Finally a new Intel Turbo driver for the T61 concerning BSOD

I did the clean install, yes.

You don't need discs - I went through the Clean Install following this post:
http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/showthread.php?p=53133#post53133
Does it right from the recovery partition.

-Chaz

 

How is that a clean install ?

 

Uhh... yeah, that's NOT a clean install. That is a factory install minus some of the bloatware.

 

Actually, that's very bad news that the X61 tablet is having the same problems as the T61. I returned my T61 and ordered a Sony SZ, but I was having some second thoughts and started looking into an X61 (regular, not tablet). There didn't seem to be extensive reports of problems as with the T61, so I thought maybe it was just related to the T61.

If other Lenovo's are having the same problem, I'm definitely not going to try another model. It seems like the problem is somewhere in the Lenovo factory software. I'd put my money on some conflict with Thinkvantage, since that seems to interact with the system as a pretty low level. To make a crude analogy, I don't think software running "on top" of Vista could really cause these types of problems. It has to be something running "beneath" Vista, like Thinkvantage, or one of the drivers.

Disabling Turbo Memory cut down on the problems for me, but didn't eliminate them. Has anyone tried to either 1) completely remove the Turbo Memory software and drivers and/or 2) physically remove the turbo memory (it's a PCI card right?) from their computers? I wonder if one of those options might work.

Anyhow, I think it's a load of crap that Lenovo denies knowing about this problem. It's clearly quite widespread. Lenovo's credibility is in the toilet for me, after the entire ordeal with the T61.

 

EXACTLY, which is why I keep promoting a CLEAN install. Stay away from rescue and recovery, stay away from thinkvantage. Use the anytime upgrade DVD for a CLEAN install then install the basic drivers needed.

While turbo memory might have a little something to do with the problem. It is NOT the root of the problem. There are plenty of T61 users (and ASUS users) that have Turbo Memory without any problems at all. I think Turbo Memory is fine on a stable laptop, but on an unstable laptop it is aggravating the underlying problem.

 

Does anybody know where I can find the driver for the Quadro 140M graphics card? And after a clean install, all the Fn hotkeys will still work, right?

 

It's all on the Lenovo Support and Downloads page.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/s...vm&sitestyle=lenovo&brandind=10&validate=true

Select your laptop, then use the drop down menu to select "video" for the video drivers and "keyboard" for the Hotkey drivers.

 

Just though I'd try to help some people out here. There is no way for me to prove this theory but I have a feeling the lockups while using internet explorer have something to do with the thinvantage access connections. As pelihu said, I think it's a combo of the turbo memory with thinkvantage software that is causing the problems.

I don't know if anyone else is having these problems but if you have the access connection does it say "connecting" for about 5 seconds when you load IE? I had this problem, once I got rid of access connections and the client security solution I got rid of that delay. I don't know which program it was because I uninstalled both at the same time, but I'd be willing to bet it was access connections.

I disabled turbo memory and the thinkvantage programs I didn't need all in one day so there is no way to know for sure, but it can't hurt to try. Just yesterday I was using the machine on battery and IE crashed, but vista recognized it and shut the program down itself, kind of like in XP. A few days ago my whole computer would have locked up.

 

What is it considered then? Perhaps a Custom Install? Either way, I'm fine with the way it is. I just don't want any of the bloatware that Lenovo unfortunately preloads.

Edit: I've decided to not send back the X61t because I will be needing it for the next few weeks. I will find a fix for the noise . . .

 

The T61 7664-17U model comes with Vista Ultimate installed. So we don't get an Anytime Upgrade DVD. So we'd have to purchase the $5.00 one mentioned in an earlier post.

 

I don't know if this has been mentioned on this forum before but here are links to thinkpad forums where people are discussing the same thing.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?p=291408&sid=9c92a804c31ad1dedb68a6768fef6f20

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=44036&highlight=

The solution they came across:

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-025783.htm

I didn't try this method yet.

 

It seems like you would also be concerned about all the proprietary utilities such as all the thinkvantage utilities/programs running in the background that are likely to be causing all these BSODs and lock-ups as well.

