ThinkWiki - User contributions [en]

CompactFlash boot drive

2010-11-24T13:20:19Z

Mexxx: /* useful links */

__NOTOC__
[[image:Addonics.JPG|thumb|Addonics Dual CF-IDE HDD Adapter with 8GB SanDisk Extreme IV CompactFlash]]
Changing your HDD for a CF boot drive (CompactFlash card on CF-PATA/SATA adapter) is an alternative to using SSD to boost the performance.

This is primarily done by ThinkPad {{X40}}, {{X41}} and {{X41 Tablet}} series owners due to the extremely slow speed of 1.8" HDD.

Previously, using Compact Flash cards meant giving up on storage capacity. Nowadays the biggest available CF sizes are up to 100 GB so you even gain more storage space compared to a classic 1.8" HDD.

ThinkPads utilizing PATA controller for the HDD slot can recognize both CF cards installed on a dual adapter. While newer ThinkPads, such as X41, which utilize SATA controller, can only recognize the single card installed on the primary slot.

===Advantages of CF boot drive===
* Much faster access time (<1ms for CF, >20ms for 4200RPM HDD and >15ms for 5400RPM HDD)
* Higher read throughput for >8KB blocks (may differ depending on brand, model, partition type and cluster size)
* Higher write throughput for >64KB blocks (may differ depending on brand, model, partition type and cluster size)
* Minimal risk of mechanical damage due to shock and vibration. [[Active Protection System]] is therefore unnecessary)
* Does not generate any noise or vibrations
* (Possibly) a slight increase in battery life
* (Possibly) less heat being generated

===Disadvantages of CF boot drive===
* Lower read throughput for <8KB blocks (may differ depending on brand, model, partition type and cluster size)
* Lower write throughput for <64KB blocks (may differ depending on brand, model, partition type and cluster size)
* Lower capacity
* Higher price per GB
* Not officially supported
* Invoke boot error 2010 on certain ThinkPads, including the X41 series

{{NOTE|A often mentioned disadvantage of flash-based storage is the limited number of write cycles (typically 100,000 for the current generation Single-Level Cell (SLC) NAND, the type usually used in the faster CF cards). This should not however be as much of an issue because... 
* The 100,000 write cycles applies to each address block separately in the card, not to the card as a whole 
* The flash controller automatically distribute write operations evenly (wear leveling), so that the number of writes to each address block is kept low 
Therefore, it should take years of typical real world usage to render a current flash memory card based on SLC NAND unusable 

However, manufacturers have started in 2008 using Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND to make SSD. MLC NAND typically has only about 10,000 write cycles. To complicate things further a company called EasyCo claims her Managed Flash Technology (MFT) "increases the write-life of Flash Disks more than 50-fold", which could be what made possible the launch of SSD based on MLC NAND. 

If in doubt, check with the manufacturer directly for details.

See [http://www.storagesearch.com/ssdmyths-endurance.html] and [http://www.storagesearch.com/ssd-slc-mlc-notes.html] for more information.}}

==What you need==
* A passive CF to PATA/SATA adapter
** Sadly, the X30's native CF slot does not appear to be bootable, so you're stuck using an adapter in the PATA drive sled like everyone else.
* One or more CompactFlash cards with the following parameters:
** (For Windows) Identify itself as a fixed disk instead of removable media
** (Preferably) UDMA support
** (Preferably) 266X speed or better

==CF to PATA/SATA adapter==
===CF to PATA (IDE)===
These adapters will work with both ThinkPads with 1.8" and 2.5" HDD slot with PATA interface
* Addonics AD44MIDECF (single slot) [http://www.addonics.com/products/flash_memory_reader/ad44midecf.asp]
* Addonics AD44MIDE2CF (dual slot) [http://www.addonics.com/products/flash_memory_reader/ad44midecf.asp]

{{WARN|Many of the adapters sold in eBay may not be usable for x40 as their #1 pin is on the left side (looking from the top, usually marked by a white diagonal line). The #1 pin should be on the right side as the Addonics series. Flipping the insertion of popular "V B1" adapter works but there is no guarantee of performance and space may not permit. On the other hand PA-CF18H adapter has been reported to work fine and may be a good alternative for Addonics converters. Please read page 15 of the forum discussion link below this page.}}

{{WARN|The second (slave) slots on dual slot adapters do not work on newer ThinkPads, including the {{X41}}, {{X41T}}, {{T43}}, {{T43p}} and {{R52}}. Because their IDE interface is actually connected to the SATA controller via an IDE-SATA bridge.
The second slot works fine on the others, like the X40, which use a native PATA controller, and 2 separated drives will be recognized.}}

{{WARN|On the {{X41}}, {{X41T}}, {{T43}}, {{T43p}} and {{R52}}, the system will complain that an unsupported disk is installed (Error 2010), but will continue to boot after 5-10 seconds or after pressing enter (assuming you have a recent BIOS installed). The beeps can be muted by using the hardware mute button before the last shutdown/reboot}}

===CF to SATA===
These adapters are needed for newer ThinkPads with native SATA interface.
{{Todo|If someone has tested any, please add them here}}

==CompactFlash cards==

===Speed===
While many CF cards claim to have high throughput, it's not necessarily a good indicator. As the claimed throughput is usually only attainable in specific situations (usually sequential and large block operations). But in typical usage as a boot drive, it usually involves lots of random and small block operations.

