Bios updated problems (n200 3000 0687) [ Edited ]

[Crazybus]

I bought this laptop (Lenvo 3000 n200 0687)about a week ago. After checking everything worked in the preinstalled Vista install i decided to dual boot with Ubuntu 7.10.

 After a few days of flawless operating I realized that my DVD drive was not working in either Vista or Ubuntu. A quick google revealed that someone else also had this problem after installed a Linux based distribution. This person solved the problem buy ordering some recovery cds from Lenovo.

After a bit more research i discovered that this could be an BIOS problem so I went onto the Lenovo site and found that updating the BIOS was a very simple process and decided to give it a go. The bios update (to version 1.08) installed fine without any problems. However I could not longer boot into Vista or Ubuntu. When Vista was started up I would get as far as the login screen at which stage the laptop would shutdown (forced shutdown) And Ubuntu would freeze on the loading screen with the little orange bar.

To check that there wasn't any problems with these two operating systems I booted up various live linux cds which all froze at the same place as Ubuntu. Thinking that the BIOS update had some how corrupted the boot sector or done something crazy like that i decided to restore my laptop to its full factory settings.

This process went through fine until the reboot. I got up to the stage where you would normally configure Vista to your personal settings (eg username and password) and it would freeze. After attempting this process again re-flashing the BIOS i decided to give windows XP a hurl.

During the installation of Windows Xp the installer consistently froze with 34 minutes remaining. After some further googling this turned out to be a hardware incompatibility which caused the installation to stop. After trying the many fixes for this (debugging mode, deleting the .inf file described in setupapi.log *machine.inf*

Since then i continued my search for some older revisions of the BIOS hoping that could fix the problem.

So if anybody has experienced something close to this or has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated. Or if anybody knows where I could find older versions of the BIOS.



Message Edited by Crazybus on 02-27-2008 06:48 PM

[chilli_sauce]

Crazybus,

       If you bought your 3000 n200 0687 last week (say from BigW) chances are it was built in Dec 2007 like mine.  If so the Bios was version 1.13,... more recent than the one on the lenovo support site.

 I've never done a firmware upgrade with a cd so I don't know if the bios upgrade software allows you to save the old firmware before upgrading, but if it does; and you find a friend who hasn't "upgraded" their firmware you might be able to persuade them to save their firmware, but not proceed with the upgrade so you've got something to work with. Might work if instead of a cd you create a booting flash drive with the upgrade software on it..

Or you might try contacting lenovo and ask them to update their site.


Cheers,

John


Message Edited by chilli_sauce on 02-29-2008 08:47 AM

[mercyfulfate]

Hi there

Would you be able to downlaod the bios you have on your laptop and upload it for us poor bastards?

[Mark_Lenovo Administrator]

Thanks for the notation about the driver on the site. 

Will check this out ...

[mercyfulfate]

Could you just post the BIOS up here in the meantime?

We all know very well it could take weeks, even months for a large corporate website to get updated because sales are the most important thing.

I paid for a laptop and I want it working. Even if it does cost a few minutes of your time, it look me more time to go down to the store and buy it, let alone doing all the research before I bought it.

Is that too much to ask?  Am I being unreasonable here?

[JaneL Community SuperMod]

mercyfulfate wrote:

Is that too much to ask?  Am I being unreasonable here?

---

Considering that it's the weekend, yes, that's rather unreasonable.  Mark has already responded to you, so have a little patience.

[Mark_Lenovo Administrator]

All,

It appears that you are correct - the drivers on the website are not the most recent.   Engineering is working to package the file , test it for proper operation and we will get it uploaded to the site as soon as possible.

I don't have a specific time commitment, but do understand the urgency.   Updates to follow...

[keule]

Hello Mark,

sorry to use this thread, but as you are updating bios versions on the lenovo website could you do this as well for the N200 0769 model. Hope that would fix my stand-by / hibernation issues. Thanks a lot.

Greets Klemens

[Mark_Lenovo Administrator]

The updates will be for both models of the N200.

[mercyfulfate]

Thankyou.