T61 bios update - is 2.29-1.08 safe?

[Insomniac1971]

Hi, I'm thinking about updating my bios to the newest one 2.29-1.08(7LETC9WW). So I want to ask if its safe and if it might fix the issue with the fan(as its not mentioned in the readme)?

Also, I want to ask if its safe to run it from win 7 sp1 32bit, or if I have to run it some other way?

My present bios is 1.14 with EC: 1.06 7LET44WW
Thanx in advance:)

With kind regards

JBJ

[billp117]

My BIOS upgrade went fine with Windows XP. Windows 7 32-bit is supported, but 64-bit boots from a CD:

http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloa ... MIGR-67988

Regarding the fan...I do not know of any improvement. Perhaps you need to clean your fan/heatsink?

Good luck...

[rumbero]

My BIOS upgrade went fine with Windows XP. Windows 7 32-bit is supported, but 64-bit boots from a CD:

Never ever update your BIOS using this Wndows executable! There are numerous reports of people which have fried their mainboard because the update went wrong due to some unknown Windows issue.

A failing BIOS update using the Windows BIOS update executable is not covered by the Thinkpad warranty!

As we know that Windows tends to be unreliable at times, the safest bet is ti use the CD BIOS update option instead. Please use that!

I repeat: Updating the BIOS using the Wndows BIOS upgrade executable is known to fail and seriously damage a Thinkpad mainboard. Please always use the ISO image provided by Lenovo, burn it to a known good CD, and upgrade the BIOS of your Thinkpad booting from this medium.

[billp117]

Wow...I guess there are many opinions on that subject.

I personally have updated dozens of thinkpads with no issues.

[EOMtp]

Updating BIOS from inside Windows XP is generally fine. Of course, pathological situations exist, but that's true using any setup, including updating from a CD.

HOWEVER, updating BIOS from inside Windows 7 has encountered far larger number of catastrophic/unrecoverable failures than is "normal". Perhaps the issue is fixed now ... but who wants to test it? So the justifiable concern persists.

Given the statistics: from Windows XP = Fine; from Windows 7 = Who knows?!!

[Insomniac1971]

Thanx guys:) Now I just have to find the iso file for that bios update.

But first, could someone confirm that this version is ok?
And if it fixes the fan issue?

Mvh
JBJ

[Radioguy]

Stock BIOS ISO:
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloa ... D=DS013943

However, I would prefer the hacked Middleton version that includes the 1802 whitelist & SATA cap fixes:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo- ... ost6501443

Discussion thread (newest post):

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthr ... to=newpost

[rumbero]

Updating BIOS from inside Windows XP is generally fine. Of course, pathological situations exist, but that's true using any setup, including updating from a CD.

I hope you don't mind me to disagree: Updating via CD is the safest way, whereas updating via any Windows operating system has a proven track of failures. On the german Thinkpad forum multiple cases of such BIOS failures have become known. If i remember correctly, there is even a poll with some hard facts in this regard.

There is no absolute safety in any given scenario, but taking the CD route eliminates most risks by reducing all known and unknown side effects involved when taking the Windows route, effectively limiting all possible influences to just the proven basic flash process. The risk of trashing one's BIOS is not to be taken lightly, and therefore i would always want to choose the least dangerous BIOS flash option, even if that means to overcome my natural lazyness.

Here is yet another catastrophic WinXP BIOS upgrade failure case from just a few days ago: forum.lenovo.com/t5/T61-and-prior-T-series-ThinkPad/T61p-dead-after-BIOS-flash/td-p/520491.

EDIT: See thinkpad-forum.de/threads/111913-Umfrage-BIOS-Updates-%C3%BCber-System-Update-Windows-oder-DOS-bootable-CD-Floppy-USB-Stick for further details about failed BIOS updates done in Windows. It lists 15 cases of failed and 133 cases of successful BIOS upgrade done from Windows. The ratio of failed updates is rather frightening.

[TTY]

But first, could someone confirm that this version is ok?
And if it fixes the fan issue?

I've had no problems with 2.29-1.08, i used the .exe file from within Windows Vista 32-bit, not the CD method. I seem to remember that someone from Lenovo recommended to cold boot before flashing BIOS on Lenovo's community forum. Compared to the 1.14 version, the update should fix a buzzing sound that seems to come from around the fan area when the notebook uses battery.

[bill bolton]

I repeat: Updating the BIOS using the Wndows BIOS upgrade executable is known to fail and seriously damage a Thinkpad mainboard

Updating Flash BIOSes by any method on any device is known to occasionally fail and seriously damage a mainboard. There is only very thin evidence with ThinkPads that doing in via the Windows executable method is any more or less risky than doing it via external bootable media.

Cheers,

Bill B.