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Two days ago I installed Ubuntu 12.10 from a liveCD. for some reason, the installation changed or deleted the option to enter the BIOS screen, and also changed the boot options so the only OS the you can enter is Ubuntu (this was supposed to be a dual-boot laptop). I didn't know that Ubuntu removed the option to enter the bios menu so I thought that if I uninstall Ubuntu, and enter my windows 7 CD to my CD-ROM and use MBR Repair it will work. But Ubuntu changed the boot options so even when I am removing the hard drive,I still can't access BIOS or boot from USB/CD

Can anyone please help me? I cant access my BIOS or boot from anything. when I turn my laptop on it goes right to Boot Option screen and the 2 options are Windows boot loader and Ubuntu. when I click on one of them nothing happens. Thank You!

Hardware info: Fujitsu Lifebook A Series 8GB RAM Intel Core i5 3210M Phoneix BIOS [F2 - ENTER BIOS SETUP]

LStyle
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2 Answers2

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I am not sure that Ubuntu can change BIOS. You have to search your specific laptop model and find out how to change boot order in order to use, again, your Ubuntu live CD. It usually implies pressing F1, F2, F12, Supr, etc. Once you can boot into the live CD, I suggest to reinstall Ubuntu (otherwise, fixing your GRUB would be much more complicated). Ubuntu now hides boot options but you can unhide them pressing the «shift» key when you turn on your computer.

Ed Villegas
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  • Thank you for your reply. I removed ubuntu by formating the Partion of it from Windows. when i press shift nothing happen. i cant access bios or change the boot order so i cant reinstall ubuntu again. when im putting a bootable CD in the CD-ROM nothing happen. – LStyle Dec 25 '12 at 17:52
  • Have you tried the F2 option at start-up? – Ed Villegas Dec 25 '12 at 17:54
  • Yes, the F2 used to be the key to enter the BIOS Setup, but now its just send me to the only screen - Boot options, and the two options (Windows loader and ubuntu) don't do nothing when pressed. – LStyle Dec 25 '12 at 17:56
  • If you press F2 from the very moment you turn on your computer and it doesn't enter BIOS setup, then check that your keyboard is working. If it is working and you still cannot enter BIOS, maybe it is time to send it to repair. – Ed Villegas Dec 25 '12 at 18:06
  • the keyboard is working perfectly, when i press the F2 i hear a beep and the in the bottom of the screen the text "please wait" is appearing, but instead of getting into the BIOS, it getting into the same boot option screen. the laptop is one and a half month old – LStyle Dec 25 '12 at 18:31
  • Try –once more– to press continuosly F2 while turning it on and keep pressing even when it says «please wait». If it doesn't work, contact Fujitsu. – Ed Villegas Dec 25 '12 at 18:48
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The bug you are describing is documented here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/1082418

Currently there is no fix and the workaround is as follows: (Excerpted from: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/1082418/comments/6)

I have the exact same problem. For more information aber the general problem see also http://www.linlap.com/fujitsu_lifebook_ah532

In short: you can get the boot menu back but you need to open the laptop and short two pads. You can then use FreeDOS to flash the "BIOS" (or whatever this is called nowadays).

But I haven't succeeded yet to install Ubuntu in such a way that it doesn't break the Boot menu/"bios" menu (the menus you enter when pressing F2/F12 right after powering on the machine).

Personally I can confirm this works, as I own a laptop with the effected hardware and have performed the operation several times myself.

gregtzar
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