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update bios for T22 without Windows?

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tpprynn
Posts: 41
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2012 1:15 pm
Location: Kent, UK

update bios for T22 without Windows?

#1 Post by tpprynn » Thu May 03, 2012 6:49 am

Can this be done? I've flashed BIOS before but those available on the Lenovo site are .exe files. Is there a way round the job without reinstalling Windows? There is a 2004 BIOS for the T22, and mine has a 2001 BIOS so ideally I suppose I should. Currently running Xubuntu 12.04.

Thanks.

Majestic
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Location: N.E. Wisconsin, USA

Re: update bios for T22 without Windows?

#2 Post by Majestic » Thu May 03, 2012 7:52 am

If you have a floppy drive then just download and use diskette version of the BIOS update. The diskette version will create its own DOS operating system on the diskette in which the BIOS update is performed so there is no need to worry about having Windows installed.

As for the actual disk creation, if your OS doesn't support the creation of the diskette from an .exe file then find a friend or relative with a Windows and a floppy drive to create the diskette for you.

http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloa ... D=DS002124
My Laptop Collection:
IdeaPad Z570, 8gb RAM & Win 7 Home Premium / Win 8.1 Pro
Toshiba A75-S206, 1.5gb RAM & Windows 7 Home Premium
ThinkPad T-22 (Formerly a T-20), 512mb RAM & Win XP Pro

tpprynn
Posts: 41
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2012 1:15 pm
Location: Kent, UK

Re: update bios for T22 without Windows?

#3 Post by tpprynn » Thu May 03, 2012 8:32 am

That's a relief. Looks like it has to be 32 bit Windows though as it hasn't worked with my 64 bit Windows 7 machine & floppy. Looks like I'll be installing 32 bit on a spare disk on another machine to do this, ha.

Or, I've got some boot disk isos for older Windows - is that like a skeletal DOS that would allow me to make this diskette? If so what would be the procedure?

Majestic
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Posts: 258
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2010 4:00 pm
Location: N.E. Wisconsin, USA

Re: update bios for T22 without Windows?

#4 Post by Majestic » Thu May 03, 2012 3:23 pm

If the boot disks will give you a true DOS prompt from which you can execute programs then they would work. Just boot the system with the boot disk and then run the BIOS update program from the command prompt. The update program will then begin and prompt you into creating a BIOS upgrade boot floppy disk.
My Laptop Collection:
IdeaPad Z570, 8gb RAM & Win 7 Home Premium / Win 8.1 Pro
Toshiba A75-S206, 1.5gb RAM & Windows 7 Home Premium
ThinkPad T-22 (Formerly a T-20), 512mb RAM & Win XP Pro

mbr12
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Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:23 am
Location: NH

Re: update bios for T22 without Windows?

#5 Post by mbr12 » Mon Nov 05, 2012 10:17 pm

Does it have to be a floppy? I tried it on cd and usb thumb drive with no luck.

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