BIOS update without optical disk - Revision history

Sahwar at 17:35, 16 November 2016

2016-11-16T17:35:40Z

Sahwar: /* Update on Ubuntu 10.10 */

2016-11-16T17:30:47Z

‎Update on Ubuntu 10.10

Funkstille at 08:11, 18 November 2013

2013-11-18T08:11:31Z

Bligneri at 02:38, 16 December 2010

2010-12-16T02:38:12Z

Klausi: added x201s

2010-05-16T20:28:45Z

added x201s

Exe at 08:14, 29 April 2010

2010-04-29T08:14:06Z

Newhren at 05:35, 8 April 2010

2010-04-08T05:35:36Z

Remvee at 09:12, 18 January 2010

2010-01-18T09:12:46Z

PhilipPaeps: Note the grub2 incantation of memdisk.

2010-01-13T21:23:41Z

Note the grub2 incantation of memdisk.

Newhren at 21:17, 29 May 2009

2009-05-29T21:17:14Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 For recent models, such as Thinkpad {{X200}}, Lenovo provides both win32 ''"BIOS update utility"'' and iso-image of ''"BIOS Update (Bootable CD)"''. If you don't have Windows installed, the first option is obviously unavailable for you. If you have an optical drive of some kind (internal, or built into the docking station, or an external USB drive) you can burn the iso-image and proceed with the BIOS update. In case if you don't have any optical drive things get a little tricky.
-A quick look at the ''BIOS Update (Bootable CD)'' iso-image shows that its <tt>iso9660</tt> filesystem is empty and its bootimage is of <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt>, i.e. it is a [http://www.phoenix.com/NR/rdonlyres/98D3219C-9CC9-4DF5-B496-A286D893E36A/0/specscdrom.pdf harddisk emulation]. Therefore non of the methods discussed in [[BIOS_Upgrade/X_Series]] would work. There are many Linux tools which extract bootimages from iso-images, but after a search over the net, I didn't find any which works correctly with <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt> (e.g. <tt>geteltorito</tt> form '''genisoimage''' package messes things up). I found, however, a free open-source DOS utility '''isobar''' from [http://shsucdx.adoxa.cjb.net/ shsucd] package. So, I just [http://colimit.googlepages.com/isobar.c ported] it to linux.
+A quick look at the ''BIOS Update (Bootable CD)'' iso-image shows that its <tt>iso9660</tt> filesystem is empty and its bootimage is of <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt>, i.e. it is a [http://www.phoenix.com/NR/rdonlyres/98D3219C-9CC9-4DF5-B496-A286D893E36A/0/specscdrom.pdf harddisk emulation]. Therefore non of the methods discussed in [[BIOS_Upgrade/X_Series]] would work. There are many Linux tools which extract bootimages from iso-images, but after a search over the net, I didn't find any which works correctly with <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt> (e.g. <tt>geteltorito</tt> form '''genisoimage''' package messes things up). I found, however, a free open-source DOS utility '''isobar''' from [http://shsucdx.adoxa.cjb.net/ shsucd] package. So, I just [http://colimit.googlepages.com/isobar.c ported] it to Linux.
-UPDATE: the [http://www.uni-koblenz.de/~krienke/ftp/noarch/geteltorito/geteltorito latest] version of geteltorito now includes my patch and works with <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt>.
+'''''UPDATE:''''' ''The [http://www.uni-koblenz.de/~krienke/ftp/noarch/geteltorito/geteltorito latest] version of'' <code>geteltorito</code> ''now includes my patch and works with'' <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt> <small>(Alternative download from: https://userpages.uni-koblenz.de/~krienke/ftp/noarch/geteltorito/ ?)</small>.
 '''Note:''' On UEFI systems, the procedure below does not work, since memdisk is not UEFI compatible. In this case, just 'dd if=bios.img of=/dev/sdb' the extracted image (e.g., bios.img) to an usb drive (e.g., sdb) and try booting from it. There is no need to install a bootloader on the usb drive.
@@ Line 83: / Line 83: @@
 * Reboot and select the entry
-Disclaimer : it is certainly possible to the grub "memdisk.mod" but documentation was scarce and this way is working find.
+Disclaimer : it is certainly possible to the grub "memdisk.mod" but documentation was scarce and this way is working fine.
 Please upgrade the doc if you can fix it ;-)
@@ Line 91: / Line 91: @@
 ==Related links==
-Here is a [http://colimit.googlepages.com/geteltorito.diff patch] to <tt>geteltorito</tt> script to make it work correctly with <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt>.
+Here is a '''[http://colimit.googlepages.com/geteltorito.diff patch] to''' <tt>geteltorito</tt> '''script to make it work correctly with''' <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt>.
 ==Should work with==
 {{T400}}, {{R400}}, {{T500}}, {{R500}}, {{X200}}, {{x200s}}, {{X200_Tablet}}, {{X201s}}, {{X301}}, {{W500}}, {{W700}}, [[Hard drive firmware update]]

