A31 BIOS & Embedded Controller Mismatch - reflash proble

[HRLake]

ThinkPad 2652-D3U (A31)

Flashed BIOS from ver. 1.02 to 1.12 (embarrasing mistake)
Embedded Controller still at ver. 1.00


History:
This computer had a history of spontaneous shutdowns (power off) and massive virus and spyware infection.
I restored the OS (WinXP-Pro) back to factory via the recovery partition. Everything went fine.
Ran the PC-Doctor hardware diagnostic utility provided by IBM to make sure all components were error free. All internal components passed. Did not test the CDROM drive. Ran a CDROM laser cleaner disk. It ran as expected.

At this point I was able to boot into Normal Mode (WinXP-Pro SP1)
Was proceeding to complete all the IBM software installations via the IBM "Software Installer".
It located 5 drivers and many other IBM utilities.
I did not install any of them.

I went to the IBM website (via Internet Explorer) and in the support section (for the 2652-D3U A31) noticed numerous BIOS updates.
My current BIOS version was 1.02. The latest revision is 1.12 ( = 10 revisions later) which is what I stupidly flashed to.
My current Embedded Controller was and is 1.00 The latest version is 1.05 and required for compatability w/ BIOS ver. 1.12

I flashed the BIOS (to ver 1.12 - non-diskette method) in stupid haste w/o studying Update Chart.
The flash seemed to go perfectly. After that - Took battery out. Disconnected the CMOS backup battery, shorted the 2 CMOS
backup battery pins, and briefly restarted computer (plugged in AC power) to clear CMOS.
Reconnected all batteries and started system. Entered BIOS and set it to "Default Settings) as instructed at IBM.

At this point I was going to Flash the Embedded Controller to ver. 1.05. but can not do it..... see Current Symptoms next.

My A31 still has Embedded Controller ver. 1.00 along with BIOS ver 1.12 - and I have several problems now.

Current Symptoms:
Unable to boot into Normal Mode. Gets to WinXP splash screen, proceeds for a few seconds and hangs.
Unable to boot into VGA mode.
Unable to boot into Debug mode.
Unable to boot into Directory Services Repair Mode w/ Boot Logging Enabled. Hangs at a MSWindows light blue window.
Unable to boot into Diagnostic Mode (set w/ msconfig from Safe Mode)
ABLE to boot into Safe Mode (w/ and w/o Networking) ONLY.
Able to enter the BIOS Setup. Able to make and save changes in BIOS Setup - which I did a LOT of - trying to see if I could
somehow boot into Normal Mode. No luck.

Unable to reflash BIOS or Embedded Controller from Safe Mode. (Debug Error - see below)

Unable to boot to external USB floppy drive. Computer doesn't even access the USB Floppy drive at boot (or ever - even in Safe
Mode - probably the wrong brand = Mad Dog Multimedia UF0002). (I did set the Boot Order correctly and set the BIOS USB
settings for Legacy Floppy drive and for making it the A: drive letter). Can't access the USB floppy drive even in Safe Mode

Unable to Boot to Win95 or 98 or 98SE CDs (Hologram Microsoft original). System gets just so far , goes black, then spontaneously
reboots.

ABLE to boot to WinXP-home CD. Got all the way to the point of actual installation. I stoped there. (didn't want to install).

Able to boot to the PCBeginner Utilities Suite 2006 CD. It has some flavor of Linux boot files on it. Some of the utilities will run and
others cause the system to spontaneously reboot.

ABLE to boot to the FreeDOS boot disks. Able to run utilities on the CD using FreeDOS kernel. Seems to create a RAM drive. After
booting this way, I swapped out to a CD containing the BIOS Flash file spsu1g30.exe (non-diskette BIOS Update ver. 1.02).
Executed it and got error message: "Can not be run in DOS mode". (maybe I should use the Diskette version instead of the Non-
diskette version - ??)

Don't know how to make a ZIP disk bootable. System does access the USB Zip drive at boot (hear it whir). Once in Safe Mode am
able to read to & write from the USB Zip drive.

My intention was to reflash the BIOS back to 1.02 - if possible (- or - flash the Embedded Controller to ver. 1.05)
I now realize that BIOS ver. 1.12 requires (possibly) drivers or (definitely) Embedded Controller 1.05 not currently installed -
hence the ability to boot into Safe Mode only - and - the unreliability of booting to or running programs from CDROMs.

I tried to reflash the BIOS (and the Embedded Controller) from Safe Mode (non-diskette method) but it will never work.
Keep getting a DEBUG error message stating "CreateFile() returns 2" - with an OK button.

Decided to try hot reflash via boot disk - with command line options set for unattended flash - or Interactive method - but can not
boot from floppy - and don't know how to make a proper CDROM Boot disk (w/ BIOS flash files). I do know how to use NERO to do
it - I just don't know what files to include nor what boot disk image is best to use)

HAVE TRIED updating IBM software (and drivers) from Safe Mode w/ Networking via IBM's Software Installation utility applet
installed at IBM website. However, I get error message stating that this utility is for Lenovo/IBM computers only - and then the
thing just quits. Apparently, the applet doesn't recognize the reality of the IBM A31 it is running on - while in Safe Mode. Have
similar problem when trying to do Software Updates w/ IBM's Software Update Utility already in Start Menu.