Therefore, the actual performance figures can only be found out via real world benchmarks.

Below is a list of some of the cards reported to be working, it's by no mean authoritative and final.

{{WARN|
Most CompactFlash cards by default identify themselves as '''removable media''' instead of '''fixed disk'''. Which is fine for Linux, but not for Windows.

If you have to use a CF card that has the type bits set to Removable and want to install Windows XP you can work around it as follows;
* Use Linux to partition the drive with a FAT32 partition (you can boot from one of the LiveCD/LiveUSB distributions for this), and set the partition bootable.
* Start the install of Windows, during install you will be given the opportunity to migrate to NTFS
* After the install is finished you will need to install the Hitachi microdrive disk drivers (google for XPfildrvr1224.zip), which will mask the removable bits and should allow suspend and other operations that fail on a removable drive to work.}}

===Transcend 133X/266X/300X===
These cards are known to identify themselves as fixed disk via CF-IDE adapters without any manual intervention, and is of good value, and speed (for 266X/300X).

===SanDisk Extreme===
SanDisk used to provide a utility (when asked) under NDA to change the type bit to Fixed disk. It has however changed it stance on this and now refuses to provide it. This utility (ATCFWCHG.COM) however can be found for download at various places (try Google).

You will need to boot DOS and run it with the CF configured as either the master on the primary IDE interface or the master on the secondary interface. It will not work if the drive is attached as a slave or to any other interfaces.

To set a SanDisk Extreme adapter attached to the primary IDE interface to Fixed disk
ATCFWCHG.COM /P /F
To set a SanDisk Extreme adapter attached to the secondary IDE interface (Ultrabay) to Fixed disk
ATCFWCHG.COM /S /F

{{NOTE|It seems that the ATCFWCHG.EXE utility is incompatible with SATA to IDE bridges, such as found in the X41. In those cases you will have to connect the CF card to another computer or ThinkPad with a regular IDE (PATA) interface to change the flag, after which you can put it into the ThinkPad X41.}}

===SanDisk Ultra II 4 GB===
This card doesn't work with the Debian stable 2.6.26 kernel in a X41 tablet with SATA controller, it seems to be to slow.

===Kingston Ultimate===
The Kingston Ultimate CF card ships as CF-Removable, and although Kingston admits it is possible to change the type to Fixed disk, it was not willing when asked to provide a tool/application for this purpose.

But supposedly the Kingston card automatically changes ID based on the adapter used, so it will ID as fixed disk when used with an IDE-CF or SATA-CF adapter, but will ID as CF-Removable when used with a PCMCIA adapter.

===Silicon Power 300X===
to be updated

===Photofast 533X===
Works fine, read performance up to 43mbit/s acording to hdparm

==Storage capacity issues==
Due to the limited capacity for high speed CF cards, the space may not be enough for some users. As a typical OS may already consume 3-4GB already. Here are some suggestions on how to work around it. Each of the below suggestion has its pros and cons, and should be selected on a case-to-case basis.
* Put only the OS and frequently accessed files on the main CF card
* (If dual-CF is possible) Add a second CF card, which will show up as an additional drive. Moreover since the speed needs not be as fast as the main CF card, a slower card with larger capacity could be desirable.
* On certain ThinkPads, there is an internal card reader (e.g. CF on X20/X30, and SD/SDHC on X40/X41/X60/X61) which can house another flash card. However, the speed is certainly to be worse than connecting to the PATA/SATA interface.
* Use a PC Card/ExpressCard SSD drive. However, the price of SSD is likely to be more expensive than flash cards.
* Use a PC Card/ExpressCard flash reader to house another flash card.
* Use a USB drive. Take mind that the drive will stick out, which is less desirable as a permanent solution (appearance/damage/speed especially if USB 2.0 is not supported)
* (If network access is readily available) Store the files on a network drive (e.g. server disk/NAS)

==Linux issues==
With the Addonics adapters listed above (and possibly with other ones as well), the kernel's libata driver might warn about a 40-wire cable and default to UDMA/33 operation:

