I found a website with Thinkpad updates but I have to buy a floppy drive to make the update diskett. That will take a few days to get one here so I will have to get back with ya when I get one here.

no dont do it off a random website

the update is on the IBM site, and theres 2 versions including one you can run from within XP.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/si...HY-3TLQ2L#BIOS

Windows 2000 was only supported as of 1.13 and XP from 1.22. If you have a lower version, thats maybe why it doesnt work.

READ the instructions here. ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs...s/spsdib54.txt

Understand what you are doing and DO NOT turn off the laptop during the flash or you will brick it

You will need a working 100% charged battery AND mains charger

I had the same site you did. I don't have a working battery so I'll have to go on Ebay and get one of those also. I have already ordered the floppy drive and will get it in a few days. This laptop is getting more expensive by the minute.
When I get the working battery and external floppy drive I will try the BIOS update. Thanks for working with me !!!

old laptops not worth spending money on ,you can buy new for as low as 399.00 here in Canada ,
I have old p3 450 IBM ,its new condition, never used laptop , with dead battery ,new batt on ebay is about 75.00 + 30.00 shipping ,not gonna happen for me ,i only paid a few dollars for the laptop,its just not worth the 100.00 to me to buy a battery ,the laptop works fine plugged in ,and i rarely use it any way ,anyone wanna buy it

yeah i have an R30 with P3 and it cost me £50 ($100) for a battery lol

Y'all are making me feel REAL good about this old laptop....LOL. If I can't find a new battery for cheap, I may just deal with the headache and wait for a good deal to come alone.

New battery on Ebay....$40.00 It may take me a while to recive the external floppy drive and new battery . I will get back to this when all the stuff comes in. Why do I need a new battery if I have AC power ?

Because it wont do the flash otherwise. IBM made the bios update idiot-proof. Wont let you do it unless you have a 100% charged battery and AC power as if the power dies partyway through a flash your machine is dead.

While we are talking batteries now, every time I put a dead battery in this laptop, it starts to load Windows but then i get the BSOD. It didn't used to do that with a dead battery in it. I try to keep a battery in the bottom of the laptop just to fill that hole.
Got any suggestions ? I wonder what will happen when I put a new battery in it ?
The BSOD reads:
Your computer BIOS has reported that a componet in your system is faulty and has prevented Windows from operating, 0x000000E0