Best Site for BIOS/OS Issues

[FoxMcloud5655]

I was just wondering what site that would be the best help for solving an issue with my laptop. Is there a place that actually has helpful people that know what they're talking about when it comes to dealing with booting and installing an OS?

I know it sounds trivial, and it SHOULD be. With this laptop, however, it has been anything but trivial. If, per chance, you or someone you know would be able to help me solve it here vs. somewhere else, feel free to help.

So, on to the issue: I cannot get my BIOS to detect an UEFI bootable flash drive (and CD/DVD's are out of the question, because it does not have a CD-ROM drive), even though it works perfectly fine on all the other computers I've tried it on. You might be thinking that it's a problem with Legacy mode [not] being enabled... However, no matter what I do, any time I change the boot mode to anything other than the default (which is UEFI), the computer won't display anything. Literally. It will lock up when trying to boot, and when I hit "Del" to go back into the BIOS, it still doesn't display anything, even though I know the BIOS is running (because I can hit F9 to reset to defaults, and hit enter to accept and restart).

I have gotten only ONE thing to attempt to boot, and that's a Linux distribution. However, it only goes so far into the boot process (whether it's live from the USB or from an install) before it locks up. It may have something to do with the fact that my graphics card is the new nVidia 1070 series, because the point at which it locks up is (from what I've read) when it switches to an nVidia specific driver, called nouveaufb, from the simple driver.

All of that aside, is there someone who can at least point me in the right direction? I trust the regular people here at GBATemp more than any other site (considering that I don't have accounts on hardly any other generalized forums).

 

[tech3475]

Do you have secureboot disabled?

Have you tried memtest to see if it could be a RAM issue?

 

[FoxMcloud5655]

Do you have secureboot disabled?

Have you tried memtest to see if it could be a RAM issue?

Yes, and memtest won't run if I can't get it to boot. The BIOS doesn't come with a memtest either.

 

[tech3475]

What make/model?

 

[FoxMcloud5655]

What make/model?

Heh... About that... It's a custom-built laptop from CyberpowerPC. However, the model it's based off of is the MEGA.

EDIT: This is what the site says that it is: FANGBOOK 4 XTREME VR 300 Gaming Laptop

 

[Mikemk]

If you want Windows, try a different USB port.
If you want Linux, try either using an ISO with official drivers built in, or boot with nomodeset.

 

[FoxMcloud5655]

If you want Windows, try a different USB port.
If you want Linux, try either using an ISO with official drivers built in, or boot with nomodeset.

I only have 3 USB 3.0 ports. I also booted with "setparams nomodeset", and it still failed. I have tried EVERYTHING in the book to get this to work... I have literally been working for a whole week 'round the clock to get this to work.

 

[tech3475]

Have you tried the windows 10 media creation tool on another EFI system?

I know some OEMs can be a pain when it comes to non-windows.

edit:

Might also be worth contacting cyberpowerpc, might have a BIOS update or worst case if it's in warranty they can look at it.

 

[tedmg091309131]

Maybe you could try a USB3 CD/DVD drive? It should transfer data fast over usb3.

 

[Originality]

Maybe you could try a USB3 CD/DVD drive? It should transfer data fast over usb3.

My experience is that they're very difficult to find. Probably because discs are slow media in the first place.

As for the OP...... If secureboot is disabled and BIOS is set to boot from USB, then a UEFI installer should work. Changing USB mode to 2.0 might help compatibility or having the USB3 drivers on the USB, but I can't think of anything else that would stop it working.

Maybe reformat with rufus and reinstall the install image onto it?

 

[raystriker]

"Best Site for BIOS/OS Issues"

I think you're better off with forums like LinusTechTips etc as there's a waaaay higher probability of encountering someone with the same model as yours or with someone who has more know-how in general.

 

[Joom]

Use a Linux distribution that doesn't invoke an X session for the installer (aka, go graphicless). Video drivers are easier to manage once the actual system is installed, plus you'll get a verbose output with a text-based installer.

 

[FoxMcloud5655]

Use a Linux distribution that doesn't invoke an X session for the installer (aka, go graphicless). Video drivers are easier to manage once the actual system is installed, plus you'll get a verbose output with a text-based installer.

One of the main reasons why I love Linux... This worked. I was able to get Linux to be detected via a USB 2.0 flash drive (to on purposely downgrade it) and I installed it without using the X server once. I then enabled proposed and installed nVidia's graphics driver version 367, and invoked the X session. Voila, it came up as expected! Now, I need to figure out how to install Windows to the other hard drive THROUGH Linux, since it won't boot otherwise because of the graphics driver not being up-to-date for Windows 7's installer...

 

[RandomUser]

Just spit-balling here, but did you try dism the drivers into the Windows installer or try nLite the drivers for integration?

 

[FoxMcloud5655]

Just spit-balling here, but did you try dism the drivers into the Windows installer or try nLite the drivers for integration?

No... I've never even heard of that before. I'll try it...