Windows 7 32bit, Windows 7 64bit, Windows Vista 32bit, Windows Vista 64bit, Windows XP
3.21
17 Dec 2012
This package updates the BIOS (including system program and Embedded Controller program) stored in the ThinkPad computer to fix problems, add new functions, or expand functions as noted below.
Use the link below to obtain the BIOS in other file formats:
If system protection function by Intel Anti-Theft Technology PC Protection, ConstantSecure Remote Disable or ThinkVantage Hardware Password Manager feature is still activated and when you try to get back to the older BIOS versions without these features, the following message will be displayed. This is to prevent system protection function from being deactivated.
BIOS Update CD: "Error The system program file is not correct for this system"
BIOS Update Utility: "The process does not recognize this system.The utility process has not completed."
To get back to such the older BIOS versions, you should deactivate these features before applying the BIOS.
Updating the BIOS
Notes:
If your computer runs satisfactorily now, it may not be necessary to update the BIOS. To determine if you should update the BIOS, refer to the BIOS Version section.
You need an AC adapter and a charged battery pack.
Remove the Power-on password prior to updating the BIOS in the RDM (Remote Deployment Manager) or similar environment.
Attention: Do not turn off or suspend the computer until the update has been completed. IF YOU DO THAT WHILE THE UPDATE IS STILL IN PROGRESS, THE SYSTEM BOARD MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED.
Manual Update
This section assumes to use Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer.
[Downloading file]
Click once on the underlined file name. Once this is done, some pop-up windows will appear.
Follow the instructions on the screen.
In the window to choose Run or Save, click Save.
Choose the folder you would like to download the file to and click Save. A different window will appear and the download will begin and complete. Once the download has completed, there may or may not be a message stating that the download completed successfully.
[Extracting file]
Make sure to be logged on with an administrator account on the target computer.
Make sure the AC adapter is firmly connected to the target computer.
Locate the folder where the file was downloaded.
Locate the file that was downloaded and double-click it. The file name ends with "US.EXE" for 32-bit, "U6.EXE" for 64-bit Windows.
Follow the instructions on the screen.
In the "Select Destination Location" window, click Next. If you would like to select a different folder, click Browse.
In the "Ready to Install" window, click Install. All the necessary files will be extracted to the folder selected in the step 10.
[Updating the BIOS]
Make sure the checkbox next to "Install ..... now" is checked and click Finish.
Follow the instructions on the screen.
Select Update ThinkPad BIOS and follow the instructions on the screen.
After the update has been completed, the program shows a message 'Flash Update has been successfully completed...'. Follow the instructions on the screen to restart the computer.
Finally delete the file saved in the step 4.
Unattended Update
Note: This is for system administrators' use only.
Refer to the "Manual Update" section, and download and extract the file.
In the step 12 of the "Installing files" section, uncheck the checkbox next to "Install ..... now", and then click Finish to cancel installation.
At the command line, execute WINUPTP.EXE with the -s option. Example: [Path where the files were extracted]\WINUPTP -s
To view the update result, refer to the WINUPTP.log file created at the same directory of the package.
Initializing the BIOS
Note: After initialization you may need to reapply some settings that you had changed previously.
BIOS Initialization is suggested for some problems. To initialize the BIOS settings:
Turn off the computer.
Turn on the computer.
While the "To interrupt normal startup, press the blue ThinkVantage button" message is displayed at the lower-left area of the screen, press the F1 key. The BIOS Setup Utility menu will be displayed. If a password prompt appears, type the correct password.
Press the F9 key to load default configuration.
Select Yes.
Press the F10 key to save default configuration and exit.
Select Yes.
Restart the computer.
Determining which version is installed
Each version of the ThinkPad BIOS Update Utility contains the following system program (BIOS) and the Embedded Controller program (ECP). The BIOS Version and the and the the Embedded Controller version number can be viewed by entering the BIOS Setup Utility.
Turn off the computer.
Turn on the computer.
While the "To interrupt normal startup, press the blue ThinkVantage button" message is displayed at the lower-left area of the screen, press the F1 key. The BIOS Setup Utility menu will be displayed. If a password prompt appears, type the correct password.
Check the BIOS Version and Embedded Controller Version.
How to enter the Intel Management Engine BIOS Extension screen: To save system boot time, the <Ctrl-P> prompt for Intel Management Engine BIOS Extension screen was removed from the boot screen. Instead of the <Ctrl-P> prompt, the following new entries were added in the Boot Menu shown by pressing the F12 key at boot. <Enter ME Configuration Screens> <Initiate a Remote Connection>
To enter the Intel Management Engine BIOS Extension screen, do the following.
Turn off the computer.
Turn on the computer.
While the "To interrupt normal startup, press the blue ThinkVantage button" message is displayed at the lower-left area of the screen, press the F12 key. A Boot Menu will be displayed. If a password prompt appears, type the correct password.
Select Enter ME Configuration Screens or Initiate a Remote Connection.
Notes:
The new entries in the Boot Menu are shown on the ThinkPad models with Intel vPro supported/enabled only.
The Boot Menu may be suppressed by the BIOS Setup.
Memory Map information
Reserved Area
The following conventional memory addresses are reserved by the BIOS and others. (When Intel Turbo Memory is installed in your system, conventional memory addresses are reserved 11 Kbytes more.)
C0000-CFFFF : Reserved for Video BIOS
D0000-D1FFF : Reserved for Option ROM of Ethernet (*a)
DE000-DF7FF : Reserved for USB BIOS (*b)
E0000-FFFFF : Reserved for System BIOS
Notes:
*a: This area becomes free by disabling the Ethernet LAN Option ROM option under Config and Network in the BIOS Setup Utility. This choice will disable PXE and WOL features.
*b: This area becomes free by disabling the USB BIOS Option ROM option under Config and USB in the BIOS Setup Utility. This choice will disable booting from USB device and other USB BIOS features.
Usable Area
The following memory address can be used by the memory manager such as EMM386.
D2000-DDFFF
DF800-DFFFF
Note: Certain addresses in this area will be reserved for CardBus Controllers or others by Operating Systems. The addresses vary and depend on the design of each Operating System.