[SOLVED] Corrupted locked BIOS?

[JohnHaven]

Hello potential answer givers! I have a hobbled together with spare parts at the local computer store kind of computer. I was using Windows 10 and I wanted to create a partition to dual boot to Linux. I installed it on the partition and went to the BIOS to change the boot order. Nothing I pushed would get me into the BIOS. I tried every key and combination for any board I could find. The real one is F2 but didn't work. Then, on one of the tries to get into the BIOS it just shut down. I rebooted it and it wouldn't boot, over and over again. After a hard boot the machine booted up...to the Linux partition. I can't seem to get back to the Windows partition.

So now I'm stuck on the Linux portion and can't get back to my main operating system. I've tried everything I could think of and then read somewhere that this motherboard has a locked BIOS. The motherboard was probably in a Dell I think. I pulled the CMOS in hopes it would reset the BIOS but it still boots only to the Linux partition.

So if anyone has an idea to get into the BIOS I'd love to hear it. I've obviously corrupted it in some way. Barring that I assume I need a new motherboard. No problem with that except I can't seem to find one that will go with my chip and ram that isn't a refurbished board from an unknown Chinese merchant. I'd be happy to just move those to a different but compatible board but that's proved difficult because it seems DDR3 has gone the way of the dodo bird. Everything else seems to be working just fine. Help?

Specs:
Mobo: Gigabyte technology cs Z77x-3H This comes with an unlocked BIOS but it was closed by retailer.
Chip: Intel Core i7-3770 @3.4Gz. Sits in a LGA1155 socket.
RAM: (2x) DIMM DDR3 SYNCHRONOUS 1333 (0.8ns)
BIOS: F16
Hard drives:
KINGSTON SA400S37 (SSD)
SEAGATE ST1000DM010-2EP102
ADATA SU650 (SSD) It's booting from this drive

Maybe if I the edit the partitions?

 

[JohnHaven]

No I think I partially removed Windows from the ADATA drive so the PC is booting past Windows and the next it hits is my Linux partition. I going to pull this hard drive out and install Windows on my other SSD drive from USB. Then add this drive back in and I'll probably format it and start over. I will come back if that worked and I will feel silly.

 

[JohnHaven]

I never found a solution to this but I think it's not the main problem. I will ask about that in the appropriate area.

 

[Endre]

Hello!
How about removing the Linux drive cable and trying to re-boot into Windows from the other drive, (or re-install Windows clean on another drive).

 

[JohnHaven]

Hello!
How about removing the Linux drive cable and trying to re-boot into Windows.

I'm trying that right now. The drive that I put the ISO on isn't bootable so I'm trying to figure that out. The BIOS is locked and does not allow for the USB or CD to boot. So...I'm stuck trying to install Win 10 on a different hard drive than the Ubuntu system that I luckily had on another partition of the boot drive (I didn't get to use it because I couldn't edit the BIOS. That is, until I corrupted Win 10.

I have a completely clean 480 GB SSD. It's mounted with nothing but the ISO just sitting on it. Unplugging the other drives still does not allow this SSD to boot. I'm still trying to figure it out. I have never run into a locked BIOS in my life. It's infuriating.

 

[Endre]

I'm trying that right now. The drive that I put the ISO on isn't bootable so I'm trying to figure that out. The BIOS is locked and does not allow for the USB or CD to boot. So...I'm stuck trying to install Win 10 on a different hard drive than the Ubuntu system that I luckily had on another partition of the boot drive (I didn't get to use it because I couldn't edit the BIOS. That is, until I corrupted Win 10.

I have a completely clean 480 GB SSD. It's mounted with nothing but the ISO just sitting on it. Unplugging the other drives still does not allow this SSD to boot. I'm still trying to figure it out. I have never run into a locked BIOS in my life. It's infuriating.

Please, also, try this too:
Use a different PC to download the latest BIOS version of your motherboard.
Copy the new BIOS on a flash drive (formatted as FAT32).
Insert the flash drive into a USB 2.0 port.
Try to boot with this flash drive using “End” key, or “Delete” key, or “F2” key (Hold down, or press continuously the key after a restart or power on of the PC).

If you manage to re-flash the BIOS, you might solve the issue.

 

[JohnHaven]

Please, also, try this too:
Use a different PC to download the latest BIOS version of your motherboard.
Copy the new BIOS on a flash drive (formatted as FAT32).
Insert the flash drive into a USB 2.0 port.
Try to boot with this flash drive using “End” key, or “Delete” key, or “F2” key (Hold down, or press continuously the key after a restart or power on of the PC).

If you manage to re-flash the BIOS, you might solve the issue.

Booting from USB or CD seems to be locked out in the BIOS. Seems weird to me but I have a bootable Win 10 USB and it won't boot. I'm not exactly sure why. I assumed that if I formatted one drive and used the USB it would boot and install like normal. It just wouldn't boot and then shut down.

I can't work on it right now but later I'm going to unpack the ISO, move all of the files and folders from the ISO over to the new drive, unplug the other two drives and reboot. I have no idea if this is going to work but I may need to just take a drive to someone else that can get the hard drive going for me.

 

[JohnHaven]

I never did figure this out. I'm giving up and just bringing my hard drive into my PC shop guy and have him install Windows on it for me.