Heavy Modifications on T420s system (BIOS Modifications, CPU Swap, PCI Express Routing)

Hello everyone, i was looking into going for a large project on modifying a t420s system.
I was planning on "Pulling" pci express lanes from the chipset and routing them outside for a custom made addon that needs 4 pci express lanes. (at worst 1pci express lane - excluding the one provided by the expressPort34)
Also i was looking onto swapping the i7-2620 with an 2960xm. (i know that it calls for some soldering and complex smd work but fortunatley i know i can do this). I know the chipset (QM67) Supports the CPU and 16GB Ram, has plenty of pci express lanes and many unused.
Some things i wanted to know are:
Is there a way to get the cmplete schematics of the system? The logical interconnection of pci express devices.
Is there some sort of protection against BIOS reflash? I plan on using w520 bios for refference on t420s bios modification.
Also is there a way to get the complete full map of logical links on the system? Like all standart devices that are USB (Example: Fingerprint reader).
Obiously i know that this completely voids the warranty.
Any help will be appreciated.
If someone is an expert on thinkpads please help me on this project. I will post and article after i finish the project and give proper credits.

You might want to look into the pinout on the docking port, if you can find details. Perhaps there is a pci express lane or two on there.
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My TPs: Twist 2HU: i5-3317U Win 8 Pro, 4GB RAM 250GB Samsung 840 | T420 4177CTO: i5-2520M, HD+, Win 7 Pro x64, 8GB RAM, Optimus, 160GB Intel 320 SSD, Intel 6300 WiFi, BT 3.0 | T400 2764CTO: P8700, WXGA, Win 7 Ult x64, AMD 3470, 8GB RAM, 64GB Samsung SSD, BT, Intel 5300 WiFi | A20m 14.1" PIII 500 (retired). Monitors: 2x Dell U2211h IPS 100% sRGB calibrated w/ Spyder3.

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When entering the BIOS setup screen with DEL, everything is fine when the display is connected to the motherboard HDMI port.
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Here's what it looks like
Can anyone help?
Thanks,
Steve

In case anybody's curious it turns out the issue was specific to the card. I tried a different PCIe card and the BIOS screen showed up fine.
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System does not boot when PCIe express Card is inserted in system. Using Spartan-6 PCIe Integrated Endpoint Block 1.3

Hi,
I am using Spartan-6 PCIe Endpoint Block core v1.3 and I am using ISE 12.1. I have used the PIO example design,
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The core is configured as below:
BAR0 - 8KB, 32-bit, Memory Type
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The card is a custom board. When the card is pluged into the system the system does not boots, it hangs.
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Thanks Gabor, for the response.
I refered couple of answer records like AR# 34873 and AR# 34894, I monitored trn_reset_n, sys_reset_n, clock_locked, PLLLKDET and RESETDONE signals as suggested in AR# 34894.
Status as follows:
SYS_RESET_N = 1 (deasserted)
TRN_RESET_N = 0 (asserted)
CLOCK_LOCKED = 0 (deasserted)
PLLLKDET = 0 (deasserted)
RESETDONE = 0 (deasserted)
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This is a peer-to-peer user supported forum for HP consumer class products. HP maintains no official presence on this forum. It is unlikely that HP will respond in an official capacity. Any reply from a HP employee represents their own opinion and not that of HP's.
You should be able to locate the BIOS information on one of the informational screens in the BIOS. However, if you download the BIOS update and go to flash the BIOS, the flash routine should tell you (before it flashes the BIOS) whether or not the update is correct for the BIOS installed on your computer.
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Please see HP Business Support Center - Get help from HP to contact HP directly with your support questions.
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A customer of mine has a Compaq Presario CQ57 that has developed a BIOS problem.
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Thanks in advance.

Hello rmaiden,
Welcome to the HP Forums!
I understand your Compaq Presario CQ57-212NR gives you an error after running the system recovery.
Can you tell me if this error loads within Windows or if it prevents you from starting up.
I would suggest you acquire an ISO image of Windows 7 and burn it to a DVD. Use this to install Windows and then run the recovery after. This should remedy the problem.
Let me know if this works for you!
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The Great Deku Tree
I work on behalf of HP.

