Arch Linux

genericaf

Member

Registered: 2016-03-25

Posts: 17

[SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

First of all, please go easy on me, I'm new to Arch Linux. I looked up my problem but couldn't find anything.

When I try to install Arch Linux on my Fujitsu AH544/G32, Arch thinks my laptop uses UEFI. But I am actually very sure that my laptop uses BIOS. I've tried pretty much any combination of the settings (legacy boot, fast boot,...) from the BIOS menu, but Arch still only boots into the UEFI shell (if it is called that way). Not surprisingly, the installation crashes after I try to install base-devel.

I would be very glad if anyone could help.

Last edited by genericaf (2016-03-25 20:55:39)

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 11,560

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

If there's an option for "legacy boot", it's a UEFI system. What makes you "very sure" that it isn't?

genericaf

Member

Registered: 2016-03-25

Posts: 17

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

Well, the seller said it had BIOS :-D. Plus, in the BIOS-Menu it says BIOS-Version 1.17 (if that means anything). Also http://cdn.cnetcontent.com/82/10/8210b6 … e796d5.pdf doesn't say anything about UEFI, only BIOS. And finally, according to this tutorial http://www.thewindowsclub.com/check-if-uefi-or-bios I do have BIOS.

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 11,560

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

If you turn on "legacy boot" UEFI emulates BIOS. That's likely what you're seeing.

Last edited by Scimmia (2016-03-25 18:44:24)

genericaf

Member

Registered: 2016-03-25

Posts: 17

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

Oh, I'm very sorry, nowhere in the BIOS menu ist "legacy boot" mentioned, only "fast boot" and "USB legacy support". I probably mixed those up a little, my bad...

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 19,791

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

A brief check of a popular search engine shows that system came with Windows 8.  I'll bet that machine uses UEFI

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alphaniner

Member

From: Ancapistan

Registered: 2010-07-12

Posts: 2,810

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

OTOH, the specs page and manual repeatedly mention BIOS and never mention EFI.

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General system information
Color            Black
Material         Matt

I was wondering where he got to.

Last edited by alphaniner (2016-03-25 19:17:37)

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genericaf

Member

Registered: 2016-03-25

Posts: 17

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

Also, if I follow the steps from the second part of http://www.thewindowsclub.com/check-if-uefi-or-bios, it says "BIOS-Version/-Datum: FUJITSU // Phoenix Technologies Ltd. Version 1.17, 09.05.2014" and "SMBIOS-Version: 2.7". I looked that up but couldn't find clear information (for my understanding). I'm not insisting on my laptop having BIOS, I'm just saying ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

In the BIOS menu (I'll just call it that) there is the option of turning CSM on/off. It says "Compatibility Support Module that provide backward compatibility services for legacy BIOS services, like int10/13, dependent OS." If I turn it off, Win 7 (that's what my laptop came with, plus a Win 8.1 License) won't start any more. Does that tell us anything?

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 11,560

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

CSM is the same as "legacy boot". So you have a UEFI system that's emulating BIOS.

None of that would make installing base-devel crash, though.

genericaf

Member

Registered: 2016-03-25

Posts: 17

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

Now that's too bad because actually I bought this laptop because I was told it had BIOS :-D. I assume the installation didn't work because I installed Arch as if my laptop had BIOS... Ok, thanks to all of you, do I mark as solved now?

Last edited by genericaf (2016-03-25 20:29:31)

jasonwryan

Anarchist

From: .nz

Registered: 2009-05-09

Posts: 30,424

Website

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

If your system has UEFI, you should use that: https://www.happyassassin.net/2014/01/2 … work-then/

You can mark your thread as [Solved] by editing your first post and prepending it to the title.

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Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 11,560

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

It's not really solved, though, is it? What, exactly, are you seeing when the system boots? And what do you mean the installation crashes? With the CSM enabled, it should work just like a BIOS system.

genericaf

Member

Registered: 2016-03-25

Posts: 17

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

Arch boots via systemd-boot. I only get the EFI-options.

Ropid

Member

Registered: 2015-03-09

Posts: 1,069

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

Your problem about "it crashes after I try to install base-devel" has to be something else. Concentrate on researching that problem you have with installing packages.

People often call everything about the motherboard firmware "BIOS" even if it's UEFI on new machines, so just because text somewhere says "BIOS", it doesn't mean it's not UEFI. It's very, very likely that your machine uses UEFI if it was sold with Windows 8.

genericaf

Member

Registered: 2016-03-25

Posts: 17

Re: [SOLVED] Arch seemingly mistakes BIOS for UEFI

Thanks! I will try again in about a week's time. If I'm going to encounter a problem, I'm going to make a new post (if necessary) with a more precise title.