Modified BIOSes for Thinkpads

Please do not post link to this page anywhere public! Feel free to send it to anyone through PM/e-mail/similiar means. Else it will need to be taken down. Thank you.

Always check the link to Lenovo's website and make sure the BIOS is meant for your machine. Though it shouldn't let you flash it if it isn't. The second column in tables is for this, that's not the modified BIOS!

All downloads are bootable CDs (exceptions noted), follow instructions from Lenovo's website on using bootable ISO BIOS updates.

Patch types:

skip – will only avoid displaying the error 1802/1804/1805 and allow booting; but BIOS will probably send disable signal over disable pin (miniPCIe pin 20) so you'll have to tape it or you won't get it to transmit anything
full – further modified that not only error 180X is avoided, but all (to my knowledge) calls for detecting whitelist presence will succeed; this will proabably spare you from taping over the disable pin and might get the hardware wireless switch working; if your card isn't supported by AccessConnections/Hotkey driver (and only Lenovo-branded ones are), then you still won't be able to control on-off state using Fn-F5

Access Connections support (for non-Lenovo cards, this easy way only works for cards from already supported manufacturers)

If you don't have AC installed, but use Fn-F5 with Hotkey driver, you just need to open TpFnF5.exe in some hexeditor, search for some ID of supported card and replace it with ID of your card. You can see your card ID in device manager, in properties of your device, called something like Hardware ID. If should be in form of VEN_1234&DEV_5678, search the TpFnF5.exe for DEV=5678 (in plaintext, not hex) and replace it with correct ID.
If you have AC installed, AcFnF5.exe takes over and will use AC libraries to detect supported cards. Specifically WWAN card IDs seem to be located in AcAdaptersInfo.dll and Acon.dll, there's more for WLAN. One added problem for easy replacing is that the strings here are in unicode, so it will look like this in hex editor. Again need to replace some supported card with the one you have, as in previous paragraph.

Recommended section – these modified BIOSes have been tested on at least one machine and did not brick it:

Machine	Based on BIOS	WLAN	WWAN	WUSB	Note
X60 T	7JET30WW 1.15	full	full		boots to command line, type `command` and hit enter to use Lenovo's update tool. Type `flash2 /u` to force update when you already have this version.

These modified BIOSes have been tested on at least one machine and did not brick it, but are obsolete now:

Machine	Based on BIOS	WLAN	WWAN	WUSB	Note
X60 T	7JET26WW 1.11	skip	skip
X60 T	7JET29WW 1.14	full	full		boots to command line, type `command` and hit enter to use Lenovo's update tool. Type `flash2 /u` to force update when you already have this version.

These BIOSes have NOT been TESTED on any machine yet, potential BRICKING RISK:

Machine	Based on BIOS	WLAN	WWAN	WUSB	Note
None as of now.

Obsolete and NOT TESTED on any machine, potential BRICKING RISK:

Machine	Based on BIOS	WLAN	WWAN	WUSB	Note
None as of now.

Don't forget general BIOS flashing safety: never flash from Windows, remove the computer from dock, have charged battery and also connect AC power.

2008-03-05: Please report success/problems here! (editing records fixed)

