samsung np530u3c-a5h8 boot menu empty

Hello
i have a problem with my samsung nt530u3c-a5h8
my boot is empty
should i flash my bios? , how to do?,
namely i have already removed the battery and the cmso battery
thank you in advance
regards
fk74

 

Hi fk74, welcome to NBR!

This is usually a symptom of NRAM having been corrupted, either by operating systems installations or updates, or by changing OS Mod Selection (UEFI/CSM) in BIOS. It is a common issue on Samsung laptops from that period. If you are unable to enter BIOS settings with F2, that is an almost certain sign of this problem.

The solution is to clear NVRAM. If you are NOT already on the latest BIOS version, then updating BIOS will clear it. Otherwise you can clear NVRAM without updating BIOS by using the BIOS flashing utility for your model. It is discussed in the thread linked below. There is a guide/summary in post #7 along with links to several more recent threads about this.

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

In order to update BIOS or run the flashing utility, you need to run some form of Windows (including WinPE from a USB flash drive or DVD). Unfortunately booting anything is often the biggest challenge, and usually requires removing the internal harddrive in order to force the system to look for an external boot source, and experimenting with various boot sources until you are able to boot some kind of Windows.

If you are currently able to enter BIOS settings (which is rare) that helps: Reset BIOS settings to default (F9 from inside BIOS settings) then make sure that Fast BIOS Boot is disabled (helps booting from external sources), SecureBoot is disabled (allows booting something other than a signed Windows installation), and OS Mode Selection is set to UEFI and CSM OS (allows booting either UEFI or legacy BIOS sources).

Some users are never able to boot anything, in which case their laptop is effectively bricked, unless you are able to re-flash the BIOS chip with an EEPROM burner (or know somebody who can do it for you).

Once/if you are able to boot some form of Windows, your next step depends on whether you are already on the latest BIOS version: If you are NOT, you just update to the latest version. If you ARE, you need to find, download and extract the latest BIOS update file for your model, then run the update utility with the /cvar /patch parameters.

Again, it's all described and discussed in that thread I linked, including link to our BIOS rollback thread, which you need to follow in order to download and extract the latest BIOS update file. Note that you DO NOT have to roll back to an earlier BIOS. You just need to be able to run the BIOS flashing utility (usually sflash64 or WinFlash64) with the /cvar /patch parameters.

Be very careful not to experiment too much beyond what is described in that thread: Your goal is to find some way to boot Windows. But you don't want to make things worse by further corrupting NVRAM. Read MORE in the threads here, and experiment LESS is generally good advice in these cases.

Unfortunately I don't have time to engage or help these days. But this procedure has been discussed so many times here, you will find almost every scenario described at some point.

Fingers crossed for you. And PLEASE keep us posted on your progress

 

Thank you dannemand
I can't flash my bios,
is there a utility that could flash my bios, should i do it wrong
or should i reprogram my bios via EZp programmer?
regards

 

Did you read what I wrote?

You don't have to flash your BIOS. But you need to be able to boot some form of Windows. Are you able to do that?

Try and read my post again. Expect significant amounts of reading to solve this (if indeed you have corrupt NVRAM)

 

Hello dannemand
how to have the usb functional, because I can't launch a program in usb, which key should you press to launch the usb?
thank
good week

 

The way to boot USB is normally through the boot menu (F10 on most Samsung laptops, Esc on older ones). But if your NVRAM is corrupted, F-keys don't work during startup, and BIOS may not see your boot sources. That's why it is so difficult to fix.

Most of that thread I linked are about various attempts to force booting of USB or DVD -- which depends on each computer and its current BIOS settings (such as the choice of UEFI Boot / OS Mode Selection). Again, since you cannot get into BIOS setting to change them (or see what the current settings are) it's a lot of trial and error.

As I mentioned in my original reply to you, you have to disconnect your HDD to force it to look for an external boot source. But that's just the first step. You then have to experiment with different WinPE boot sources on USB and DVD (GPT/FAT32 or MBR/NTFS, depending on whether UEFI is enabled). DVD is often your best bet.

If you removed the main and CMOS batteries and held the power button for one minute (or used the battery disconnect button on the bottom) you can reasonably assume that BIOS settings are back to default. That means Fast BIOS Boot should be disabled, so it should look for external boot sources (USB and DVD). And it means UEFI should be at factory default: If the computer is old (before Win8) you can assume UEFI Boot is disabled so you want to focus on MBR/NTFS boot sources. If the computer came with Win8 or later, you can assume it has SecureBoot with OS Mode Selection set to UEFI OS, so you want to focus on GPT/FAT32 boot sources.

