[Thinkpad Tablet General] allquixotic:
I've been trying to upgrade to ICS (root or not is unimportant to me) for two weeks. I've followed every instruction, every guide out there and then some. I think I finally backed myself into a corner and don't think I'll be able to get out of it this time.

I have a TPT 64GB WiFi US model. Despite running the thing stock, it simply refuses under all circumstances to find OTA updates. That is, since I have owned it (since 2011), not once has the regular System Update OTA app indicated that there was any sort of update. I even followed all the Lenovo KB articles that tell you how to clear the Dalvik cache, delete stale update files, etc. to try and get it to patch. Nope. It's like my device is some kind of counterfeit that isn't even a real ThinkPad. I am totally at a loss.

So I ended up rooting it to try and force the updates down its uncooperative throat.

I was able to upgrade as far as 0039_0089, but every single time I try to boot up ICS, no matter what guide I followed, no matter whether my bootloader is CWM or stock, no matter whether I factory reset or wipe Dalvik, no matter whether USB charger or devices are plugged in or not, no matter whether I'm rooted or not... regardless of ANY variables WHATSOEVER, the thing just boot loops as soon as it tries to boot ICS.

I spent 24 hours trying to stop it from boot looping when it boots ICS. Things I've tried:

Tried some guy's "no-bloat" nandroid backup of 0039_0089, then to ICS after restoring stock files, using CWM with the removed asserts

Tried GodfatherIP's nandroid of 0039_0086, upgrading to 0039_0089, then to ICS using CWM with the removed asserts

Tried returning to stock recovery, which at first resulted in having no recovery kernel at all, but eventually I somehow managed to get stock recovery back, and had a non-rooted stock 0039_0089 based on GodfatherIP's nandroid plus the stock upgrade to 0039_0089

Tried installing the unmodified A310_0069_0130 on top of the above, using stock recovery, and it seemed to upgrade without a hitch

Rebooting, power cycling, wiping cache, and/or factory resetting had no impact on the ability of the above image to actually boot

Tried installing the unmodified A400_0069_0130 on top of the above, using stock recovery, and it seemed to upgrade without a hitch

Rebooting, power cycling, wiping cache, and/or factory resetting had no impact on the ability of the above image to actually boot

Basically, every single last thing I've tried has resulted in an utter failure to boot ICS -- not even once -- under any circumstances. I don't think I'm missing anything; I've literally followed instructions step by step. And just in case 99% of the developers/guide-posters got it wrong, I've followed at least a dozen guides, so statistically at least one of them is bound to be right, right....? Well, apparently not?

Right now I have a boot-looping system that's been factory reset and cache wiped, with stock recovery. All I can do is attempt to apply signed updates. I obviously can't go back to a nandroid backup.

Do I have any recourse at all, or do I have to throw my $600 unit in the trash? Right now it's basically only useful as a cutting board. I can't believe this has been so excruciating -- never in 3 years of rooting 10+ Android devices have I ever experienced anything this awful. And the problems are compounded by the fact that most of the guides out there are only for ROW or UK, leaving US devices in the dark / untested, so that may be one reason why I'm having issues.... probably nobody has even tested their methods on US builds except GodfatherIP, but even his methods proved futile for me.

I just want ICS... a unit that works... root is completely irrelevant to me, it always has been. But between the out of the box updater being completely and fundamentally broken, and the utter failure of all rooted attempts to upgrade to ICS, I am at wit's end.

Am I the only one experiencing this or has anyone overcome a similar situation?