Laptop won't startup because it says system BIOS detects that the fan is not working.

I am using a HP Pavilion dv6-2105ea and running Windows 7 64-bit.The Laptop turns on and displays an error message saying
" The system BIOS has detected a possible issue with the cooling fan.
The cooling fan is an important part of a Notebook PC.Operatiion of a notebook PC for an extended period of time without the cooling fan may result in permanent damage to the notebook PC.
Cooling Fan (902)
Enter - Shutdown
For more information please visit : www.hp.com/go/techcenter/startup "
Any help is greatly appreciated.Thanks in advance!

Hi,
Have you read the how to fix ? Worse case, hardware failed and you have to replace the fan.
Regards,
BH
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Audio Problem: When reproducing something "System" uses too CPU

Hi everybody,
I have a problem, as I writed in the title when I reproduce a video, a song, any sound, in the task manager I notice that the process "System" uses too cpu. I had this problem since the last sunday, but I didn't nothing! Saturday evening I hybernate my pc as usual. The next day I turned on the pc and I noticed the problem.
After I noticed this problem I did an antivirus scan(a light one)(I use avast! antivirus) but it didn't find any virus, I tried to update Realtek drivers and the others, but nothing changed. I post here my pc model and everything you need.
PC: Notebook HP G62 - 165 SL
Operating system: Windows 7
Here I post the task manager screen.[Click HERE]
If you need further informations ask me for them.
Sorry for my bad english

Let me know if it helps or not. I'll keep an eye out for your reply.
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B3 bios reports cpu temp 10c higher than b5 bios on k7n2 plat

Dear list,
b3 bios reports cpu temp 10c higher than b5 bios on k7n2 plat after reading posts that b3 is more stable changed back to that so far so good, seems more stable its just that cpu temp was 45-50 c on b5 bios but on b3 in the bios is says 60 c and in core center it now says 40c but was 70c before I re booted very odd indeed, its stable but soemtimes doesn't shutdown have to turn off but thats probely a widnows probelm somewhere.
cheers
brummie
ps do I need to clear cmos when I have put new bios in or will it doit as part of the process ??

dear os navi,
yep
http://www.thermaltake.com/coolers/volcano/rs/a1889.htm
I got this one with a heat duct on it. yes its all seated well and clean, just downloaded a corecenter update, cleared the cmos and started again. I am now getting 44 c for the temp now. What the bios says I dont know, could be that I hadnt cleared the bios that the temp was reading wrong.
cheers
brummie

System bios

Everytime my computer goes into sleep mode it does not restart. Sometimes I get a black screen, other times I get a blue screen with a data_kernel_error. Either way the only way to restart my computer is forcing a shutdown by holding the power button down and restarting. I believe it may be linked to a BIOS update that is needed....?
I have a HP Zbook 14, windows 8.1 pro and current version of BIOS is L71 Ver 01.20. The update is Ver 01.30A.
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thanks

Hi,
So the system shut down is normal for BIOS update and if I can restart the computer, therefore assuming the update worked.
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Any other suggestions?
Thanks again,
Barbs

HP Notebook System BIOS Update (AMD Processor)

Hello,
I was looking through my updates and everything to make sure my computer is working to it's fullest. I noticed there was a recommended update that I should follow through with which is the HP Notebook System BIOS Update (AMD Processor), and I've download it and installed it, then afterwards, my computer told me that I had to restart it, which I did. I agreed to update it but it keeps popping up in the suggested updates and I've tried multiple times to do it. It never seems to work!
Please help.

Here is a direct link to the F.36 BIOS which is the latest. Have you tried downloading it and manually launching it rather than using the HP Update utitlity?
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ob-135428-1&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en...
Make sure you have a charged battery and AC plugged in. Let us know what happens.
You might also try going into the BIOS (F10) as you power up and check the existing BIOS version. You may already have F.36.
If this is "the Answer" please click "Accept as Solution" to help others find it.

System BIOS CACHEABLE - enabled or disabled?

The manual from my MSI Neo2 Platinum says that SYSTEM BIOS CACHEABLE should be set to ENABLED to improve performance...
I always had this DISABLED on every system I had...
What does it do and would enabling it improve performance? Cause any problems?

