Samsung NP900X4D-A02US -> Linux 7.1 UEFI Boot -> DEAD BRICK???

Hi!

I've install Oracle Linux on my Samsung ultrabook 2 times.
1st time without Windows only Linux partitions - and it was just fine.
2nd time after restoration of original Windows 7 installation and installing Linux for dual boot.

Install itself was without any problem but after reboot I was not able to boot.
In BIOS I see no any bootable devices (flash, cdrom and so on) and unable to change order of bootable devices.
But in system info I can see my sdd as well.
I've try to change all BIOS settings related to storage, turn off CMOS battery for 15 minutes and setup other ssd - but with no luck.

Is it a brick now?
Any chance to recover it?
Please advice.

Kind Regards,
iRAV

 

Probability here is the SSD took a dive as in being a bootable device. Not too sure how to get that back but you will probably need another system to plug it into. Do you have the original HDD, or any other good one, that you can plug in without the SSD plugged in at all?

Edit; just a guess on the SSD but maybe a secure erase?

 

System was broken on installation of Oracle Linux 7.1 on new fresh 500G ssd.

I've try to replace storage with old original 256G ssd(which is absolutely untouching and healthy).
There was an assumption that EFI/filesystem was broken - but this is does not help and problem remain - ssd was recognized by BIOS(in SysInfo) and no any device listed in bootable order list only one - Oracle Linux.

And system does not booting with CD, bootable flash or ssd.

Any ideas howto reset cmos (I've done it already but mayby any non-standard steps) or where Samsung store BIOS and howto reset it?

 

It is not CMOS, these have NVRAM with the UEFI. It seems yours is corrupt and you may need to do a recovery. Your original SSD should have had your EFI info and may even still. What happens if you boot with no SSD at all? Make sure when doing so first remove the battery and AC. Press the power button for 30 seconds to discharge the caps.

 

Hi Andy,

I took out battery for an hour, press power button for a minute and try to boot with and without original ssd - picture the same

 

So with no boot disk it wants to boot Oracle Linux? since you can get to bios did you try without secure boot and the HDD's gone?

If you search the other bricked systems in this section you will find ways to do a blind flash. That is about the only way to clear nvram if you are in the status you are in. You are a bit better off than most, as they can not get to bios at all.

 

Hi irav,

I just wanted to contribute links to some of those prior references mentioned by @TANWare, that deal with unbricking of Samsung laptops:

After several years of having little advice to offer bricking victims, other than the CMOS reset procedure (which you already tried, and which rarely works), new techniques to clear NVRAM were developed last year, as discussed in the thread linked below. There is a summary in post #7, but you want to study the entire thread.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/samsung-series-7-np700z5c-s03ca-my-last-hope.762595/

This gist of it is:

1) Being able to boot a WinPE (or any other Windows environment) which usually requires disconnecting the HDD/SSD.

2) A DVD or USB stick that is properly formatted for the computer's UEFI setting (GPT/FAT32 for UEFI machines, MBR/NTFS for legacy BIOS/CSM machines).

3) Downloading and extracting a compatible BIOS file and running the BIOS flashing utility with parameters to clear NVRAM.

As TANWare pointed out, you are in a better place than most, since you can still enter your BIOS. I would absolutely disable UEFI (if you have the old BIOS generation with just a simple UEFI Boot option) or choose OS Mode=UEFI & CSM OS (if you have a BIOS with full SecureBoot implementation). This will give you the most flexibility and tolerance when it comes to recognizing the boot device. Before that, I suggest resetting BIOS to default values (if you haven't already) save and reboot into BIOS. And of course disconnect the SSD as already mentioned.

If you are able to boot WinPE this way, there is a good chance your laptop can be revived by using the steps in that thread.

Otherwise your only options are:

A) Emergency (blind) flash , as mentioned by TANWare and as described by member @urkopineda in post #59 of that same thread.

B) Physically re-flashing the BIOS with an (E)EPROM burner, as described by member @Villtord in post #82 of that thread.

You can also check the thread linked below from earlier this week. Although you arrived in this situation through a different path, your options are almost exactly the same presented to member @melior88 in that thread (until his hardware issues surfaced).

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/np700z7c-unable-to-boot-bricked.774851/

 

Hi!