If I could tell you one thing to do that would fix it, I would. It really is a project. Basically your computer is bricked when NVRAM is corrupted. If you were to contact Samsung, they would just replace the motherboard. But as described in that thread I linked (and the other threads linked within it) many people have fixed it by finding a way to boot WinPE and clear their NVRAM using the flashing utility extracted from a BIOS update file for their model.

You previously asked about re-flashing your BIOS with an EEPROM programmer. If you have access to one and are able to remove your BIOS chip from the motherboard (some are soldered, some are socketed) then it may well be the simplest fix in your case. You will still need the ROM file for your model. How to locate, download and extract that is discussed in our BIOS Rollback thread.

Good luck to you. Once again please keep us posted on your progress.

 

thank you Dannemand
one question, namely this notebook to spend almost 4 years in a cupboard.
would it be wise to change the cmos battery?
if yes then i can take a cr 2032 battery 3V
like this
https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/4000...earchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_
while i have a cr 1616 3V?see pictures

thank you in advance

 

I don't think I've heard of users here whose CMOS batteries died. As far as I can tell, these things last longer than any laptop realistically does.

Personally I haven't replaced the CMOS battery in my Samsung NP700Z3A, which is now 8 years old (and which probably sat in inventory 6+ months before I bought it).

But if your laptop was in a closet for 4 years, and seems to not remember BIOS settings, then I guess replacing it couldn't hurt.

Edit: I just checked SamsungParts.com for a CMOS battery for your model NP530U3C, but didn't find any. If the battery itself is a CR2032 (as seems common) and the harness and connector fits, I imagine it would be fine.

 

Hey there, i had the same issue as you, i fixed it by doing this, i plugged in a windows 8.1 to go drive through usb and pressing f9 booted for me to it, i ran Samsungs biosupdate.exe and it said i had a new bios update i clicked on update and it took about a minute to flash the bios which clears the nvram the bios will boot and the boot menu will no longer be empty and the laptop will boot, if u want to install linux next time (i assume you did) then never choose uefi and stay on legacy however just windows on uefi dosent corrupt nvram well atleast for me

 

Thank you for sharing your story here.

Unfortunately many members here have reported NVRAM corruption who never installed Linux, but who had installed (or even just updated) Windows.

Before Windows went to UEFI (starting with Win8) almost all cases of NVRAM corruption were indeed from Linux installs, and Samsung laptops became (in)famous for them. That's why Google finds a lot of articles about it.

But all evidence indicates that the corruption stems from NVRAM storage being overloaded, often after multiple OS installations or updates, each one using some NVRAM storage that never gets cleared. Linux uses more NVRAM storage than Windows (to my understanding) which is why corruption happens more easily. But it can occur just as well with Windows installations.

My advice is to clear NVRAM preemptively BEFORE performing a new OS installation, while one still has a working Windows.

Do note that running the BIOS updater only works if BIOS isn't already at the latest version. The vulnerable models are old by now and most units long since updated to latest BIOS version. The best way to clear the NVRAM on those laptops is with the BIOS flashing utility as described in the guide I linked earlier. Dozens of members in that thread (yourself included) have posted their stories. And presumably hundreds others who didn't post have used the instructions.

You were very lucky that your laptop was able to boot an external USB drive using F9. In most cases that doesn't work, at least not that easily. Being able to boot ANYTHING is usually the biggest challenge in these cases.

Thanks again for sharing your story and helping others!

 

Big thanks to you
for the fn + f9 solution for l'usb it works
i reinstall windows7
and do the bios update with samsug update
It works except that I have to leave the USB key to launch my Windows 7
I think there is one thing to change in the bios?
but what
thank you

 

That's great that you were able to boot Win7. Congrats!

If the BIOS was updated, then NVRAM was cleared. That means the computer will now boot your HDD. But ONLY if the HDD matches your UEFI selection (OS Mode Selection or UEFI Boot, depending on how old the laptop is).

I described those settings in my response in post #6 (linked below): If UEFI is enabled, the disk must be GPT/FAT32. If UEFI is disabled, the disk must be MBR/NTFS. So either set your UEFI setting according to your disk, or re-initialize your disk according to your UEFI-setting and re-install Windows.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/samsung-np530u3c-a5h8-boot-menu-empty.833191/#post-11022908

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