<pre>
[ 27.831146] ata1.00: limited to UDMA/33 due to 40-wire cable
[ 27.846808] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/33
</pre>

This has been observed with version 2.6.24 of the kernel, and it may affect older ones, too. A patch is available from [http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.linux.ide/26879] that adds a <tt>force_cbl</tt> kernel parameter. After applying the patch and recompiling the kernel, you can then set <tt>force_cbl=80</tt>:

<pre>
[ 7.140864] ata1: forcing 80c
[ 7.140886] ata1.00: CFA: LEXAR ATA FLASH CARD, 20071016, max UDMA/100
[ 7.140890] ata1.00: 7831152 sectors, multi 0: LBA
[ 7.140908] ata1.00: forcing 80c
[ 7.141625] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/100
</pre>

With the patch enabled, the above system achieves 42MB/sec read performance according to <tt>hdparm</tt>. Without it, performance suffers: 23MB/sec.

==Linux tuning==
* edit /etc/fstab and add the option noatime to disable writing of last access timestamps on each file or directory access for each ext3 filesystem
LABEL=/ / ext3 defaults,noatime 1 1
* disable swap (remove swap volume from /etc/fstab), just make sure you have enough memory installed (which since memory is cheap, should be easy to just max out the machine!)
* increase writeback time (add the following line to /etc/rc.local)
echo 1500 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_writeback_centisecs
* remove beagle (if installed) from your system, it indexes the filesystem, but causes disk activity and keeps your cpu busy
rpm -e beagle beagle-gnome beagle-evolution

== Windows tuning==
*** Instead of throwing together all kind of tweaks here, it's probably better to keep the tweaks be CF boot-specific... And link to another page showing the more generic tweaks... ***
Due to the space constraints of CF, you will want to do some tuning of Windows. In addition there are some tunes that help performance, and can even help in the case where your not changing your HDD to CF.
* Do a minimal Windows XP install (not a recovery) with nLite, this allows you to remove components of Windows before they even get to the HDD, such as Movie Maker, Windows Messenger and Outlook Express that you might not need, while at the same time slipstreaming the latest ServicePack (SP3 for XP). Alternatively if you cannot reinstall, you can try the public domain xplite program, but for it to be useful you need to pay, and it does not work with SP3.
* Disable NTFS from updating the last access of a file or directory on each access. This causes NTFS to do a write for each file read operation and writes are always slower, and with flash storage might not be a good idea, for this you need to set NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate in your registry.
* Disable Indexing of the drive (drive properties)
* Compress the drive (NTFS only), this saves space and might in some cases even be faster as it will require less disk access (drive properties)
* Disable swap (system properties), just make sure you have enough memory (just max out the machine, RAM is cheap these days)
* Disable windows system restore (system properties), if you feel you can live without it. It reserves a defined amount of space for this purpose
* Do not enable Hibernation, it requires a huge hibernation file and suspend should be good enough.
* Disable programs from starting on boot that you do not need (do you really need Java, Adobe, Apple iTunes, etc from starting on boot each time?) with a program such as MSCONFIG (->Start ->Run -> msconfig)
* Disable Windows services that you do not need from starting on boot
* Only install the IBM/Lenovo applications you truly know you will need (in my case, only the Hotkey utility and the Wireless drivers package to be able to disable wireless with Fn-F5)
* Never do a full install of an application, do a custom install and prune the options to remove all the stuff you will never use
* Disable HW devices in device manager that you do not need (in my case, the Modem and Infrared)
* Only install drivers you actually need (video, ethernet, wireless and sound in my case), and remove the C:\DRIVERS directory after your done.
* Do not run defrag, it is pointless on flash media and just causes unnecessary writes!
With this I was able to Install Windows XP (SP3) with Office 2003 (SP2), IE7, WMP 11, Symantec Client Security, Adobe acrobat reader, Firefox, Thunderbird, Pidgin and Palm Desktop in addition to the necessary drivers in under 4GB of an 8GB CF card on a ThinkPad X40.

==useful links==
* [http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=41568 ThinkPads Forum discussion on the subject]
* [http://www.hjreggel.net/cardspeed/index.html Flash memory speed - check out the UDMA CF link]
* [http://www.nliteos.com/ nLite - Utility to create a minimal Windows install CD with fixes and drivers]
* [http://www.speedmycomputer.net/ How to speed up computer]

Maintenance

2010-10-11T13:27:08Z

Mexxx: /* External Sources */

{| width="100%"
|style="vertical-align:top;padding-right:20px;width:10px;white-space:nowrap;" | __TOC__
|style="vertical-align:top" |
Here you can find general hints about keeping your ThinkPad in good shape. Look at your [[:Category:Models|models category page]] for IBMs official maintenance guide for that model.
|}
==Assembly/Disassembly instructions==
Lenovo has a website dedicated to servicing ThinkPads, but it only covers the more recent models. For older models check the HMM (Hardware Maintenance Manual) for your ThinkPad.
* http://www.lenovoservicetraining.com/

