No BIOS access to run Ubuntu.

marco

marco

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
2,903
Reaction score
126
Location
UK
I have an Acer Aspire E11 with a SSD (eMMC 32 GB) that is relatively new but as I could not run Windows 10 on the small SSD I wiped windows and loaded Linux Mint.
In the beginning I could only run Linux on the USB Stick even though it loaded onto the C drive as I could not change much in the BIOS because almost all is in grey and not accessible.

I had to sign in as the Administrator and set a password for all the features to turn blue and accessible. It then booted to the C drive where Linux was.

Today I decided to change to Ubuntu so I loaded it and wiped linux. Now my BIOS has changed and everything is in grey again. I cannot even change boot priorities nor can I sign into my BIOS again as it shows that I am already signed in.

Is it bricked now?
 
biometrics said:
It's a known issue, most BIOS options are disabled.
Click to expand...

Correct but how do I fix this? I disconnected the battery and all ribbon connectors today and left it for 1 hour and no change. All BIOS still greyed out and disabled.
 
Sorry for not replying as I have to borrow my daughters laptop. I have tried to Gargle and read all but nothing has helped in my situation. Most sites say that I must download BIOS REPAIR or download the latest BIOS. I cannot do so as I have no access to my C drive nor do I have an OS.
Some links show that I must use the BIOS reset jumper or remove the coin battery. I don't have this in my laptop.
 
Seems the only way to reset my BIOS to factory is to remove the CMOS battery. This would get rid of the Supervisor Password that is Set.
I will then be able to set a new PW and get access to the "trust" of the UEFI file and set the boot priority.

This is getting incredibly difficult to download Ubuntu on Acer and HP laptops.

Anyway, I stripped my laptop once again and had to remove the mainboard to get access to the CMOS battery terminals. This meant the removal of 4 ribbon connectors and 3 other connectors.
Did this and powered up. Nix. Nothing happened. No lights, Nothing.

Rechecked the connectors. All OK but still nothing. Fraid I have bricked a new laptop and no warranty. :(
 
One of the links provided showed a 3 v coin BIOS battery that must be removed for a few minutes to reset the BIOS. At first I could not find it but eventually did and it had black heat shrink sleeving over it that hid it.
I will take it home with me as I am in Wales now and I do not have my reading glasses with me. I suspect one of the ribbon connectors have been incorrectly inserted.
 
Found a computer tech guy here in Wales and he checked out my laptop and found that my 3v BIOS battery was 2.8 v instead of the 3.4 v it should be. Under load it dropped to 2.3 v.

The cheap Acer and HP laptops do not alert you to a low BIOS battery and will just switch off forever when it gets to a critical level.
Most people will not agree that the BIOS battery can give one a black screen as it should just keep booting into BIOS if flat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X