Please provide unlocked BIOS for Acer Predator Triton 700

kumikumi
kumikumi Member Posts: 2 New User
edited October 2023 in 2020 Archives
Current version of BIOS does not allow the user to switch from RAID mode to standard/ACHI. This makes the SSD drives undetectable to Linux, effectively rendering the €3500 laptop unusable.

"RAID" mode, also described as "Intel landgrab mode" and "too ugly to live" by certain Linux kernel developers, is a method of re-mapping the drive in a way that standard drivers can't bind to it, effectively forcing the user to use Intel's driver. (For discussion, see this LKML thread from 2016, it's worth reading through the entire thread: https://marc.info/?l=linux-ide&m=147709610621480&w=2 ) Apparently Intel gave up trying to fix the situation, so the current recommended workaround is to switch the laptop's bios from "RAID" to AHCI mode. 

However, that option is currently locked in the BIOS of Acer Predator Triton 700.

This is not a new issue. This same situation has affected other laptops vendors as well, such as Lenovo: https://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/44694.html

Lenovo have actually fixed this issue by providing a BIOS update that unlocks AHCI mode on their laptops: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/fi/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/yoga-series/yoga-900-13isk2/downloads/ds119354

I'm requesting Acer to do the same.
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Answers

  • munkay
    munkay Member Posts: 26 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    I agree entirely - come on Acer, so many people are asking about this.
  • Derek712
    Derek712 Member Posts: 1 New User
    I would like to see this as well.  There's no reason we should be locked into using RAID...
  • Slide1340
    Slide1340 Member Posts: 6 New User
    I"d sure like to see an unlocked bios also. I bought a high end gaming laptop with a beginner bios. Come on acer!!
  • empmdk
    empmdk Member Posts: 1 New User
    I was also very surprised at ~ $3k, it only includes absolute bare minimum options. My old 5yo laptop had more control than this one. Nearly defeats the purpose of including an accessible bios in the first place.
    An advanced bios is definitely something that should be added in the near future. There's so much that could be tuned on these things to increase battery life, thermals & general use capabilities.
  • Slide1340
    Slide1340 Member Posts: 6 New User
    Anyone have any luck finding an unlocked bios? Seems like acer won't be any help...
  • daviddm
    daviddm Member Posts: 3 New User
    Has anyone found a way to turn off the RAID in the BIOS I just purchased a Acer Predator 17X GX-792 as well as a 2TB Samsung M.2 SSD that I want to use as my system drive.  Not sure how to do this.  Anyone have any ideas.  Has anyone changed to non-raid?
  • Andrew_cannello
    Andrew_cannello Member Posts: 9

    Tinkerer

    Hello everybody, I just bought a used Acer Predator Triton 700, but the BIOS version on it is not the original and doesn`t allow me to install the drivers for the GTX 1080, can anybody provide me the original bios for this laptop? and maybe informations on how to install it? I`m really desparated, please help
  • garrick
    garrick Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer

    Oh come on Acer, please fix this! I want to use linux!
  • adamo000
    adamo000 Member Posts: 61 Devotee WiFi Icon
    Hello everyone. You can add a thread here: https://www.bios-mods.com/
    But the thing is you will not be able to flash this bios unless you solder some wires to pins in chip. It's extremely unsafe for yours pc buuut you could try this method. 
    Ofcourse you warranty will be void and you will do it at your own risk. 
  • adamo000
    adamo000 Member Posts: 61 Devotee WiFi Icon
    For example that is unlocked bios for Acer Predator 300 (G3-571) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJV3Rtmb7Jk
  • sri369
    sri369 ACE Posts: 2,623 Pathfinder
    adamo000 said:
    For example that is unlocked bios for Acer Predator 300 (G3-571) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJV3Rtmb7Jk
    Is there something like this for G3-572?
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  • garrick
    garrick Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer

    adamo000 said:
    Hello everyone. You can add a thread here: https://www.bios-mods.com/
    But the thing is you will not be able to flash this bios unless you solder some wires to pins in chip. It's extremely unsafe for yours pc buuut you could try this method. 
    Ofcourse you warranty will be void and you will do it at your own risk. 
    Hey, could you link the guide how to do that? Much appreciated!
  • Red-Sand
    Red-Sand ACE Posts: 1,892 Pathfinder
    I have unlocked my BIOs on my Helios PH317-51 via programmer.. you dont need to solder any pins.
    - Hotel Hero
  • adamo000
    adamo000 Member Posts: 61 Devotee WiFi Icon
    How many advantages did you noticed after unlocking bios? I'm guessing that linux installation was the greatest.
  • Red-Sand
    Red-Sand ACE Posts: 1,892 Pathfinder
    adamo000 said:k
    How many advantages did you noticed after unlocking bios? I'm guessing that linux installation was the greatest.
    I was able to install linux without unlocking the BIOs.

    And as far as benefits there really isn't much to gain from doing it.

    TDP can be adjusted from throttlestop, RAID can be configured (on P-15 & P-17) through acers RAID utility.
    You can change the number of active cores with windows built in software.
    You can disable hyperthreading for programs by setting affinity in windows.

    Just about the only thing I saw was it was able to adjust the BIOs fan curve which you have to remove Predator Sense to get to work.
    - Hotel Hero
  • adamo000
    adamo000 Member Posts: 61 Devotee WiFi Icon
    So basically for those who don't have RAID problem (like Triton 300 users), flashing modified BIOS is pretty much useless.
  • garrick
    garrick Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer

    edited July 2018
    Red-Sand said:
    adamo000 said:k
    How many advantages did you noticed after unlocking bios? I'm guessing that linux installation was the greatest.
    I was able to install linux without unlocking the BIOs.

    And as far as benefits there really isn't much to gain from doing it.

    TDP can be adjusted from throttlestop, RAID can be configured (on P-15 & P-17) through acers RAID utility.
    You can change the number of active cores with windows built in software.
    You can disable hyperthreading for programs by setting affinity in windows.

    Just about the only thing I saw was it was able to adjust the BIOs fan curve which you have to remove Predator Sense to get to work.
    How do you managed to install linux without unlocking the BIOS? I try to install Ubuntu but it wont detect the drives. You can't switch from RAID to AHCI in acer RAID utility (it could switch to another RAID config, if you referring to this post), can you? Linux won't recognize any drive that's in RAID AFAIK. I really need to know this as I need linux to do machine learning.
  • sri369
    sri369 ACE Posts: 2,623 Pathfinder
    @garrick

    Most boot loaders come with Microsoft certificates installed for secure boot option. You could install a certificate for Linux (self signed), or disable secure boot and should be able to install Linux.
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  • garrick
    garrick Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer

    edited July 2018

    I don't quite understand that, linux installer can't detect any drive in the first place, how do I proceed with the cert. installation? Even with disabled secure boot, linux can't detect the drive too.
    :(
  • @garrickThe hd must be in gpt format! Convert to mbr and see if it is detected by linux!
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