.
Update: I have released a new version of the Linux Live CD to patch these errors. It will also work with newer Atheros Cards that previously could not be patched. Go to the Thinkwiki page linked below for further details.


Linux live CD to remove the 1802 and 01C9 POST errors


For information on the problem, read this thread first. Instead of many "thank you" replies, please show your appreciation by contributing to the Thinkwiki, for example by expanding the list of Thinkpads affected by the 01C9 error. Here is the link. Problem/Bug discussion as well as detailed success reports (PCI ID's of cards, Thinkpad models) are welcome.
Massive credit goes to all contributors to this project: LtTPfan with his constant support, Borg Number One, Vojtech Pavlek for the Linux no-1802, mjg59 for his website, Paul Sladen for tons of helpful information and suggestions and most of all wulu, who created the current code and put it all together on this live CD.

--> This patch does not change the way your card is recognized by the operating system or drivers. You do not need to uninstall your card drivers before applying it.

DISCLAIMER: This software was designed FOR ATHEROS CARDS ONLY. It has undergone only minimal beta testing and can harm your computer. The authors are in no way to be held liable for any damage caused by this program. There is no warranty given, either express or implied for any fitness for any kind of purpose. YOU AGREE TO USE THIS ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Download here (~4 MB).

Usage
1. If you want to use this to remove the 1802 error, do not install your Atheros card yet.
2. Burn the ISO to a CD or DVD. Make sure to open the image instead of burning it as a regular file on the disc.
3. Boot from the CD.
4. If you choose to remove the 1802 error, do so and reboot with Ctrl-Alt-Del.
5. If not already present, install the Atheros card now and boot from the CD.
6. Choose not to apply the no-1802.
7. Select your Atheros card from the list. MAKE SURE IT'S THE CORRECT ONE, a wrong selection may cause damage!
8. Shut down by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del, turn the machine off and on.

I downloaded the ISO. When I attempt to load it into Nero Burning ROM it gives me a warning:

"The entered block size does not correspond to the image length. The block size may be wrong. Do you want to correct the value or ignore the problem?"

Sorry about that, somehow .ISOs get altered on the way. It is fixed now and in a .ZIP container. Everybody who has the corrupted version please download again!

I'ts a linux binary that depends on the loaded madwifi driver.

I can't test it under FreeBSD, since I don't have any Atheros adapters in
my BSD machine.
Give it a try - compile it:


make sure the if_ath.ko module is loaded,
retrieve the memory address of your atheros card by running lspci -v
and run it. remove01c9 0xmemaddr

I didn't use this to remove the 1802 error as I had already taken care of that, but I did use it to remove the 01C9 error. I just wanted to confirm that it works and I've had no problems on my T30 running XP SP2.

Great Job Danage

I haven't tried it (I don't have an IBM/Atheros card either), but I am sure it works great.

Works Great!!!


I used it on my T30 with an Atheros AR5001X+

No more 01C9, no more forced extended memory test, it boots like a normail laptop.

Thank you!!!

It doesn't work on my T23 with Gigabyte WIAG02 (Atheros 5005GS)
"EEPROM write failed"

Great job!

Thanks wulu. I didn't have any spare CDR's thus the question. I burned it now and it worked great on my T23. I still may give it a try under FBSD just out of curiosity.
BTW I was second person who downloaded the ISO and it wasn't broken

Your program did get me past the 01C9 error. Great work!

However Atheros AR5BMB-44 still doesn't work in X22. Gives yellow exclamation mark. Think this is IRQ issue. Tried fiddling with BIOS, no joy there. ACPI mode in XP doesn't allow you to diddle with the IRQ either.

Back to drawing board, must find a card that WILL work in the X22.

I use the same card, but in a T30 an plan to apply the utility tonight.
After that error, is your card still usable or broken?

Fortunately, the card is still usable. Give it a try and let me know, whether it works or not.

After applying the patch on my AR5005GS (GN-WIAG02) got the same error "EEPROM write fail", the program tried it probably 50x.
Danage is already informed,let´s check the outcome.
Card of course works unchanged.

Writing to EEPROM does not seem to work on the newer Atheros 5005 chipset. Neither Wulu nor I know why. Either the chipset does not support writing to EEPROM at all or that feature has not been implemented in the madwifi routines.

A good chance therefore would be to get in touch with the madwifi programmers. They might be willing and able to help. If we get 5005 specific code, it can be implemented in the Live CD.

Would be perfect to get the code, ´cause the 5005GS seems to be the most widely sold adapter at the moment, checking price comparators etc, also making it quite affordable with only a fraction of the costs of an IBM-approved one.

Bad news for 5005-users. Atheros newer chipsets appear to incorporate some kind of means for card manufacturers to block EEPROM write access. We do not know how this is done. Either through write protection to certain areas of the EEPROM, thus making it impossible to be changed by software.
Or it is done by leaving the write-enable channel of the EEPROM disactivated. From my understanding, slight chance might be it can be activated by programming the Atheros General Purpose Input/Output components. This would require immense knowledge of the Atheros chipset and its programming, which unfortunately I do not possess. Sorry everybody!

