[ltp] BIOS upgrade IHET42WW messes up display? (fwd)

[Nils Smeds]

Thanks for all replies so far. As messing with the BIOS tends to get me a 
little nervous I will not be able to redo the attempt in a few days. I really
do need the machine right now as I am on travel. It tend to take a couple of
hours doing this exercise.

> What is your BIOS setting on the following?
> 1.  [Config]->[Advanced]->[Other]->[Startup Screen]
>     Is it disabled so that IBM logo won't be displayed at boot time?

The IBM boot logo is enabled - I havn't had trouble with that before

> 2.  [Config]->[Advanced]->[Power]->[Screen Blanking]
>     Is it enabled?  How about disabling?
>     (I don't have any problem being it enabled on my TP570, though.)

I'll double check. I think I recall it to be enabled, but it hasn't caused
me any problems before either.

> 3.  [Config]->[Advanced]->[Other]->[Boot Display Device]
>     This item is most irrelevant, I think.  But what is it set to?
>     Also, what happens when you connect an external monitor?
>     Do you see anything on the external monitor? 

Wow, I didn't know about this one. The "tool" I have been using setting the
BIOS is the MS-DOS ps2 command. I'll have a look and see if it is available
there. I'll also check in the Win98 thinkpad config tool, which I guess you 
are referring too.

Could anyone tell me if I am right in the hope that a later BIOS might enable
me to use the tpctl utility better? That is, will it remove the message:

tpctl: SMAPI BIOS error 0x53 ("SMAPI function is not available") -- exiting.


> On the kernel side, what are your .config setting for the below?
> 	CONFIG_FB
> 	CONFIG_FB_VESA
> 	CONFIG_APM_DISPLAY_BLANK 

I haven't had to bother about graphics (neither XFree nor framebuffer) earlier,
it has just worked straight out of the box, so I am not very knowledgeable
in the area. I'll use all the advice I got next time I try.

[root@localhost /root]# grep FB /usr/src/linux/.config
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_OFFBOARD is not set
CONFIG_FB=y
CONFIG_FB_PM2=m
CONFIG_FB_ATY=m
CONFIG_FB_VESA=y
# CONFIG_FB_VGA16 is not set
CONFIG_FB_MATROX=m
CONFIG_FB_MATROX_MILLENIUM=y
CONFIG_FB_MATROX_MYSTIQUE=y
CONFIG_FB_MATROX_G100=y
CONFIG_FB_MATROX_MULTIHEAD=y
# CONFIG_FB_ATY128 is not set
# CONFIG_FB_VIRTUAL is not set
# CONFIG_FBCON_ADVANCED is not set
CONFIG_FBCON_CFB8=y
CONFIG_FBCON_CFB16=y
CONFIG_FBCON_CFB24=y
CONFIG_FBCON_CFB32=y
# CONFIG_FBCON_FONTWIDTH8_ONLY is not set
# CONFIG_FBCON_FONTS is not set

Thanks for all helpful advice so far.

/Nils

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