Internal LAN MAC address shows ff ff ff ff ff ff

On a Thinkpad T61 I had to program bios with programmer. Everything is fine but in bios posts internal MAC is ff ff ff ff ff ff. Thinkpad Hardware Maintenance Disk does not have dmi tools for loading MAC address back onto chip unlike hp dmi tools which have the option.

I have original MAC address on the bottom of my laptop.
Could someone please tell me how to update MAC? (It is a Intel PXE 1.2.45 version- It is controlled by system bios)

Suggestions like location where it is stored in uncompressed bios FL1 or LOM file to add to phlash16, Thinkpad HMM dmi tools, etc.

 

Hi, thanks for replying. The only reason I want a hardware solution is so I don't have to write in values and restart everytime. Also, I want to be able to use in multiple OS.

HP DMI tool has the option to write MAC Internal address into bios location but of course it's meant for HP laptops.

Perhaps there is a specific location to write into the Hardware Maintenance Tool? Maybe EEPROM.exe hack via compal program?
(R 20 is system board number)

Otherwise, I have to shut down onboard NIC and use PCMCIA card which sticks out and looks ugly.

 

h**p://ubcd4win.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=14952
That link above shows various dmi associations with different machines.

Middleton knows a lot about bios modifying. I can only guess that if Compal string modification could work to add MAC address or HP DMI tool, etc. that would work best. Otherwise, perhaps the exact location to add into uncompressed bios so I can use phlash16 then okay with that also.

You're right. He could do any modification to just about anything out there.

 

From what I can understand, each manufacturer has a specific location address to place the Internal MAC address, System Board Number, etc and you have to use their programs to put them back in. The BIOS sets up everything else that is not individual specific.

If I understand correctly, your bios is an Awardflash which is different from a Phoenix one.

Phoenix bioses are most difficult and not user friendly to update, not to mention that Thinkpads are extremely stubborn to work with. Crisis recovery will not work unless you have the bootblock jumper installed into your advanced dock and I don't recommend you doing that unless you want something else in your home going wrong. You really need to be in a safe place workbench to do that. Otherwise, programmer is the other method which will work with virtually any motherboard provided you have the uncompressed bios and a very steady hand to take off the chip and re-solder when complete. Very time consuming process. I don't like doing that method at all unless absolutely necessary.

I wouldn't have had to do all this unnecessary work but IBM/Lenovo support costs $700+ to fix and it was their fault for a faulty bios upgrade with original bios in the first place.

I really need some dmi to flash MAC address into BIOS as you have.

 

Actually, after re-reading your thread and checking google there are several articles regarding eeupdate.exe and Intel 82566 chipset which the Thinkpad T61 uses. They claim to have fixed the problem there as well as you have.

Can't paste the link but it is MACFlash-- professional modify network card mac address tool.

Others found googling eeupdate.exe and 82566. Refers to Chinafix and other various websites.

It seems the Vostro 200 uses the same chipset but the google article refers to MACFlash tool. I suppose if you did it with the Vostro 200 program I could do the same. Only, I cannot find the one you used. It just mentions allraid-vostro which seems to be a flashing program for awdflash which will not work in this case.

So, what I need now is the latest eeupdate.exe file which supports all the latest Intel chipsets (for me Intel 82566).

 

Actually, it looks like eeupdate v5.1 or later could work. I looked up eeupdate5.0.rar and it only goes to 2005. It may work but I don't really know.

Also, there is a site IBM T61/X61 under google eeupdate v5.1 and is under the website h**p://www-bblianmeng-com. That website claims to have the file to do it with these systems. However, I don't know how to register for the website and download the file. They seem to know a lot about everything if you can read Chinese characters.

Could someone please download the file and place at mediafire or rapidshare?
Thank you kindly.

 

Just use 51nb.com. Register, Login and get files. I cannot upload due to file size limitation. It is simple to register. Just use translator if there are any problems. Name,Password,Email,Reason,etc.

Google search: T61 Thinkpad eeupdate (look for X61S)

I've tried all the other programs in public domain, eeupdate.exe and eeupdate5.0.rar but they cannot detect the NIC card.

I have yet to try the downloaded file but looks promising.

 

Using 51nb MACFlash folder I successfully wrote back the original address to the motherboard bios. The file size is 243kb, version 5.02.

The only thing I don't know is the checksum update. I suppose it could be anything but I hope whomever wrote that program did it correctly because I have no way of verifying.

Just used eeupdate.exe /nic=1 /mac=(your address).
Can also dump file before and after programming by using /all /dump switches.

Anything with a bigger file size than above should work as well.

Also, do not use Windows Vista to winphlash anything. According to the website instructions provided by IBM/Lenovo windows flashing is limited to XP and below. Must use CD if Vista and greater.

I have no idea why the computer automatically installs the bios knowing that it will break your system in Vista but that is Thinkvantage.

Hopefully, it will help others not to try a bios update in newer Windows.