Linux or FreeBSD installed on the hard drive will not boot on the Aspire AZ1620 all-in-one computer.

newkanyemerch87
newkanyemerch87 Member Posts: 1 New User
edited May 2023 in All-In-One PCs

However, you may put Windows on the hard drive and boot from that.
I have attempted EVERYTHING.

I changed the bios to the latest "BIOS Linux UEFI Windows version," now available on this page. favicon for the website: Support | Acer USA

Nothing works; I've tried installing UEFI/GPT and BIOS/MBR, and neither Linux nor FreeBSD installs without issues.
You can install either, but unless Windows is installed on the hard drive, the bios won't detect it or boot.

In several posts, disabling secure boot and setting a supervisor password in the BIOS is advised.
THIS IS UNWORKABLE.
Once the supervisor password has been established, there is no longer a new option to turn off secure boot. Or any modification to the accessible parameters.

Secure boot cannot be enabled or disabled in the BIOS.

Furthermore, there is no way to modify the fact that it only enables booting Windows from the hard disc.
annoying
Even the bios page refers to "Linux," which is a complete misnomer.

Customers choose this all-in-one.
I'm so sorry I wasn't there to tell them never to purchase this junk that purposefully doesn't support booting Linux.

I haven't experienced this issue with any computer hardware in years.
I will never do so again.

The Linux and FreeBSD installers fully install the hard drive with MBR or UEFI.
It won't boot because of this piece of ***** bios, which is deliberate.

Answers

  • Leostat
    Leostat ACE Posts: 3,043 Pathfinder

    Some of the acer bootloaders seem to have problems with grub for some reason, sometimes a stub "windows" bootloader will let you then boot into linux and set it as the primary

    Once installed, if you dump the uefi boot order is it not writing the grub bootloder to the list of available boots? And does the same happen with Fedora / Ubuntu? (im not sure which version of the kernel BSD uses)

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 31,454 Trailblazer

    Boy, that's an oldie! 2nd gen Intel system, so over ten year old now. You shouldn't have to disable secure boot to install any modern Linux flavor, they all have signed EFI files. Make sure the boot menu is enabled in the BIOS and CSM is still disabled. Use the F12 key to choose the Linux install flash drive as the boot source, then manipulate partitions as needed to have room for Linux to install and you should be good to go. I don't believe those systems used Intel's Rapid Storage Technology, so you shouldn't need to try and disable it in the BIOS in order to see the drives like you do on most newer systems.

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