Thinkpads Forum

.. is it to unlock the BIOS on one of these?

You get an SPI programmer and a SOIC clip, read out the BIOS, send that file to someone who removes the lock.
When you get it back, you write it back into the BIOS.
Easy peasy.

So, not an easy thing like on the X201 or X131e? The X131e was child's play (short a couple of pins during BIOS load), the X201 required re-programming the chip, but I found a utility to do it on-line.

If one got back the 'corrected' file and did a comparison with the 'locked' file, one would know what to do. Or one could share the 'corrected' file. Maybe?

Ever since the xx40, BIOS 'locking' has changed.
It is now per machine, not per model, so you can't use an 'unlocked' file in any other laptop.
FYI: the T440p/T540p/W540/W541 have 2 BIOS chips, so it's a bit more convoluted there.
Check your PM.

Thanks! .. and understood.