En-TACT

After pluggin in the USB stick I then had to go into bios and put the stick up to the top of the boot order. I seem to have to do this every time I remove the stock from the y580.

Thank you svl7 ..enjoy that beer!

Problem was the USB stick. Bought a new one, format it with DOS, ran PRR from C:> and executed fpt -f... the 6205 is working flawlessly!

I'm not sure why you qouted me. Anyway those settings are fine for booting a usb. Did you format the usb with utility provided in the first post?

Format the USB with which utility? I formatted the USB from Windows, and then added the following files: fparts, fpt, prr, v801.rom. How should I do it?

Yea, I remove my 2.5" drive every time I try to attempt an install.

Yes, I've tried this too. Legacy or UEFI, my msata does not boot. I have no clue what to do about it. I've been working on this since mid-december and I can't boot to msata on my windows 8 y580. Trust me, name it I've tried it. I've got no reason to believe I need to RMA the drive and at the same time, I'm not interested in trying to send my laptop to lenovo for a month on top of the fact I don't have a clue what specifically to tell them is wrong. I've been using the windows 8 iso on both usb and cd. I clean and convert to gpt in diskpart. Installer partitions and installs on my msata but loops back to cd/usb on boot. I remove the CD/usb, and modify the boot order so that I boot legacy on my SSD because it doesn't show a UEFI boot option AS IT SHOULD. Attempting to boot results in a black screen. No blue screen, no OS logo, nothing. I reinstall and reboot my 2.5" drive and the msata drive shows system partitions and system files installed.

Thank you svl7 for all your hard work into this! I'll def. buy you a beer.. but I can't flash it! I'm having a similar issue too booting to USB. Because I get Error 28, I have to run PRR in DOS. Placed all files in USB, then the BIOS boot settings;

Boot Mode > Legacy Support

Boot Priority > Legacy First

USB Boot > Enabled

Reboot, and system idles/flickers at the "Lenovo" splash screen. I reboot again hit F12 at Lenovo splash screen and get this:

"System doesn't have any USB boot option. Please select other boot option in boot Manager menu."

jovian, what steps did you take to boot in USB? Does it matter which USB port? What files did you have on your USB stick?

Hey guys, I've been out of the loop for awhile from this site and reading some of these last posts there's a working whitelist BIOS for the v8.01???? ..I'll have to go back several posts ad catchup!

I updated the Centrino 2200 driver first. Then upgraded to Windows 8 Pro. It was after upgrading and downloading all the O/S required updates that I saw a solid connection. So whether you update the WLAN driver first or WIN 8 Pro first, it does not matter. But in my case how I went about, I would have to say the WIN 8 Professional version must have done the solid connection.

I tried Windows 8 for a little while but found the metro interface a little...discouraging. I was just wondering if the card with the Intel update will stop dropping connections.

Upgrade to WIN8 PRO and the latest Intel 2200 drivers.. from that, I have been receiving a solid connection!

Did you upgrade the driver to get a solid signal?

I updated the Centrino 2200 driver first. Then upgraded to Windows 8 Pro. It was after upgrading and downloading all the O/S required updates that I saw a solid connection. So whether you update the WLAN driver first or WIN 8 Pro first, it does not matter. But in my case how I went about, I would have to say the WIN 8 Professional version must have done the solid connection.

- - - Updated - - -

Anyone have any information as to the best-working drivers for stock WiFi card?

Also, what would be the best WiFi card to replace the 2200 with? I have heard of some people buying the 6205/6300... Is there a list of confirmed-to-work replacement WiFi cards? Would like to be sure before I buy one.

Sorry for the novice questions.

Thanks.

If there is a whitelist BIOS available, go with the Centrino 6205 (no BT) for your Y580. You can find them on Amazon for 9.99.

Is it possible to hook up the msata and an ssd together in RAID0?

Have you tried downloading anything big? My 2200 card drops the signal after about 20 minutes or so of downloading.

Mine used to do that too.. I would lose a connection almost evey 30-45mins of use. Yesterday, I downloaded UBUNTU (~800MB) with it, completed without an interrruption/disconnect. Connection holds solid now, but I prefer to install my 6205 card.

