Post AF79KARgC2brdsXDlo by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
(DIR) More posts by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
(DIR) Post #AF6uyMEOIM7USw1coq by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-04T22:30:36Z
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#askfedi: I'm trying to install Linux on a Toshiba Portege R930, but cannot access the BIOS at all to change the boot order.There's Windows 10 installed in it, with what I can only assume is a poor disk encryption used (password: 123) and I already disabled its silly fastboot settings. Still, I maniacally keep pressing F2, F12, Esc and pretty much every other F-key to no avail: the BIOS (?) takes it straight to the HDD.Toshiba owners: how do you access your BIOS on your laptop?
(DIR) Post #AF6vDg3Et1fmHS78KW by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-04T22:33:30Z
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I'm not gonna be too fast to dismiss other hidden locks in this machine because... well let's just say it might haven't been compleeeetely legally acquired, and it has a sort of a "corporate past" if you know what I mean.Still, it doesn't even give me the option to enter some sort of BIOS password to unlock it. It seems that you can't even touch the thing at all.
(DIR) Post #AF6w9qvUbxh0nxENX6 by fedops@fosstodon.org
2022-01-04T22:44:07Z
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@kzimmermann I think you press C U F or N right after power on for CDrom, USB, Floppy, and Network respectively.
(DIR) Post #AF6wKDf4w9ceDFUqie by aerror@hub.volse.no
2022-01-04T22:45:55Z
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he points out a few methods: #^How to enter the BIOS on a Toshida Portege laptop - The easy way!Good luck!
(DIR) Post #AF6wQrTHq0zdPz9FXU by hast0011@mstdn.social
2022-01-04T22:47:11Z
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@kzimmermann maybe it will help to take off battery on mainboard or unsolder.
(DIR) Post #AF6wnYK3CQcUgmeEz2 by cefiar@social.chinwag.org
2022-01-04T22:51:18Z
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@kzimmermann Are you holding the Fn key down when you press the function keys? That may or may not be necessary (based on various laptop experiences in general). Also are you using the built in keyboard or an external? I suspect it'll only work with the built-in.
(DIR) Post #AF6xNB1JJXB8qLrxxY by werwolf@fosstodon.org
2022-01-04T22:57:36Z
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@kzimmermann easy workaround: boot the laptop without any hard drive. It'll just boot into the BIOS
(DIR) Post #AF6zkuvgzROdnVgovg by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-04T23:24:27Z
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@aerror nice find! How did I miss that?
(DIR) Post #AF78oldOOG6biO2aDQ by cefiar@social.chinwag.org
2022-01-04T22:57:07Z
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@kzimmermann Also apparently if you've got Win10 on there, and it's UEFI BIOS, you can use the Windows Troubleshooting options to get into the UEFI Settings (aka BIOS). See this link (which is for Thinkpads, but the Win10 bits are the same): https://support.lenovo.com/mx/en/solutions/ht500222-recommended-ways-to-enter-bios-boot-menu-thinkpad-thinkcentre-thinkstation
(DIR) Post #AF78om3ynPNB2qToem by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T01:05:59Z
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@cefiar yeah, I'm one of those cases where that Win10 menu does not show the "drop to UEFI" option. Another person posted a video where the guy teaches like some 5 different ways to do it, but I still was not lucky with any. Guess I could still yank out the drive so that it would have no option but go to BIOS, though
(DIR) Post #AF78omQJSNEmA6veT2 by cefiar@social.chinwag.org
2022-01-04T22:58:42Z
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@kzimmermann If the Win10 method gets you in to the UEFI BIOS, the first thing I'd be looking for is a way to enable getting in via function keys at boot (cos it sounds like it's disabled), and testing that before you put Linux on it, just in case.
(DIR) Post #AF78onF0PtmqhKe8Tw by cefiar@social.chinwag.org
2022-01-04T23:04:26Z
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@kzimmermann All that said, seems Grub also has an option to get into the UEFI Settings: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GRUB#%22UEFI_Firmware_Settings%22_menu_entry
(DIR) Post #AF79CQeW3Hfbagqh8a by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T01:10:12Z
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@cefiar function keys work; not only I was able to use them briefly in Win10, but the laptop responds differently when I start it with or without pressing them (though neither takes me to the BIOS setup)
(DIR) Post #AF79KARgC2brdsXDlo by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T01:11:36Z
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@fedops nice mnemonics! But `U` doesn't seem to work here (same issue as the F-keys)
(DIR) Post #AF79SMbqqqahgXCW9Y by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T01:13:06Z
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@werwolf this one really is a last resort. But since I pretty much failed on everything else, I guess that's where I'm going right now...
(DIR) Post #AF79bKSAEnCvbUwdFI by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T01:14:16Z
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@werwolf "LISTEN UP, ROGUE LAPPIE! CHOICE IS YAWZ! GO TO BIOS OR DIE!"
