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#1 2024-04-18 15:20:34

Rec100
Member
Registered: 2022-03-12
Posts: 29

[CLOSED] Lenovo ThinkPad UEFI BIOS does not recognize LiveUSB

I just got a new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (without OS preinstalled) with Lenovo ThinkPadUEFI BIOS Version 1.25 (from January 25th of 2024).

Unfortunately, it does not recognize the Arch LiveUSB, which I just used three days ago, on a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9, to install Arch. So, I assume it's not a problem with the LiveUSB but the BIOS.

Also for this new version of BIOS, the step should just be to disable Secure Boot, according to Lenovo: https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/soluti … vo-laptops

What I did in BIOS:

Security section:
- Set "Secure Boot" to Off
- Set "Allow Microsoft 3rd Party UEFI CA" to ON (which was also suggested in some forums)

In the Startup section of BIOS, I can not even change the boot order. D'uh.
I've Googled a lot back and forth, but there was no solution so far that actually worked.

Does anyone have any advice or experience with this new BIOS?

Last edited by Rec100 (2024-04-19 19:37:00)

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#2 2024-04-18 17:04:29

d_fajardo
Member
Registered: 2017-07-28
Posts: 1,569

Re: [CLOSED] Lenovo ThinkPad UEFI BIOS does not recognize LiveUSB

Unfortunately, it does not recognize the Arch LiveUSB,

How did you create the Live USB? What did you use to write to the USB?

In the Startup section of BIOS, I can not even change the boot order. D'uh.

If the Live Image is not properly written in the USB then it won't show up in the BIOS boot menu.

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#3 2024-04-18 20:35:20

Rec100
Member
Registered: 2022-03-12
Posts: 29

Re: [CLOSED] Lenovo ThinkPad UEFI BIOS does not recognize LiveUSB

I've prepared two different USB sticks.

- One with the latest image created via CLI (worked on a previous install)
- One with the latest image created via GNOME Disks

None of them is recognized. Neither via USB nor USB-C ports.
Both have the same configuration:

Partitioning: Master Boot Record
Device: /dev/sda1
  Partition type: 0x00 (Bootable)
Device: /dev/sda2
  Partition type: EFI (FAT-12/16/32)


Files in /dev/sda1 (ls -R):

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404:
arch
boot
EFI
shellia32.efi
shellx64.efi

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/arch:
boot
grubenv
pkglist.x86_64.txt
version
x86_64

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/arch/boot:
amd-ucode.img
intel-ucode.img
licenses
x86_64

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/arch/boot/licenses:
amd-ucode
intel-ucode

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/arch/boot/licenses/amd-ucode:
LICENSE.amd-ucode

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/arch/boot/licenses/intel-ucode:
LICENSE

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/arch/boot/x86_64:
initramfs-linux.img
vmlinuz-linux

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/arch/x86_64:
airootfs.sfs
airootfs.sfs.cms.sig
airootfs.sha512

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/boot:
2024-04-01-17-57-21-00.uuid
grub
memtest86+
syslinux

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/boot/grub:
grub.cfg
grubenv
loopback.cfg

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/boot/memtest86+:
LICENSE
memtest
memtest.efi

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/boot/syslinux:
archiso_head.cfg
archiso_pxe.cfg
archiso_pxe-linux.cfg
archiso_sys.cfg
archiso_sys-linux.cfg
archiso_tail.cfg
boot.cat
cat.c32
chain.c32
cmd.c32
cmenu.c32
config.c32
cptime.c32
cpu.c32
cpuid.c32
cpuidtest.c32
debug.c32
dhcp.c32
dir.c32
disk.c32
dmi.c32
dmitest.c32
elf.c32
ethersel.c32
gfxboot.c32
gpxecmd.c32
hdt
hdt.c32
hexdump.c32
host.c32
ifcpu64.c32
ifcpu.c32
ifmemdsk.c32
ifplop.c32
isohdpfx.bin
isolinux.bin
kbdmap.c32
kontron_wdt.c32
ldlinux.c32
lfs.c32
libcom32.c32
libgpl.c32
liblua.c32
libmenu.c32
libutil.c32
linux.c32
lpxelinux.0
ls.c32
lua.c32
mboot.c32
memdisk
meminfo.c32
menu.c32
pci.c32
pcitest.c32
pmload.c32
poweroff.c32
prdhcp.c32
pwd.c32
pxechn.c32
reboot.c32
rosh.c32
sanboot.c32
sdi.c32
splash.png
sysdump.c32
syslinux.c32
syslinux.cfg
vesa.c32
vesainfo.c32
vesamenu.c32
vpdtest.c32
whichsys.c32
zzjson.c32

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/boot/syslinux/hdt:
modalias.gz
pciids.gz

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/EFI:
BOOT

/run/media/user/ARCH_202404/EFI/BOOT:
BOOTIA32.EFI
BOOTx64.EFI

Both sticks work on another machine, that already runs Arch and show up as ARCH_202404 drives.
I'm really lost here. It's probably my 8th install of Arch on Lenovo machines, haven't seen this happen before.


I've even tried a nasty Ubuntu installation drive, which I've created. The machine is supposed to work with - end even shipts with - Ubuntu:

Partitioning: GUID Partition Table
Device: /dev/sda1
  Partition type: Basic Data (System, Read-only)
Device: /dev/sda2
  Partition type: EFI System
Device: /dev/sda3
  Partition type: Basic Data (System, Read-only)

Not recognized with SecureBoot on/off and Allow Microsoft 3rd Party UEFI CA enabled/disabled.

I have somehow managed to sort the boot order (drag-n-drop (if you're lucky)) and put the laptop's drive last. Still nothing.

Last edited by Rec100 (2024-04-18 21:21:08)

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#4 2024-04-19 07:42:50

d_fajardo
Member
Registered: 2017-07-28
Posts: 1,569

Re: [CLOSED] Lenovo ThinkPad UEFI BIOS does not recognize LiveUSB

It does look like a hardware issue then. Perhaps it's the USB controller not working anymore.

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#5 2024-04-19 19:36:44

Rec100
Member
Registered: 2022-03-12
Posts: 29

Re: [CLOSED] Lenovo ThinkPad UEFI BIOS does not recognize LiveUSB

Lenovo suggested a BIOS upgrade for the machine (from 1.25 to 1.26), which tends to brick the device (somewhat).
Beware: https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-X … -p/5302943

I will send this baby back. Already ordered a TUXEDO Pulse 14 - Gen3. Not the same league, but I would like to move away from all that Microsoft, locking, and Lenovo BIOS fiddeling. Thanks for your help.

Last edited by Rec100 (2024-04-19 19:37:42)

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