<SOLVED>BIOS and Linux Mint

[Danix803]

I have a Lenovo (M93p) desktop. The BIOS needs to be updated but I can't do it in rebooting to dos with a BIOS CDrom. Because I don't know exactly how to do that?
There is a windows version of the update and I've tried with WINE to make it work. But, I can't figure out exactly how to do that?
So, does anyone have any easy ways of doing this? If you have the syntax for the CDrom Version. Please, share and thanks. I've read all the readme files on the BIOS website. I can't find any information but a step by step version of how to do it, without any syntax for the actual commands after booting to Lenovo CDrom DOS. I'd appreciate any constructive thoughts on the matter???

Here's more about my machine...

Code: Select all

 inxi -Fxxxzr
System:    Kernel: 5.4.0-74-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 wm: muffin 4.8.1 
           dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: LENOVO product: 10A9000SUS v: ThinkCentre M93p serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: LENOVO model: SHARKBAY v: 0B98401 PRO serial: <filter> UEFI: LENOVO v: FBKT74AUS date: 03/14/2014 
CPU:       Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i5-4570 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Haswell rev: 3 L2 cache: 6144 KiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 25540 
           Speed: 798 MHz min/max: 800/3600 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 834 2: 817 3: 804 4: 812 
Graphics:  Device-1: NVIDIA GF119 [GeForce 605] vendor: LeadTek Research driver: nvidia v: 390.143 bus ID: 01:00.0 
           chip ID: 10de:1048 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: nvidia unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,nouveau,vesa 
           resolution: 1680x1050~60Hz, 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: GeForce 605/PCIe/SSE2 v: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 390.143 direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio vendor: Lenovo driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel 
           bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:8c20 
           Device-2: NVIDIA GF119 HDMI Audio vendor: LeadTek Research driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 01:00.1 
           chip ID: 10de:0e08 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-74-generic 
Network:   Device-1: Intel Ethernet I217-LM vendor: Lenovo driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f040 bus ID: 00:19.0 
           chip ID: 8086:153a 
           IF: eno1 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Linksys WUSB100 v2 RangePlus Wireless Network Adapter [Ralink RT3070] type: USB driver: rt2800usb 
           bus ID: 9-9.4.4:13 chip ID: 1737:0078 
           IF: wlx001ee5ea07d5 state: up mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 2.97 TiB used: 1.84 TiB (61.9%) 
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD10EZEX-00RKKA0 size: 931.51 GiB speed: 6.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> 
           rev: 0A80 scheme: MBR 
           ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: A-Data model: SU800 size: 476.94 GiB speed: 6.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: S8KA scheme: GPT 
           ID-3: /dev/sdc type: USB vendor: SanDisk model: Ultra size: 233.25 GiB serial: <filter> rev: 1.00 scheme: MBR 
           ID-4: /dev/sdd type: USB vendor: Toshiba model: External USB 3.0 size: 1.36 TiB serial: <filter> rev: 0001 
           scheme: MBR 
Partition: ID-1: / size: 466.30 GiB used: 16.51 GiB (3.5%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/dm-1 
           ID-2: /boot size: 704.5 MiB used: 305.8 MiB (43.4%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb2 
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 980.0 MiB used: 2.2 MiB (0.2%) fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-2 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 34.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nvidia temp: 61 C 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A gpu: nvidia fan: 40% 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
           1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com ulyssa main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
           2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
           3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
           4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
           5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
           6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
Info:      Processes: 265 Uptime: 22h 43m Memory: 7.70 GiB used: 4.03 GiB (52.4%) Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: 
           gcc: 9.3.0 alt: 9 Shell: bash v: 5.0.17 running in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.0.38 

[cfb]

First: I have no experience with your computer model.
However, I have upgraded BIOS in a number of different Lenovo Thinkpad models using this description: https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/BIOS_Upgrade
Maybe your computer can use the same procedure.

