Service Forum

jeandupon · Nou Venit Joined: 03 Nov 2022 Posts: 5

Hello all,
i do own a Thinkpad x1 Gen3 Tablet 20KJ-SOPM00 Core i7 8650U 8 Gb Ram with two usb-c connectors & Thunderbolt 3 and SSD NVMe M2 Opal Disk 256 Gb and im willing to install Windows 7, i tried all things but failed
Some Guys on the Net says it's Bios Uefi Locked !
Please any Guru can help me ? it getting me crazy
Any solution would be so appreciate
Thank you so much in advance
Jean

bob · Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2022 6:30 pm Post subject:

Hey buddy,

It's really pretty easy to check that BIOS is locked or not. Press F1 right after start and if you see a padlock then is locked.
It is not clear to me, do you want to install Windows from a USB bootable device?

jeandupon · Nou Venit Joined: 03 Nov 2022 Posts: 5

Sorry i misspoke,
i mean that Lenovo has deleted started in 2020, the Legacy BIOS option & CSM Bios so we cannot be able to install windows 7 !
add to this, they make the Bios rewrite protected so we cannot downgrade flashing to previous Bios versions

bob · Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 8:06 am Post subject:

Ok, I understand what the problem is.
Win7 does not support EFI filesystem that was introduced with Win8
When you try to install Win7 on Lenovo laptops from 2015 or later, from an external media it will not get over the first phases because it cannot find the boot partition and will try yo load from the install media at every reboot. I experienced this problem once, it will work if you only install from the SSD, copy the Win7 in a folder and install from there.
Another solution is to cook a few updates into the Win7 install
And a better solution is to obtain Lenovo USB install image for your laptop, it is free. You have to install a Lenovo program that I don’t remember right now (I have to look in my laptop) on another computer, open a request with Lenovo and obtain an ID and then download and burn the Win7 install (if still available) on an USB MEMstick, that will have all pre-requisites to install for your laptop model.

[Edit] Anyway if you want a BIOS fix or a downgrade, we can help you out. See BIOS repair, the sticky thread

jeandupon · Nou Venit Joined: 03 Nov 2022 Posts: 5

Hello Bob,
Thanks a lot for your reply
My eaguerly willing is to install on my X1 Tablet Windows7, i think the only workable solution is to re-enable the Legacy Bios or CSM Bios to format disk MBR, please can you do that ??
i do have already the CH341A Spy Programmer + SOIC8 Clip Cable
The pb is that the Bios Chip is an Winbond 25Q128JVPQ too little to fit jaws of the Clip
Have you any solution to easily make a dump or should i anyway unsolder it from the motherboard and install it on a 150 mil SOP8 Socket ?

victor · S.F. Boss Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 2581 Location: Staff

Hi jeandupon,

Excuse me to intervene here, I guess you refer to Boot Option > Legacy boot/UEFI boot mode that was indeed removed in 2020.
This option can be re-enabled but it will have no value if the actual BIOS modules were redesigned. so the switch itself in the menu will have no real variable behind it.
The best way is to downgrade the BIOS, keeping the MERegion intact and RSA sig. We can downgrade it to a older version that has the Entry Point accepted by the current EC firmware.

CH341 shit is horrible, really. But anyway if that is your choice add some 100 Ohm resistors at the end of SOut, Sin, SCK and CS# terminals to avoid some TTL2.7V-TTL3.3V problems. You may use tiny enamel wires and solder them on the BIOS tiny legs and to a connector that goes to the CH341. Or you may use some Pomona mini-grabbers. Or something like this...(photo courtesy of Niels Schapke.)

https://www.allservice.ro/forum/images/P52_bios2.jpg

Do not unsolder the BIOS chip, no need for that.
_________________
Victor Voinea
ALLservice HQ, Romania.

jeandupon · Nou Venit Joined: 03 Nov 2022 Posts: 5

wao ! Oh Thanks a lot Viktor,
You're really a breath of fresh air !
Please tell me how to be able to downgrade the Bios then ?? you say without unsoldering the Chip ?
The Bios is rewrite protected and the option of downgrade is locked despite there is a option in The Bios menu saying enable or disable "Secure Roll back Prevention"
No access i think to the Bios without a SPY Programmer no ?
These are all the original Bioses files from Lenovo :

https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downloads/ds502599-bios-update-utility-bootable-cd-for-windows-10-64-bit-thinkpad-x1-tablet-3rd-gen-type-20kj-20kk

For Lenovo Bios Simulator enter the product you want :
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht502745-lenovo-bios-simulator-center-an-interactive-bios-setup-utility-windows

victor · S.F. Boss Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 2581 Location: Staff

We do that for a fee.

You have to read the BIOS chip and email us the BIOS dump file. I suggest you to ask someone to do that for you, seriously.
_________________
Victor Voinea
ALLservice HQ, Romania.

jeandupon · Nou Venit Joined: 03 Nov 2022 Posts: 5

Let me recap please ..
you say the best and stable way to be able to install Windows 7 in my X1 Tablet is to downgrade the Bios and you can do that after i dump it to a file and send it to you by email ? Right ?
and you advise me without unsoldering the Bios Chip ?
How it will cost me please ?

bob · Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2022 1:17 pm Post subject:

https://www.allservice.ro/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3898

Vorshim92 · Nou Venit Joined: 07 Feb 2023 Posts: 1

hi @victor and everyone and thanks for the information! I absolutely need to unlock this bios and I saw that is quite difficult to dump. I just have the ch341a programmer and for this chip is not good as you said. So I was asking, is there any service shop in Italy for this stuff? I'm in Rome and I can't do it bymyself Sad

thanks!
Stefano

victor · S.F. Boss Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Posts: 2581 Location: Staff

Yes, we can do it. I answered your email btw.
_________________
Victor Voinea
ALLservice HQ, Romania.