In regards to a whitelist BIOS and this weak 2200 card. Two weeks ago I upgraded Windows 8 on my Y580 to Windows 8 Pro (39.99) and updated the Intel Centrino 2200 software to ver.15.5.6.48. Until now, I would have to say as a temporary fix, it's been a solid wireless connection without a single disconnect throughout the house.

I created an account here because this thread was of particular interest to me. It is clear that there are different firmware versions being released with the Y580 that are related to differences in hardware and that a modified 8.0x firmware version will be necessary for some users in order to remove whitelist enforcement. I have fount at least six different versions of this product on Newegg, there may be others.

Newegg.com - lenovo IdeaPad Y580 (20994CU) Notebook Intel Core i7 3610QM(2.30GHz) 15.6" 6GB Memory DDR3 1600 750GB HDD 5400rpm DVD±R/RW NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M

Newegg.com - lenovo IdeaPad Y580 (20994EU) Notebook Intel Core i7 3610QM(2.30GHz) 15.6" 8GB Memory DDR3 1600 750GB HDD 5400rpm DVD±R/RW NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M

Newegg.com - lenovo IdeaPad Y580 (59345715) Notebook Intel Core i7 3630QM(2.40GHz) 15.6" 6GB Memory 750GB HDD NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M

Newegg.com - lenovo IdeaPad Y580 (59345717) Notebook Intel Core i7 3630QM(2.40GHz) 15.6" 8GB Memory 1TB HDD Blu-ray Combo NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M

Newegg.com - lenovo IdeaPad Y580 (59353260) Notebook Intel Core i7 3630QM(2.40GHz) 15.6" 8GB Memory 750GB HDD + 16GB SSD HDD NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M

Newegg.com - lenovo IdeaPad Y580 (209942U) Notebook Intel Core i7 3610QM(2.30GHz) 15.6" 8GB Memory DDR3 1600 1TB HDD 5400rpm Blu-ray RAMBO (Re-writeable) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M

One major difference not immediately evident in these is the type of panel that is being used. Some of them have a 720P panel while some utilize a 1080P panel. A resolution of 1366 x 768 is also listed for some, although I think it may just be the same 720P panel. Perhaps this has something to do with the different firmware versions in the thread, although perhaps not. I have a Y580 on the way (the 59345717). I am very interested in getting a dual band Wifi card working with this version for both myself and others. I would be happy to allow svl7 access to it through Team Viewer if it would be helpful. For those of you who have attempted using a modified BIOS, would you mind posting the Y580 version you have as well as the firmware version it shipped with and whether or not your attempts were successful?

Mojo, you have the same Y580 (59345717</SPAN>), as I do, that is the one with a 1TB & blu ray player. svl7 has remoted into my laptop and attempted to get the modified BIOS to flash/work. Unfortunately, the O/S kept crashing. Currently, I'm not certain where the progress stands...

svl7, any progress on BIOS 5DCN90WW??

Yesterday I got my new Y580. I installed BIOS V.206_[unlocked][no whitelist] from first post. I I found some strange issue. When I have bios 2.07 windows 7 64bit show me 4 cores 8 threads, after installing bios 2.06 windows show 1 core 2 threads. Any idea what going wrong? Right now I'm going to update to 2.07, and hopefully get back my 4 cores. Notice later.

Here what i have done:

1. I have upgraded BIOS to 2.07* - no effect still only one core two threads

2. Remove new WiFi card, and replaced it with original - no effect still only one core two threads

3. Downgrade BIOS to V.206_[unlocked][no whitelist] - no effect still only one core two threads

4. Installed new WiFi card - no effect still only one core two threads

5. Restored Windows using Norton Ghost - Ghost image was made right after windows installation - no effect still only one core two threads

6. Installed completely clear, new version of windows - GET BACK ALL 4 CORES AND 8 THREADS

So if you experienced something like I did, do not play with BIOS version but simply start with Windows reinstallation.

CPU: Intel Core i7-3630QMI

New Card is: Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6200

* If I installed new WiFi card, BIOS refuse to load Windows - just like I expected,

BIOS version was 2.07 without any modifications - original LENOVO.

I turned on Y580 once again, but then immediately pushed F2 and enter to BIOS, changed nothing, and SAVE AND EXIT... I was very surprised but BIOS passed my new WiFi card. Don't checked yet if this card will work under windows but it might. Can YOU do the same???