Very many thanks for your attention and advices!

And also thanks a lot to isosunrise who describe how to get BIOS in
Samsung Laptops - Roll Back Bios Updates?

My screenshots is very look like problem described in Phoenix BIOS in Samsung Laptop - not working after uninstalling ubuntu

My Boot Menu shown Oracle Linux but this is unfunctional (no any further action) and App Menu shown only Setup within which one I going to BIOS setup.

But in BIOS in Boot menu I see no any devices(no usb, no usb cdrom drive and so on, only one point - Oracle Linux).
So as I can see the only way which I can try is "Emergency (blind) flash".

I remove ssd and now thinking about to try Phoenix BIOS Recovery

Or any other better way should be used?

Thanks!

 

Reflashing the BIOS might fix the problem of a lack of boot devices as reported here. Assuming, of course, that you can get the BIOS reflasher to boot.

John

 

Hi John,

no, this is not work for me
I'm not able to boot with any usb(acronis/win pe/CRISIS Recovery Disk)...

 

Hey guys.

I'm getting the same problem with my samsung series 5.

- No F2/F10 shortcut are displayed on my samsung boot screen (only samsung logo)
- unable to boot from CD, DVD, USB drive, USB hdd
- tried ubuntu, lubuntu, xp, win7, win8
- tried with bootable win8 installer HDD on sata, installed win8 HDD on sata, installed linux HDD on sata (same on usb)
- unable to open bios or pass samsung logo boot screen
- samsung logo bootscreen keep rebooting
- if a cd is in, samsung logo keep displaying a bit longer (i can hear that cd is read) but reboot again
- tried to open computer, remove battery and hdd, press reset button: no success
- samsung SAV hasnt been able to repair it (send back)
- nothing seem grilled in the computer

Well, the thing is i CANT do anything else than see the samsung logo bootscreen repeating forever...

Is my computer briked forever and ever ?

 

It may be, it does seem you have tried about all the normal procedures. The one thing to try is remove all HDD's and the optical drive and then power on. If the unit is only failing to see the UEFI info from the HDD and sata devices then this may allow you too load bios.

Second thing is with a fat32 USB flash drive load the proper rom file on it and try powering it on with the emergency flash key combo. This is a last resort only and be absolutely sure it is the proper bios rom file.

 

Hi!

I've downloaded ITEM_20131127_21276_WIN_P07AAC.exe and get P07AAC.ROM.

Will be P07AAC.ROM enough for hardware re-flashing the BIOS?
Or P07AAC.ROM is just an update of original BIOS and for full re-flashing the BIOS I need an original BIOS dump file?

Thanks!

 

As far as I know, the BIOS image in the .ROM file is a complete set of code for the BIOS.

The P**AAC BIOS is appropriate for the versions of the X4D originally shipped with Windows 7. This has imperfect UEFI compatibility as revealed by Samsung having to create a new BIOS (P**ABK) for the versions of these notebooks shipped with Windows 8. If /when you get your notebook working you may be well advised to keep clear of UEFI.

John

 

Even if the same bios file, with the emergency recovery, it will reset the nvram and UEFI info etc..

 

Hi!

>Even if the same bios file, with the emergency recovery, it will reset the nvram and UEFI info etc..

But can you please describe such procedure or provide a link?
Thanks!

 

See the links given in the first part of this thread, in particular read this thread.

John

 

Hi John,

Thanks for replay!
Unfortunately this is not an my option as it needed to boot with WinPE and I'm is unable to select any external devices and boot from them...
And it seems that m-board replace or hardware bios replace is the only option for me

 

Hi!

Problem fixed with Samsung Official Support Service without any problem.
Thanks to all participants for advices and attention!

Best Regards,
iRAV

 

What was the fix? What did they have you do that is, I am sure others here could benefit as well.

 

It was simple.
They took my chip.
They put the new chip.
They do a hardware bios re-flashing...

I think that in general problem could be fixed with reseting nvram if we could boot.
But for some how all devices were missing in bootable devices list and I could not boot from anywhere.

 

Ok, cool. Right nvram can be reset if the emergency flash works. Problem here is that is a big if and Samsung doe not readily have the files needed to accomplish this..