==Battery treatment==
{| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2 style="vertical-align:top;"
|+Battery life expanding guide
|- style="background:#efefef;white-space:nowrap;"
! style="background:#ffdead;" | Battery Type !! NiCd !! NiMH !! Lithium ion
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
! style="background:#ffdead;" | General
|
*always do complete discharge/charge cycles
*avoid exposing the battery (or notebook) to excessive heat
|
*always do complete discharge/charge cycles
*avoid exposing the battery (or notebook) to excessive heat
|
*avoid deep discharges except when resetting fuel gauge or reconditioning a battery; partial dis-/recharges are better for the battery lifetime (note: fuel gauge will slowly get inaccurate over time)
*remove battery when on AC (due to heat)
*avoid exposing the battery (or notebook) to excessive heat
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
! style="background:#ffdead;" | Charging
|
*discharge before charging
|
*discharge before charging
|
*avoid charging if battery is nearly full, unless you will need its full capacity soon; keep it on the 30%-85% charged range
*keep notebook off while charging due to heat
*fully discharge, then fully charge battery when needed to recalibrate fuel gauge; newer battery pack models require this less often, old ones might need it as often as every 30 cycles
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
! style="background:#ffdead;" | Storage
|
*almost discharged
*cool and dry
|
*almost discharged
*cool and dry
|
*never fully charged or discharged, ideally at about 40%
*cool and dry, but '''do not freeze''' them: 10-15C is recommended
|}

===Battery health===
Batteries, especially of the modern Li-Ion type, wear out quicker when they hold a large charge or are subject to higher temperatures (see above).

If you use your laptop at a desk, reduce battery wear by maintaining an appropriate charge level. When possible, remove Li-ion batteries while operating from AC as the notebook gets hot enough inside for that to damage the battery in the long run, even if charging is stopped.

On recent ThinkPads, charging thresholds can be configured in the bundled software. Under Linux, this is supported on recent models by the [[tp_smapi]] driver (and even without <tt>tp_smapi</tt>, if you have a dual-boot setup, you can set the thresholds under Windows and they will be remembered as long as you don't power off your machine with AC disconnected; suspend to RAM is OK). Have a look at [[How to use UltraBay batteries]].

If you have spare Li-ion battery packs, store them at 40% charge in a cool place (15C being a recommended temperature, do not let the batteries freeze). If storing inside a refrigerator, beware of humidity, and be careful with cold spots that can easily freeze the battery if anything goes wrong.

===The problem with 600 series batteries===
ThinkPad 600 power management causes batteries to die before they should. Read more about this on the [[Problem with ThinkPad 600 batteries|associated problem page]].

===Reviving batteries===
Some people experience sudden drops in their batteries capacity. A way to get these batteries back to full capacity is to run the "Battery Rundown" function of IBMs "PC Doctor for DOS". The program is downloadable from IBMs support site as three floppy disk images. Make sure you get the specific version of program made for your ThinkPad model. For those who do not have a floppy, David Smith prepared a [http://www.mypchelp.com/~dsmith/ibmutil/ibm_t22_pcdiag.iso bootable CD image] (dead link, a copy is also available [http://server6.org/~marker/software/ibm_t22_pcdiag.iso here]) from the T22 floppy images. For newer ThinkPads there is an official [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-56222 bootable CD image]. (Although the instructions on this page (as of May 2008) include details for Linux and refer to a CD image, it is actually provided as a Windows executable. On Linux systems, [http://winehq.org Wine] can execute this file and extract the CD image.) Once extracted, you must mount the iso as a loop device (as root) like so:

:{{cmdroot|mount -o loop 1ety48ww.iso /mnt/floppy}}

Then copy the .IMA file out of that mounted iso:

:{{cmdroot|cd /mnt/floppy}}
:{{cmdroot|cp 1ETY48WW.IMA /boot}}

(Or to some other suitable directory.) After this, you can follow the same directions that apply for [[BIOS Upgrade|BIOS upgrade]]s.

