Windows 7 64bit, Windows Vista 32bit, Windows Vista 64bit, Windows XP Home, Windows XP x64
2.18
25 Dec 2012
The BIOS Update CD can boot the computer disregarding the operating systems and update 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 links below to obtain the BIOS and Embedded Controller files in other file formats:
(New) Added support for the function to disable & unconfigure AMT via WMI.
Version 2.17
BIOS: 2.17 / ECP: 1.07
(New) Added support for new microcode of CPU.
Version 2.16 BIOS: 2.16 / ECP: 1.07
(Fix) Fixed an issue where a boot order list obtained by Windows WMI script might start with extra ":" characters in case of RAID mode.
Note: Please refer to the README file under the "File details" section for a complete list of changes fixed by this driver update.
Notes
This package is compiled into an ISO format, which is compatible with CD writing software such as RecordNow!(*), and writable to a CD-R or a CD-RW disc.
If your RecordNow! CD writing program does not have a "Burn Image" entry, please upgrade RecordNow!
You should install the CD/DVD/BD writing software which supports CD/DVD/BD creation function from the ISO image file to create the BIOS Update CD.
To boot the computer from the BIOS Update CD, you should have either of the following optical drives.
ThinkPad internal
USB
Any types of PC Card, CardBus PC Card or ExpressCard optical drive are not supported.
To boot the computer from the BIOS Update CD, you may need to change the boot device setting in your ThinkPad computer. Refer to the "Prepare boot device" section in this document.
The contents of the BIOS Update CD can not be shown by Windows Explorer.
If you use Windows Vista, before applying this BIOS into the system, you should install Windows Vista KB 937500. The information of KB937500 is located in the following Microsoft's site. To verify if KB937500 is installed properly,
Click Start, then click Control Panel.
Find Programs and Features and click. If this option does not exist on the window, choose Classic View to find it.
On "Tasks" pane, click on View installed updates.
Verify that KB937500 is included in the list of installed updates.
Creating the BIOS update CD
This section assumes to use Internet Explorer and Explorer.
[Downloading file]
Click once on the underlined file name with the left mouse button. 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 the Save button.
Choose the folder you would like to download the file to and click the Save button. 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.
[Creating BIOS Update CD]
Prepare a computer with an optical drive installed and a blank CD/DVD/BD disc, and make sure the CD/DVD/BD writing software is installed into the computer.
Locate the folder where the file was downloaded.
Locate the file ending in ".ISO" that was downloaded, then double-click it. A writing software will open.
Follow the instructions on the screen to finish writing and complete creating BIOS Update CD.
Finally delete the file saved in Step 4.
Prepare the boot device
Confirm that an optical drive is in the boot device list of your BIOS setup.
Power off the computer.
Power 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.
Choose Startup from the menu.
Choose Boot from the menu. Note the current boot priority order for restoration later if you need to modify your boot list.
In "Boot Priority Order", make sure the following device is on top of "ATA HDD0".
"ATAPI CD0" (when using a ThinkPad internal optical drive)
"USB CD" (when using a USB optical drive)
Press the F3 key to exit, or press the F10 key to save the new setup and then select Yes.
Restart the computer.
Update 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 Determining Which Version is Installed section.
You need an AC adapter, a charged battery pack and either one of the following optical drives.
ThinkPad internal
USB
Remove the Power-on password prior to updating the BIOS in the RDM (Remote Deployment Manager) or similar environment.
Attention: Do not turn off, suspend the computer or remove the BIOS UPDATE CD 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
Print these instructions or display on another computer.
Firmly connect the AC adapter to the computer.
Make sure your ThinkPad computer has an optical drive installed.
Insert the BIOS Update CD into the optical drive and turn on the computer.
Select Read this first from the menu and carefully read the information.
Press the Esc key to return to the menu.
Select Update system program and follow the instructions on the screen.
After the information panel appears, remove the BIOS Update CD from the optical drive then press the Enter key to restart the computer.
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).
There are two ways to check the BIOS version and BIOS ID.
Checking on Windows
[Windows 7/Vista]
Click Start, click All Programs or Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools and then click System Information. - or - Click Start, type msinfo32 in the Start Search box and then click msinfo32 in the Programs list.
On the "System Information" window, make sure System Summary is selected in the left side of the window.
Locate the BIOS version/date line in the right side of the window. "LENOVO BIOS ID (BIOS version), date" will be shown. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.
[Windows XP]
Click Start, click All programs, click Accessories, click System Tools and then click System Information. - or - Click Start, click Run, type msinfo32 in the Open box and then click OK.
On the "System Information" window, make sure System Summary is selected in the left side of the window.
Locate the BIOS version/date line in the right side of the window. "LENOVO BIOS ID (BIOS version), date" will be shown.
Checking on BIOS Setup
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.
Locate the BIOS Version line and Embedded Controller Version line. "BIOS version (BIOS ID)" will be shown on the BIOS Version line.
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 11k bytes more.)
C0000-CFFFF : Reserved for Video BIOS
D0000-D1FFF : Reserved for Option ROM of Ethernet (*a)
D2000-D5FFF : Reserved for Option ROM of RAID (*b)
DE000-DF7FF : Reserved for USB BIOS (*c)
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 setting Serial ATA Controller Mode to AHCI or Compatibility in the BIOS Setup Utility. This choice will disable RAID features.
*c: 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.
D6000-DDFFF
DF800-DFFFF
Notes:
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.