The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Did my friend brick his w500 (bios flash)?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by chupacabras, Feb 7, 2010.

  1. chupacabras

    chupacabras Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    57
    Messages:
    208
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    A friend of mine tried to flash a W500 and says it seemed to have completed properly, but upon restart wont post. I am guessing he's effectively bricked the system. Not good considering it's out of warranty too now. What could be the best course of action here? Any way to replace the bios chip or is it soldered down?

    Checked ebay and the cheapest system board is a refurb from China for $400. The laptop is necessary for work so the quicker resolution the better.
     
    chupacabras, Feb 7, 2010
    #1
  2. lead_org

    lead_org Purveyor of Truth

    Reputations:
    1,571
    Messages:
    8,107
    Likes Received:
    126
    Trophy Points:
    231
    he could extend the warranty on the laptop by calling Lenovo, this will be cheaper and easier than buying a refurb motherboard.
     
    lead_org, Feb 7, 2010
    #2
  3. thinkpad knows best

    thinkpad knows best Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    108
    Messages:
    1,140
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I thought most BIOS flash memory carried a shadow copy of the original for times such as this?
     
    thinkpad knows best, Feb 7, 2010
    #3
  4. BaldwinHillsTrojan

    BaldwinHillsTrojan Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    72
    Messages:
    674
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    the only way 4 dat to happen is for hte power to b interrupted during da upgrade.
     
    BaldwinHillsTrojan, Feb 7, 2010
    #4
  5. steve p

    steve p Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    156
    Messages:
    643
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Sorry but this is just about as bad as it gets... the only solution, as far as I know, is to replace the BIOS chip with one that has the right version installed or reprogram the one that was mis-flashed ( has to be removed from the motherboard ). Either way I hope your friend is really good with the soldering gun...
     
    steve p, Feb 7, 2010
    #5
  6. lenardg

    lenardg Notebook Evangelist NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    331
    Messages:
    513
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    You might try removing the battery, then removing the power cable, and then waiting for say 5 minutes. After that reattach everything and reboot.

    I once needed to do this after a BIOS update on my T500 (don't remember which BIOS it was), because otherwise it did not boot/complete POST. It solved the problem for me.
     
    lenardg, Feb 8, 2010
    #6
  7. TinyRK

    TinyRK Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    32
    Messages:
    329
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I was sniffing around in the BIOS of my T410 and saw an option to flash the BIOS over Ethernet.
    Might this be a way to recover a Thinkpad?
    That's why I ask in here ;)

    How do I do this?
    Has anyone here tried this before?
     
    TinyRK, Feb 8, 2010
    #7
  8. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    4,982
    Messages:
    34,001
    Likes Received:
    1,415
    Trophy Points:
    581
    If it won't post, you're going to have trouble getting to the internet.
     
    ZaZ, Feb 8, 2010
    #8
  9. TinyRK

    TinyRK Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    32
    Messages:
    329
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    That is correct,
    but I thought you might be able to force a flash without booting.
    Basically using Ethernet as a service port.
    Or boot from another system (not PSX).
     
    TinyRK, Feb 8, 2010
    #9
  10. thinkpad knows best

    thinkpad knows best Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    108
    Messages:
    1,140
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    But the BIOS is the first step in system booting, it initializes your PC's essential items.
     
    thinkpad knows best, Feb 8, 2010
    #10
  11. samov

    samov Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    203
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    30
    samov, Feb 8, 2010
    #11