 

Well it seems like the replacement battery has solved things. I have been running on battery power for about an hour now (never got close to this before)

 

Nevermind, problem is back. Lenovo wont give me a refund but they are sending a repair box.

 

Do these problems stop when you disable the turbo memory? If it does then just turn off the turbo memory. I promise you won't notice much of a difference. Then in a month or two when they have a fix you can enable it. I'm pretty sure intel is aware of the problem. The updated driver they came out with last week is no where to be found. Obviously they're working on coming out with an updated driver that actually works.

 

Whatever you do, don't send it in to Lenovo. I just got mine back from the depot today, and within 5 minutes of booting up, I got a BSOD. Funny because I had never gotten a BSOD before. This happened both on battery and AC power. The computer is basically unusable now and works worse than when I had sent it in. I think I'm going to try and just return it.

 

Shocker... I was shocked when you said the battery solved it...

Dolvich.. Did you try to remove the turbo memory ?


--

 

The following worked for me (found this posted by another user in a different forum):

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-025783.htm

had the same problem, BSOD when on battery.
I exported the registry entries before wiping them out, I removed only the enries from iastor, not iastorv.

hope it works for everybody else.

 

Not sure why that information hasn't been passed around more often. I tried it and it worked like a beauty. Not errors, nothing. before the fix, I was trying to disable Turbo memory, clean install, etc, but nothing worked definitively. but i finally just restored factory image (minus some extraneous thinkvantage software) and perform the registry fix as instructed by Intel and i haven't had any problem on battery at all. the link really should be a sticky somehwere.

 

I must plead puzzlement here. How does RAID and Matrix Storage Manager link with our problem here?

 

Not really trying to brag but look at the first post on the 12th page. I mentioned it I just don't know if anyone else noticed it.

 

You know it's weird... there's a couple of suggestions on this thread... yet the people with the problem don't reply back and say yes i tried this... and it didn't work .. or it worked...



--

 

Fixed my problem too, no more BSOD while running on battery, I could finally enjoy my T61 and Vista.



Regards
Neil





Regards

 

somebody please sticky this info. it fixed my t61 as well, at least it seems that way since i havent bsod or frozen in about a day or two, whereas before the fix it would freeze and bsod every few minutes

 

ooops nvm thanks for the fix though hope this solves the BSODs

 

Chiming in with an X61t here (I'm also going to post in the X61t thread, too...) A Lenovo demo unit. This one is... 7762-95U. It does NOT have TurboMemory. ( Edit: Note that this is not the system in my sig. When I get that, the COMING SOON will be removed. )

I get either a BSOD or a cascading freeze (which sometimes leads to a BSOD, sometimes doesn't) every few hours. The BSODs are USUALLY a kernel stack inpage error. (Read: indicating hard drive issues.) I theorized that it had something to do with active protection, but seeing as it does it when plugged in and sitting there...

My company already ordered X61ts and T61s with XP (both due to this freezing/BSODing and that we're just not ready to go to Vista,) but we're using this X61t for now to try some stuff out. It's got Vista Business. No clean install, although I have ways of... obtaining... XP Tablet, to test the hardware. My suspicions are also tied to the ThinkVantage software not being compatible with Vista.

 

I suspect BSOD is caused by iaStor.sys which is a SATA controller and this occurs on the systems without turbo memory as well. Try the Intel fix, see if it works for you. Also, when you get BSOD look for error: 0x00008086, if you get it it's the SATA controller.

 

I'm just curious if those of you who had to use the Intel iaStor fix. What Intel Matrix Storage Manager Driver version are you using? The current from Lenovo is 7.0.0.1020. There is a newer one available directly from Intel (7.5.0.1017), but I don't think it is Thinkpad specific. I've seen that some people have trouble with it.

To check the version of the device driver that is installed on your system, follow these instructions:

1. Right-click My Computer and click Properties.
2. Click the Hardware tab and click Device Manager.
3. Click the + sign in front of the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers category.
4. Double-click Intel 82801 HEM/HBM SATA AHCI Controller or Intel 82801GBM SATA AHCI Controller.
5. Click the Driver tab, the driver version is displayed.

