IBM ThinkPad A31p/A31 September 29, 2004 ThinkPad BIOS Update Utility Program Version : 1.10 BIOS Version : 1GET38WW ====================================================================== Notice: ------- This program is language independent and can be used with any language system. What This Package Does ---------------------- The ThinkPad BIOS Update Utility given here can update the system program stored in the ThinkPad system to fix problems, add new functions, or expand functions. This release supports the following systems: - ThinkPad A31p 2653-Hxx/Jxx/Lxx/Nxx - ThinkPad A31 2652-Axx/Bxx/Cxx/Dxx/Exx/Jxx/Kxx/Mxx, 2654-Cxx The supported operating systems for this update utility are as follows: - Windows 98 and 98 Second Edition - Windows Me - Windows 2000 - Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 3 or later - Windows XP To determine if you have to update the system program or not, refer to the "Summary of Changes" section. To update the system program, refer to the "Installation instructions" section. Released Versions ----------------- Version 1.00 (1GET28WW) Initial Release Version 1.01 (1GET29WW) Fix some problems Version 1.02 (1GET30WW) Fix some problems Version 1.03 (1GET31WW) Fix some problems Version 1.04 (1GET32WW) Fix some problems Version 1.05 (1GET33WW) Fix some problems Version 1.06 (1GET34WW) Fix some problems Version 1.07 (1GET35WW) Fix some problems Version 1.08 (1GET36WW) Fix some problems Version 1.09 (1GET37WW) Fix some problems Version 1.10 (1GET38WW) Fix some problems Summary of Changes ------------------ Key: Utility Version (for example, 1.00 means Version 1.00) (New) New Function or Enhancement (Fix) Correction to existing function <1.00 - 1GET28WW> - (New) Support for ThinkPad A31p/A31. <1.01 - 1GET29WW> - (New) Support EEPROM update program. - (Fix) CPU Microcode is updated. - (Fix) HotKey does not work at system password prompt - (Fix) Fn+F7 display switching function should not work in TV only mode - (Fix) (Windows XP) System does not warm reboot with USB Memory key plugged. - (Fix) The power indicator LED would turn off 3 seconds faster than the system power off. - (Fix) Int13h (HDD BIOS) time out error happens when the AC plug attach/detach. - (Fix) (Windows NT) Power Management timer does not set correctly at rare intervals. - (Fix) System went into Suspend mode instead of SpeedStep Low mode at thermal step 1. <1.02 - 1GET30WW> - (Fix) (Windows NT) The screen is corrupted after resume. - (Fix) There is jitter with characters on video mode (0,1,4,5,13). <1.03 - 1GET31WW> - (New) Support UltraDMA function for ZIP250 drive - (Fix) Eliminate high pitched noise (from power circuit) that may occur with some applications using DirectX. - (Fix) Prevent frame dropout of video out to DV (digital camcorder) through the IEEE1394 CardBus card. - (Fix) When disabling a device in the Startup menu of BIOS Setup, the device would sometimes disappear from the menu and could not be re-enabled. - (Fix) Support Cypress USB Hub. - (Fix) EEPROM update packet is not prepared when diag mode is enabled by BIOS Setup. - (Fix) (Windows NT) USB mouse does not work after suspend if power on password is installed. - (Fix) (Windows XP) LCD is blank or has wrong resolution after waking from Standby (intermittently). - (Fix) BIOS Boot Order changes after Flash Over LAN using RDM <1.04 - 1GET32WW> - (New) Support Pentium4 C1 step CPU - (New) Support New Video RAM - (Fix) USBFDD becomes slow if paged environment is enabled such as EMM386 <1.05 - 1GET33WW> - (Fix) Using Wake by Scheduled Tasks may set wrong date and time. - (Fix) Disabling the SpeedStep does not work correctly. - (Fix) A keyboard state sticks to SysRq key pressed. Some Alt key combinations will be ignored. - (Fix) If Lid close action beep is enabled, LCD close during OS boot may cause continuous beep. - (Fix) Improve security related process. - (Fix) (Windows XP) Power management related function does not work after Fn+F7 function when user is changed by switch user. <1.06 - 1GET34WW> - (New) The SMBIOS data area has been moved to lower memory location. - (New) Added a BIOS option to disable built-in network card ROM using upper 640KByte location. (Some network card features will be disabled) - (Fix) Unusable +/- sign in Pop-up Boot Menu removed. - (Fix) ID for EC device object in ECDT table fixed. - (Fix) (Windows98) Error message appears on second hibernation wakeup with new Memkey. - (Fix) Update the help text of the NumLock setting in BIOS SETUP. <1.07 - 1GET35WW> - (New) Support D1 step of the Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor - M. - (Fix) Fix the incorrect setting of PCI IRQ routing in a docking station CardBus controller. - (Fix) Hibernation swap area may overlap POST work area. - (Fix) A hard disk drive password prompt for a second one (with password) which is hot swapped into a Windows 2000 or XP system comes up at system reboot. Note: A hard disk drive password should be entered at resume time from suspend after hot swapped into above systems. - (Fix) Remote update of the H8 eflash by RDM was failed. - (Fix) SMBIOS data area conflicted with BIOS DC000h - FFFFFh - (Fix) If LID closes just after entered in hibernation using Fn+F12 key combination, the LCD is still blacked out