Updating T43 BIOS on Windows 7

[HarrisonH]

BIOS: 1.17
ECP: 1.03

I just got a T43 1875-DMU as a graduation gift, and I'm doing my normal thing up updating everything that I can on it. I just upgraded it to 2GB of RAM and Windows 7, and then I realized: Windows 7 isn't supported by the non-diskette BIOS updaters D:

What I tried next was to create a bootable USB as explained here. That works, I've got a bootable USB drive that goes to a command prompt. VFD is also showing a floppy drive on my computer.

Next I tried using the diskette version of BIOS 1.23. Of course, I get the error "70uj23ud.exe is not a valid Win32 application". Of course it isn't >_>

Next I've installed DOSBox, mounted the folder in which 70uj23ud.exe is located, and mounted the virtual floppy drive as a floppy with the command "mount A A:\ -t floppy". The program runs under DOSBox, hooray! That is, until I get to the last step where it asks for a blank high-density floppy to be in the drive. Even though the image created by VFD is blank, it's not letting me copy to it.

So now I'm at a loss. I'm so very close, and yet so far away. I'd rather not buy a USB floppy drive, as it'd only be used for this one thing and then it'd never be touched again. Does anyone know if it's possible to upgrade to BIOS without one and while running Windows 7?

Also, how exactly am I supposed to go from BIOS 1.23 and ECP 1.03 to the newer ones, when ECP 1.04 requires BIOS 1.24, and BIOS 1.24 requires ECP 1.04?

[ajkula66]

Welcome to the forum!

Personally, I update the BIOS from a floppy on all of my ThinkPads. Much safer IMHO.

That being said, you should update the BIOS first to the latest version - 1.29 or whatever it is - and then proceed with the EC update.

Good luck.

[HarrisonH]

I managed to get it to work! Though... not on my own. I had a friend of mine create the floppy disk for me (since it's apparently impossible on W7) and send me the files, which I copied over to the bootable USB drive, and ran from there. Only up to 1.23 currently though since I was waiting for a response about the ECP question.

If there was some way to extract the files from the diskette version without having to have a floppy disk, it'd be pretty trivial to do it with a USB flash drive. I don't really see how that'd be unsafe compared to a USB floppy drive.

[RealBlackStuff]

You'll want to go one better: install TTav134's modded BIOS, which takes care of anything you may want, highly recommended!
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=92115

[HarrisonH]

Whoo! Completely updated now! Though that modded BIOS about gave me a heart attack when it finished, it said there was an error and to reboot using the crisis recovery diskette. Restarted and it works fine though!

Now I suppose I have another problem. The drivers for the integrated Intel chipset just are not working for me. They'll install, and then a few minutes later they'll crash and be uninstalled on reboot. This happens with the XP drivers from Lenovo and the Intel site itself. Any ideas?

[ajkula66]

If you're referring to the Intel 900 video chip, it's not supported by W7 or Vista.

[HarrisonH]

Ah... well crap. Oh well, I guess it's not that big of a deal. There's no way to get them working, with the exception of writing my own? (That won't happen)

EDIT: Well that's odd... they appear to be working now?

[lukee]

Hi Harrison, another way is to use Linux or Windows XP - in both are the Intel drivers very well supported and Windows XP is supported by Microsoft till 2014. According to Intel's statement here:
http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/CS-030907.htm, Intel has no plans to release correct driver of GMA900 for Windows 7