Lenovo X1 Extrem Gen 3 19770-SC EC data updating need help!

[rushouse77]

Hi!
Tell me a utility for recording all serial numbers in Thinkpad X1 Extreme Gen 3, I changed the EC and Think Engine BGA. The original one did not read, since the laptop did not respond even to the power button. BGA EC and second chip from disassembly taobao. Power on - ok, but all data invalid and beeps.

The search only resulted in instructions and utilities for older models. I tried to update the firmware and rollback, but the BIOS only stores the Windows license. Everything else seems to be in EC.....

[anhbanxoi]

Use Lenovo U1 tool to update those informations.

[anhbanxoi]

By the way, how you managed to get rid of the black glue underneath the chip?

[rushouse77]

By the way, how you managed to get rid of the black glue underneath the chip?

It's a mix of dark electrical magic and 20 years of repair experience.

Jokes aside, this compound has become significantly tougher to work with. My assistant and I had to hold the motherboard firmly with both hands, heat the chip up to 300°C, and use a strong pair of tweezers to forcibly extract the components. The force required is about 5 to 8 times greater than what we usually see with the black compound used in Lenovo Legions.

The adhesive doesn't really react to heat, but at 320–330°C, you can gradually slice through it using a large chisel-shaped tip at a 30–40° angle, with dozens of careful passes.

The good news: the pads hold up extremely well. I only managed to lift one pad from two chips — and even then, not completely — and was able to put it back in place. After removing the compound, I tinned the pads directly with a soldering iron. I didn't go over them with solder wick, since there was still a bit of residue left in the corners.
Good luck. It's doable, but I highly recommend informing the client about double pricing and discussing the risks upfront. That's what I do, especially when replacing chipsets on Legions, for example.

[rushouse77]

Use Lenovo U1 tool to update those informations.

Yes, I tried downloading and writing it to a USB stick yesterday. The program doesn't even format it. I also tried writing the image using UltraISO from the folder, but it doesn't boot from it. What am I doing wrong?

[rushouse77]

information update. There are detailed instructions on github and I was able to record the flash drive. I'll go to the office now and write about the progress.