Acer Switch 5N17P5 - need switch from UEFI mode to Legacy/BIOS mode.

wb0gaz
wb0gaz Member Posts: 6

Tinkerer
edited November 2022 in Switch Series

TASK:

Acer Switch 5 - need switch from UEFI mode to Legacy/BIOS mode. This posting is to find out if it's possible, and if so, how it's done (my experience so far below.) I have specific reason to run in BIOS/Legacy mode, so recommendation to use UEFI mode will not address the issue in this posting.

  1. I can access BIOS (F2)
  2. I have disabled secure boot and set a BIOS access password
  3. The password set in (2) above grants access to BIOS in (1) above.

PROBLEM: On the BIOS screen, BOOT category, I cannot navigate to Boot Mode selection (currently set to [UEFI]). Secure boot shows [Disabled].

Thank you for any assistance.

 [Edited the thread to add model name to the title]

Answers

  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,155 Trailblazer
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/674097/acer-switch-5-need-switch-from-uefi-mode-to-legacy-bios-mode

    Look at this guide "How to Convert UEFI to Legacy BIOS on Windows (7, 8 and 10)" as this is a good thorough guide of what to do.

  • wb0gaz
    wb0gaz Member Posts: 6

    Tinkerer
    edited November 2022

    Thanks Steven - I failed to indicate that there is no current OS installation on the machine (which appears to be the focus of the site you linked), so the issue is not grappling with re-configuring the Windows installation; rather it is a setting change in the Acer BIOS (that would precede any OS installation onto blank drive media) that I cannot accomplish per my original post.

    Therefore I would like to keep the question open, seeking an answer conditioned on the above.

    Thank you,

    [Content removed]

    [Edited the thread to hide personal information]

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer
    edited November 2022

    What are you trying to do with the machine that requires legacy boot mode? That hasn't been used since the early W7 days and isn't supported on most modern laptops... We could potentially give you more targeted informaiton if we knew which Switch 5 model you have, there have been a lot of them over the years. The full model number should be on the same sticker as your serial number.

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • wb0gaz
    wb0gaz Member Posts: 6

    Tinkerer
    edited November 2022

    Thank you, Billsey, for the follow-up posting.

    The model number is N17P5

    Per my original post:

    "I have specific reason to run in BIOS/Legacy mode, so recommendation to use UEFI mode will not address the issue in this posting."

    My need to configure for BIOS/Legacy mode remains - I have not yet been able to solve this problem (the applicable BIOS set-up screen shows the uni in UEFI mode and I've not been able to navigate to the selection to change it.)

    Any applicable suggestion appreciated.

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer

    Yeah that 'model number' isn't enough to figure out what you have. They reuse that number on different model series and don't have a cross reference we can use. The full model number is usually on the same sticker as the serial number and is likely something like SWxxx-xxx-xxxx. Most of the newer systems no longer support legacy boot modes at all. What is your specific OS that requires legacy? Are you sure they don't have have a newer version than 2009 or so?

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • wb0gaz
    wb0gaz Member Posts: 6

    Tinkerer
    edited November 2022

    Thanks for the request for additional information -- much appreciate your time on this.

    Here is the only other identifying information I can find on external labels (the labels are under the kickstand assembly so it's a narrow area with limited room for details.)

    Serial number: NTLDSAA001XXXX

    Manufacture date: 2018.02

    I am not looking to solve the issue from OS standpoint (it is a given; I would not have made this post without exhausting that avenue) --- the requirement remains as stated in the original post. I am looking to determine if/how I can accommodate the requirement on this series laptop.

    Thanks again,

    [Content removed]

    [Edited the thread to hide sensitive and personal information]

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer

    OK, that is a SW512-52-55YD model. With some of the models in that age range you had to set a supervisor password before you could switch from UEFI to legacy. Give that a try since it looks like the BIOS does support the old boot mode. You will have to convert the drive from GPT to MBR in order for it to be bootable for the old OS. There likely won't be chipset drivers for Windows 7, Vista or XP, though DOS likely doesn't need any drivers. Linux should be fully supported with UEFI, but there might be some old version specific to an application that doesn't, if so you will likely have to rebuild the kernel to support the chipset...

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.

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