 

In my case, I'm getting 0x00000077.

 

Yes, I've tried the newer one as well when I had BSODs, it didn't help.

 

Yes, looks like you have a different case alltogether.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315266

 

Here's where it gets odd... this is copied out of Problem Reports and Solutions, and is representative of all of them. The fourth parameter changes, but nothing else.

Extra information about the problem
BCCode: 77
BCP1: 00000001
BCP2: 00000000
BCP3: 00000000
BCP4: AA83BC38
OS Version: 6_0_6000
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 256_1

Note that the first parameter is non-zero, but the second is... I think Vista might be different about its handling of a kernel stack inpage error.

 

Do you have an opinion as to which one should be used? Lenovo 7.0.0.1020 or Intel 7.5.0.1017?

The one from Intel says:
"The chipset must be using the Intel® 82801HR/HH/HO I/O Controller Hub (ICH8R), the Intel® 82801HBM I/O Controller Hub (ICH8M), or the Intel® 82801HEM I/O Controller Hub (ICH8M-E). The driver only supports the RAID and AHCI controllers in ICH8R and ICH8M-E and the AHCI controller in ICH8M, and will not work with ICH8 chipsets."

I'm really not sure how that applies to the Thinkpad T61. Do you?

 

I would stick with the Lenovo 7.0.0.1020 which gets loaded with Intel Turbo memory driver. It works properly once you get the iaStor issue resolved.

 

Disregard my hijack - when I went into Rescue and Recovery, to go ahead and blow out the current Vista install and do a stripped down install, I decided to run PC Doctor. It's not done with the tests, but the drive failed extended SMART.

 

I'm using the 7.5.0.1017 version of intel matrix manager with the 1.0.0.1082 version of the turbo memory on a clean install of vista business and I haven't had any crashes yet. I'm hesitant to change anything as the setup I have now is working without any problems.

 

So it looks like the matrix manager fixed almost all cases of BSODs?

 

No, it seems that it was the registry edit per Intel.

 

To clarify one thing: This BSOD is not THE Intel Turbo Memory specific issue nor THE T61 specific issue. Rather, the Intel Matrix Storage Manager(more specifically, IASTOR.SYS) that is a part of the Intel Turbo Memory Driver and Intel/MS should really take the blame for providing the faulty driver. For some reason, Intel Turbo Memory requires IMSM driver to work on Vista and it just adds the fuel to the fire.
My Dell had the same issue and all manufacturers are aware of this.
I really don't think we should blame the manufaturers(Lenovo, Dell, etc) for this mess.
Wait till they fix the issue = Stop all Intel/MS Win-based computer production.

If you google "DELL IASTOR.SYS VISTA" or "DELL IASTOR.SYS XP," you will find a plenty of information on this. Here's a few sites for example:
http://www.ydeologi.com/2006/04/26/dell-dimension-e510-iastorsys-windows-xp-blue-screen-error-stop-code-0x000000d1/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/28/dell_vista_raid/

http://vistareadygames.com/showthread.php?t=57866

 

Sorry to call it BS but Lenovo should channel the solution to its end users.

I can bet you if you call Lenovo support they will have no idea (or pretend) that they never heard of a BSOD problem.

So yes, blame WinTel ... but lenovo has more blame IMHO.

 

I hate to ask the obvious (as a soon to be 61p w/ turbomem owner) but have any of you getting these BSODs physically taken the turbomem card out of the machine to see if this is really the cause of the crashes? I'd think that would be a pretty definitive answer and give those of you with severe instability problems a little relief until Lenovo/Intel get this sorted out.

I'm certainly beginning to regret adding it to my config and hope I don't have all this grief that's being reported.

 

lowspeed,

I hear you. When I think from the average buyer's point of view, I mean how many users are going to look up this http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-025783.htm to fix the problem? So Lenovo should have taken care of this before they ship out the machines to us since they are already aware of this.
This guy felt the same about his Dell http://www.pdsys.org/blog/2007/04/10/DellAndIntelScrewUpBigTimeIaStorAndWindowsVista.aspx
BTW, my T61 does not have BSOD but I still have the "pause" issue (check the link above) once in a blue moon. I am hoping next update finally addresses this.

