[ubuntu-uk] Update BIOS with dual boot

Tue Jul 17 20:07:27 UTC 2012

Hi all,

Digging up an old thread as i am still trying to solve this problem.
Hoping someone can help me update my BIOS from a live USB.

After having these problems come back
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=12106970#post12106970; i got
the reply which falls at the bottom of the thread.

So i am now trying to update my BIOS, from 1.15 to 1.16.

Having tried to use the native windows client as i did last time my
machine remains on 1.15. Getting the files for the 1.16 from here:
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/default.page? and following
the instructions here:
http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/8quj09us.txt, i
don't get any on-screen instructions for step 14("Select 'Update
ThinkPad BIOS' and follow the instructions on the screen.") and when i
check system information in Win7 i still see the BIOS are 1.15.

So now i am trying to follow the instructions for creating a live ISO
contained here:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/BIOS_Upgrade#Using_grub4dos_.28also_for_Linux.29.
My sense is that it would also be good to learn how to do this update
without windows.

So now:

I have formatted my pen drive to FAT32.

sudo fdisk -l gives:

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048     2459647     1228800    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2         2459648   109043711    53292032    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3       109045758   625141759   258048001    5  Extended
/dev/sda5       109045760   608542719   249748480   83  Linux
/dev/sda6       608544768   625141759     8298496   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdc: 4011 MB, 4011851776 bytes
124 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1019 cylinders, total 7835648 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0004629e

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1   *          62     7834071     3917005    c  W95 FAT32 (LBA)

Following the instruction on grub4dos
(http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/BIOS_Upgrade#Using_grub4dos_.28also_for_Linux.29),
i navigate the terminal, to the gub4dos-0.4.4 folder and try:

~/grub4dos-0.4.4$sudo ./bootlace.com /dev/sdc1

But i get the error:

"Error: Invalid partition table. Must specify --floppy explicitly for floppy.
BOOTLACE writes GRLDR BOOT RECORD to MBR or to the boot area of a file system.
Usage:  bootlace.com  [OPTIONS]  DEVICE_OR_FILE
Options: --read-only, --floppy[=N], --boot-prevmbr-first, --boot-prevmbr-last,
--no-backup-mbr, --force-backup-mbr, --mbr-enable-floppy, --mbr-disable-floppy,
--mbr-enable-osbr, --mbr-disable-osbr, --duce, --time-out=T, --hot-key=K,
--preferred-drive=D, --preferred-partition=P, --sectors-per-track=S, --heads=H,
--start-sector=B, --total-sectors=C, --install-partition=I, --lba, --chs,
--fat12, --fat16, --fat32, --vfat, --ntfs, --ext2, --serial-number=SN,
--restore-mbr, --mbr-no-bpb, --chs-no-tune
DEVICE_OR_FILE: Filename of the device or image. For DOS, a BIOS drive number
(in hex 0xHH or decimal DDD format)can be used to access the drive."

I see that someone
(http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-1163031.html) has
suggested that the command should be: sudo
/boot/Grub4DOS/stage2/bootlace.com --floppy=7 /dev/sdb7, but since i
am worried about wiping my whole hard disk i am worried about
experimenting (i don't want "sudo /boot/Grub4DOS/stage2/bootlace.com
--floppy=1 /dev/sdc1" to write to sda1 as opposed to sdc1).

I have been overwhelmed by the grub4dos readme file, so if anyone as
any ideas on either 1) how to get grub4dos working, or 2) how i make a
live usb from the Lenovo ISO to update my BIOS, i'd appreciate it.

Sorry for the long and complicated issue.

Thanks,

j

On 31 January 2012 21:32, James Morrissey <morrissey.james1 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks for all the help on this.
>
> I ended up using the windows utility and the whole process was
> painless. Instructions were here:
> http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/8quj08us.txt
>
>> I've just had a look at BIOS updates for my Thinkpad Edge 11 and they're
>> delivered as a bootable CD so there will presumably be a similar option for
>> the Thinkpad X121e.
>>
>
> Yes, one is available here:
> http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/detail.page?DocID=DS019251,
> but the windows route seemed easier.
>
> Thanks again.
>
> j