Arch Linux

Ocypheum

Member

Registered: 2015-09-26

Posts: 58

How to update the BIOS on Lenovo G510

I have this error in journalctl:

arch kernel: pci 000:00:1a.0: EHCI: BIOS handoff failed (BIOS bug?) 01010001
arch kernel: pci 000:00:1d.0: EHCI: BIOS handoff failed (BIOS bug?) 01010001

I found quite a few search results related to this, notably here, which seems to affect other distros as well.

The general recommendation is to disable legacy USB support in the BIOS, which I don't have, or update the BIOS and hope the error goes away. The latest BIOS for my motherboard is here, but of course it's a Windows exe.

How do I update the BIOS without Windows? Or do I have to install Windows just to update the BIOS?

Last edited by Ocypheum (2015-10-04 03:51:42)

teateawhy

Member

From: GER

Registered: 2012-03-05

Posts: 1,138

Website

Re: How to update the BIOS on Lenovo G510

You can create a bootable usb stick running windows, similar to the bootable usbs running arch used for installation. You can then use this bootable usb stick to install the BIOS update.
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-1 … -p/1139231
I have successfully used this method to flash a firmware before.

ukhippo

Member

From: Non-paged pool

Registered: 2014-02-21

Posts: 366

Re: How to update the BIOS on Lenovo G510

For a lot of their other systems they provide bootable .iso versions, so try contacting Lenovo support and ask if they could provide a bootable .iso version of the firmware for your G510 (the worst that can happen is they say no).

Whilst http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/BIOS_Upgrade is for thinkpads, you maybe able to apply that to the firmware .exe

I've also seen suggestions about using Hiren's Boot CD http://hirensbootcd.org to boot into its mini XP and run the firmware updater from that. I've never used it, so can't say if will work or not.

Ocypheum

Member

Registered: 2015-09-26

Posts: 58

Re: How to update the BIOS on Lenovo G510

You can create a bootable usb stick running windows, similar to the bootable usbs running arch used for installation. You can then use this bootable usb stick to install the BIOS update.
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-1 … -p/1139231
I have successfully used this method to flash a firmware before.

That forum thread says I need to "download the CD image for your laptop from the Lenovo site" but I can find no such thing here other than some diagnostics tools (see here and here).

Apparently I can create a factory default image with OneKey Recovery but, of course, it is Windows. Also I doubt that I still have the partition it needs.

Last edited by Ocypheum (2015-10-04 15:44:14)