(DIR) Post #AF7K7eh7W2HvBmzeam by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T03:12:40Z
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Update: yanking out the hard drive as per @werwolf 's suggestion did not force the machine to go to BIOS because it had its last chance to boot still around - PXE. However, this did allow me to plug in a PuppyLinux USB and boot from there instead. And it runs nicely i.e. if I manage to install linux on it, the machine will work (very) well.
(DIR) Post #AF7KUPGJ3kENzEIfC4 by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T03:16:24Z
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I later also found out the aforementioned password prompt isn't for the disk encryption, but actually is an unlocker for the BIOS itself! The rather weird boot process here actually goes like this:-Power on, show Toshiba splash (F-keys do nothing here)-Ask password to load BIOS (the 123 thing)-Gives you a chance to press F2 now quickly to get into BIOS!-Boot from predef sequence or get to BIOS!Bad news is: `123` is just a "user" pw apparently, you need to have admin pw to change things
(DIR) Post #AF7MJk25h5BF82h280 by aerror@hub.volse.no
2022-01-05T03:37:15Z
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@Klaus Zimmermann :unverified: I read that you'll need to set a jumper close to the ram brick in order to reset the password
(DIR) Post #AF7NyYISKhaeYbN6ZM by aerror@hub.volse.no
2022-01-05T03:55:40Z
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@Klaus Zimmermann :unverified: #^Toshiba BIOS Password Removal
(DIR) Post #AF8KHGQslnl7zowLFQ by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T14:49:05Z
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Dat feel when you want to install Linux but the machine's BIOS came locked
(DIR) Post #AF8OhBIwrFPjRCqJDE by retroedgetech@distrotoot.com
2022-01-05T15:38:17Z
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@kzimmermann If the laptop is set to boot from the hard drive (SSD, whatever), you could take that drive out, put it in a different machine (maybe with similar processor for bests results, though not sure it matters, but with the same BIOS configuration (UEFI or legacy)), do the installation, then put the drive back into the BIOS locked laptop and see if it boots to the new installation. Likely it will. Or have you already tried that with no success?
(DIR) Post #AF8SxU7B5brqE6MnS4 by tobtobxx@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T16:26:22Z
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@kzimmermann A bit late, bur whatever: If your Windows still works, you can hold the Shif key while clicking "Reboot" and then you can select to boot into the UEFI/BIOS settings somewhere in this recovery menu.
(DIR) Post #AF8UWbg73oNvm21DKS by rudolf@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T16:43:52Z
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@kzimmermann Try any of these:1. Remove the boot flag from all partitions of the HD.2. Zero out first sector of HD.3. Put HD in USB case, plug in later.3. Put HD in any other computer, install Linux there.
(DIR) Post #AF8pogYXlGCH9UwKxs by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T20:41:52Z
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@tobtobxx is this supposed to boot into the blue windows repair screen thing? If so, this won't work as I've tried it before from settings (the option isn't there).I think ultimately this laptop has a hidden sort of admin password preventing me be able to actually do work in there, even though I can reach it in a read-only mode.
(DIR) Post #AF8pv3dqqI92ULSeZs by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-05T20:43:38Z
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@retroedgetech I have done that before with a different laptop, and only as a last resort - but it worked flawlessly. The only peeve is that any time I had to upgrade/install a different distro, I'd have to pull out my screwdriver again.In this case, I'm running out of options as well, so sounds like this will be my only chance... again!
(DIR) Post #AF9EPn3rvSbaqY2Txo by aerror@hub.volse.no
2022-01-05T21:58:16Z
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@Klaus Zimmermann :unverified: Did you check the jumper setting as I mentioned? From the comments on yt this really seems to do the trick
(DIR) Post #AF9EPncxoyg6bOSVfM by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-06T01:17:50Z
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@aerror haven't tried it yet, but it looks like the guy in the video soldered the contacts, something that I don't have the equipment for. Also the demo in the video is kinda crappy since you can't actually see where it's getting soldered. But I could flip it open and have a look to see if I'm feeling brave enough.
(DIR) Post #AF9HFNMMvdfs6KPy9g by aerror@hub.volse.no
2022-01-06T01:49:50Z
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@Klaus Zimmermann :unverified: You can do it with a small screwdriver or a piece of cable. The joints that you want to shorten are labeled B500. As far as I understand it the procedure is similar on all Toshiba laptops #^How To Find The BIOS Jumpers On Toshiba Laptop Motherboard
(DIR) Post #AF9LfPsOauSBFg4RsW by kzimmermann@fosstodon.org
2022-01-06T02:39:22Z
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@aerror thanks, this seems like a really nice guide that I can try, lots of details and all. Right now it's a little late, but I'll be definitely trying it out tomorrow, if this really is this all it takes to reset a BIOS, then it's some very good news!And btw, thanks for all the links and support pointers you've shared! Very helpful for me to also understand a little more on how the hardware side of things work!
(DIR) Post #AF9heU6baCBP4Qg5xI by aerror@hub.volse.no
2022-01-06T06:45:43Z
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@Klaus Zimmermann :unverified: You're welcome.