Arch Linux

Pineman13

Member

Registered: 2016-12-04

Posts: 26

[SOLVED] UEFI. Can't boot archiso though secure boot is disabled

Dear archers! I've got a huuuge problem:

I have bought me an ultra-budget netbook from an e-store in my country. It came shipped with an OEM of Win 10 and UEFI-compat motherboard.
However, trough extensive googling and changing of nearly all of the relevant BIOS(UEFI) setting I found out the hard way that:
1. My PC comes with no CSM(legacy/BIOS) mode and is only UEFI-capable.
2. The UEFI configuration somehow prevents all of the non-standard .efi files from being executed, even though the secure boot is disabled

The laptop brand is 4GOOD (I bet this doesn't say much), model CL110. Intel Cherry Trail(Atom Z3735F) UEFI is by Insyde.
So I have tried(trough the UEFI interface):
- Disable/reset secure boot settings
- Empty/populate [with arch's .efi files] secure boot database
- Change fastboot settings
- Change removable media detection
- Change USB settings
- Use "boot from file" UEFI option
- Reset UEFI(BIOS) settings to factory defaults
- Reset Windows 10
- Access EFI partition from Windows

EFI partition has only "Recovery" and "System Volume Information" folders

The boot selection screen only shows Windows IA32, Windows Recovery and EFI shell(which has no bcfg executable and is very limited). So I had to use "boot from file" option.
I have tried every single .efi file provided by the most recent(12/01/16) archiso. I have become desperate and had tried to do the same with other distroes. To no avail.
The reception of those by the UEFI is always the same:

failed to boot /EFI/<path>/<filename>.efi

The reports are always coming from UEFI and never from the .efi file itself. Which makes me think that those are not even being executed.
My idea is that although I have disabled the secure boot option it still somehow persists.
While all the other .efi files take about half a second to "fail to boot", vmlinuz.efi takes far longer(about 2-3 seconds).
My guess is that UEFI still computes some kind of hash or such, which is why it is taking much longer with vmlinuz.efi.
I can also confirm that I can boot Win 10 via the "boot from file" option.

Of what I've managed to find around the Internet:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Un … mware_menu - this one seems to be the closest to my issue

The one thing that I still might haven't tried is to get Cygwin and try to hook efibootmgr from there, but I am not sure if it is the case.

I am desperate. So I have come to look for aid from those who are more enlightened

Last edited by Pineman13 (2017-01-01 12:01:24)

nl6720

The Evil Wiki Admin

Registered: 2016-07-02

Posts: 595

Re: [SOLVED] UEFI. Can't boot archiso though secure boot is disabled

Since it's an Intel Atom processor and boot selection mentions IA32, my guess is you have a 32bit UEFI. Lucky you!
You will need a IA32 EFI bootloader, archiso does not provide one.

Try Booting 64-bit kernel on 32-bit UEFI, it might work.

Pineman13

Member

Registered: 2016-12-04

Posts: 26

Re: [SOLVED] UEFI. Can't boot archiso though secure boot is disabled

OMFG, I never thought that this could be a thing. So I never ever even tried to figure it out, Jeeeesus. I truly do have some mess out there. My Win 10 is actually 32bit, while the CPU is clearly x86_64. OEM setup clearly doesn't mess with cross-architecture of UEFI.

nl6720, man, you are a life saver. I will try to do it shortly and shall report back. That explains so much!!!

Last edited by Pineman13 (2016-12-28 18:31:37)

Pineman13

Member

Registered: 2016-12-04

Posts: 26

Re: [SOLVED] UEFI. Can't boot archiso though secure boot is disabled

Sorry for such a lengthy inactivity period. I have more or less managed to solve the issue with a 32 bit UEFI on a 64 bit system with Intel Atom Z3735F on my 4Good CL110 laptop.

I've followed the advice regarding a 32-bit standalone GRUB2 image and it worked. Sadly, I didn't get the system itself to run it, but I have managed to get the grub working. I mainly used these articles for reference:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Un … mware_menu
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=195027
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/As … otia32.efi

Again, thank you, nl6720. You've save me and my laptop from having a clash

Last edited by Pineman13 (2017-01-01 12:01:47)

nl6720

The Evil Wiki Admin

Registered: 2016-07-02

Posts: 595

Re: [SOLVED] UEFI. Can't boot archiso though secure boot is disabled

I'm glad you got a bootloader running.
Arch kernel not booting could be because of "grub.cfg", but I don't use GRUB, so I can't help with that.

I you uncover anything useful in your adventure, be sure to add it to the wiki: Unified Extensible Firmware Interface#Booting 64-bit kernel on 32-bit UEFI.

Pineman13

Member

Registered: 2016-12-04

Posts: 26

Re: [SOLVED] UEFI. Can't boot archiso though secure boot is disabled

I you uncover anything useful in your adventure, be sure to add it to the wiki: Unified Extensible Firmware Interface#Booting 64-bit kernel on 32-bit UEFI.

You have my obligation.

P.S. Managed to get Arch going. Lacks a bullload of drivers. Getting to compile some external modules. Will probably create a separate Arch wiki page on 4Good as well.