Quote
System BIOS Cacheable
Common Options : Enabled, Disabled
Quick Review
Enabling this feature allows the caching of the motherboard BIOS ROM from F0000h to FFFFFh by the processor's Level 2 cache. This greatly speeds up accesses to the BIOS.
However, this does not translate into better system performance because modern operating systems like Microsoft Windows XP do not need to communicate with the hardware via the BIOS. Current operating systems make use of drivers to access the hardware directly.
Therefore, it would be a waste of the Level 2 cache's bandwidth if the motherboard BIOS was cached instead of data that are more critical to the system's performance.
In addition, if any errant program writes into this memory area, it will result in a system crash. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you disable this feature for better system performance.
Reference
What do you, got it one Google try...
I have it disabled too, and it is highly recommended to disable it before BIOS flashing!

System Bios Update

How would I know that my system bios is updated in G62?
This question was solved.
View Solution.

Hi,
You can use the following way to check:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00007682&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=4078808
The current one is F.27. Please note G62 is a series of dozens models.
Regards.
BH
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Z68A-G43 - Bios shows cpu temperature incorrectly - noisy fan - SOLVED

Hi
I have i7-2600 + Arctic Cooling Freezer Pro rev.2 and when I use Z68A-G43 (G3), the cpu temperature shown in the bios is around 20 degrees higher ( 52-53 degrees C ) , than while I am using the same components on MSI H67MA-E35 or Asus P8H61M-LE/USB3 (30 -32 degrees in both cases ) !
I use the same thermal paste and the cpu & heat sink are definitely seated properly.
The on-board sensors are fine as when Windows is loaded, programs like HWINFO, PCWizard show the right, much lower temperature .
It wouldn't bother me that much since I know that nothing is getting overheated (the heat sink is cold ) ,however, the higher bios indications make the cpu fan spinning much faster ( 2000 rpms + ), I cannot slow it down thus I get a lot of noise coming out from it .
I updated bios to the newest 2.3 ( btw brilliant tool by Svet ) but there was no improvement, I still get the high temps and no option to control the fan.
Z68A-G43 (G3) (bios v.2.3)
i7-2600 + AC Freezer Pro rev.2
2 x 4GB Crucial Ballistix Sport 1600 CL10
OCZ SXS II 600W
HD 6850
Samsung F3
Xclio Godspeed ( 12cm intake + 12cm exhaust)

Quote from: 7777777 on 14-April-12, 20:29:36
Just checked again, Smart Fan works at the bios level too, so just the temperature shown is wrong (50-52) instead of ~ 30. I am happy customer now. Thanks again for your help.
This is pretty normal behaviour, my bios temp is ~40°C - 42°C, whilst in Windows the idle temp is ~25°C (depending all on ambient temps).
There are 2 reasons given, which one is correct or if they are both correct, I dont know, but they told me that in BIOS, the cpu utilization is much higher then in idle Windows desktop and/or it is as Jack already described, that powersaving options are not enabled in BIOS, but doing such a good thing in Windows, that the cpu drops its temps significantly.
The reason for the higher BIOS temp then others, can be in the cpu itself, some are just plain hotheads, or have flaky temperature sensors, for instance one core of my cpu will always be at 62°C max, while the other three peak at ~71°C, it just will not go over 62°C.

The system BIOS Updated failed

I have an HP Elitebook 820 G1.
Every time I try to upgrade the BIOS TO 1.04 , it says "The system BIOS Updated failed. Unable to open the Bios Signature file."
* I tried unsuccessfully using the HP_TOOLS And then the USB method.
I can't also update to Win 8.1. Error 0xC1900101-0x30017
INTERNAl_POWER_ERROR.
Need help please, this is giving me headache.
Thank you and Best regards,
Ozy

OZY
uninstall Norton better remove it for the update
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/uk/home/current/solutions/kb20080828154508EN_EndUserProfile_en_us
You must install all Windows 8 Update, before you windows 8.1 Update use
Never use MS Defender and other antivirus software.
After successful system update, install this software
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Heavy Modifications on T420s system (BIOS Modifications, CPU Swap, PCI Express Routing)

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