X41 fireware update/battery light still on after unplugging charger [ Edited ]

[ahuang]

Hi, I recently got a X41. However, I am experiencing two issues:

1. I cannot seem to update the embeded controller firmware from 1.1 to 1.2. The BIOS update to 2.09 was fine.

2. The battery light likes to stay on after I charge the laptop and unplug the ac adapter. In order to turn the light off, I must manually unplug the battery. It also seems that Fedora Linux agrees with my battery light--acpi says the computer is charging when this occurs, even though the adapter is not plugged into the machine.

Is there any old news or are there fixes that address these problems?

Thanks,

ahuang

[topmahof Community Moderator]

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=94394

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=82183

Here's 2 threads on the battery issue.  The 2nd one has a video.

As far as your imbedded, what os are you running?

[topmahof Community Moderator]

Sorry, I see you're running linux.  I had a few problems on mine updating the bios and the imbedded controller.  When I tried to do it manually from the driver list, it wouldn't work.  I used Lenovo's system update to update them and it worked.  That's why I asked what os.  I don't think you can use system update in linux.

[ahuang]

Thanks for replying. I actually had Windows XP on the machine when I tried to install the embeded controller firmware. I didn't use System Update though. I downloaded and installed the exe directly. It would reboot and enter the program, but then hang when I tried to flash the controller. Does anyone have an alternative solution to System Update?

Also, it seems "buying a new battery" fixes the problem. Surely there's a more elegant solution?

[topmahof Community Moderator]

I guess that only fixed one poster's problem.  Did you see the video where the guy was unscrewing and screwing that screw and the battery would register and not register just from the screw. 

Are all the screws in the bottom of your machine?  Might be a grounding issue.

One of the guru's on this forum just sold an x41t that had the same issue.  He tried everything except play with the board.  He seemed to think that the problem was on the board somewhere.

I think there's a way to update the imbedded controller with a floppy disc.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-59208

There is a version further down the page for a floppy.  There's also a fix for the battery query.  This just might fix your battery.  That would seem too easy, though.

[ahuang]

I'm unsure that it's a grounding issue. I can take out the battery and put it back in to fix it. The controller is running on 1.1, which was the revision in which they fixed the battery query. I updated from 1.0 to 1.1 fine. It seems to hang on 1.0 to 1.2 and 1.1 to 1.2.

[ahuang]

Update: I believe there's something wrong with the board/bios/etc. My friend owns a x41 and he does not expierence this problem. We swapped the battery and the charger (seperately and togther in combination) and the battery light still stayed on.

[topmahof Community Moderator]

you're probably right.

[ahuang]

I've got a new lead, but I need some help. How do you disable acpi completly via BIOS?