{{NOTE|This will do nothing to improve the performance of a dying battery. It serves only to recalibrate the battery charge controller. The "Battery Rundown" function of IBMs "PC Doctor for DOS" has no intelligence. It merely runs a series of dumb operations to consume battery power, and it cannot detect whether a battery is present or not. If you leave the mains connected while running "Battery Rundown", it will have no effect, as the battery will simply keep charging. The [[tp_smapi]] module, if installed, will report the number of charge cycles the battery has had since it was manufactured. If that number is high, the battery's poor performance is almost certainly due to its age.}}

I have recently made an interesting discovery, I have an R40 with two main batteries, both of them have aproximately about under 200 cycles and are nowadays 4 years old, projected capacity for R40/R32 main battery is 57Wh, and both my batteries were about 30Wh, then I left my notebook with one of them about a day in a standby mode, as long as it powered off itself because of low battery power, when I turned it on I saw the battery capacity at about 42Wh, then, I did this too for the second battery and I got even about 46Wh, I think I could go even higher with letting the battery discharge completely from 100% in standby, I think this has something to do with low power consumption in standby mode, it may work for you too.

===See also===
* [[Battery safety]]

===External sources===
* [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=PFAN-3QNQJN IBM Support - Extending battery life]
* [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=ibm&lndocid=MIGR-51038 IBM Support - Battery troubleshooting]
* [http://www.pc.ibm.com/ww/thinkpad/batterylife/ IBM Benchmark]
* [http://batteryuniversity.com Battery University]
* [http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm Battery University's info about prolonging lithium ion batteries]
* [http://www.buchmann.ca/Chap10-page6.asp prolonging lithium ion batteries in Buchmanns Battery FAQ]
* [http://www.electronics-lab.com/articles/Li_Ion_reconstruct Electronics Labs information about lithium ion batteries]

==Cleaning the Display==
If you discover markings that look like they originate from the TrackPoint or keyboard, or for information on how to avoid these, look at [[Problem with key and trackpoint markings on the display|this page]].

===External Sources===
* [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-4A2P54 Lenovo Support - LCD care and cleaning instructions]
* [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-52190 Lenovo Support - System cleaning instructions]

==Cleaning the Interior==
{{WARN|The following instructions are not appropriate for all ThinkPad models. Please consult the hardware maintenance guide or on-line disassembly instructions for your model.}}
Most ThinkPad models (particularly the A-series and the T-series) tend to accumulate a lot of interior dust which they draw from their ventilation fan. A good dusting every few months is advised. The procedure is as follows.

===ThinkPad T4x series===
See IBM's keyboard removal [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-46515 instructions] and [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-50227 movie].

===ThinkPad T6x series===
See IBM's keyboard removal
[http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-62800 instructions] and
[http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-63912 movie].

===Other models (which?)===
#Unplug the computer.
#Remove the battery.
#Turn the ThinkPad over and find two to three screws with upraised double-arrows pointing to them.
#Unscrew these screws and set them aside.
#Press the silver area underneath where the battery used to be. The front of the keyboard will pop up.
#Turn the ThinkPad right side up and gently remove the keyboard, pulling it toward you.
#There is one connector between the ThinkPad and the keyboard. Disconnect it, and set the keyboard aside.
#If there is a small black plastic separator under the keyboard, remove it and set it aside.
#The fan should be visible in the upper left. That entire area will likely be dusty. With a can of compressed air (and ''only'' with a can of compressed air), dust that area and the surrounding area.
#Replace the small black plastic separator, then reconnect the keyboard.
#Slide the keyboard back into place, then press down on the Fn and right-arrow keys until it pops into place.
#Replace the keyboard screws and battery.

==Dealing with spilling accidents==
#Don't panic.
#Don't flip or tilt the computer to prevent the liquid from spreading all over the inside of the case.
#Shut down the OS and turn off the power:
##Unplug the computer.
##Remove the battery.
#Tilt the computer so that everything that leaked into the case can flow out the same way.
#Allow the computer to dry before switching it on again.
#For minor accidents this might already be sufficient. For major flooding you should either bring the computer to a dealer who knows how to open and clean it from inside. Or you can read the Hardware Maintenance Manual, open, clean, and dry the computer yourself.

See also [http://www.moneysense.ca/spending/technology/columnist.jsp?content=986628 Act quickly, carefully if you spill on laptops] on MoneySense.ca (link broken as of 2006-09-18, the article is still available via [http://web.archive.org/web/20050221034011/http://www.moneysense.ca/spending/technology/columnist.jsp?content=986628 web.archive.org]).

==Harddisk Backup / Upgrade==
*[[How to copy a Linux installation]]
*[[Harddrive Upgrade|How to upgrade your Thinkpad hard drive]]
*[[How to copy a Windows installation]]
===External Sources===
*[http://gamma.nic.fi/~point/win2copy.htm Guide on copying Windows 2000/XP to another partition]
*[http://pckeeper.zeobit.com/ PC Keeper]

==Recovering BIOS passwords.==
Password recovery procedure for IBM ThinkPads using R24RF08 and IBMpass.

(Note: An updated tutorial can always be found [http://www.allservice.ro/forum/viewtopic.php?t=47&start=0 HERE])

'''1. Introduction.'''

