Hi,

I got my IBM T40 back from service the other day and started to reinstall it. When I installed the new IBM Updatetool it said the computer had an invalid type. Checking the TYPE + SERIAL NUMBER from within Access IBM (blue button while booting) it showed the SERIAL + TYPE NR. was empty!! I know they changed the motherboard.

I then tried to flash it to the newest bios. In the bios program it is possible to set the TYPE - but only the last 3 digits. Now the dealer i bought the computer from want me to send the machine back and i can expect to have it for service for about 2-3 weeks - AGAIN!

Does any of you guys have e floppy disk that can boot up and change the motherboard serial + type ? I know it exists because one of our other laptops came back with the same problem 2-3 months ago and it had a Servicepac agreement so this technician showed up and did the trick.

Thanks,
Christian

It's available but ...............

From IBM's site: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-44144

ThinkPad Hardware Maintenance Diskette version 1.71 or later
Note: A Business Partner ID and password is required to download the file from the following Web site: http://www.ibm.com/pc/partner/spm

Sorry, I don't have what it takes to help you there.

GomJabbar: Don't be. You provided me with the details i needed and google did the rest:

http://www.51nb.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=107134

At the second post theres a link for maint169.exe and that I have downloaded. Tomorrow I will try it out to see if it works

Thanks for showing me in which direction i needed to go

/Christian

Nice sleuthing, Christian! Please let me know if this works - I had my system board replaced and have the exact same problem (IBM update apps don't work because machine type and SN fields are blank).

It works. Just tried it a couple of days ago. The only matter is, that you have to type S1 in front of the type/serial number.

In the commandline you need to type

S1<type><serial>

example:

S1237372A99123456

/Christian

Glad to here it all worked out. Thanks for posting your results.

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but how do you use the program (maint169.exe) if there is no floppy disk drive? Do I need to burn it to CD or get a USB floppy drive or will a USB key drive work? Thanks.

I think you need to find a computer with a floppy drive. Create the disk on that one, then burn a bootable CD with the floppydisk image. Ahead Nero can do this.

/Christian

I read in the following thread of someone who claimed they upgraded the BIOS on a 600E using a CD (this normally takes a floppy).

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=17326

sorry but you need to a diskette for the HMD to work

create the diskette and use an USB floppy on your thinkpad

If anyone needs the diskette image creator for the Thinkpad Hardware Maintenance Diskette version 1.74, e-mail me. At the risk of illegally distributing it (and please stop me if I am!), let me know if you'd like to host it for download.

If you've changed the system board on your laptop, this is the utility you need to set the model type, sub-model type (mmmm-sss), and system serial number. Also sets the system UUID, as well as other initialization utilities like hard drive formatting.

Filename: i7tm22us.exe

Dimarc67

Most of the links mentioned in previous posts seem to be outdated now. However, I had success downloading the Thinkpad Hardware Maintenance Diskette version 1.74 from:

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/bp ... tm22us.exe

Regards,
Thomas.

Can't download it. Really need it

Can someone email it to me? roobeert_@hotmail.com

Sorry, I just noticed that my previous post had a typo in the file name.
Please try

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/bp ... tm22us.exe

I generated the diskette from that file last evening and it worked.

Bless you microtom, you are so kind.

thank you so much. This will clear up all the problems that was created by a reckless technicians who forgot to insert the serial number

The above info is not correct, it should be 1S instead of S1.
e.g. 1S2373A991234567 (and not ...123456 as above).

In my T30 (and others I guess), the way to do it:
1) Go into the BIOS with F1 and set the boot-sequence to FLOPPY first. Insert floppydrive + HMD-floppy.
2) Reboot, then press ESC as soon as the IBM logo appears. The EEPROM write-protection is now inactive.
3) Once in the program, check Option 2) first to READ what's in there.
You are interested in the 20- option for Type/Serial.
If empty, select Option 1) - Add new S/N, and again select the 20 - field.
If old/wrong info is in this 20 - field, use Option 9) first to delete it, then use Option 1) to add the new Type/SN.
As shown above, first insert 1S, then Type 2373 then Model A99 and finally the 7-char. Serial Number 99KWFW3 and press Enter (no spaces anywhere!).