@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 The latest "eltorito" works fine with the images.
-* Download the latest script : http://www.uni-koblenz.de/~krienke/ftp/noarch/geteltorito/geteltorito
+* Download the latest script : http://www.uni-koblenz.de/~krienke/ftp/noarch/geteltorito/geteltorito (or https://userpages.uni-koblenz.de/~krienke/ftp/noarch/geteltorito/ ?)
 * Grab the latest bios update

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:11, 18 November 2013
Line 4:		Line 4:

	UPDATE: the [http://www.uni-koblenz.de/~krienke/ftp/noarch/geteltorito/geteltorito latest] version of geteltorito now includes my patch and works with <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt>.		UPDATE: the [http://www.uni-koblenz.de/~krienke/ftp/noarch/geteltorito/geteltorito latest] version of geteltorito now includes my patch and works with <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt>.
		+
		+	'''Note:''' On UEFI systems, the procedure below does not work, since memdisk is not UEFI compatible. In this case, just 'dd if=bios.img of=/dev/sdb' the extracted image (e.g., bios.img) to an usb drive (e.g., sdb) and try booting from it. There is no need to install a bootloader on the usb drive.

	'''Note:''' I used the method, described below to update the BIOS on my {{X200}}. It may or may not work for you, even if the ''BIOS Update (Bootable CD)'' iso-image has the same structure. It is not clear what is the root of the problem, but in some cases PC-DOS, used by Lenovo, hangs when booted via <tt>memdisk</tt>. The location from which <tt>memdisk</tt> is loaded (harddrive, USB-stick, or cdrom) also matters (for {{X200}}, harddrive works but USB-stick hangs).		'''Note:''' I used the method, described below to update the BIOS on my {{X200}}. It may or may not work for you, even if the ''BIOS Update (Bootable CD)'' iso-image has the same structure. It is not clear what is the root of the problem, but in some cases PC-DOS, used by Lenovo, hangs when booted via <tt>memdisk</tt>. The location from which <tt>memdisk</tt> is loaded (harddrive, USB-stick, or cdrom) also matters (for {{X200}}, harddrive works but USB-stick hangs).

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:38, 16 December 2010
Line 41:		Line 41:

	* reboot, and in the grub menu choose the <tt>BIOS update</tt> option (exe: my system hangs on "starting PC Dos" if usb flash is inserted so I have to remove it during upgrade)		* reboot, and in the grub menu choose the <tt>BIOS update</tt> option (exe: my system hangs on "starting PC Dos" if usb flash is inserted so I have to remove it during upgrade)
		+
		+	==Update on Ubuntu 10.10==
		+
		+	The latest "eltorito" works fine with the images.
		+	* Download the latest script : http://www.uni-koblenz.de/~krienke/ftp/noarch/geteltorito/geteltorito
		+
		+	* Grab the latest bios update
		+
		+	* Extract the image :
		+	./geteltorito -o bios.img 6duj42uc.iso
		+
		+	* Move it into your /boot directory :
		+	mv bios.img /boot
		+
		+	* Copy memdisk into your /boot directory :
		+	apt-get install syslinux
		+	cp /usr/lib/syslinux/memdisk /boot/
		+
		+	* Add an entry for grub :
		+	<pre>
		+	cat /etc/grub.d/20_bios_update
		+	#!/bin/sh
		+	exec tail -n +3 $0
		+	# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
		+	# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
		+	# the 'exec tail' line above.
		+	menuentry "BIOS Update" {
		+	insmod part_msdos
		+	insmod ext2
		+	set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
		+	linux16 /memdisk
		+	initrd16 /bios.img
		+	}
		+	</pre>
		+
		+	* Re-generate your menu entry :
		+	update-grub
		+
		+	* Reboot and select the entry
		+
		+	Disclaimer : it is certainly possible to the grub "memdisk.mod" but documentation was scarce and this way is working find.
		+	Please upgrade the doc if you can fix it ;-)