Your Nick/Name	Machine / BIOS Model	Card	L.	Avoids boot error?	Connects?	Taped pin 20?	Comment (issues...)
		is Lenovo-branded					Contact: (I might try to resolve issues you report, not public)
2008-04-21 gdog24	X60T 6365-cto	MC8775 42T0933	yes	yes	yes	no	Will post steps to get Access Connections working
2008-05-04 wgray719	X60T 6365cto	Intel 4965AGN	no	yes	yes	yes	LED, SWITCH, FN+F5 both work. 130 mbps
2008-05-22 LM	X60T 6363-94U	Sierra Wireless MC5725 for Verizon EVDO Rev. A	yes	yes	yes	no	Works great, Fn+F5 and Access Connections works.
2008-06-02 simdao	X60T 6363-85H	Intel 4965AGN (with FRU)	yes	yes	yes	yes	only 54M connect to 350N, System completely shutdown often after resume form standby
2008-08-26 checkcheck	X60T 1.11 X60T	cheap broadcom	no	yes	yes	yes	FN+F5 and hardwareswitch don't work
2008-08-31 p5ycho	X60T 1.14 6363-C7G	Intel 4965AGN	yes	yes	yes	no	Works like a charm. Couldn't boot the iso (no DVD drive) so used the windows flashtool instead. Thanks!
2008-11-15 cs03dmj	X60T 1.14 6535CTO	Intel 4965agn	no	yes	yes	no	Even I could do it! Thanks Zender... :-D
2008-11-16 PredatorCoder	X60T 1.14 6365-CTO	Sierra Wireless MC5725	yes	yes	yes	no	Works great! Don't see any problems with the setup so far what-so-ever.
2008-12-13 Sergey	X60T 6363-C3U	Sierra MC8781 from 881U	no	yes	yes	yes	Works perfect! After updated MC8781 firmware, have activated GPS! I'm using 3G Watcher for connection and switching on/off of card. Thanks Zender!!!
2009-01-28 EYE	X60T 6363-A7G	Intel Wireless WiFi 4965 AGN	no	yes	yes	no	Have no CD/dvd drive, so had to use WinPhlash in Windows 7, Used the wrong file first .fl2, then used the .fl1 file to flash, restart Bios Defaults and set to my liking, Restarted straight into Windows 7 which installed the 4965AGN driver in 5 secs and I could connect to a available 802.11g network and surf the internet. Many Thanks ! Will test N later, it's enabled on the card but have no n networks in the neighbourhood now.
2009-01-31 Aiuspaktyn	X60T 6364-CTO	Intel 5300	no	yes	yes	no
2009-02-07	X60T		no	no	no	no
2009-02-13 noromamai	X60T 6363-A7G	Apple Airport Extreme Pro (Atheros 5008 168c:0024)	no	yes	yes	no	downgraded with official exe to 1.14 before flashing
2009-06-13 sebmue	X60T 6363-C7G	Broadcom N12075	no	yes	yes	no	After patching the card works just like a normal one. Not checked access connetions though... thx
2009-10-04 pdckxd	X60T	Intel 5300 with fru	yes	yes	yes	no	Worked without any trouble!
2009-10-21 networker	X60T 6363-C7G	Intel 4965AGN	no	yes	yes	no	Works perfectly, even the Thinkpad-LED - Many thanks to Zender!!!
2009-11-11 Maniac	X60T 6363 HAU	Ericsson F3607gw	yes	yes	yes	yes	FN+F5 only with XP not Win7, LED works, underWin 7 only Vista driver runs
2010-03-04 ernstl	X60T 6363-al6 1.15	Atheros AR9280	no	yes	yes	no	New Atheros AR9280 (11n, 2 antenna connectors) out of Apple 2009 model with SiGe signal amplifier. HUGE improvement on Win 7 with power consumption compared to old original AR5001x+ and INSANE reception!
2010-03-08 adrians	X60T 6363-A7U	Intel 5300	no	yes	yes	no	Works well. A minor issue was that I couldn't boot up with the CD created from the provided ISO due to using a USB CD drive, I downloaded the Windows version of the BIOS updater from Lenovo and transferred the modified BIOS files from Zender's ISO to the extracted Windows updater. Thanks!
2010-09-14	X60T 115		no	no	no	no
2010-12-05 u.mac	X60T 6363-HAU	Sony Ericsson F3507G	yes	yes	yes	no	Works fine under XP with Fn+F5 and Access Connections - but under Win7... Fn+F5 only without Access Connections, runs only with Vista drivers, and needs 5w power, when !not! in use. Without WWAN-card x60t runs at 7,5w idle.

Column "L." = Is Lenovo branded?