Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 13:06:36 -0700 (PDT) From: Ceren Ercen <ceren@magnesium.net> To: Mark Evenson <evenson@panix.com> Cc: freebsd-mobile@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Thinkpad X20 2662-34U lockup problem Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.4.21.0104191249180.71609-100000@toxic.magnesium.net> In-Reply-To: <a0ae5c65xv.fsf@panix6.panix.com>
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Hmm. that's probably because that page used to say "well, don't install FreeBSD." They've changed their minds and attitudes about this since. They've released BIOS updated for half of the laptops, but I'm not sure if they ever fixed the BIOS for the X20 (or if it's been scheduled for a BIOS release that hasn't happened yet.) I currently have practically the entire ThinkPad series at my fingertips, as I'm paid to certify them with several distributions of Linux, by IBM. I'm not restricted from trying out FreeBSD on them in my spare time. :) I'll talk to IBM and see if I can get any information as to whether or when the BIOS fix for the X20 will be released. As I understood it, the problem had to do with the fact that no partition type above a certain value that ended in "5" would be correctly understood by the BIOS. That included "f5". The people at IBM that I have contact with are actually quite clued and helpful, particularly Keith Frechette. Granted, they're they linux people, but for dealing with IBM, it's been relatively painless. ;) They have a lot of legacy red tape to swim through, and I think they're doing a good job. Rising tide.... all boats... etc. As for your questions... I don't know. :) removing the hard drive should work. try another hard drive? There was a BIOS version that worked with freebsd, but it wasn't a production release, and I don't think I could get it to you.... I will check with IBM regarding BIOS fixes. - Ceren Ercen FreeBSD's "Strange Attractor." <cercen@linuxcare.com> <ceren@magnesium.net> On 19 Apr 2001, Mark Evenson wrote: > 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 > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-mobile" in the body of the message
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