Flash BIOS update - bootable diskette version for NetVista(R) 6290 system version 26KT28A Installation README This package updates the basic input/output system (BIOS) on NetVista(R) 6290 systems. BIOS is programming that controls low-level hardware operations, including interactions with diskette drives, hard drives, and the keyboard. The BIOS is stored on a chip. Your computer uses flash BIOS, which can be updated through a program on a flash diskette so that you do not have to replace the BIOS chip to update the BIOS. Note: Make note of any settings you have changed in the BIOS Configuration Utility. These settings may have to be re-entered after updating the BIOS. Print this file so that you can refer to it during the installation. Downloading the update ---------------------- 1. Click the file link to download the file from the web page. 2. When prompted, select a drive and directory in which to save the downloaded file, be sure to select a path that does not have a space in its name. Extracting the update --------------------- Installing this update involves creating a BIOS flash diskette and running the flash program from the diskette. Before you begin, have a blank 1.44 MB diskette ready. 1. Click Start, select Find or Search, then click Files and Folders. 2. Insert a blank 1.44MB floppy diskette into the diskette drive. 3. Type 26jt28a.exe in the search field, then click Find Now. This will locate the file you just downloaded. 4. Double-click the 26jt28a.exe icon. 5. Follow the onscreen prompts. The necessary files will be extracted to the diskette. Installing the update --------------------- 1. Please make note of any settings you have changed in the configuration utility. They may have to be re-entered after updating the BIOS. 2. Close all open applications and shut-down the machine. 3. Insert the flash update diskette in the floppy diskette drive and power on the system. The current BIOS level on the computer is compared to that on the flash update diskette. 4. If the levels are the same, or the level on the diskette is older than the ROM, a message is displayed stating "BIOS ROM file is older than (or same as) BIOS ROM image. Continue Anyway? (y/n)" 5. Press Yes to continue. Update may take up to 2 minutes. Warning:Do not power off or restart the system during this procedure!! 6. Once the flash update is complete, remove the floppy diskette. 7. Press Enter to reboot the system. Summary of changes ------------------ General Information: 26JTxxA is the flash diskette level. 26KTxxA is the binary image level. (BIOS) NOTE: All changes carry forward. That is, if a change is added in 01, it is also in 02, 03 etc. CHANGES for 26KTxxA/26JTxxA: 26KT28A/26JT28A - Fixes a problem where the asset tag is corrupted when the asset tag in EEPROM is longer than the one in flash. Limits the copy to the length of the flash string. - Adds code to issue hard drive "freeze lock" command to all drives on return from S3 power state - Updates copyright message to include Lenovo - Changes the UUID string in Setup to fix a problem with the last digit not being displayed due to the length of the string in some languages 26KT27A/26JT27A - Fixes a problem where an APC USB UPS loses connectivity - Fixes a problem where the system with Intel USB wireless LAN may hang at TP55 - Fixes a problem where the operating system hangs due to BIOS ACPI IRQ 10 or 11 setting - Fixes incorrect SMBIOS structure 24 password information - Corrects the display of characters in older DOS applications on non-English systems - Fixes a problem where Zoom USB modem becomes unresponsive - Corrects the display of accented characters in some languages at runtime. For example, the boot password prompt. - Adds an Intel errata patch for the microprocessor firmware to address a potential issue that might cause a system to exhibit erratic behavior such as a system hang, reboot, blue screen, or Kernel Panic in Linux, and may also cause in-progress system operations (e.g., file, I/O) to fail. The possibility of this behavior is believed to be limited, but IBM strongly recommends that customers install this update as soon as possible to prevent the possibility of the issues listed above. See Retain Tip H181898 for more details on this issue: http://www.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TCTR-ERRN91 The IDs of the affected microprocessors are 0F29. NOTE: If you want to apply this processor patch without updating the rest of BIOS, refer to the "FLASHING BACK TO AN OLDER LEVEL OF BIOS" topic in the README.1ST file contained in this BIOS update package Determining the processor ID ---------------------------- There are several ways to determine the ID of the processor: 1. Go to BIOS setup (hold down the F1 key and power up the system) and look under the "Advanced" tab. (The processor ID is about 1/2 way down the screen.) 2. Use the Microsoft "System Information" tool. Go to the task bar and click through the following selections: Click Start, select Programs, select Accessories, select System Tools, then click System Information. The first screen displayed with this tool has processor information. For example, a F24 ID processor will have the following entry. (The "F" is translated to a "15" by this tool.) "Processor x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 4 GenuineIntel .." 3. DMI information. The processor ID is presented in the DMI (Desktop Management Interface) Type 4 structure. There are various tools (DMI browsers) available to view this information. 4. If you have a Windows installation that for some reason does not have the "System Information" tool, a utility to display the processor ID can be obtained from Intel at the following URL: http://support.intel.com/support/processors/tools/frequencyid/ 5. System administrators may wish to refer to the following URL for an example of a Microsoft script file that extracts (among other things) the processor ID: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/scriptcenter/compmgmt/scrcm73.mspx 26KT26A/26JT26A - Adds processor patch for 0F29 to ROM 26KT25A/26JT25A - Increases maximum processor speed reported by SMBIOS structure 4 to 2.8GHz 26KT24A/26JT24A - Fixes ACPI issue with UDMA slave device using capabilities of the master device - Fixes data corruption on POV card and clearing 190 error - Fixes potential bank 1 CMOS corruption due to SMI - Corrects use of semaphores in SMBus code. 26KT23A/26JT23A - Updates onboard video BIOS. Fixes video problems with the DVO flat panel displays. 26KT22A/26JT22A - Updates onboard video BIOS. Fixes intermittant video problems with DVO flat panel displays. - Fixes "Compatibility Rev ID code". - Fixes "Does not wake on LAN after losing AC power". We revert to a software approach where we power up, enable WOL, and go back down which is about three seconds into POST. - Fixes fan failure which can occur if an application does not release the SMBus semaphore. - Fixes Windows Me resume hang when USB Device Support = Disabled. - Adds new level of processor microcode update files. 26KT21A/26JT21A - Fix problem with Intel Boot Agent not loading 26KT20A/26JT20A - Fix incorrect Setup Summary Screen CPU speed - Update SM BIOS FSB speed during POST - In Setup, set PXE Boot & PXE Base to Enabled when System Board Ethernet is enabled - Disable native mode IDE support in ASL code - Correct the wrong prompt with power on password set - Update SMBIOS 4 to list the correct FSB speed - 0F27 processor microcode update - In Setup, enable PXE options when onboard ethernet is enabled 26KT19A/26JT19A - Add support for Intel memory reference code 1.2 - In Setup, grey out PXE options when onboard ethernet is disabled - Fix for loss of USB 2.0 device after hibernation - Fix for restoring ATAPI transfer rate on resume from S3 under W98 - Fix occasional failure to wake from S3 via directed ping - Fix NT reboot problem - Fix Dual mode password 26KT18A/26JT18A - Initial Production Release Trademarks ---------- IBM, NetVista, and Options By IBM are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. ThinkPad, ThinkCentre and Think Accessories are registered trademarks of Lenovo. Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both. Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others. THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND MERCHANTABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT. BY FURNISHING THIS DOCUMENT, WE GRANT NO LICENSES TO ANY PATENTS OR COPYRIGHTS. Copyright (c) 2005 IBM Corporation Copyright (c) Lenovo 2005, all rights reserved