Arch Linux

KarlsonKatuselt

Member

Registered: 2017-02-18

Posts: 8

Alternative methods for accessing BIOS setup utility on Samsung laptop

Hello Arch community. Though my question isn't directly connected to Arch my tools for fixing it will hopefully come from it, So I installed Arch on my laptop and It has been working without major hiccups so far. But the problem I created for myself is that I changed the boot method to UEFI. The problem with that is a common bug in some Samsung laptop models of not being able to access the BIOS menu on startup again. This means that when one day I will inevitably brick the OS I cant boot from USB anymore. So my question is if there is a way to force the laptop to restart into the BIOS setup utility or to change the boot settings in a way similar to windows as shown here. Oh and I've tried to reset the BIOS to factory settings, but it seems the UEFI is the factory settings and the laptop is model NP270-E5E

R00KIE

Forum Fellow

From: Between a computer and a chair

Registered: 2008-09-14

Posts: 4,734

Re: Alternative methods for accessing BIOS setup utility on Samsung laptop

Can you at least select a different boot device or are you completely locked out?

You may want to look into installing efibootmgr and seeing if something like "Setup" or similar is listed, then try enabling it and setting the next boot to that entry and see if you can get into the setup menu.

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R00KIE
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KarlsonKatuselt

Member

Registered: 2017-02-18

Posts: 8

Re: Alternative methods for accessing BIOS setup utility on Samsung laptop

I'm completely locked out. If there is no other alternative I thought about doing a windows 8 install on the harddrive and try the method I posted above but I'd really not like to do that.
Edit: I will look into the efbootmgr. Thank you.

Last edited by KarlsonKatuselt (2017-02-18 19:06:30)

R00KIE

Forum Fellow

From: Between a computer and a chair

Registered: 2008-09-14

Posts: 4,734

Re: Alternative methods for accessing BIOS setup utility on Samsung laptop

That sucks big time, if you can manage to get into the setup again I'd say you should either set it to try to boot from the cd/dvd drive and/or a usb key before the hdd or change it back to csm boot.

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R00KIE
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KarlsonKatuselt

Member

Registered: 2017-02-18

Posts: 8

Re: Alternative methods for accessing BIOS setup utility on Samsung laptop

Yeah that does suck. If I manage to get back into the setup I will definitely set it back to CSM and UEFI option (no secure boot with that option). In regards to the efibootmgr what I found out is that I should set a efivar OsIndicationsSupported to 1. But that is a bit more complicated and dangerous than I like and I'm gonna take my time with understanding it. But thank you. You sent me down a rabbithole that at the very least will get me a lot of new knowledge and a bricked laptop

R00KIE

Forum Fellow

From: Between a computer and a chair

Registered: 2008-09-14

Posts: 4,734

Re: Alternative methods for accessing BIOS setup utility on Samsung laptop

I don't know how samsung laptops work so I can't help much except throwing ideas into the air. What I had in mind is based on my limited experience with uefi with my lenovo laptop. This is what I get when I run efibootmgr without parameters:

BootCurrent: 0001
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0001,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,0007,0010,0011,0012,0013,001A,0017,0018,0019,001B,001C,0021
Boot0000* SED PBA
Boot0001* Arch Linux
Boot0002* Arch Linux (fallback)
Boot0003* Arch Linux LTS
Boot0004* Arch Linux LTS (fallback)
Boot0005* JF780
Boot0006* JF780 (fallback)
Boot0007* Arch Linux (test)
Boot0010  Setup
Boot0011  Boot Menu
Boot0012  Diagnostic Splash Screen
Boot0013  Lenovo Diagnostics
Boot0014  Startup Interrupt Menu
Boot0015  Rescue and Recovery
Boot0016  MEBx Hot Key
Boot0017  USB CD
Boot0018  USB FDD
Boot0019* ATAPI CD0
Boot001A* ATA HDD0
Boot001B* USB HDD
Boot001C  PCI LAN
Boot001D* IDER BOOT CDROM
Boot001E* IDER BOOT Floppy
Boot001F* ATA HDD
Boot0020* ATAPI CD
Boot0021* PCI LAN

As you will most probably notice I have already included a few entries of my own, however the more interesting one is "Boot0010  Setup". I don't recall if I just have to select it for next boot (and next boot only with 'efibootmgr -n 10') and after restarting I'm on the setup menus or if I also have to enable it (entries marked with '*' are enabled).

This is what I had in mind, I have no idea if this specific to lenovo or if it is something more manufacturers adhere to but given that reboot to uefi setup is an option on windows there should be some kind of almost uniform way of doing it.

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R00KIE
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Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: London

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 7,732

Website

Re: Alternative methods for accessing BIOS setup utility on Samsung laptop

The systemd-boot manager should have a menu entry marked "Reboot Into Firmware Interface" — have you tried that?

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Are you infected with Wetiko?

KarlsonKatuselt

Member

Registered: 2017-02-18

Posts: 8

Re: Alternative methods for accessing BIOS setup utility on Samsung laptop

Sorry for having abandoned the thread. I was a bit scared of the efivars. But anyways systemctl reboot --firmware-setup did it. But having gotten into the menu I realized that the problem was that I had somehow mucked up my install. But as I couldn't access the firmware setup I didn't even realize that. The thing is, that I am missing EFI boot options somehow. So my question is, how could I make this solution work for me: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=224672&p=2  I don't quite understand what I should bind my /sys/firmware/efi/efivars to as my system is otherwise operational. Thanks in advance. Oh and if you need any more information then go ahead and ask.