	==Hard drive firmware update utility==		==Hard drive firmware update utility==

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:28, 16 May 2010
Line 50:		Line 50:

	==Should work with==		==Should work with==
−	{{T400}}, {{R400}}, {{T500}}, {{R500}}, {{X200}}, {{x200s}}, {{X200_Tablet}}, {{X301}}, {{W500}}, {{W700}}, [[Hard drive firmware update]]	+	{{T400}}, {{R400}}, {{T500}}, {{R500}}, {{X200}}, {{x200s}}, {{X200_Tablet}}, {{X201s}}, {{X301}}, {{W500}}, {{W700}}, [[Hard drive firmware update]]

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 * Run update-grub to regenerate /boot/grub/grub.cfg
-* reboot, and in the grub menu choose the <tt>BIOS update</tt> option
+* reboot, and in the grub menu choose the <tt>BIOS update</tt> option (exe: my system hangs on "starting PC Dos" if usb flash is inserted so I have to remove it during upgrade)
 ==Hard drive firmware update utility==

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 A quick look at the ''BIOS Update (Bootable CD)'' iso-image shows that its <tt>iso9660</tt> filesystem is empty and its bootimage is of <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt>, i.e. it is a [http://www.phoenix.com/NR/rdonlyres/98D3219C-9CC9-4DF5-B496-A286D893E36A/0/specscdrom.pdf harddisk emulation]. Therefore non of the methods discussed in [[BIOS_Upgrade/X_Series]] would work. There are many Linux tools which extract bootimages from iso-images, but after a search over the net, I didn't find any which works correctly with <tt>BootMediaType=4</tt> (e.g. <tt>geteltorito</tt> form '''genisoimage''' package messes things up). I found, however, a free open-source DOS utility '''isobar''' from [http://shsucdx.adoxa.cjb.net/ shsucd] package. So, I just [http://colimit.googlepages.com/isobar.c ported] it to linux.
 '''Note:''' I used the method, described below to update the BIOS on my {{X200}}. It may or may not work for you, even if the ''BIOS Update (Bootable CD)'' iso-image has the same structure. It is not clear what is the root of the problem, but in some cases PC-DOS, used by Lenovo, hangs when booted via <tt>memdisk</tt>. The location from which <tt>memdisk</tt> is loaded (harddrive, USB-stick, or cdrom) also matters (for {{X200}}, harddrive works but USB-stick hangs).
@@ Line 22: / Line 24: @@
   cp /usr/lib/syslinux/memdisk /boot/memdisk
-* If you are using grub1 / grub-legagy append the following lines to /boot/grub/menu.lst
+* If you are using grub1 / grub-legacy append the following lines to /boot/grub/menu.lst
   title           BIOS update

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
    menuentry "BIOS Update" {
-         linux16 /memdisk
+         linux16 /boot/memdisk
-         initrd16 /bios.img
+         initrd16 /boot/bios.img
+   }

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
   cp /usr/lib/syslinux/memdisk /boot/memdisk
-* append the following lines to /boot/grub/menu.lst
+* If you are using grub1 / grub-legagy append the following lines to /boot/grub/menu.lst
   title           BIOS update
@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
   kernel          /memdisk
   initrd          /bios.img
 * reboot, and in the grub menu choose the <tt>BIOS update</tt> option