Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 13:08:07 -0700 From: Ken Key <key@network-alchemy.com> To: Mark Evenson <evenson@panix.com> Cc: freebsd-mobile@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Thinkpad X20 2662-34U lockup problem Message-ID: <200104192008.f3JK87D28114@salt.cips.nokia.com> In-Reply-To: Your message of 19 Apr 2001 15:33:00 -0400. <a0ae5c65xv.fsf@panix6.panix.com>
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The X20 I used in December worked fine with FreeBSD v4.2, no parition type issues. Sorry, I don't have the machine nor the BIOS version number, but I recall that I updated the BIOS to the latest/greatest in Dec/Jan worrying that the bug would bite me (I needed to find out before my users did) and it didn't. So the BIOS of Dec./Jan time frame should be OK. I installed FreeBSD on the box by using Parition Magic to shrink Win2K to 4Gig, leave the "hidden" +1Gig Windows Recovery parition at the end of the disk alone, and create a FreeBSD partition in the middle. I then just installed FreeBSD and used the FreeBSD Boot manager. Here's how I recovered wedged T21 hard-drives. Put the disk in another laptop (TP 600X in my case), boot the FreeBSD installation CD, go into the configuration options and run the FDISK utility, changing it from A5 to something else (Not being imaginative, I used A6). Then put the disk back in the machine. You might try that and see if you can then get the BIOS to boot into the Windows Recovery partition at the end of the disk. You should (theoretically) then be able to restore the disk back to your from-factory condidtion. I'd then hunt for the older BIOS in the Dec. /Jan. timeframe. As I said, mine was Win2K. I don't know whether or not the Win98 X20's also have the recovery parition, but since the feature is accessed via the BIOS, I would guess it probably does. Regards, K^2 > I have run into the dreaded "Thinkpad BIOS thinks it wants to sleep on the > FreeBSD partition" problem. I have searched the freebsd-mobile archives, > and read the information on the BSDToday forum at: > > http://www.bsdtoday.com/2000/November/News342.html > > unfortunately the link to the IBM support desription at > > http://www.pc.ibm.com/qtechinfo/MIGR-4QHLS4.html > > now seems to be gone. > > -- > > My tale of woe: > > I had thought that the newer BIOS updates solved this problem, as I had > updated the Embedded Controller Program to 1.27 and the BIOS to 'izet92ww'. > After using System Commander 2000 to resize the Windows 98 partition, I had > moved it to the end of the disk and was able to sucessfully install FreeBSD > 4.2 on the first 8 GB of the drive but as the third FDISK partition. The > FreeBSD installation somehow prevented SC2000 from working, so I installed > the FreeBSD boot0 on the MBR. Now FreeBSD would boot, but Windows 98 > wouldn't (I think SC2000 replaces the first sector of Windows 98 with its > own bootblock, but I am not so sure). Since I would like to have a copy of > Windows 98 around to test Java compatibilty, I eventually tried to revive > the Windows 98 partition. This failed until IBM could ship me a "Repair > CD" (they apparently don't ship with a complete Windows 98 repair image > anymore). While waiting for this CD to arrive and having messed up the > FreeBSD partition in the attempt to revive the Windows 98 partition, I > decided to reformat the disk to re-install FreeBSD. After installing > FreeBSD and going into the reboot, the machine now completely locks at the > BIOS startup screen, neither allowing me to enter BIOS setup (via F1) nor to > specify an alternate boot device (via F12). Interestingly, removing the > hard drive still does not let the machine boot to floppy and/or CDROM. > > -- > > Questions for those who might have answers: > > 1) Have I now somehow voided my warranty with IBM, or can I ship it back > to demand that they reinstall Windows 98 from scratch? Or should I > play dumb when I go to return it? > > 2) So the most recent IBM BIOS for the X20 still locks up on detecting > partition A5. Is there an older version of the BIOS that does not have > this problem? Or to get FreeBSD running do I have to switch to a > different partition ID? Are there patches somewhere to deal with this? > > 3) Can I add my name somewhere to register my dissatisfaction with IBM for > this sad state of affairs with respect to FreeBSD? > > > > > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-mobile" in the body of the message -- Ken Key (key@cips.nokia.com, key@Network-Alchemy.com) Nokia, Clustered IP Solutions, Santa Cruz, CA To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-mobile" in the body of the message
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