Worked like a charm! Took a cold reboot and a little wrangling with the drivers (XP couldnt locate them- had to manually update).

Thanks for all your perseverance !

I edited the original post and the Thinkwiki to include this information. Driver uninstall is not necessary when using this patch! It does not affect card identification by drivers/operating systems.

>>> Please contribute to the Thikwiki by adding models affected!

Or not?


Thanks...

Not at this point, unfortunately. It might be possible. I do not know how to program Atheros chipsets, more precisely GPIOs, so I'm unable to work out a solution. Someone should get in touch with the madwifi guys!

Hello everybody!
I have been following up on the 5005 problem. In touch now with one of the people who does Atheros hardware coding and knows how to program the GPIO. If one of the GPIO's is connected to the EEPROM write-enable we should get this solved. So keep checking back.

::::::: Please contribute to the Thinkwiki. All you need to do is sign up, YOU WILL NOT BE SPAMMED.

EDIT: I am going to receive an AR5005GS this week. Someone who knows how to do this promised to send me code to change GPIO on/off. Will keep you posted.

Danage & Wizards, big thanks!

I did 01C9 fix on my A31p sometime ago, was just to busy then to post it imediately. Since 1802 is fixed by newer versions of BIOS on A31p I just skip that. Great to have proper booting sequence again.

Have to say, only better thing then IBM support itself is great ThinPad community gathered around this site.

______________________________

A31p - 2.5GHz P4M, 1GB RAM, 60GB HDD, Gigabyte GN-WIAG01 (Atheros Super AG)

This is, in a word, marvelass!!!

This worked straight through for me!

I have a Thinkpad T30 2366-BU4
and just installed an Atheros AR5212 802.11abg REV01

Just so everyone knows...that wireless card is not compatible with 'this machine' (according to Technical Support).

Hi,

I was able to download and burn the .iso but am not having any luck resolving this 01C0 issue.

PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_1014&SUBSYS_057E1014&REV_01\4&139E449D&0&10F0

The Model No for this card is AR5BMB-44 (AR5004X WLAN Chipset?).

I looked at the card and the processor chip is the AR5213A-00 so the radio chip should be the AR5112?

I had previously ran the no1802 bios patch so I choose no.

In the next window I choose
02:02:0 Ethernet-controller:_Atheros_Communications

I get a bunch of error messages while the EEPROM write fails.

The card does not work after I reboot and push ESC, I'm getting a Code 10 Error (posted to a different thread).

Thanks,

George

Hello all

I have similar config and the same WLAN Nic as George has and I confirm, that on this card it is NOT POSSIBLE to change the EEPROM.

In some other forums it was mentioned, that some NIC's the EEPROM seemed to be write-protected and I tried in the recent days: EVERYTHING. (--> going as far as doing a "hotplug" of the IBM NIC into my Compaq TC1100, because the HP W500 (also Atheros NIC) reacted "normally"). There I can change the "regulatory" instance value with "wbemtest" (--> atheros5000_regulatory path). But on the IBM NIC: Value can NOT be stored. Also anykind of "Linux-based" changes did not allow to modify the EEPROM.

So meanwhile I gave up (my FRU 39T0081 - AR5BMB-44)

I wonder if somebody outthere with a Wireless Adapter II with FRU 93P4262 / 93P4264 is able to change the EEPROM.

Regards

Fredi - Switzerland

Hi all

Wanting to have the "MAX" I decided 4 days ago to order through IBM Webshop the 93P4262 NIC (in the hope to get something different than the 39T0081 I have, so that the EEPROM Patching to 108Mbit is possible).

Today I received the package, but when opened, I saw that the card was labeled as 39T0081 too.... *FRUSTRATION* also the first "visual" comparision resulted, that it was the same card as already received.

However: still decided to put it in my X41 and check. AND BIG SURPISE: this card seems to be Eeprom-writable!!! I could run the Linux Patch (change PCI Class ID from 0x200 to 0x280) and also could use "wbemtest" on my XP to change the "atheros5000_regulatory" value of the NIC! The last step is to change some "registers", which I will check later with Knoppix. I'm sure that this card will run at 108Mbs (after patching)!

INTERESTING: Visually this card looks 1:1 the same as my initial 39T0081! Same labels, same numbers, same types, even the label on the card (revision) is the same. I will later on make a more - in depth check - of the differences. If eventually only a "pin" has to be soldered, I will let you know.

Cheers

Fredi

Thanks,

That's great news...

Hopefully there will be something simple like a pin that needs to be soldered!

George

Please let us know the results. It is very important for the new Mini-PCIe Atheros users.

BR,

I have atheros 5005 card, any progress guys? Cant way to get it working ...

Got my Atheros 5005 gs working with the linuxlive cd just fine on my t40p. Just FYI.

cheers