I was able to download the most recent Video Driver from IBM site and manually install/update it - seemingly successfully.
Have made no attempt to install/update any other drivers. Should I update other drivers too - where possible???

Interesting other Symptom:
Also unable to do Windows Updates via Microsoft's Windows Update (while in Safe Mode).
Get an error message: "[Error number: 0x8007043C] The website has encountered a problem and cannot display the page you are
trying to view. The options provided below might help you solve the problem." - w/ an OK button. Working w/ a Microsoft Tech via email (incredibly slow responses) on this Windows Update problem but no luck so far.

HELP!!!

I'm open to IDEAS. I bow humbly & respectfully to the wizards and propeller heads on this site. I have read some of the posts and
know there are some real master wizards lurking here. There is one master IBM wizard who has some kind of IBM utility for
flashing the BIOS - (I think). I hope he reads this post.

Here's my feeble thinking, so far.

On the obvious side.....
1. Fix the Debug error (w/ y'alls help 'course) so I can flash the BIOS or Embedded Controller from Safe Mode.

On the fancier side.....
2. Unhide the hidden OS Restoration partition (and hide the current WinXP-Pro partition) (I have OSLoader 2000 which makes
this very easy). Make it bootable (No bootable OS currently installed but it is a Primary Partition). Put some OS on it (like FreeDOS or Linux of some flavor - (there is a Linux version of the BIOS Update Utility on the IBM web site) or Win98 - or some OS which does NOT require for itself to reboot to a CD several times during the installation routine) (Remembering that the best way I could do this is to copy OS Installation files from a ZIP disk or CDROM disk to this partition and install the OS from there - since not able to reliably access any boot disk type of OS Installers (except FreeDOS and XP Home) - so far.) - And then run the BIOS Flash (non-diskette version) from this OS.

When in Safe Mode - I am able to access the CDROM drive and run programs. Installed Adaware off a CD this way. It worked.
Therefore, I probably could install an OS on the hidden (now unhidden) partition from Safe Mode - IF WinXP-Pro will allow me to
do this - or - hide the XP partition, copy an OS installation files to the newly unhidden (IBM_Recovery) partition - and then run the
setup routine for that OS directly from that partition. Can you do this w/ Linux?

On the desperate side.....
3. Make the hidden partition look like a boot floppy w/ the image file and other files extracted from the Diskette BIOS Flash utility
which creates a bootable floppy (I captured those files from a TEMP folder during the creation of the BIOS Flash Boot non-Diskette method) - and then boot to this partition - Using interactive BIOS flash - or Unattended - whichever you recommend.
(or some method similar to this. Essentially hot flashing from unhidden HD partition)

On the simple side.....
4. Manually update as many of the drivers as possible (including chipset drivers - if you guys & gals recommend) and see if Debug
error gets fixed - or - allows me to boot into Normal Mode (somehow I doubt this will work - but maybe - ??)

On the prayerful side.....
5. Shut up and hope you guys are way ahead of me and have a magic cure - like a genie in a bottle or sumthin'.

That's about it, gang.
I wish I had studdied the IBM BIOS updates chart more closely and done the BIOS updates progressively - staggering back and
forth between BIOS and Embedded Controller - working up the ladder from ver 1.02 to 1.12 in stages along with compatable
Embed. Ctrlrs. Dummy me.

Not willing to admit defeat just yet.
Can't stand the thought of a P-IV, 400mHz FSB, 1.6gHz, 512mb Ram, 40gb, DVD/CD-RW paperweight.

I have more time than money (not much of either actually).

I'll check in here as often as possible, but it might not be every day.
Have email set to notify me of your posts.

Thanks in advance,

HRLake[/b]

[vital-analitix]

Did you check the "Battery less BIOS upgrade for ThinkPad A30" ?

May give you some suggestions (I remember doing something similar at one stage, forgotten the exact details).

No real need for a floppy, you can find on the internet DOS images for bootable CD's. And then you can put the other stuff on another "normal" CD.

Vaguely remember trying something with another HD that i had lying around but it did not work out at all.

Good luck.

[LGJ]

I am pretty inexperienced, so haven’t followed all of your comments. I am looking at upgrading the BIOS on an A31, 2562-M4U, Windows 2000, and trying to see what the pitfalls are. I certainly appreciate the one you located.

I’ve noted a minor point. The current BIOS Version 1.12 (1GET40WW) installation site:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-45833
(Last modified: 2005-04-15)

states:

Version 1.12 (1GET40WW)
Note: This BIOS version will only work with Embedded Controller(ECP) version 1.04 (1GHT17WW).


This site also gives the the embedded controller version as 1.04:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-42654
(Last modified: 2005-07-20)

1.12 1GET40WW 05 Apr 2005 1.04 (1GHT17WW) Current release

The current embedded controller is:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-45662
(Last modified: 2005-07-20)

Version: 1NHT08WW (1.05) Release Date: 2005/07/15

Perhaps it is logical that the current BIOS would work with the current Embedded Controller, but I don’t like to assume things. You said that you are trying to install embedded controller 1.05, rather than 1.04. Should we be trying to install embedded controller 1.04, before we install the BIOS version 1.12, and then install embedded controller 1.05, if we want? (Note that the embedded controller installation page was updated the same day as the BIOS installation page.)