[Danix803]

Thanks... I'll give it a try...

[ThaCrip]

Doing a quick search online... there is a ISO you can use which should make it easy and a reliable way to update BIOS.

I just searched for "Lenovo M93p bios" and it took me to the support.lenovo.com etc site with links to a BIOS dated June 30th 2020. basically... "fbj9deusa.iso BIOS Update (ISO Image Version)"

p.s. as a alternative... they have a .exe file you can use. the support page says it shows Win10 is supported. so you could alternatively install Win10 temporarily etc.

[ralplpcr]

Let's keep this simple - - there's no need to temporarily install anything Windows if you've got an .ISO file. All that's needed is your existing Mint installation & a USB thumb drive - preferably an old USB 2 version, 1GB or larger.

First, you should know that your USB drive will be completely reformatted by this procedure. If there's anything on it you wish to save, do so before anything else! You can always reformat the thumb drive & restore it later.

BURN YOUR ISO ONTO USB THUMB DRIVE
1. Insert your USB thumb drive. If it opens up any windows/displays messages, go ahead & close them.
2. Open Mint's USB Image Writer
3. Choose your downloaded bios .ISO file in the "write image" box
4. Select your USB thumb drive in the "to" box.
5. Click on "Write"

That's basically it? The tool will create a bootable image of that .ISO onto your thumb drive. Once it's completed, you can simply use that thumb drive to boot up & install your bios update.

If your computer doesn't boot to the thumb drive when you reboot, try rebooting again - but this time press the F12 button on your keyboard repeatedly as soon as your machine starts to reboot. This should bring up a boot menu. From there, see if you can select your USB thumb drive.

If you can, then you're good to go!
If you *can't*, then we may need to talk you through adding it into the boot order. There's also a "secure boot" setting and "fast boot" that should be disabled...but considering that you already have installed Mint, I'm guessing those won't be an issue.

[Danix803]

I can boot to the CDROM or the USB. But, all I get is a prompt. I don't know what to do after that? How do I get the BIOS file to startup?
Can you flash the BIOS through a windows 10 virtual drive using VBox?

[ralplpcr]

If you're getting nothing but a prompt, then either you're not really booting into your USB stick, the burn process failed, or you could be booting in the wrong mode. Does your M93 have a choice of booting to legacy vs UEFI? I *think* that those bootable ISO images are set to boot in legacy mode, IIRC? I'd suggest checking that first - - make sure your BIOS is set to boot legacy first, if you don't have the choice of selecting from the F12 boot menu. If that doesn't work, then try re-burning your ISO onto USB using the procedure indicated above.

You shouldn't need to do anything special. If the ISO boots properly, you'll get a script automatically running that will guide you through the flashing process.
You CANNOT flash the BIOS using a virtual box from within Linux. It's got to be done via "bare metal" (using ISO) or from within Windows.

[rickNS]

I have a Lenovo (M93p) desktop. The BIOS needs to be updated

First you got great, and complete advice from @ralplpcr, but my question is do you "really" need a BIOS update ?
Do you have some issue that needs fixing, or do you just think you need an update "just because one is available"?

And the reason I ask is just because one is available doesn't mean you actually need it. My Lenovo T420s are running just fine on the original BIOS from 2011.
If you do need the update, I apologize for the natter, but BIOS updates do not come without risk, not to scare anyone they don't normally cause any problem, but they can also brick you system, so all I'm saying is if you don't actually need it then don't bother yourself with it. As always the choice is yours.

PS, I have downloaded the latest BIOS update, and saved it for my t420, but unless/untill there is a need for it I won't bother to install it.

[Danix803]

How do I mark this thread as solved???

[ivar]

just edit the first post and add (solved) to the title

[AndyMH]

First you got great, and complete advice from @ralplpcr, but my question is do you "really" need a BIOS update ?
Do you have some issue that needs fixing, or do you just think you need an update "just because one is available"?

+1
If it works, don't fix it.