Acer Aspire A515-52-74GC - Linux Zorin OS 17 Boot repair error - NVram is locked

Hello! It sounds like you're dealing with a frustrating "NVRAM locked" error, which can indeed be tricky to resolve. Let's break down the issue and explore potential solutions, keeping in mind that you've already tried many recommended fixes.

Understanding the Problem

• NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random-Access Memory): This small memory space stores boot settings, including boot order and EFI entries. If it's locked, changes to these settings are prevented.
• EFI Boot Manager: This is the firmware interface that manages the boot process. Zorin OS not showing up here means the system doesn't recognize its boot files.
• Dual Boot Issues: Dual booting, especially with different operating systems on separate drives, can sometimes lead to conflicts in the EFI boot configuration.

Possible Solutions and Troubleshooting Steps

1. Secure Boot and Fast Startup:
   • These features can sometimes interfere with dual booting.
   • In Windows 11:
     • Disable Fast Startup: Go to "Control Panel" -> "Power Options" -> "Choose what the power buttons do" -> "Change settings that are currently unavailable." Uncheck "Turn on fast startup (recommended)."
     • Disable Secure Boot: This is done in the BIOS/UEFI settings. You'll need to restart your laptop and enter the BIOS (usually by pressing F2, Del, or Esc during startup). Look for "Secure Boot" and disable it.
   • After disabling them, attempt to boot into Zorin.
2. BIOS/UEFI Reset:
   • Sometimes, the BIOS/UEFI settings can become corrupted. Resetting them to default values might resolve the NVRAM lock.
   • Enter the BIOS/UEFI settings and look for an option like "Load Setup Defaults," "Restore Defaults," or "Load Optimized Defaults."
3. Boot-Repair (from a Live Zorin Session):
   • Since you can't boot into Zorin, you'll need to use a live Zorin USB drive.
   • Boot from the Zorin installation USB.
   • Once in the live environment, install and run Boot-Repair:
     • Open a terminal.
     • sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
       sudo apt update
       sudo apt install boot-repair
       sudo boot-repair
     • Run the "Recommended repair" option. This tool often fixes boot issues automatically.
   • If the recommended repair does not work, run boot repair again, and create a pastebin link of the generated report, and provide that link. This will help to diagnose the problem.
4. Manual EFI Entry Creation (from a Live Zorin Session):
   • If Boot-Repair doesn't work, you might need to create an EFI boot entry manually.
   • Identify the Zorin OS EFI partition:
     • In the live Zorin environment, open the "Disks" utility or use sudo fdisk -l in the terminal to identify the EFI partition (it's usually a small FAT32 partition).
     • Mount the EFI partition. Example: sudo mount /dev/sdXn /mnt (replace /dev/sdXn with the actual partition).
     • Navigate to the EFI partition: cd /mnt/EFI
     • Verify that the Zorin boot files are present. It should have a directory named "Zorin".
   • Create the EFI boot entry:
     • sudo efibootmgr -c -d /dev/sdX -p n -L "Zorin OS" -l '\EFI\Zorin\shimx64.efi'
     • Replace /dev/sdX with the drive containing the EFI partition (e.g., /dev/sdb).
     • Replace n with the partition number of the EFI partition.
     • This command creates a new boot entry named "Zorin OS" pointing to the Zorin bootloader.
   • Reboot and check if Zorin appears in the boot menu.
5. Check for Firmware Updates:
   • Outdated firmware can sometimes cause compatibility issues. Check the Acer support website for any BIOS/UEFI updates for your laptop model.
6. "mokutil" command:
   • If secure boot is causing issues, sometimes the mokutil command can help to manage keys.
   • If you can boot into a live linux environment, you can use the command "mokutil --disable-validation" to try and disable secure boot.
   • Be very cautious when using mokutil.
7. Check HDD health:
   • Since Zorin is on the HDD, check the health of the HDD. Bad sectors or other errors could cause boot issues. Use the Disks utility in the live Zorin environment to perform a SMART check.

Important Notes:

• BIOS/UEFI variations: BIOS/UEFI interfaces vary between manufacturers and models. The exact steps might differ slightly.
• Backup: Before making significant changes to your boot configuration, back up any critical data.
• Precautions: Be very cautious when modifying BIOS/UEFI settings. Incorrect changes can render your system unbootable.

Please try these steps systematically, and let me know the results. If you encounter specific error messages or have any further questions, provide as much detail as possible.

Pike Pass