The IBM ThinkPad uses a small eeprom ([[AT24RF08|ATMEL 24RF08]]) to store different OEM
issues like serial number, UUID, etc. The supervisor password (SVP) is also stored in this eeprom.
The 24RF08 is not an ordinary eeprom: it features read protection, which the BIOS uses to lock down
access to the eeprom contents. Also, the password is written in a special scan code, which needs to
be translated to ASCII to be of any use.

To recover the password, one can use two different programs: R24RF08 (eeprom reader) and IBMpass
(password revealer) available at [http://www.allservice.ro/store/utils http://www.allservice.ro/store/utils]. Diagrams are included in the reader kit.

Models for which R24RF08 and IBMpass are enough to recover the password: 240, 240X, 390E, 390X, 570, 570E,
600e, 600X, 770Z, A20m, A21e, A21m, a22m, A30, A30p, A31, A31p, G40, G41, R30, R31, R32, R40, R50, R51,
Transnote, T20, T21, T22, T23, T30, T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p, X20, X21, X22, X23, X24, X30, X31, X40, X41, X61.

ThinkPads featuring TPCA technology (i.e. a [[Tpm|TPM trusted platform module chip]]), especially T4x, X3x, X4x, X61 and X61T need the W24RF08 eeprom writer program to complete the password recovery procedure, if the passphrase function is enabled in BIOS setup.

Other models such as the 380XD or 600 use 24C01 or 93C46 eeproms, which can be read without special tools.
The method is the same like for the models based on 24RF08, only the software to dump the eeprom is different.

Newer T43/T43p, R52, R60, T60/p, X60 and Z60 ThinkPads can be unlocked using PC8394 programming tools that consist in RPC8394 and WPC8394 (reader and writer for TPM chips).
The software is available as well at [http://www.allservice.ro/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1061#1061 www.allservice.ro]. IBMpass 2.0 works for any TP model without exceptions.

'''2. Locating the ATMEL 24RF08 eeprom. Soldering.'''

No need to unsolder the 24RF08 eeprom, just solder 3 wires to SDA, SCL and GND pins of the
eeprom. There are two eeprom layouts (see interface schematics described bellow), corresponding to 8 pin or 14 pin eeproms. Locate the eeprom first according to your model (E.g. T20-23 and T30 have the eeprom underneath TP, and can be accessed by removing the RAM modules cover, no need to dismantle the laptop.) and solder the wires using a soldering iron with a fine tip. Also, you can use 0.15 -0.20 mm enamel coated wires or similar small diameter insulated wires. These wires will be connected later to the interface.
Tip: You can use clips to connect the wires or you can solder on the PCB traces leading to the
eeprom pins. Once again, be careful and double, triple check the soldering if necessary till you are positively sure you have done the right job. In case of applying too much solder, use flux-impregnated copper-braid "desoldering wick" - this works exceptionally well.

'''3. Choose and build the interface.'''

Since version 2.0, R24RF08 and W24RF08 (eeprom writer) are compatible with a wide range of eeprom programmers. By default, both programs set the COM port signals to use direct logic level to access I2C bus. We provide here 2 schematics that are relevant for direct logic signals and for inverse logic signals (simple-i2cprog.pdf and driven-i2cprog.pdf). Also, depending of the interface you build, you can invert the logics for SDA-In, SDA-Out, and SCL COM port signals by some command line parameters described later in this document.
a) The file simple-i2cprog.pdf contains the schematic diagram of a simple interface (known as SIPROG)based on 2 zeners and 2 resistors. This is a classic, easy to build circuit and works with soldered or unsoldered eeproms. The purpose of the 2 zeners is to convert RS232 levels (+/- 5V) to TTL levels, needed by the eeprom. It uses direct logic signals to I2C eeprom and is powered by the COM port. However, this interface works with in-system eeproms but is dependant on COM port current and eeprom bus impedance. R24RF08 works natively with this circuit, no need to change the lines signals with command line parameters. This circuit works pretty well with almost all ThinkPads series.
b) The second interface is described in driven-i2cprog.pdf. The circuit uses MAX 232 as a RS232 to TTL driver and its main purpose is to work with soldered eeproms. The advantage of MAX232 is the TTL outputs that are more reliable and more powerful when work with soldered, in-system eeproms (dependency free from the COM port current). Due of the internal inverters of MAX232 the interface responds to an inverse signal logic level. R24RF08 needs /x, /d, /i switches to be specified in the command line.

What these switches mean:
/x - invert serial clock, also known as SCL;
/d - invert serial data output, also known as SDA-Out;
/i - invert serial data input, also known as SDA-In.
All those can be used in any combination to meet any interface specification.

