[ltp] New bios stops rh61

[John Belew]

Adrian_Merwood@tivoli.com writes:

 > I am the original poster.....I raised the problem on the IBM Support Thinkpad
 > discussion list and have yet to see an answer.

Correct me of I'm wrong, but I think IBM responded to this newsgroup a month ago:

 > Return-Path: <kfrechet@us.ibm.com>
 > From: kfrechet@us.ibm.com
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 > To: linux-thinkpad@www.bm-soft.com
 > Date: Sat, 18 Dec 1999 17:06:34 -0500
 > Subject: [ltp] Short term work-around to ThinkPad 600E BIOS update problem
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 > 
 > 
 > 
 > Folks:
 > 
 > I have reproduced the problem myself, and I've determined that the problem
 > is new with BIOS revision INET26WW (file SPSDIN26.EXE) and does not exist
 > in the other released BIOSes (at least those from INET23WW onward).
 > 
 > Problem summary
 > ===============
 > To summarize the problem, when a ThinkPad 600E is upgraded to BIOS INET26WW
 > (file SPSDIN26.EXE from the IBM HelpCenter Web Site), Linux fails to boot,
 > providing the error message:
 > 
 >     hda:  INVALID GEOMETRY: 0 PHYSICAL HEADS?
 > 
 > Other operating systems supported by IBM don't appear to be affected.
 > 
 > ** PLEASE NOTE **
 > Not all ThinkPad 600E models use the INET2xWW series of BIOSes. The IBM
 > HelpCenter Web site describes which BIOS to use for the various flavors of
 > the ThinkPad 600E.
 > 
 > Recommendation
 > ==============
 > My current recommendation is for Linux users to go back to BIOS INET25WW
 > (file SPSDIN25.EXE) until we've determined the exact nature of the problem
 > and have released an update. I have tested going from INET26WW backward to
 > INET25WW and have not encountered any problems. Here is a link to the BIOS
 > that I am recommending:
 > ftp://ftp.pc.ibm.com/pub/pccbbs/mobiles/spsdin25.exe
 > 
 > Don't forget to follow these steps (below) after updating the BIOS. These
 > steps are copied directly from the SPSDIN26.TXT file.
 > 
 > =================================================================
 > After the update has been completed, do the following to make the
 > changes effective.
 > 
 > 7.  Make sure the System Program Service Diskette is removed from
 >     the diskette drive, then turn off the computer.
 > 8.  Press and hold the F1 key, then turn on the computer. Hold the F1 key
 >     until the Easy-Setup menu appears.
 > 9.  If a password prompt appears, type the correct password.
 > 10. Select Config, then select Initialize.
 > 11. Select OK to initialize the system.
 > 
 > Run the diagnostics to make sure that the computer runs with no errors:
 > 
 > 12. Turn off the computer, press and hold the F1 key, then turn on
 >     the computer. Hold the F1 key until the Easy-Setup menu appears.
 > 13. Select Test, then select Start to run all the basic tests.
 >     Various test patterns will appear on the screen.
 >     An OK will appear for each device that passes the test.
 > 14. Verify that OK appears for all of the devices tested.
 > 15. Press the Esc key to exit Test and turn off the computer.
 > =================================================================
 > 
 > Note that this problem is under active investigation.
 > 
 > -- Keith
 > 
 > Keith Frechette
 > Linux Development Lead, Mobile Computing Options and Software Development
 > IBM Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
 > kfrechet@us.ibm.com / 919-543-3761 / TieLine:441-3761

-- 
< John Belew >
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