Installed Linux - Don't have access to BIOS any more. [G580]

[Screen]

So, This happened quite some time ago. When i installed Linux Mint onto a laptop which had BIOS, (Yes, quite old system.) And since then. I don't have access to the system BIOS. All i can do is select boot device and it boots into the os. The bios part essentially won't show up. For my understanding it is due to the installation going the UEFI way and messing something up, I tried to get it working by taking the hard drive out to see if there is something and it does not work that way. So Any way to get this thing fixed up? It's a lenovo g580 with an intel pentium dual core processor. What went wrong. and What can be done to get it back how it was.

*I did successfully re-flash the bios via a bios file via usb. But still getting the same thing. Now the Linux installation have also gone haywire by booting into Initramfs adding more salt to the injury. and i want to get rid of this whole linux sh*t and install back windows again with normal accessible BIOS.

[x3r0]

I remembered the old case where Ubuntu broke some Lenovo BIOSes

 

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2017/12/ubuntu-corrupting-lenovo-laptop-bios

 

I hope your Ubuntu Mint is newer than that old build

[mp68terr]

AFAIK the bios is loaded before the OS. Did you check in your manual or on the maker's site for a key to type when powering on (or just after powering on) your machine in order to access the bios?

Sometimes it's DEL, sometimes F2, to be typed while the bios is checking the ram. When the os starts it's already too late.

[Screen]

19 hours ago, x3r0 said:

I remembered the old case where Ubuntu broke some Lenovo BIOSes

 

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2017/12/ubuntu-corrupting-lenovo-laptop-bios

 

I hope your Ubuntu Mint is newer than that old build

 

Oof, That seems like it, But it was done with Linux mint 19. Well. That post might lead somewhere. Thank you.

 

18 hours ago, mp68terr said:

AFAIK the bios is loaded before the OS. Did you check in your manual or on the maker's site for a key to type when powering on (or just after powering on) your machine in order to access the bios?

Sometimes it's DEL, sometimes F2, to be typed while the bios is checking the ram. When the os starts it's already too late.

Yes, It does not works no more. Well. 

[neofita]

2 hours ago, Screen said:

 

Oof, That seems like it, But it was done with Linux mint 19. Well. That post might lead somewhere. Thank you.

 

Yes, It does not works no more. Well. 

 

sometimes removing and replacing the CMOS battery is decisive, trying does not cost anything

 

 

regards

 

 

 

 

 

[Arachnoid]

What make and model is the laptop?

 

Did you try removing the hard drive and booting up?

[AlienForce1]

4 hours ago, Arachnoid said:

What make and model is the laptop?

 

Did you try removing the hard drive and booting up?

 

Usually , at laptops it`s difficult to reach the bios battery , most of them are placed under the MB (I mean the most difficult part to reach , that needs to unmount the laptop completely)  . 

 

Arachnoid is right , just the same question I would wanted and I to adress you : did you tried to boot without HDD  ? (remove it) 

[Jordan]

Pop! Os can modify and mess up with some firmware options making the computer always booting on it.

So even if you remove/replace your hdd it will not help.

Reboot without hdd will also not help in this case.

Changes have been already made to the firmware.

 

1/ Installed Linux

At that point, the op could modify the Grub4Dos boot delay and send a command to reboot into the original firmware setup

systemctl reboot --firmware-setup

2/ Updated the firmware and Linux entry gone

i'm not a Linux expert or such, but if the op could reinstall Linux or boot on a live linux distro, maybe he can fix things.

This needs an experienced linux user.

 

(btw. some with similar issue resolved it by resetting the CMOS data as @neofita suggested but this is not working on all computers)

[Screen]

On 8/4/2019 at 5:29 PM, neofita said:

 

sometimes removing and replacing the CMOS battery is decisive, trying does not cost anything

 

 

regards

 

 

 

 

 

I did try resetting CMOS, it was the first thing i tried to do, it didn't work. Then i proceeded to the next item on the list.
 

18 hours ago, AlienForce1 said:

 

Usually , at laptops it`s difficult to reach the bios battery , most of them are placed under the MB (I mean the most difficult part to reach , that needs to unmount the laptop completely)  . 

 

Arachnoid is right , just the same question I would wanted and I to adress you : did you tried to boot without HDD  ? (remove it) 

And that is Removing the hard disk and trying to boot. Tried that as well. It didn't work. I did indeed check normal hardware measures thinking that since efi partition thing must be in the hdd it should boot into bios. It didn't. 

17 hours ago, Jordan said:

Pop! Os can modify and mess up with some firmware options making the computer always booting on it.

So even if you remove/replace your hdd it will not help.

Reboot without hdd will also not help in this case.

Changes have been already made to the firmware.

 

1/ Installed Linux

At that point, the op could modify the Grub4Dos boot delay and send a command to reboot into the original firmware setup

systemctl reboot --firmware-setup

2/ Updated the firmware and Linux entry gone

i'm not a Linux expert or such, but if the op could reinstall Linux or boot on a live linux distro, maybe he can fix things.

This needs an experienced linux user.

 

(btw. some with similar issue resolved it by resetting the CMOS data as @neofita suggested but this is not working on all computers)

 

I did try that command as well it just throw me this : 

Cannot indicate to EFI to boot into setup mode : Operation not supported.

Thus, I did a clean format and installed windows back on it. It still don't have access to bios. 

The model is Lenovo g580 . Well at this point i don't know what to do. I might have to change something like turning on virtualization or something some time other than that i guess i have to live this Bios menu less life for this thing.

[AlienForce1]

I did find something that might help you : 

 

"

I have found the same problem in Lenovo support which have something like below problem. :

Symptom

Customer installed Windows 7 64-bit and drivers. After the installation of intel hd graphics driver and laptop restart, Windows is unable to start normally. Windows will try to start the automatic startup recovery program (which is recommended by default). But this program will fail in resolving the problem. When Windows tries to start normally, it result in a blue screen. After windows restart, the boot menu is not showing through F12 key. F2 key for BIOS access is also not working.

Affected configurations

The symptom above may occur to the following systems:

G480/G580/G485/G585 without pre-installed OS

Solution

1. Try to remove the hard disk and do a reset by draining the power (press power button for 10 seconds without battery and AC adapter).
2. Try to enter bios using F2 key.

If you are successful in entering the bios, Load up Bios default settings by F8 key within BIOS. Connect the Hard drive back and check again if you are able to access BIOS by pressing F2 key.

If the steps above didn't fix the issue, Bios will need to be re-flashed.

Thank you ! "

 

 

[debebee]

https://superuser.com/questions/980517/enter-bios-setup-on-lenovo-g580

[Kalju]

https://www.nsaneforums.com/topic/350049-installed-linux-dont-have-access-to-bios-any-more-g580/?do=findComment&comment=1495807

Very strange suggestion, everything is mixed up like porridge and cabbage on a soup plate.
Entering to BIOS menu doesn't depend on any way what OP is installed or what isn't at all installed. There is only one correct suggestion - remove hard drive and You should be able always enter to BIOS menu. If not, You must reflash BIOS or at all reinstall it. There should be something damaged, if can not enter. And this talk about power button try forget forever. If something helps, then it is removing BIOS/CMOS battary for second or two. 
Even if it is absolutely died, ie it's voltage is less than 3.0-3.2V (when it is on its place in computer),  shouldn't change nothing else, only computer cannot remember some settings what You've made. It goes on default settings always after the main power is turned off.
That's all. 
I forgot, sometimes laptops touchpad won't work without CMOS battary. But it happens also only sometimes.