ES-15 - Cannot boot windows from boot device

ziga1
ziga1 Member Posts: 4 New User
edited July 2023 in 2018 Archives
Hi!
I've been struggling for a few hours with this. The notebook won't boot from bootable USB. There is no CD-ROM. The USB works, confirmed on other PC.
Changed boot order in BIOS, secure boot is disabled, tried enabling the f12 boot menu, it doesn't show up in the boot option menu, only the HDD shows up. There's linpus linux lite installed on it.
I want to change the boot mode from UEFI to something else, if that will work, but the option is greyed out. Any idea how to change it?

I'm really desperate on this one, help will be really appreciated.
Thanks!

Answers

  • JHP
    JHP Member Posts: 114 Fixer WiFi Icon
    You and I are in the same boat - only I dont have linux that crashed - will let you know from other sources if I can find a solution to this mess - at least I got a DVD-CD ROM - but again the bios has 8 different options...which one does a user use?
  • storestyggeulv
    storestyggeulv Member Posts: 9

    Tinkerer

    In UEFI boot mode you need to have your USB formatted with a GPT partition table and one of the partitions need to be marked as bootable and  esp (efi system partition). Also the contents of the partition should be FAT32 file system with a bootloader in EFI/boot directory.  Once the USB key is a proper UEFI disk, it will show up in F12 boot menu. I seem to recall that you need to change something with the password or some such in the BIOS to be able to switch from UEFI to BIOS mode.
  • storestyggeulv
    storestyggeulv Member Posts: 9

    Tinkerer

    • Also, if you change the boot mode from UEFI to BIOS, then your linpus will most likely not boot any more.  boot partitions on UEFI and BIOS are very different and will normally not boot in any other mode than the one it was created for /UEFI or BIOS/
  • ziga1
    ziga1 Member Posts: 4 New User
    I will try making a bootable UEFI usb and will report back. I've read about changing passwords in BIOS, but I tried every combination, all passwords, no passwords etc. , but nothing unlocks other boot options.

    I believe it doesn't let me switch because there's linpus installed. 
    No idea why any manufacturer would preinstall this.

    Thanks for the help!
  • ziga1
    ziga1 Member Posts: 4 New User
    Made an UEFI usb drive - still no success - doesn't show up in boot options. Is there any way to make the usb boot from linpus itself?
  • storestyggeulv
    storestyggeulv Member Posts: 9

    Tinkerer

    My son also bought an Aspire  E5-575G with Linpus preinstalled.  I had no problem installing Debian 9 on that computer using BIOS mode.  My own E5-575G had windows preinstalled and I had no problem installing Debian 9  in UEFI mode on that one.  But maybe your model is different ? You dont seem to say what your end goal of the USB stick is.  Do you want to install something different from Linpus, or repair it ?  Also, you dont say how you prepared the EFI USB stick ?  What do you want to use it for.  If you just want to get some access to the system, you can create a Debian 9 USB combined BIOS/UEFI boot stick by following the guide in the following link:

    unix.stackexchange.com/questions/382817/uefi-bios-bootable-live-debian-stretch-amd64-with-persistence

    Of course, following the guide require access to some Linux tools which I dont know if is available on Linpus.
    If you are successful making such a USB stick then at least you will know if it will in principle boot in Bios and UEFI mode.  It should work in both modes (it does for me on 4 different computers of different brands and models).  If it works for you  in both modes, then you know that you made an error when creating the present USB stick.

  • ziga1
    ziga1 Member Posts: 4 New User
    Hi!  I wrote in the title that I'm trying to install windows.
    And you provided me a solution!
    Solution: Make a bootable UEFI usb drive with a GPT partition table. IT DOES NOT WORK FOR 32-bit windows! I tried putting WIN10 x64 on the usb, and it showed up in f12 boot select menu.

    Thanks for the help!
    Cheers!