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Fujitsu LIFEBOOK AH562-UEFI problem-Help request

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    Fujitsu LIFEBOOK AH562-UEFI problem-Help request

    Hi, I would appreciate your help with the following problem.

    I have a Fujitsu laptop AH562 witn a BIOS-UEFI problem since I converted the HDD to a SSD. For more details on the paltop go to the following link:

    http://support.fujitsupc.com/CS/Port...srch=TECHSPECS

    After copying the HDD to SSD with ALtiris utility provided with the Kingston SSD and replacing the HDD with the SSD the laptop went into a startup loop with no screen display and only the disk LED flashing twice per second. I waited for approximatly 2h and then stopped the laptop by depressing the power switch for 5 seconds.

    Since then, at power-up, the laptap always goes to the UEFI boot menu with the Boot Menu and Application tabs.

    The SSD itself runs properly and boots Windows 10 Home on another PC tower using an Asus motherboard with Award BIOS-UEFI.

    Please refer to the attached photos in the ZIP file.

    The Boot Menu shows no boot devices.

    The Application Menu shows 10 applications entries but repeats the same options many times:
    - 5 x Diagnostic Screen,
    - 1 x Diagnostic Program,
    - 4 x BIOS Setup.

    All entries are functional and they all do what they should do.

    After selecting BIOS Setup in the Application menu, the normal BIOS screens appear but the only Boot Order entry in UEFI-BIOS Boot menu is Floppy Disc Drive which does not exist on this AH562 laptop.

    Normally I would see at least a SATA drive and a CD/DVD SATA drive. In the attached Diagnostic Screen photo, I have a SATA HDD and ODD drive installed and they do not show in the Boot Order enties.

    In this situation, I cannot boot from any device since the Boot Order menu shows no HDD/SSD or CD/DVD entry. Only the Floppy disk is shown.

    Nonetheless, the Application Menu entry Diagnostic Program allows successfull testing of the CPU. Memory and HDD.

    In addition, the Application Menu entry Diagnostic Screen shows the HDD and CD/DVD.

    Clearing the NVRAM CMOS by shorting the 2 pads under the RAM memory location did not clear this condition even after reseting the BIOS to Default setting.

    Removing the HDD and ODD and any USB drive did not change the laptop behaviour.

    *** My need for assistance ***

    I need assistance to recover from this unusual situation wich prevents the use of this otherwise fully functional LIFEBOOK AH562.

    This appears to be an incorrect configuration of the UEFI-BIOS which did not correct itself on startup. It is possibly a UEFI-BIOS corruption.

    So it looks like resolving my AH562 problem will require to find the proper following items for this laptop:

    - a BIOS-UEFI file,
    - a flashing tool,
    - a procedure for flashing the BIOS-UEFI file into the onboard chip.

    *** My questions ***

    - Should I reflash the UEFI-BIOS to restore the proper Boot Order entries?

    Note: I cannot find any BIOS for the AH562 on the Fujitsu Canada Support web site. The BIOS update utility available for other A-Series laptops would only run from Windows which cannot be booted in my case without a HDD or CD/DVD.

    - Are the proper BIOS-UEFI files, tools and flashing procedures available for this Fujitsu AH562 laptop?

    - Will the laptop access the USB disk if the actual Boot order entries only show a Floppy Disk Drive in the UEFI-BIOS Boot menu?

    - Is my only option replacing the AH562 motherboard?

    - Could I access a UEFI command shell and correct the Boot order list from the shell ?

    - Do you see any other approach to restore a complete Boot Order list including HDD, CD/DVD, USB disk, Network and others that I don't recall?

    Note: I recall approximatly 8 entries divided in two groups of 4 devices. Each group essentially contained the same boot devices but in either UEFI or BIOS compatibilty mode.

    Note: In the attached photos you have the motherboard part number. Is this motherboard available from any source at an acceptable cost for this aging laptop.

    If you are not able to help me with this problem, would you please refer me to a person who could assist.

    Even with 18 years of experience with computers, I need assistance with this unusual case.

    A happy Fujitsu LIFEBOOK user still having hope for his friendly old laptop...

    I appreciate your collaboration.

    Christian
    Attached Files

    #2
    Re: Fujitsu LIFEBOOK AH562-UEFI problem-Help request

    Not a great idea to try to transfer Windows from HDD to SSD, better reinstall it.
    Anyway, looks like the UEFI doesn't detect Windows bootloader automatically.
    Use an USB key with Windows setup on it to restore the UEFI bootloader.
    Search on the web for how to fix bootloader with bootsec and bcdboot.
    OpenBoardView — https://github.com/OpenBoardView/OpenBoardView

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Fujitsu LIFEBOOK AH562-UEFI problem-Help request

      Originally posted by piernov View Post
      Not a great idea to try to transfer Windows from HDD to SSD, better reinstall it.
      Anyway, looks like the UEFI doesn't detect Windows bootloader automatically.
      Use an USB key with Windows setup on it to restore the UEFI bootloader.
      Search on the web for how to fix bootloader with bootsec and bcdboot.
      Hi piernov, thanks for your help.

      I did try to repair the Windows SSD installation with a Windows 10 Pro install DVD obtained from Microsoft ISO, but without success. The laptop will not boot from CD/DVD because it showns not boot devices other than floppy disk (not present on this laptop) in the the boot order list on Boot Menu configuration screen of the BIOS.

      The laptop will not boot from SSD, original 1 TB HDD, CD/DVD ( windows install or Live Mint) or USB disk(live MX Linux). All these boot medias are functional because they boot on my Award UEFI-BIOS tower PC.

      The laptop will only start in the UEFI Boot Manager with an empty Boot Menu and an Application Menu repeating the same entries 3 time: Diagnostic Screen, Diagnostic Program, BIOS Setup. This is hows I can access the BIOS Setup. See attached photos in ZIP file below. This is all the sreen that I can see since the laptop does not boot from any boot device without proper entries in the Boot order list.

      I also tried a Crisis Recovry Disk on USB but it does not boot.

      Normally laptops have a BIOS recovery process which uses only a minimal boot loader from a USB drive containing the BIOS ROM under the proper name for the laptop and re-flash the onboard BIOS from this floppy BIOS ROM. To enter this emergency recovery mode you normally have to insert the USB key before powering up the laptop while holding some keyboard keys to trigger the recovery mode.

      I could not find the proper emergency BIOS recovery procedure for this LIFEBOOK AH562. I contacted a Fujitsu service center in Canada and their answer was to repalce the motherboard: an approach more costly than the laptop current value on eBay.

      Does anyone know the proper emergency BIOS recovery procedure fot the AH562?

      It would be a pitty to scrap a laptop that passes all CPU, Memory and SATA Disk Diagnostics Program in the UEFI Application Menu.

      I am still hoping to recover this good old laptop...

      Thanks for your help.
      Attached Files

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