Question about flashing a bios in Ubuntu.

[Vieax]

Hi there ,

I got a problem with my lappy.
My lappy doesnt want to boot into the bios settings , so I cant change the boot order.
I need to change it tho b/c I want to boot from usb , so I can switch to another linux distro.
And I know flashing a bios to my mobo is very dangerous , it could brick my mobo.
Thats why Id like to ask if there is a easy and harmless way to flash it or if there is a way to boot a usb in grub.

thanks in advanced

 

[Grim Ripper]

Which laptop do you have?
There could be another button/key to press in order to open the boot menu.

The other option would be to remove the hard drive from the system and see if it'll boot from the usb, that way you can probably update the bios via the help of FreeDos.

 

[Vieax]

Which laptop do you have?
There could be another button/key to press in order to open the boot menu.

The other option would be to remove the hard drive from the system and see if it'll boot from the usb, that way you can probably update the bios via the help of FreeDos.

I have a MSI GS70 Stealth Pro 2QE ,
it seems like this is a common problem with these lappys : https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=269855.0
I setted up ubuntu mate with marcus d , we did it with grub , but now I cant do the grub thing anymore like I did with him last time.

Thanks for the respond !

 

[Grim Ripper]

Can you find the BIOS file in the MSI website?
Apparently there are 2 versions with different CPUs.
https://www.msi.com/Laptop/support/GS70-2QE-Stealth-Pro.html

 

[Vieax]

Can you find the BIOS file in the MSI website?
Apparently there are 2 versions with different CPUs.
https://www.msi.com/Laptop/support/GS70-2QE-Stealth-Pro.html

Ive checked with screenfetch , I have the Haswell CPU variant .

 

[migles]

can't you edit and use GRUB (the linux loader thing that is called after the bios)
and create an entry to boot a disc or thumb drive?
in linux+windows dual boot usually the grub will call windows in it's partitions...

remove the HDD, and see if you can force it into loading from another source..

or install windows 7 on another computer in another hdd (or use that same hdd, but make a clone of it first) swap the HDD and try to see if it boots

 

[Vieax]

can't you edit and use GRUB (the linux loader thing that is called after the bios)
and create an entry to boot a disc or thumb drive?
in linux+windows dual boot usually the grub will call windows in it's partitions...

remove the HDD, and see if you can force it into loading from another source..

or install windows 7 on another computer in another hdd (or use that same hdd, but make a clone of it first) swap the HDD and try to see if it boots

I cant easily remove the hdd on the laptop , and idk about grub , when ive entered grub via my usb I could boot into the usb because it was the only linux os , but now if I do the same commands it´ll boot in ubuntu mate. :c

Thats the funny thing , I can boot into grub but not the usb itself .c.

Thanks for the reply c:

 

[Grim Ripper]

Well it seems this is the BIOS file but the link for how to use it doesn't really help.

https://www.msi.com/Laptop/support/GS70-2QE-Stealth-Pro-4.html#down-bios

How to update the BIOS.
https://www.msi.com/files/pdf/How_to_update_bios_en.pdf

 

[Vieax]

Well it seems this is the BIOS file but the link for how to use it doesn't really help.

https://www.msi.com/Laptop/support/GS70-2QE-Stealth-Pro-4.html#down-bios

How to update the BIOS.
https://www.msi.com/files/pdf/How_to_update_bios_en.pdf

You know what , Ill just format my entire hdd maybe then I can boot from usb

 

[Grim Ripper]

Well sure but try to remove the hard drive first if possible.

The last option would be to take the laptop in a repair shop and ask them if they flash BIOS with a programmer.
It's not under warranty, right?

 

[migles]

You know what , Ill just format my entire hdd maybe then I can boot from usb

thats one of my suggestions (or 2)
if you seen them?
but i recomend you to clone the drive first before doing so... (a full backup btw, not sure if a raw backup it's needed as well)
remove the HDD and see what it tries to boot into. some bios when can't find the default boot device they will prompt the user to choose one (or display an option to go into bios changing it)

if you don't clone the drive, and the bios is really shitty (specially nowadays with the keys stuff and uefi) you can be left in a case you can't boot into anything...

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The last option would be to take the laptop in a repair shop and ask them if they flash BIOS with a programmer.
It's not under warranty, right?

if it's not under warranty he can just open it up (and break some stuff lel) and remove the coin battery to clear CMOS
unless it's a fancy nand chip which doesn't require the battery to keep the settings
i remember some laptops even had a pin which could be shorted to clear the CMOS