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What to look for when you need to unlock a Lenovo laptop
Here is a quick guide that will help you chose the service and tools required to unlock a Lenovo Thinkpad or Ideapad. You may find this information in our forum, of course much more detailed and categorized.
We split Lenovo’s in 3 main categories:
1. Based on 24RF08, PCA24S08 or PS08 eeprom (basically the same thing). These are all models manufactured up until 2012-2013 and require
R24RF08 eeprom reader (freeware)
IBMPass (freeware)
Driven I2C interface
In case the password cannot be revealed by IBMpass due to TCPA encryption then the unlock service is necessary along with W24RF08 eeprom writer.
– 240, 240X
– 390E, 390X
– 570, 570E
– 600e, 600X
– 770Z
– A20m, A21e, A21m, A22m, A30, A30p, A31, A31p
– Edge models: Edge 13, 14 and 15, E120, E220s, E320, E420, E425, E430, E520, E530, E531, S430
– G40, G41
– Helix
– L412, L512, L420, L520, L430, L530, L540
– R30, R31, R32, R40, R50, R51, R61, R61i, R400, R500
– SL410, SL510
– Transnote, T20, T21, T22, T23, T30,
T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p, T61, T400, T410, T420, T430, T431,
T500, T510, T520, T530.
– X20, X21, X22, X23, X24, X30, X31, X32, X40, X41, X61, X1, X100, X120, X121, X200, X201, X220, X230, X300, X301
– W500, W510, W520, W530, W700, W701
There are also some older ones based on 24C01 or 93C46 eeprom
380XD, 600 or 760/765 use 24C01 or 93C46 eeproms
2. Based on PC8394T and ATMEL 8356908 and require
PC8394T programming tools
Driven I2C interface
IBMPass (freeware)
An unlock service from us is also necessary if they are TCPA locked with passphrase, otherwise IBMpass Lite will reveal the password.
T43/T43p, R52, T60/T60p, R60, X60/s, Z60t/m/p and Z61 series
3. Using the Embedded Controller to store the passwords: MEC, ITE, Nuvoton or Compal. They were manufactured after 2013, starting with Thinkpad T440 onwards. We split these in 4 groups and all can be unlocked with our proprietary DXE driver, patching the original BIOS. All these models need SPEG programmer and to purchase an unlock service.
Group A:
A275, E450, E460, E470, E550, E560, L460, L560, T440, T440s, T440p,
T450, T450s, T450p, T540, T540p, T550, W540, W541, W550s, X240, X250, X1
carbon gen2..gen3, Helix new gen, Thinkpad Yoga 11e, 12 and Yoga 15.
Group B:
E480, E580, Lenovo 13, L470, L570, P40, P50, P70, X1 Yoga gen1..gen2, Yoga 260, Yoga 370, Yoga 460, X260, X270, X1 carbon gen4..gen5, X1 Tablet Gen1, T460, T460s, T560, T470, T470s, T570.
Group C:
A475, P51, P51s, P52, T480, T580, X280, X1 carbon gen6, X1 Tablet Gen2, X1 Yoga gen3, X380 Yoga
Group D:
P1, X1 Tablet Gen3,
L390, X390, P53, T490, T495, T590, X1 Extreme Gen1, X1 Carbon G7, X1 Carbon G8, X1 Yoga G4, X1 Yoga G5, L13 and L13 Yoga, T14s, X13, A485, X1 Fold Gen1
Examples:
– You have a locked T61. In this case you can download R24RF08 which is freeware and buy the driven i2c interface from our store or build yourself the interface based on the diagrams coming with R24RF08 reader. In case the T61 has passphrase switched on then you need to buy W24RF08 from our Products section and receive also the unlock service as a bonus.
-In case you have a locked T440, you need to buy SPEG programmer and Lenovo Unlock (DXE) Group A.
There are detailed tutorials in our forum https://www.allservice.ro/forum , we suggest you to read them and, if you still need to find some more answers, then contact us.
Opening your laptop
Keep in mind that opening up the laptop will not void the warranty, however bad handling will do. Be careful and do not rush the things up, prepare first to do a good job later. See our forums for eeprom or BIOS SPI locations.
Before tearing apart your laptop, we suggest you to download the Hardware Maintenance Manual for your laptop model from Lenovo, simply google “laptop_model HMM” and you shall find it. (i.e T480s HMM).
Consult Removing or Replacing FRU section in the manual, that will help you a lot in case you need to dismantle something in order to get access to the eeprom or SPI chip.
For the newer Thinkpads, In most cases the BIOS chip is located right under the base cover that can be simply removed with a Phillips screwdriver. Once you identify the BIOS SPI chip, all you have to do is to put a SOIC clip on it or, in some situations when the SPI package is not allowing it, solder some wires on its terminals.
When you have all setup done, the BIOS chip (or 24RF08 eeprom) will be programmed with its corresponding interface and Allservice software, such as SPEG programmer for BIOS or driven i2c interface for eeproms.
Other brands (not Lenovo)
The above paragraph is also valid for any other brands. For example a HP Laptop or a Macbook requires the BIOS SPI chip re-programming by using SPEG programmer. You have to read the BIOS and give us the original content, we will clean it up, fix the checksums and email it back to you. After reprogramming, the device will be unlocked and/or errors eliminated.
Remote Service
Ship-in Service
Original components
Want to learn more? Get in touch.
We have more than 30 years of experience in IT industry and programming and even more than that in electronics repairs. We were also the first ones covering you on Lenovo unlocks and certainly between the very first ones doing BIOS repairs.
We can guarantee you that our level of expertise and attention to detail when it comes to BIOS unlock or repairs is unparalleled. No one else in the industry provides the same comprehensive service that we do.