[solved] How open bios by cli

[NoHo Hank]

None of the keys opens BIOs by boot. Is there a way to open the non uefi bios by cli or otherways?

[kc1di]

It should be in the machines instructions. If you don't have it. Give us the make model and other info on your machine. Then perhaps we can be of help.
To my knowledge there is no way to open a machine's bios via the command line.

[exploder]

There is a command that will get you into the BIOS! I can not remember where I found it. I was in the same situation and the command worked.

[NoHo Hank]

Manual says F2 which nomore works, like i've said.

[SMG]

Is this the same computer as in this topic SSD vanished since using Tails?

[NoHo Hank]

Is this the same computer as in this topic SSD vanished since using Tails?

NO it is not. But thanks for bringing that topic in attention because it is a very nasty problem indeed!
Actually i am not even sure if that topic is related to Tails! It was just a wild guess!

[JeremyB]

There is a command that will get you into the BIOS! I can not remember where I found it. I was in the same situation and the command worked.

With UEFI you can use fwsetup from grub command line but I don't think there is a command for BIOS machines

[exploder]

There is a command that will make the system boot directly to the BIOS. Wish I would have saved it in my notes... I had changed settings and there was no way to get into the BIOS with the keyboard. If I find it again, it will be posted and saved to my notes!

[axrusar]

try using the function key + f2. in some laptops the function keys are turned on to the laptop features instead of the standard function keys.
Hit F2 SEVERAL times as soon as the computer starts turning on from a full shut down.
Try Ctrl too if it does not work.

[NoHo Hank]

With UEFI you can use fwsetup from grub command line but I don't think there is a command for BIOS machines

This is a uefi machine!
Some of the keys are not working. To check if F2 is working i tried to use it as RENAME option. Nothing hppened so i am afraid the bloody key is broken!
So how to get into the BIOS with a broken F2 key?

[axrusar]

So how to get into the BIOS with a broken F2 key?

Borrowing an external keyboard. Walmart?

[NoHo Hank]

can you just plug in an usb kb into a laptop?

[NoHo Hank]

that works! great! thnx

[JeremyB]

If you see a grub menu when booting there should be an option in main menu for UEFI Firmware Settings and that does the same

[NoHo Hank]

If you see a grub menu when booting there should be an option in main menu for UEFI Firmware Settings and that does the same

No grub menu appears. Maybe because Lm is installed in legacy and Win in UEFI? To switch OS have to go to the BIOS.
bUT please explain how your way works since there will not always be a usb keyboard hanging around.

[kc1di]

one of the problems is that you should install Mint and windows in the same boot mode either UEFI or Bios but not one UEFI and the other bios.
In order to see the grub menu on boot you have to hit the left shift key or the esc key depending on if it's uefi or bios. You need to do this when the machine is just booting some times the time out is not very long and you need to hit the key at the right time.

If you want to show the grub menu on every boot then you have to edit the /etc/default/grub file.
Change this line

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GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden

To this

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GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu

And this line

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GRUB_TIMEOUT=0

to this

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GRUB_TIMEOUT=5

Save the file and issue this command in a terminal.

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sudo update-grub

When you reboot you should now see the grub menu.

[NoHo Hank]

hi kc1di, those were my grub settings already.
so that doesn't work.

[NoHo Hank]

It became clear that it is (other then sugested) impossible to boot into BIOS by GRUB. Which shouldn't be surprising.
Adding an usb keyboard to the laptop solved this problem!

[Qapla]

There is a command that will get you into the BIOS! I can not remember where I found it. I was in the same situation and the command worked.

Is this what you remember?

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systemctl reboot --firmware-setup

From the Man page for systemctl:
--firmware-setup
When used with the reboot command, indicate to the system's
firmware to reboot into the firmware setup interface. Note
that this functionality is not available on all systems.

[exploder]

Qapla, I believe that is the command! I must have got lucky with my hardware. I had changed the time out in the BIOS so the computer would start in seconds, not a good idea... That command got me back into the BIOS and I changed the setting back! I will save this great info this time! Thank you!