Note that the "standard" serial port programmer probably won't work with a USB-Serial adapter, but requires the full nominal voltage of a hardware serial port. [Example: the A22p's serial port works fine here.]

'''4. Dump the EEPROM:'''

Prepare your technician PC by connecting the interface to the COM1 port (donâ€™t connect the wires to eeprom yet). Turn on the ThinkPad and press F1 to enter BIOS Setup. When you are prompted for the password and thereâ€™s no other activity like HDD access or so, connect the wires (GND first!, SDA, SCL) to the corresponding wires from the interface (attached before to COM1) and execute R24RF08:

-for SI-PROG interface (as described in 3.a above):
r24rf08.exe <filename.ext>. where filename.ext is the file where eeprom content will be stored.
Example: r24rf08 mytp.bin

-for MAX232 driven I2C interface (as described in 3.b above):
r24rf08.exe <filename.ext> /x /d /i. where /x /d /i are command line parameters (switches) for this kind of interface.
Example: r24rf08 mytp2.bin /x /d /i

Use exactly the instructed switches to avoid possible damages to your eeprom data!
The file should be created in the same folder. Finally, disconnect the wires (GND last!) and turn off the ThinkPad by pressing on/off switch.

Dump the EEPROM data at least twice, and do a bytewise compare with `cmp`. Both files should be identical, and 1024 bytes long. Otherwise, you probably have a serial port problem.

Note: the r24rf08.exe program automatically sets the serial port parameters. It also works fine with Wine under Linux - provided that a symlink (com1) exists in the .wine/dos_devices directory, and points to the /dev/ttySX for the actual serial port.

'''5. Reveal the password.'''

Now, you have the .bin file but you need to dump in scan code to retrieve the password. IBMpass 2.1 Lite is a free tool that will do the job. Just open the eeprom dump youâ€™ve created before and search for 0x330, 0x340 lines. The password is located on 0x338 (and 0x340 depending on model) in scan code. For 24C01 eeproms the password is located at 0x38, 0x40. If the password won't work for the very first time then your eeprom may use newer IBM scancodes. In this case switch to alternate scan codes to find it. For those who want quick answers the recommended version is IBMpass 1.1. Usage for IBMpass 1.1 (command line only):

ibmpass mytp.bin â€“ use â€œ/aâ€ switch to see in alternate scan code if needed:
ibmpass mytp.bin /a

For some old models like 570 or 770Z you need to execute the eeprom patcher first. This will reset the read protection on the password offset. To do that just execute patcher.exe before the reading operation, without rebooting the laptop:

-for SI-PROG:
patcher.exe , then immediately
r24rf08.exe <filename.ext>

-for Driven-I2C (Max232) you must insert the switches:
patcher.exe /x /d /i, then immediately
r24rf08.exe <filename.ext> /x /d /i

W24RF08, the writer version, has included the complete APP reset operation you donâ€™t need to use patcher.

Moreover, there are a new encrypting algos used with some new security chips (AT97SC3201, AT97SC3203) that are very secured. The password is not in scancode and in some cases not even in the eeprom. To unlock the machine, the dump should suffer some changes and the eeprom must be reprogrammed using W24RF08. This operation works for all IBM TCG/TCPA secured laptops w/o exceptions.

Remember, use 3 wires from the interface and 3 wires from eeprom! Connect them after your
ThinkPad is powered and disconnect them right after you read the content, before you switch off the laptop.

'''6. Password format'''

The thinkpad power-on/supervisor passwords are a maximum of 7 characters, and are NOT case-sensitive. The allowed characters are restricted to A-Z, 0-9, semicolon, _, - (and perhaps a few others).
If PassPhrase is enabled then the password can be longer than 7 characters.
Models like T43/R52/T60/R60/T60/X60/Z60/Z61 need the TPM chip dumped with [http://www.allservice.ro/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1061#1061 PC8394 programming tools] in order to find password/reset the TCPA lock.

