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DEll BIOS access problem with 20.04

Asked by Tom D Greenawald

Dell Vostro I-3 4MB Ram using Ubuntu 64Bit 20.04. I can't access the Dell BIOS to change the "boot order" or permission to boot from an USB flash drive created by Ecther. I have tried many times at start up holding both shift and esc keys on different attempts.

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Manfred Hampl
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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#1

This has nothing to do with Ubuntu.

When you power on your system you should see a Dell logo and an information which key to press for entering the BIOS setup. For most Dell systems it is the F2 key and for boot device selection it usually is the F12 key

So switch on the system and immediately tap the F2 key
see e.g. https://youtu.be/O5AJk7t8H60?t=30

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Tom D Greenawald (tgreenawald-x) said : 		#2

M-hampl, Thanks, F2 worked, the video was great. Accessed the BIOS, changed boot priority, but after restart my USB flash bootable ISO does not show up in GRUB 2.04 menu. What would be a Boot Terminal Command for the USB ISO?

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#3

What exactly do you want to do?
Which operating system(s) are already installed on the system in question?

When you insert an Ubuntu installer on a USB stick and boot the system, you will not see the installer in the GRUB menu, but you have to select the USB stick already during initial boot (before the GRUB menu shows up).

Shutdown the system, insert the USB stick, switch the system on and immediately tap F12 until you get a boot device selection menu. Select the USB stick from that menu and continue.

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Tom D Greenawald (tgreenawald-x) said : 		#4

m-hampl, systems installed on Dell1400 are Ubuntu 20.04 and the origional win7pro. I was wanting to explore and try Zorin 16.0 before partioning the HD and installing. I will probably be removing win 7 in the future as little used.

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#5

For Zorin OS please ask at https://zorin.com/help/

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Tom D Greenawald (tgreenawald-x) said : 		#6

m-hampl, Thanks. The procedures do not work for my Dell. It appears a GRUB-comm problem. Disappointed, I am giving up on the trial. Ending my questions and issue unsolved.

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Best Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#7

If you blame GRUB, then you are on the wrong track.

Selecting a boot device must happen BEFORE grub is running, because when you see a GRUB message, then the boot loader from a different boot device than the one that you want has already been started.
If you see a grub menu, then you have already missed correctly executing the step before.

What happens if you tap F12 immediately after booting? (not F2 but F12)
You should get a "boot device selection" on the screen.

Or:

If you tap F2 to get the BIOS setup, how does the boot priority list look like?

Or:

Which program and which Operating System did you use to create the Installer USB device?
If you start any operating system and examine the root directory of the USB device, what is there?

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Tom D Greenawald (tgreenawald-x) said : 		#8

m-hampl, F12 brings up the boot selection shows "hard-drive"priority, no choices available, move to( BIOS 2.04) Set Up, move to boot order and select USB device in number one prioirty save the setup , move to exit, save changes and exit. Restart still boots Ubuntu 20.04.
I have reformated the USB drive using the disc tools, received new Download of DISTRO use Ecther to create a live flash USB drive and still unable to BOOT. One Try with USB tool "Create Tool" in Ubuntu 20.04.
 Your video shows a much BIOS from AMI. Dell tech site no longer any help for 14 year old Unit. Same BIOS 2.04available.
NOT sure how to see root directory of the USB device?
Thanks in advance for any other Comment. Ubuntu still works normal with this early Dell i3 unit. Satisfied

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said (last edit ): 		#9

"Your video ..." It's not my video, but a search result from the web.

If you do not see the USB stick in the F12 boot selection, then something is wrong - either with the USB device or with your BIOS that does not allow using it.
This is a hardware or BIOS problem and has nothing to do with Ubuntu.

"how to see root directory of the USB device?"
Boot Ubuntu, plug the device into the computer and open the file explorer program (nautilus), click on the icon for the USB device (in the left hand side) and look what you get in the right hand side of the file explorer window
Or
Boot Windows, plug the device into the computer and open the file explorer program and navigate to the device (probably D: or H: or something like that) and look what you get.

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Tom D Greenawald (tgreenawald-x) said : 		#10

m-hampl, I agree "hardware- BIOS " problem, not Ubuntu, closing case. Trying to get BIOS up dates from Dell as they finally found service #. Thank you for the information I am always learning.

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Tom D Greenawald (tgreenawald-x) said : 		#11

Thanks Manfred Hampl, that solved my question.

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Tom D Greenawald (tgreenawald-x) said : 		#12

m-hampel, the lesson Iearned and still learning about the Root Directory of the USB media was the problem. I used the terminal to create root directory for the USB media and then the USB media Distro showed up in the F12 boot menu and loaded. Thanks again for solving the issue. Still studying!!