T520 is already so "old", newer BIOS versions are hardly to be expected.
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Re: BIOS update - ok to jump 11 updates in one update?

#7 Post by MikalE » Wed Apr 19, 2017 12:21 pm

Thanks. That's what I thought.
T510 i5, T510 i7 4349-A64 - T520 i7 4242-4UU, technically a CTO now.

T520: i7-2760QM(2.40GHz),16GB RAM, 500GB SSD/500GB 7200 RPM Drive, 15.6in 1600x900 LCD, 1GB NVIDIA, DVDRW, Smartcard reader, media card reader, FPR, Win7 Pro64, whitelist BIOS, Ultimate-N 6300 AGN, German KB, Bluetooth 4.0.

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