==Recovering Windows Administrator passwords==
What should your do when you forgot the password to login to windows system? Ask an administrator to reset the log on password for you. If you yourself are administrator, and you can't remember the administrator password, the problem get a little tricky, and probably hard to recover the "forgotten password" again. Before you search for recovery CD or Windows DVD to format and reinstall Windows onto the computer, here a few solutions you can try to unlock the windows to gain access to the system again, at least by resetting the password '''Method 1:''' '''Take a rest, and try hard to remember the forgotten password''' 
Sometimes, human being is a little weird. You won’t get the thing that you urgently need. So have a coffee, take a snap or even come back after a few days, you may found that you suddenly ‘remember’ your Windows password.
 '''Method 2:''' '''Try No Password Administrator Login Backdoor''' 
In Windows XP (not Windows Vista as Administrator account is not enabled by default), there is built-in Administrator user account, that has administrative credentials, enabled by default, and without any password to protect the account from been access. If you didn’t change this Administrator’s password, then try to sign in to Windows XP without password.
 '''Method 3:''' '''Reset password from another user account with administrator credentials''' 
If you cannot log on to Windows by using a particular user account, but you can log on to another account that has administrative credentials, follow these steps on how to do the trick:
Log on to Windows by using an administrator account that has a password that you remember. You may need to start WinXP in safe mode.
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type “control userpasswords2″, and then click OK.
Click the user account that you forgot the password for, and then click Reset Password.
Type a new password in both the New password and the Confirm new password boxes, and then click OK.
 '''Method 4:''' '''Do-It-Yourself (DIY) third party recovery tool''' 
There are a lot of tools and utilities that can be downloaded and used to recover, reset, retrieve or reveal existing password. Take Windows Password Recovery 6.0 for example, Windows Password Recovery 6.0 creates a password reset CD that work during the boot process and instantly reset Administrator or other account passwords and Windows security setting which prevent you from logging in.

'''Step 1: Burn a bootable CD/DVD to remove lost Windows password.'''
# Download a reliable third part utility (here, take [http://www.passwordunlocker.com/windows-password-recovery.html Windows Password Unlocker] for example)in any available computer, and then start the Windows password recovery tool.
# Click OK when the burning task is completed.
# And now the bootable CD/DVD is burned and you can use it to remove your lost Windows password. 

'''Step 2: Set BIOS to boot from CD/DVD'''
#Insert the burned CD/DVD into the locked computer, and then to set your computer to boot from CD/DVD. If you don’t know how to, please do as follows:Step by step guide on how to make computer boot from CD ROM first.
#Start computer and press F2 or Delete to enter BISO setup during the initial startup screen.
#Note: The key pressed to enter BIOS is different based on manufacturers, but F2 or Delete are the most common keys.
#Use the arrow keys to select the Boot tab, and then select Boot Device Priority and press Enter.
#Choose 1st boot device to CD ROM, and then press F10 to save settings. And the computer will restart with the changed settings automatically. 

'''Step 3: Recover forgotten Windows password with the burned CD/DVD'''
#After your computer restarting with the changed settings automatically, you can see the interface of Windows Password Unlocker Standard. And you‘ll find all user names of your accounts will be displayed with the passwords showing unknown or empty.
#Unknown means you have a password for the user name, maybe you lost it.
#Empty means you do not have a password for the user name, you can login the account without password.
#Select your target Windows system if you have two and the specified Windows account you want to recover, and then click Reset button.
#Click Yes to confirm and continue your operation.
#Click OK when the password of the selected account is successfully removed. And now you can log on your computer without password.

==Tutorial to Create Windows Password Reset Disk==

A '''[http://www.passwordunlocker.com/products/reset-windows-password.html Windows password reset]''' disk is a specially created floppy disk or USB flash drive that can be used to gain access to Windows if you've forgotten your password. If you've ever forgotten your Windows password before, you can imagine how valuable a password reset disk is.

Be proactive and create a password reset disk right now. It's completely free, aside from needing a floppy disk or USB drive, and it's very easy to do.

You can create a password reset disk using the Forgotten Password Wizard in Windows.

The specific steps necessary to create a password reset disk depends on which Windows operating system you're using:

[http://blog.passwordunlocker.com/tutorial-to-create-a-windows-7-password-reset disk/ Tutorial to create a Password Reset Disk in Windows 7]

[http://blog.passwordunlocker.com/tutorial-to-create-a-windows-vista-password-reset disk/ Tutorial to create a Password Reset Disk in Windows Vista]

[http://blog.passwordunlocker.com/tutorial-to-create-a-windows-xp-password-reset disk/ Tutorial to create a Password Reset Disk in Windows XP]

You must create a Windows password reset disk before you forget your password. If you've already forgotten your password and you have not yet created a password reset disk, you'll need to use a '''[http://www.recoverlostpassword.com/products/windowspasswordrecoery.html Windows password recovery]''' tool to find or reset Windows password.

===External Sources===
*[http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/prem-windows-password-recovery.htm Top 2 Premium Windows Password Recovery Tools]
* [http://www.allservice.ro/forum R24RF08/W24RF08, PC8394 programming tools & IBMpass author's forums.]
* [http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=ibm&lndocid=MIGR-59377 IBM Support - Lost or forgotten password]
* [http://www.allservice.ro/forum/viewforum.php?f=12 Full Service of all ThinkPad models including free password recovery]
* [http://sodoityourself.com/hacking-ibm-thinkpad-bios-password/ A tutorial on how to do this]
* [http://www.passwordunlocker.com/windows-password-recovery.html windows password unlocker]