at resuming. <1.08 - 1GET36WW> - (Fix) System may hang during POST if two USB devices are connected. - (Fix) Fixed some multi-function type PCCards won't work after suspend/resume. - (Fix) Pressing Initialize(F9) key twice will reset network boot sequence to other than BIOS Setup Default. - (Fix) 1st key in character will be dropped after leaving for time specified in BIOS Setup/Config/Power LCD Off Timer value(*). * When Power Mode for AC/Battery sets as "Custom". * An hour for AC Maximum Performance. <1.09 - 1GET37WW> - (Fix) CPU Microcode is updated. - (Fix) Power management setting for the LID close option is changed after hibernating. - (Fix) Diskette in the FDD in docking station is formatted as 720K though default is 1.44. - (Fix) NT4.0 Hibernation hang up problem (very intermittent) - (New) Embedded controller version is displayed in SMBIOS type 11. - (New) Enhancement of the battery control. <1.10 - 1GET38WW> Note: This BIOS version will work with Embedded Controller(ECP) version 1.03 - (Fix) CPU Microcode is updated. - (New) New type VRAM support Installation instructions ------------------------- Notes: - You need an AC adapter and a charged battery pack to update the system program. - If your computer is attached to any kind of docking station or port replicator, turn off the computer and detach it before proceeding. - Before using this BIOS Update Utility with Windows 98 Second Edition, IBM recommends applying the Windows 98 Second Edition Shutdown Supplement from the Microsoft Web site Knowledge Base Article ID Q239887. 1. Print these instructions or display on another computer. 2. Firmly connect the AC adapter to the computer. 3. Start a supported version of Windows on the target computer. 4. Make the temporary directory on the hard disk drive (for instance, C:\Temp) 5. Download the ThinkPad BIOS Update Utility from the web site and store the file into the temporary directory. 6. Click Start and then click Run. 7. In the Open dialogue box, specify the utility filename with the full path name where you stored ThinkPad BIOS Update Utility. (E.g. C:\Temp\filename.exe) Then press the Enter key. 8. Follow the instructions. 9. When completed, the system is automatically turned off. WARNING: Do not turn off or suspend the computer until the update has been completed. If you turn off or suspend the computer while the update is still in progress, the system board may have to be replaced. After the update has been completed, do the following to make the changes effecive. 10.Make sure there is no diskette in the diskette drive, then turn on the computer. 11.While the "Press F1 for IBM BIOS Setup Utility" message is displayed at the lower-left area of the screen, press the F1 key. The IBM BIOS Setup Utility menu will be displayed. If a password prompt appears, type the correct password. 12.Verify the BIOS version and date. 13.Press the F9 key to load default configuration. 14.Select Yes. 15.Press the F10 key to save default configuration. 16.Select Yes. The system will restart automatically. Unattended Installation: 1. Follow the same instructions above from step 1 to step 6. 2. Specify filename with the full path name where you stored ThinkPad BIOS Update Utility with options -s -a -s (For example, C:\Temp\1GUJ09WW.EXE -s -a -s) and then press the Enter key. Windows will be shut down automatically. The system BIOS program is updated without any user interaction. BIOS information ---------------- Each version of the ThinkPad BIOS Update Utility contains the following system program (BIOS). The BIOS Version and the date as well as the Embedded controller version number can be viewed by running ThinkPad Configurator from your operating system and selecting the System Information button or by invoking IBM BIOS Setup Utility. 1. Make sure there is no diskette in the diskette drive, then turn off the computer. 2. Turn on the computer. 3. While the "Press F1 for IBM BIOS Setup Utility" message is displayed at the lower-left area of the screen, press the F1 key. The IBM BIOS Setup Utility menu will be displayed. If a password prompt appears, type the correct password. The BIOS version and date are displayed on the first screen of the IBM BIOS Setup Utility. Diskette BIOS BIOS Version Version Date ECP Version -------- -------- ---------- --------------- 1.00 1GET28WW 2002-02-28 1.00 - 1GHT13WW 1.01 1GET29WW 2002-04-15 1.02 1GET30WW 2002-05-14 1.03 1GET31WW 2002-07-23 1.04 1GET32WW 2002-08-23 1.05 1GET33WW 2002-11-28 1.01 - 1GHT14WW 1.06 1GET34WW 2003-02-28 1.07 1GET35WW 2003-05-09 1.08 1GET36WW 2003-07-08 1.09 1GET37WW 2004-05-25 1.10 1GET38WW 2004-09-15 1.03 - 1GHT16WW Memory information ------------------ The following information shows memory areas that are either unavailable or that can be included with a memory manager such as EMM386. Reserved BIOS Area: C0000-CFFFF (reserved for Video BIOS) DC000-DFFFF (reserved for USB BIOS) *1 E0000-FFFFF (reserved for BIOS) *1 : This area is free when USB BIOS is disabled. Trademarks ---------- * IBM and ThinkPad are trademarks of IBM Corporation in the United States. * Windows and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other company, product, and service names may be registered trademarks, trademarks or service marks of others.