How to determine the "machine type" of a Lenovo IdeaPad motherboard?
How to determine the "machine type" of a Lenovo IdeaPad motherboard?
I owned a Lenovo IdeaPad S145-15IWL Laptop whose motherboard failed completely. After replacing it with a similar model (same board type), the CPU changed from an 8th gen i5 to an 8th gen i3, and the rest of the components remained unchanged. Still, the Wi-Fi card wasn't recognized by any operating system. I tested both Linux and Windows, adjusted BIOS settings, cleared CMOS, and even removed the battery—nothing worked. Not even physically taking it off affected the list in any OS. This suggests the issue isn’t a driver or module problem, since it would still appear as a PCI device.
Could it be that the motherboard died along with the old one? That’s not impossible, but I found something in the BIOS indicating a failed update. I’m planning to try another update to fix this, though I don’t have enough details about my machine type to be certain.
In Brazil, most Lenovo S145-IWL models are either 81S9 or 81V8, and there’s an update available for them. However, I couldn’t locate any of these on the Lenovo website.
The only machines with this exact setup (Intel i3-8145U + MX110 + 4GB soldered RAM) are from other countries—Belarus and Kazakhstan—and have a different model type (81MV). I don’t see how they’d end up here.
But since the update seems to have gone wrong, I’m unsure. The motherboard doesn’t provide any clues either.
Here’s a picture of the motherboard if it helps:
Could it be that an incorrect BIOS caused the OS to mistake the CPU type? That would mean it should be i5, but no—right?
Maybe PSREF is missing entries for Brazilian models, but the hardware itself doesn’t confirm this. My previous unit had a sticker indicating it was made in Manaus industrial park, while this one doesn’t. Any suggestions?
The only models matching this combination come from other countries (Belarus and Kazakhstan) and feature machine type 81MV, yet it's unclear how they ended up here. These items can be considered grey area products intended for different regions and can be shipped anywhere globally. Where did you obtain the motherboard? It might be that the PSREF lacks records for Brazilian models. Brand and product availability often differ by region. My previous unit had a sticker indicating it was made in Manaus industrial park, whereas this one does not. Once more, where exactly did you source the motherboard? If I were you, I would visit Lenovo's support site and use their auto detection feature to check the machine type/model.
The Lenovo ideapad S145 includes a whitelist for WLAN/WWAN cards, which explains why modifications are sought. Although the BIOS records the Lenovo FRU present at the time of manufacture, a card released after that date would not appear in the list.
I purchased it on Mercado Livre, but the seller didn't provide information about its origin in the product description, nor any other specifics about the laptop it came from. They have a good reputation and are long-standing on the platform, so I'm confident they'll respond if I ask. However, I suspect they might not have recorded these details either (they would likely be in the original packaging, but it only had the same info as on the product page). I plan to send them a message to check.
I could only do this if I manage to get the machine online, since it lacks an Ethernet port and I don't have a USB WiFi card.
It seems very likely they won't succeed either, because the firmware doesn't include the Product Name or Lenovo SN. It appears in both the BIOS and shows "invalid" in Linux and Windows, indicating a corrupted firmware. It might still work if I can find a USB WiFi card to borrow.
Maybe I should also try using another PCIe Key E WiFi card and see if it functions, as the firmware might be usable despite being damaged, and my card could have failed.
New update, I’ve reached my limit and it seems both updates are actually compatible. Maybe I misjudged how important the machine type was for compatibility, since the software EULA only mentions the laptop model (S145-15IWL among others) without referencing the machine type. Both functions worked, but neither resolved my issue. LOL. The WLAN still doesn’t connect and the serial/product names like MTM and Lenovo SN keep showing as "INVALID". There might be another problem in the firmware, though it’s unclear if that’s related to the WiFi not working.