User:Simon

NOTE!

The intention of this site is to have a single point of information for myself and to have a central link collection of things I already did or things I still want to do someday.

In the recent years I used some Thinkpads for business or private

• T40, exchanged with the T60
• T42, Type 2373-CTO, ProductID: 2373YPL, BIOS 3.23, EC 3.04, IBM link
• X41, Type 2525-CTO, ProductID: 2525W85, BIOS 2.09, EC 1.02, IBM X41 Overview,IBM X41 Drivers and software list, IBM X41 important information and software
• T60, Type 2007-CTO, ProductID: 2007VW1, BIOS 0, EC 0, IBM link
• T500, Type 2089-AZ9, ProductID: 2089AZ9, BIOS 0, EC 0, IBM link

and up to now I am satisfied with them, except that the fans can be annoying from time to time.

The X41 works with 2,5GB of memory (512MB build in + a 2GB memory module). This is not supported (cf. Unofficial maximum memory specs) but the BIOS reports 2,5GB and within WindowsXP and Linux 2GB will be recognized.

Checklist for your new Thinkpad

• 1.) Check if BIOS+EC Update is required
  • 1a.) You should check what the installed BIOS/EC Version of your new Thinkpad is (enter BIOS with <F1> when the Thinkpad shows the ThinkpadLogo immediately after you turned it on.
  • 1b.) Search the your Thinkpad in this list BIOS_Upgrade_Downloads and check if there is a newer BIOS+EC. If so, click that link and read the changelog between your version and the current version. If they are important for you, consider to update.
  • 1c.) BEFORE you update search your Thinkpad in this list List_of_DMI_IDs and check if your values are already in. You need to know what Thinkpad type you have, what you can find out if turn your thinkpad. There should be a sticker with Type MMMM-XXX (MMMM is the model you have. A demo is available link and click on "ThinkPad and Value Line notebooks").
    • 1ca.) If it is already in the list -> fine
    • 1cb.) If it is not already in that list you should start any live Linux CD (eg. [Knoppix]), open a console, make you root and execute this code block List_of_DMI_IDs#Adding_entries and add a new line to List_of_DMI_IDs started with your model and afterwards the output of the executed code.
    • 1d.) Update or not
      • Do you still have a Windows to boot your ThinkPad from
        • 1da.) yes, download the "non-diskette" updates for your model and flash it. Check before that your current version starts with the same letters than the version you downloaded. If you have to update BIOS and EC check on the IBM pages the order you have to use.
        • 1db.) no, check if there is a BootCD for your model
        • 1dba.) yes, fine and use it. Check before that your current version starts with the same letters than the version you downloaded.
        • 1dbb.) no, you have to do it like real men. Read BIOS_Upgrade.
• 2.) Update Harddisk eg link >>ensure that it fits to your model<<
• 3.) Update CD-ROM, CD-RW or DVD Multi Drive
  • 3a.) CD-ROM, CD-RW, ... eg link >>ensure that it fits to your model<<
  • 3b.) DVD Multi Drive ... eg link >>ensure that it fits to your model<<
• 4.) Install the Operating system of your like
• 4a.) If you want to continue with the installed Windows, check if there are newer drivers for your model and install them
• 4b.) If you want to continue with a fresh self installed Windows, install newer IBM drivers for your model afterwards
• 4c.) You wouldn't found this wiki when you want to preserve Windows. For Linux check Installation,

Search the your Thinkpad type in this list BIOS_Upgrade_Downloads and check if there is a newer BIOS+EC. If so, click that link and read the changelog between your version and the current version. If they are important for you, consider to update.

ToDo: Someday I will

• replace the HDD with an CF-Card (cf. Compact_Flash_boot_drive).
• exchange the logo (cf. How_to_change_the_BIOS_bootsplash_screen or How_to_change_the_BIOS_bootsplash_screen_(under_Windows)).

Resource

• Drivers and software - ThinkPad T42, T42p
• BIOS Update (Non-Diskette) - ThinkPad R50, R50p, R51 (1829, 1830, 1831, 1836), T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p
• Embedded Controller Program (Non-Diskette) - ThinkPad R50, R50p, R51 (1829, 1830, 1831, 1836), T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p
• List_of_DMI_IDs
• BIOS_Upgrade_Downloads
• Problem_with_fan_noise#Always-on_problem:_3
• Installing_Debian_on_a_ThinkPad_X41
• X41 Frequency Scaling,...
• [1]
• [2]
• Debian/GNU Linux for Laptops, Notebooks, PDAs, Portable Media Players and Mobile Phones
• [[3]]
• Debian GNU/Linux Laptop & Notebook Distribution - Unofficial Proposal
• Critical firmware upgrade for 40GB, 60GB and 80GB hard drives - ThinkPad R50, R50p, T41, T41p 2004/03/04
• DVD Multi drive firmware update utility (Bootable CD ISO) - ThinkPad
• Drivers and software - ThinkPad X40, X41
• Special:Watchlist
• Template_talk:IBMDOCURL