You bought a new Y580 yesterday and the BIOS version was 2.06? Where did you buy yours, and what is your laptop's model number? I bought mine in December '12 from New Egg. Those of you who have the Y580 with BIOS 5DCN90WW v8.01, is your model number 59345717?</SPAN>

Thanks, I was wondering if you got the error we get before getting the one you have. So strange that we get different errors with apparently the same system.

- - - Updated - - -

@En-TACT, in one of your posts you said that it was necessary to unblock all the files. When I extracted the archives, all the files seemed unblocked.

On your machine, how did you do to unblock them? Maybe I missed something.

Right click each file and go to > General tab > click on Unblock (if available). Then for file fptw64, right click > Compatibility tab > check mark Run as Administrator. Finally, for FLASH right click > select Run as administrator to execute process.

Hi everyone!

I have a Y580 that came with Windows 8 and the BIOS 5DCN90WW.

I tried flashing the unlocked BIOS from the post #155. Thank you for your work svl7 :-)

I tried with several configurations, but always got the same error when running the bat file to do a backup: Error 104: The two SPI flash devices do not have compatible command sets.

The flash devices found are exactly the same as the one indicated on the screenshot from the post #163.

I tried to execute the backup bat on several configurations:

1. The stock Windows 8

2. The stock Windows 8 after uninstall the antivirus

3. When starting Windows 8 in "Safe mode" (even though it is not called like this anymore) with a command prompt only

4. With Windows 7 x64 SP1

@En-TACT, did you already get this error on your system? If yes, how were you able to avoid it?

I did not receive this error.. I got error:

Error 28: Protected Range Registers are currently set by BIOS, preventing flash access.

Please contact the target system BIOS vendor for an option to disable Protected Range Registers.

It's under the SECURITY header > Secure Boot. I was able to enable it. If your Y580 came with WIN7, your BIOS is different from Y580, WIN8.

As you've read through the forum, there are issues for those who have the Y580, WIN8-64b and cannot flash the modified BIOS, resulting in various errors... svl7 attempted to resolve this on my machine, to which I provided the BIOS dump (5DCN90WW). Still awaiting to hear from him.

I was able to run the flash; see post #146, you have to run files as administrator and unblock. Unfortunately, I received an error, but differ from the others since svl7 edit my BIOS dump:

Error 28: Protected Range Registers are currently set by BIOS, preventing flash access.

Please contact the target system BIOS vendor for an option to disable Protected Range Registers.

I received the same "New rom size" error as jovian did. So svl7, is there anything more can be done ..or those of us in a hole??

I was able to dump the BIOS with svl7's utility!! The trick was to run the *.exe's in admin mode and unblock ALL files, this prevents Windows 8 seeing them as malicious files.

I have never done it, and may be wrong, as root user use the dd command: #dd if=/dev/mem bs=1k skip=768 count=256

2>/dev/null | strings -n 8

I'm in the same boat as En-TACT. I have the same bios version as him, the only difference is I installed windows 7 64 bit on mine (not that it should really make a difference I dont think?). But if you remove the whitelist on that version I'm absolutely interested in that as well. :-) I'll definitely have to get you a beer or something...though I hate donating through paypal, that maybe my only option lol

Lenovo just put an updated BIOS on their site, 5dcn40ww... interestingly that's older than the version mentioned above... weird. Release notes say it fixes system crashes while playing 3d games.

Grab it here: http://download.lenovo.com/consumer/mobiles/5dcn40ww.exe

Hmm, I don't know, I would expect it to work with Win8 as well. The error message indicates insufficient user rights, try to execute it by right-click and then 'run as administrator'. Another possibility is that your antivirus has issues with the PCI driver, disabling it temporarily might fix it.

"Error 200: Invalid parameter value specified by user. Use -? option to see help."

Application then immediately closes from error. Where do we go from here?

I found a utility called BIOS Backup Toolkit 2.0. However, I was unable to download your file, received an error probably due to my account status: En-TACT, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

1. Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
   
2. If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.
   

Hey svl7 would you be able to tweak this BIOS to remove the whitelist? I'm certain all of us in need of it will buy you a round!

svl7 I was able to dump my BIOS (InsydeH2O v3.7, 5DCN90WW v8.01). Would you be able to have a look at it for those who have the Y580, WIN8 64 and want to install a Centrino 6205. Thank you!