Problem Acessing bios when Dual-booting with Linux

AlekTheGod

Hello,

 

I wanna preface by saying that I recently bought this computer 2 weeks ago and I have updated bios and firmware.

 

I have very strange problem, I'm trying to dual boot windows 10 witm Linux ( Manjaro). To do this I have created a windows partition and linux partitions (Swap,boot efi, Root, home) see guide https://forum.manjaro.org/t/howto-dual-boot-manjaro-windows-10-step-by-step/52668

 

When I have sucessfully installed linux, I encounter a problem, the computer wont boot into bois when I press F2 and it is stuck on the Acer Logo.  If i delete the linux partitions the computer can boot into bios by pressing F2, So it has something to do with the ext4/EFI partitions that i create, which makes no sense since it shouldn't have anything to do with booting into bois.

 

And this problem occour even with a different Linux (Kubuntu), samething happens there when the partitions is sucessfully created and the Linx distoro is installed the computer wont go past the Acer logo when pressing F2. After deleting the linux partitions the computer can boot sucessfully into bios again .

 

I been searching on the internet for a solution to this problem and I found this https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/603201/cannot-enter-bios-stuck-on-acer-logo

This guy had the samething as me and when he deleted the Linux partitions he could boot into bios again.

 

I can boot into the boot menu by pressing F12 (It works) I can boot into Linux and Windows with no problem, only booting into bios doesn't work.

I'm wondering if there is some bug with the firmware and EFI entries.

Have you guys stumbled upon anything like this? 

Information about the computer: 

Modell: Aspire A515-54G

OS: Windows 10

aphanic

Dear god... you're going to have to make me try, I have the same machine...

Give me some minutes because I have to switch from RST to AHCI an install Linux in the internal SSD, I'll report back once I'm done. I'll use Endeavour instead of Manjaro because I already have a live USB of that made, but given both are based on Arch it shouldn't matter.

aphanic

So, reporting back, I had no trouble accessing the BIOS I'm afraid; either after a reboot from any OS, full shutdown, etc.

The procedure I followed was as this:

1. Windows was installed alone in the disk, AHCI set to the SATA mode of operation.
2. Booted into an Endeavour live USB, connected to the Internet and updated that Welcome window (there was a button there).
3. Started the installation, setting the usual parameters. For the storage I chose for it to be installed alongside Windows and to shrink the Windows partition to leave space for Endeavour, all automated, I just gave it 50GB. The partition layout remained like this after the installation was done:
   - 100 MB, EFI partition that was already there created by Windows (I believe now with some code added to it).
   - 16 MB, MS Partition, this one is reserved for them for whatever reason.
   - 426 GB, the Windows partition, decreased in size compared to what it was before.
   - 50 GB, Endeavour partition, ext4 formatted.
   - 500 MB, Windows' recovery partition, remained where it was, at the end of the disk.

The Bootloader Endeavour chose is Grub, and chainloading into Windows also leads to a positive outcome:







I also attached the contents of my EFI partition save for the BCD which was in use (think of it as Windows' /etc/fstab and root kernel line).

AlekTheGod

Hi aphanic,

I wanna thank you for testing this and reporting back, there seems to be some kind of trouble with my computer then. I will be contacting acer support and ask then about this. It is so strange that I cannot access bios after creating the linux partitions.

Have a nice day!

aphanic

AlekTheGod said:

I wanna thank you for testing this and reporting back, there seems to be some kind of trouble with my computer then. I will be contacting acer support and ask then about this. It is so strange that I cannot access bios after creating the Linux partitions.

Do you have fast start set in the BIOS settings or something like that? I can't reboot my machine now, but I know I have that disabled.

AlekTheGod

aphanic said:

AlekTheGod said:

I wanna thank you for testing this and reporting back, there seems to be some kind of trouble with my computer then. I will be contacting acer support and ask then about this. It is so strange that I cannot access bios after creating the Linux partitions.

Do you have fast start set in the BIOS settings or something like that? I can't reboot my machine now, but I know I have that disabled.

Hi agian,

I have fast start/fast boot disabled and also secureboot. 

I have also discovered a thing. If I have ACHI enabled and the linux partitions on, the computer won't boot into bois setup.

But if I have RST Optane instead of AHCI, (with the linux partitions) I can boot into Bios Setup with no problem. But cannot boot into Linux since it needs to have sata mode: AHCI.

So it seems to have to do something with the Sata Mode ACHI enabled.

aphanic

This is surreal, let's see if I got it right:
- SATA operating as AHCI ~> Linux works as usual, disk is recognized, but you can't access BIOS anymore.
- SATA operating as RST ~> Disk not visible in Linux, but BIOS is accessible.

What the hell... 🤦🏼‍♂️

AlekTheGod

aphanic said:

This is surreal, let's see if I got it right:
- .SATA operating as AHCI ~> Linux works as usual, disk is recognized, but you can't access BIOS anymore
- SATA operating as RST ~> Disk not visible in Linux, but BIOS is accessible.

What the hell... 🤦🏼‍♂️

Hi,

You almost got it right.

SATA operating as AHCI ~> Linux works as usual, disk is recognized, but you can't access BIOS anymore

**SATA operating as RST ~> Linux is not visible as boot option (but I still still have the partitions). I can though still boot into Windows and Bios.

When I have SATA operating as AHCI ~> and no partitions for Linux (only windows) I can boot into bois.

 If I install a Linux distro and partition the the drive (still having windows partitions), I cannot access bios.

raviolo93

I have the same problem, I develop in linux and when i need to use windows I have to access the BIOS and to change the Sata From Ahci to Rst. I hope that my company will buy me a lenovo that works perfectly without this errors.

egydiocoelho

@raviolo93 It's a very simple problem to solve. Access windows, press windows+r, type msconfig, go to system startup, enable safeboot and restart windows. Then go to the bios, change the sata mode to ahci and now windows will boot without any problems. This has nothing to do with the manufacturer Acer. These configuration problems occur with all manufacturers, because of the implementation of RST WITH OPTANE and more recently, with the introduction of the VMD CONTROLLER.