Exit the program, reboot into BIOS and set the Boot-Sequence the way you had/want it.

HTH

The link seems to have changed to ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/i7tm23us.exe.

Thanks for the updated link! I need to do this again since my model/serial numbers are all messed up for whatever reason. I need it to appear to be a 2373-9XU still even though I upgraded the processor to the 2.0 and upgraded the RAM to 2GB.

how do I run the program If I don't have a floppydrive and I really don't know what a HDM floppy is...

It's HMD (Hardware Maintenance Disk), not HDM. I used Nero on my desktop to make a bootable CD from the floppy. It reads the EEPROM on my 600e but that's all I've tried to do using the bootable CD. Everything should work as long as none of the executables try to write back to the CD.

To all those going to attempt to do this via a bootable CD:

It will not work. See this thread.

You must be booting from a floppy to unlock the eeprom.

Hi guys, I just bought a floppy drive and some disks. However I don't know how to use the file i7tm23us.exe. I thought it'd install some stuff in a blank floppy disk but I was wrong. I can't open it either in Vista or 2000. Should I copy the file to the HMD floppy disk and run it in DOS or something like that?

I appreciate your ideas!

You can't 'just copy to a floppy and run it'. It does open in XP SP1. It prompts you to read 15 pages of an agreement then prompts for a diskette in drive A. It then creates a bootable diskette and apparently this FLOPPY is needed to make eeprom changes.

Although our operating systems are different, can't help but wonder if the file you have is corrupted (it SHOULD open)!
Try D/L'ing it again

Thanks sojourner!! I tried the same file in Windows XP SP2 (via Virtual PC) and it worked!!!! However I can confirm that it does not work under Windows VIsta or 2000 environment.

Now, is it enough or do I still need the HMD disk?? Which one should I insert at startup? I checked with Nero but didn't find the option. Any idea?

Wow, I am really surprised that file did not open in W2K nor Vista! Interesting ...



Not sure I understand the questions. I've created the floppy (because that's what the program wants, and comments from those who've used the program say they run a FLOPPY), so I will use a floppy (external USB) and think you need to create it as well (i7tm23us.exe will prompt you to make it). I need to change the TYPE on one of the TP's here, have not done that yet and it could be a few days before time will allow.

From what I understand, you need to:

1. open i7tm23us.exe
2. read 15 pages of IBM agreement
3. have a good blank 1.44mb floppy ready in drive A
4. make the floppy
5. boot your lappie from the floppy
6. pray all goes well

Hope you will post back; keep us informed with how you make out!

I just successfully added the serial number!!

A floppy disk created by i7tm23us.exe, an external floppy drive and RealBlackStuff's walkthrough are all that you'll ever needed!

Just one thing that might be a little confusing:

After selecting option 1, you'll still have to choose the field. Typing 20 for system-unit serial number and 40 for system board serial number.(still a few other fields). I entered the wrong number due to a nasty typo but luckily I was given a chance to erase it.

So after option 1, type 20, then type 1S + machine/model type + serial number (without spaces).

Finally, choose option 2 to verify the information is entered correctly. In my case, I was able to see the field 20 and 40 in the EEPROM. The field 40 is the MB serial number, which seems to be changeable too.

Hope it helps!

Thanks for the update ulrich.von.lich. You provided helpful information!

It appears that the links to the Maintenance Disk file are no longer valid. Could some kind soul email the file to me (if it isn't too large) at scmidgley@gmail.com?

Steve,

According to the thread T43P - Incorrect serial number in bios (I assume) (see the post by superboss of Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:19 am), you may download the "IBM Thinkpad Hardware Maintenance Diskette" (ver. 1.75, I believe) from here --> ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/i7tm23us.exe - and I just did that, with no problems. Have a try - if having troubles let me know, and I will send you a zipped copy via e-mail.

Best regards,

Johan