Batteryless BIOS update for R40

[r2d2]

Hi all...

I just want to share this just in case you may need such info. This is similar to the topic here

In my recent R40 related post I was faced with a problem that a BIOS update might be a solution. Unfortunately, my batteries are dead and obviously a diskette version of the BIOS update utility from IBM website would not do.

Then I read the sticky above for Thinkpad A30. I tried to follow each step. I downloaded the BIOS updater from the IBM website and created my diskette (BIOS floppy). Unfortunately when I opened the BIOS floppy in XP, I cannot see the files referred to in the sticky So I figured, I might as well use two diskettes... one for booting to DOS and the other for the BIOS update.

The next problem I had was, where to get a DOS 6.22 (or lower) to create a boot floppy with. After Googling it for a few minutes, I was able to download a utility for DOS 5.0 from here . Using the utility I was able to make a DOS 5 boot disk (BOOT floppy).

With the two floppies, I booted the R40 using my BOOT floppy then using the BIOS floppy I ran QKFLASH. (NOTE: This BIOS floppy created from the IBM BIOS updater utility is also bootable but use BOOT floppy instead in booting up the Thinkpad). Sadly this attempt ended in error saying I lack RAM or there is a memory manager present... but I know I have 512mb RAM. Could it be that DOS 5 booted up with HIMEM? After a quick walk down memory lane or should I say DOS lane, I decided to edit CONFIG.SYS in the BOOT floppy to make it look like:

REM DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS
REM DOS=HIGH
FILES=30

Honestly I am not really sure if I need to rem DOS=HIGH. All I know is that as per the Thinkpad A30 sticky, I should not boot with HIMEM. Somehow if my recollection is correct, I think it is still related to how memory is managed (same with HIMEM).

After doing this change/workaround, I rebooted using the BOOT floppy again and then tried to flash my BIOS using the BIOS floppy. It took around a minute or so with a 'Starting to FLASH' message on the screen and my fingers crossed when my R40 powered OFF.

Much to surprise... my attempt worked.

I do not know if this will work with other Thinkpad model/BIOS... I may just have been lucky this time.

SUMMARY OF STEPS:
1. Prepare bios diskette
2. Prepare boot diskette (No HIMEM required)
3. Edit CONFIG.SYS in boot diskette as needed.
4. Reboot using boot diskette
5. Remove boot diskette and insert bios diskette
6. Run QKFLASH (WARNING: DO NOT TURN OFF THINKPAD... WAIT UNTIL THINKPAD TURNS OFF BY ITSELF)

I hope this helps... but proceed at your own risk...

UPDATE:
I tried these steps on an R31 and like the R40 it was a successful attempt too.

[Harryc]

r2d2, thanks for the tips. I just wanted to mention here (for any newbies who might find this thread) that it is a really bad idea to flash any machines BIOS without a battery backup present. If you lose power during the actual flash/write process, the machine is toast, and most likely you are looking at a systemboard replacement to fix it...read 'very expensive repair'!

[r2d2]

Thanks Harry...

Yep, I definitely agree... if there is a way at all to flash the BIOS with a good and fully charged backup battery installed, then it is BEST to do it that way.

Just in case I forgot to mention... I am working on an R40 that has a possible systemboard problem here. I took this risk because whatever happens, I will be needing a new systemboard anyways.

So unless you find yourself in this situation... NEVER, NEVER TEMPT FATE.

[90base]

You sir.... are braver than I.

[r2d2]

@90base.... sir when your back is against a wall... what else can you do but take a step forward

Kidding aside, it just so happened that it worked (some luck ). I would never attempt it though on good working system... a battery is still so much cheaper than a mobo.