kernel-packages team mailing list archive

[Jean-Pierre van Riel <1273060@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This bug is high risk! It's effectively bricked a Dell Latitude E6540
:-(

My theory is that, somehow, the update caused a change to the firmware
NVRAM settings and boot entries for UEFI, and the Dell code can't handle
something unexpected. And after I've entered BIOS password, the firmware
code sadly fails to even manage to enter setup (F2) or the one time boot
menu (F12). That's lousy fail-safe coding on the firmware devs part.
Surely if searching NVRAM for boot options fails, that shouldn't keep
the user locked out of the BIOS settings!

Here's what happened in my case:
1. Had a working install of Ubuntu Gnome 15.04 dual booting with Windows 10 and BIOS version A15 for this dell.
2. UEFI Secure Boot was enabled. The UEFI boot order priority options were set to favour the ubuntu entry (which effectively points to the EFI/ubuntu/shimx64.efi entry).
3. I ran the standard upgrade via the GUI from 15.04 to 15.10.
4. Upgrade process reported success, prompted to reboot. After a reboot, the system failed to boot into grub or anything else! Even with a UEFI compatible install CD or USB drive, I couldn't get it to boot.
5. Both F2 (BIOS setup) and F12 (one time boot menu) no longer work! This is a HUGE issue, since now I can't even use the BIOS options to change UEFI settings (e.g. look at enabled boot options, priority or disable secure boot, etc)
6. Opened up the laptop, disconnected the coin-cell CMOS battery, pressed the power button to discharge and force a BIOS settings reset (I've followed this process on many other systems to deal with a bugged out BIOS). Sadly no luck, same issue persists (I'm guessing removing the CMOS battery didn't manage to reset the NVRAM as I hoped).

What's interesting is I can take the SSD drive out, put it in a similar
laptop, and it boots. It booted into Windows 10 at first, but after
using settings (F2) on the working laptop, I could simply switch to the
EFI/ubuntu/shimx64.efi as the first option and UEFI secure boot into
Ubuntu Gnome 15.10 works fine.

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Kernel
Packages, which is subscribed to linux in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1273060

Title:
  [Fujitsu LIFEBOOK LH532 (UMA)] Ubuntu EFI install locks out firmware
  access

Status in linux package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  :~$ apt-cache policy grub-efi-amd64
  grub-efi-amd64:
    Installed: 2.00-22
    Candidate: 2.00-22

  EFI installation of Ubuntu clears out the boot entries in firmware leaving user with no option but boot Ubuntu. Pressing (F2) to enter BIOS Setup has no effect as does pressing (F12) for Boot Order.
  The only way to get back firmware access is to flash the bios using manufacturer provided utilities. Unfortunately Fujitsu doesn't provide a BIOS flash utility for Linux/Ubuntu. It is to be noted that installed Windows in EFI mode on the same system does not clear out firmware access but just adds the 'Windows Boot Loader' entry at the top of the boot sequence.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
  Package: linux-image-3.13.0-5-generic 3.13.0-5.20 [modified: boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-5-generic]
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-5.20-generic 3.13.0
  Uname: Linux 3.13.0-5-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.13.1-0ubuntu1
  Architecture: amd64
  AudioDevicesInUse:
   USER        PID ACCESS COMMAND
   /dev/snd/controlC0:  satish     1852 F.... pulseaudio
  CurrentDesktop: Unity
  Date: Mon Jan 27 11:06:37 2014
  HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=c73dc7d0-4253-44fa-9589-d8c91c9cac13
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-01-26 (0 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Alpha amd64 (20140124)
  MachineType: FUJITSU LIFEBOOK LH532
  ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
  ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-5-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=efd53305-1eac-42ba-b3f9-828b72cb5560 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
  RelatedPackageVersions:
   linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-5-generic N/A
   linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-5-generic  N/A
   linux-firmware                            1.122
  SourcePackage: linux
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
  dmi.bios.date: 05/24/2012
  dmi.bios.vendor: FUJITSU // Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
  dmi.bios.version: Version 1.10
  dmi.board.name: FJNBB1E
  dmi.board.vendor: FUJITSU
  dmi.chassis.type: 10
  dmi.chassis.vendor: FUJITSU
  dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnFUJITSU//PhoenixTechnologiesLtd.:bvrVersion1.10:bd05/24/2012:svnFUJITSU:pnLIFEBOOKLH532:pvr:rvnFUJITSU:rnFJNBB1E:rvr:cvnFUJITSU:ct10:cvr:
  dmi.product.name: LIFEBOOK LH532
  dmi.sys.vendor: FUJITSU

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1273060/+subscriptions