Flashing lenovo laptop Bios - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Kindev
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 10, 2024, 01:08:33 am
content: I am in the process of flashing the bios on my bricked lenovo thinkpad p53s. I am using a raspberry pi and a pomona test clip, all is going well and i can read the flash chip as well as remove the old bios but i am having trouble figuring out what file is the new bios. I extracted the .FL1 file from the most recent bios update (n2iuj38w.iso) from the lenovo website. Using UEFITool I can explore the contents of the .FL1 file but I don't seem to know what file to write onto the flash chip. The only file that has the same size required by the bios is the padding. I am pretty stumped so if anyone had any idea on how to proceed that would be greatly appreciated

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2024, 01:29:12 am
content: don't double thread ....

author: Peabody
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2024, 03:10:48 pm
content: I also have the P53s (20N6). I see that you are using the CD .iso file, which I've ever used. But the update utility (the .exe) opens for me in 7zip, although it's far from clear what all the files are.I also found this forum thread:https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Gaming-Laptops/GUIDE-How-to-extract-BIOS-from-Lenovo-BIOS-Update-Package-such-as-ATCN37WW-exe/m-p/5008973I don't know if it's relevant. It appears to be based on this:https://github.com/liho98/lenovo-bios-logo-extraction-guideWould you mind explaining what bricked your laptop?

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 10, 2024, 03:37:24 pm
content: I rather suggest finding full dump and replace ME region with clean one (mandatory, otherwise will have issues or not boot at all), replace SN, mac from original bios.What is exact model, motherboard?I'm not exactly a specialist in that and did not bother with laptop MB repair for a long time but AFAIK laptop bios updates usually don't even have a complete bios in them.Here is full working dump (dirty ME) fromnm-d351 rev1.0 which may be used in this modelhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1NHhjIi09BzTtOei9cf5pbWF6raP3BLol/view?usp=sharing

author: Kindev
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 12, 2024, 11:31:21 pm
content: Thank you! I will try the suggestions. My laptop is type 20N6 with serial number PF292CDY. My laptop was bricked from the bios allowing me to enter special characters into the administration password. I did not know this was going to brick my laptop until i received the 0199 system security error on boot

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 13, 2024, 12:46:11 am
content: ^You likely need modifying EC firmware, not bios to reset the password. Also there seems to be another way around ithttps://www.badcaps.net/forum/troubleshooting-hardware-devices-and-electronics-theory/troubleshooting-laptops-tablets-and-mobile-devices/bios-requests-only/3237235-lenovo-thinkpad-ec-pwd-bypassAttachedQuote

author: Kindev
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 28, 2024, 11:08:52 pm
content: Thank you! This forum has helped a lot in understanding what I have to do to fix my laptop. I have opened the attached .bin file you sent but the UEFI tool is saying the image may be corrupted "not a single volume top file found. What is this file supposed to contain?

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2024, 04:05:48 pm
content: https://www.badcaps.net/forum/troubleshooting-hardware-devices-and-electronics-theory/troubleshooting-laptops-tablets-and-mobile-devices/bios-requests-only/98089-t14s-mec-1663-jtag-pinout-bios-password-removalhttps://www.badcaps.net/forum/troubleshooting-hardware-devices-and-electronics-theory/troubleshooting-laptops-tablets-and-mobile-devices/bios-requests-only/98068-help-need-working-ec-rom-for-t480s-on-mec1663better luck there ?

author: Kindev
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 02, 2024, 11:24:59 pm
content: Thank you all for your help I have fixed my laptop by bypassing the EC!!

author: u666sa
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2024, 02:34:22 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on September 10, 2024, 03:37:24 pmCould you provide a dump with clean ME for ThinkPad W520-4270CTO?I have it flashed with dirty ME, the damn thing takes 30 minutes to start up windows.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2024, 03:19:47 pm
content: Quote from: u666sa on November 04, 2024, 02:34:22 pm

author: u666sa
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2024, 05:20:50 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on November 04, 2024, 03:19:47 pmSay. That's a bin you write through programmer right? Not something you write through lenovo bios utility. Just wanna be sure before I take that thing apart and pull the chip.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 04, 2024, 05:25:59 pm
content: Yes.