 

Read my previous reply. It's not really the intel turbo memory. As you can see, it also affects t61 w/o turbo memory as well.
Actually, it affects all computers that have the following intel chipsets and Santa Rosa chipset => PM965 Express Chipset for discrete and GM965 Express for integrated graphics BTW.

Intel® G33 Express Chipset
Intel® P35 Express Chipset
Mobile Intel® GM965 Express Chipset
Mobile Intel® PM965 Express Chipset
Intel® G965 Express Chipset
Intel® P965 Express Chipset
Intel® Q963 Express Chipset
Intel® Q965 Express Chipset
Intel® 5000P Chipset
Intel® 5000V Chipset
Intel® 5000X Chipset
Intel® 975X Express Chipset
Intel® 955X Express Chipset
Intel® 945 Express Chipset family
Mobile Intel® 945 Express Chipset family
Intel® E7230 Chipset
Mobile Intel® 915 Express Chipset family
Mobile Intel® 910GML Express Chipset


BTW, I have a question for you guys:
If you look at this before & after regitry tweak shots from this http://www.flyingnerd.com/intel-raid-problem-under-windows-vista/, this person does not have parameters on iastor anymore after the tweak. But I thought Intel only instructs to remove parameters from iastorV . Do I have to delete the parameters from iastor as well? Maybe that's the reason why I still have "pause" issue?

 

I am about fed up with this crap too. Lenovo had to have known about a laptop that blue screens within 5 minutes of taking out of the box. This is supposed to be a business class premium laptop and I've had nothing but problems.

1. Brand new, unpacked it and it bluescreened the first time I started it.

2. Rebooted it, was unusable for 3 hours with the hard disk light solid on.

3. Finally stabalized, blue screened 3 to 4 times a day.

4. Fixed the blue screen with the TurboMemory driver. Why isn't there a notice for this?

5. Laptop still locks up constantly. It just becomes un-responsive then the screen fades out. Starts beeping after pressing a few keys.

6. Laptop locks up when going into sleep mode. Microsoft updates were supposed to fix this but it still locks up about 50% of the time when going into sleep mode (screen stays off on resume and requires a hard reboot).

7. Tried a 3d game, BSOD after 10 minutes every time.

8. I just recently installed 150MB of updates from Lenovo. MS wants to update the video driver but fails. After rebooting, my video card driver is "Standard VGA"

9. Finally get that issue resolved. Reboots still take 15 minutes before the laptop is usable. I can live with this as long as sleep mode works and I don't have to constantly hard boot because it locked up when coming back from sleep. I'll send an update.

I really want to blame this on Vista, but I really can't. Lenovo screwed up IBM's venerable ThinkPad series and I guess we have to live with it. Shame on IBM. They were profitable when IBM was doing all the design and lenovo was just manufacturing.

And the icing on the cake is that Lenovo support says they haven't recieved any reports of similar issues and don't know what could be wrong. I say "Oh, just google 't61 blue screen' and see the spate of irate customers it brings up.


Oh yes.. BTW. My company buys 50 laptops a year or so and we have been staunch supporters of ThinkPads. Not any more. Way to go Lenovo, you just ruined the reputation of one of the premier business class laptops.

 

I don't see a registry fix on that link anymore. Anyone have a cached version of it?

 

Yeah, me either. According to that link, we need to burn a CD with drivers and then re-install Vista just to give it those drivers during setup?

Pain in the ass.

 

I am running the Intel Matrix Storage Manager version 7.6.0.1011 for a couple of days now and no BSODs. I was fine for several days and then i got them incessantly. I installed this and it has not happened again. YMMV, but for now I am stable.

 

Can someone please evaluate what I bolded...I don't understand what to do here. thanks

 

I disabled readyboost (not readydrive) and my Vista load became stable (no more freezing, no more BSODs). If you guys are getting instability, that might be worth a shot.

 

I'm trying that at the moment.