Acer ES1-571 InsydeH20, I cannot boot any file and Bios is completely LOCKED

I've been using my Acer ES1-571 for many years without any problem. I really appreciate this laptop. I'm a Linux Ubuntu user.

Since last OS update, I cannot boot any file and the bios is completely locked (never seen before).

The bios installed is "InsydeH20 Setup Utility Rev 5.0 V1.01"

I do not have any possibility to load default options or to edit any option in any menu. All options are grey, cannot be selected and pressing F9 "setup defaults", does nothing. The only 3 option I can edit are "system time", "system date" and "set user password", no other possibilities.

For booting, I get "Default Boot Device Missing or Boot Failed. Insert Recovery Media and Hit any key Then select 'Boot Manager' to choose a new Boot Device or to Boot recovery Media". After pressing OK, I get the Boot Manager window with 2 Boot Options "b2" and "boot", but both do not work (same error as before "Default Boot Device Missing or Boot Failed.")

I'm completly stucked. I removed the CMOS battery but didn't help.

[Edited the thread to add issue detail]

Please help!

Accepted answers

JackE

No. See images below.

JackE

After removing the coin cell, just touch the center conductor terminal on the socket to its side conductor terminal.

All comments

JackE

>>>Since last OS update, I cannot boot any file and the bios is completely locked (never seen before).>>>

Sometimes happens with ubuntu. Try temporarily disconnecting the HDD to see if you can regain control of the BIOS settings.

luke789

Hello JackE and thank you for helping.

I've tried to disconnect the HDD but no news. Still same problem with HDD plugged in or off.

The laptop is completely locked :(

Any other idea?

Thank you very much!

JackE

>>>I removed the CMOS battery but didn't help.>>>>

With the charger, battery pack & HDD still disconnected, remove the coin cell again. Between the charger jack and the cpu, look for a small pair of triangular jumper pads on the mainboard like shown below. Short those two pads for about 30 seconds.

Then check coin cell voltage before re-inserting it. Must be at least 3.1vdc. Reconnect battery pack but not HDD. Button it back up. Then plug the charger back in. Try to regain BIOS control with HDD disconnected.

luke789

Hello JackE and thank you again for helping me.

I've opened the laptop but don't really see the two pads. I've seen just two similar on the back of the main board. I attach the pictures. Could you tell me if those you see in the picture are correct? Then I will try to short them for 30 seconds!

Thank you very much again!

Here up you see small pair of triangular jumper pads. are these I should short?

Main board TOP

Main board BOTTOM

JackE

No. See images below.

rafaelsoaresbr

The options in BIOS are grayed out probably because you set the same password for both user and supervisor or you are typing the user password when entering BIOS.

In my case even hard resetting the BIOS didn't solve my problem, maybe you are luckier than me. I had to hack into it.

luke789

Hello JackE.

I did what you wrote but now the situation is even worst. I cannot access the BIOS anymore.

Starting the pc with HDD disconnected and pressing F2 at startup, no BIOS is showing up. It goes directly to the "Deafault Boot Device Missing of Boot Failed" window.

To short the triangle I put the tip of a small metal screwdriver on both small triangles. Was this correct?

Any other idea? :(

Thank you very much for your collaboration.

JackE

Yes, that was the correct way of resetting it. Reconnect the HDD. Then press and hold the F2 key. Then short press the power button while still holding F2.

luke789

:( nothing... still at the same point. The only thing I can do when entering the BIOS is to change to Set User Password and change System Date and Time (and save). All the rest of the options are greyed out...

Anything I may do with a USB key inserted or similar?

Thank you very much for helping...

JackE

>>>Anything I may do with a USB key inserted or similar?>>>

Do you have a bootable GPartEd or Ubuntu stick? Can you access it by tapping F12 on startup?

luke789

Yes, I can access Ubuntu 22.04 GNU GRUD version 2.06 menu

I've these options:

Try or Install Ubuntu
Ubuntu (safe graphics)
OEM install
Boot from next volume
UEFI Firmware Settings

JackE

Does the firmware settings simply re-start the system and bring you back to the same locked BIOS menu?

luke789

yes, exactly this :(

JackE

OK. Next, with charger & battery pack both disconnected, remove CMOS coin cell again. Then directly short out the cell's mainboard socket center negative (-)terminal and side or top plus (+) terminal for about a minute.

luke789

I will... just if you can post a picture of "cell's mainboard socket center negative (-) terminal and side or top plus (+) terminal" ... Thank you very much!

JackE

After removing the coin cell, just touch the center conductor terminal on the socket to its side conductor terminal.

luke789

Hello again,

after having touched cell coins conductor, I got back full control of the BIOS! The problem is that I juste loaded default configuration, restarted the PC and got back to the same situation as before (all BIOS' options grayed out).