My old Acer Switch sw3-016 tablet run with Windows 10 and every new windows update make it slower and slower. Later on I decide to erase it completely as it was extremely slow. I was almost unable to work on it, so I decide to use Linux on it. The complication come soon with its crazy BIOS. The user unfriendly BIOS software break standard LINUX installation in the middle, just after first reboot. The UEFI bios do not allow to select installed OS and start it. My tablet stays almost bricked. The last unwanted option was to install Win 10 back, but I have no original OS medium to perform that.
Altrough deep investigation trough the differrent internet idiscussions, I was finally really close to the end. But I spent lot of time to find where is the hell… There was no step by step description – complete overview for an installation of the Linux operation system on Acer Aspire Switch SW3–016. My device was nearly bricked, but with fresh Linux. I was not able to force BIOS or UEFI to boot-up into my Linux operation system.
Currently I was able to de-brick my UEFI on Acer Aspire Switch SW3–016 without Windows (or other OS) and install a fresh Linux (Mint) on it. How to perform? Follow precisely these steps:
- First of all I have to use a USB disk with 4GB+ capacity and microUSB connector (or with USB OTG adapter [microUSB-USB], or just microSD card). That media must be connected to display unit (not to keyboard part) USB/microSD connectors!
- The disk image must be loaded using RUFUS and must be set GPT (not MBR!) and UEFI (not BIOS and uefi!). There must be loaded x64 or 64bit linux image. I did used an actual „linuxmint-21.1-xfce-64bit.iso“ file.
- The BIOS „Supervisor password“ must be set in the BIOS – Security section (first option). Every entering into the BIOS (using F2 key after bootlogo) you have to type it in. So remember/note it well!
- Before installation in the BIOS must be checked the BOOT section and the first option under „SecureBoot“ – gray part must be set to Enabled. The next „Boot priority order“ must contain your boot media at the top. (in my case it was USB HDD).
- Than I perform the Linux installation as usually. After installation I recommand to reboot the computer once again with boot disk attached. The installation media OS contain also a tool for „boot-repair“. There is good solution with boot-repair – verification of your boot sector loading deiails and problems fixing. At the end it tells you what file you have to choose in BIOS UEFI setting, note it! In my case it was „EFI/BOOT/grubx64.efi“. You can restart your PC (and remove the installation medium as the screen will be black).
- After boot my computer refused to load installed OS (enter into boot-loop). So I enter BIOS, Go to the „Boot“ section, at the „Secure Boot“ I do choose Enabled (important!). That selection open me to edit the selections at the „Security“ tab. So now go to the „Security“ tab and find the „Select an UEFI file as trusted for executing“ section under that click for gray „Enter“ button/bar. Select „EMMC“ (that is the tablet disk ~aka HDD), than „<EFI>“, than follow the directories and file as it was mentioned in the Boot-repair program end message. (in my case I select „<BOOT>“ and „grubx64.efi“.
- Currently the most strangest section: you wil see the dialog: „Do you wish to add this file to allowable database?“ [YES][NO]. Yes, you usually can, but STOP here!. Did you see the white bar? This is an imput you have to fullfill. As you leave it empty, your headache will remain intensive for long time!!! So in the white bar you have to type the name of your *.efi file, so in my case „grubx64.efi“ and than confirm it by button YES.
- Now you have Exit + Exit saving chnges and Yes. Later F2 (enter back into BIOS again) + pass
- Finally you can go back to BOOT menu and than you can set „Secure Boot“ to disable (as I think the Linux efi file is not signed, and secureboot may cause problems, verify for your EFI file).
- The last think you have to do is to locate the new item inside „Boot priority order“. The item „EFI File Boot 0: grubx64.efi“ was located at the bottom – move it to top to boot it as first device. Now you have Exit + Exit saving chnges and Yes.
After that all steps my almost bricked Acer Aspire Switch SW3–016 will now boot again using modified UEFI setting into fresh Linux Mint. Enjoy! 🙂
Note: The situation can be similar also on the Acer Aspire Switch 10 E SW3-016’s, SW5-012’s, S1002’s and maybe some more as all they have horrible EFI firmware.
thanks to:
- https://hansdegoede.livejournal.com/24132.html
- https://hansdegoede.livejournal.com/23851.html
- https://gist.github.com/franga2000/2154d09f864894b8fe84
- https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/645267/after-a-few-attempts-my-acer-sw3-016-still-refuses-to-find-a-bootable-device-why-is-this-the-case
- https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/586807/acer-aspire-switch-10e-sw3-013-how-to-do-a-clean-install-from-a-usb-disk-drive