BIOS broken after update

[skollop]

Hey guys,

So I'm a bit messed up right now it seems.

I'm sitting with a Lenovo Y520-15IKBN. Last night I received a message from the Lenovo Utility program that there was a BIOS update ready. Thinking it was to close the recent security holes, I decided to update.
The installer gave a warning that my computer should be fully charged(check), connected to power (check) and with a BIOS set to defeault settings(check).

After the installer finished, it restarted my PC, the Lenovo logo came up as usual, but quickly gave me a blue screen of death, with the message that it couldn't find any bootable devices. It then restarted, booted up on the Lenovo logo, and I left it there overnight to see if it just needed some time (no luck with that).

So now I'm stuck with a PC without a working BIOS I think. I can't enter the BIOS with F2 or DEL, however I can enter the Boot Menu (which shows none of my discs). I tried booting from a USB-stick with windows on it, and funnily enough, my secondary HDD came up. I tried installing on this, but when I booted again, it failed me.

I've tried a few of the standart Windows start-repairs, but none of them works.


Is there a way to install BIOS from a USB-stick, or save it some other way?
I would rather not have to wait until monday to contact Lenovo, then having to send in my PC and wait 3 weeks for them to fix it.

Please respond with any ideas, or if I need to clarify something.

Best regards,
Sune

 

[Colif]

BIOS works, windows doesn't. Its possible bios set to wrong boot method to match your boot drive.

According to this, the key could be F1 or F2, or you may need to hold FN and tap F1 or F2 to get into bios: https/pcsupport.lenovo.com/au/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/legion-series/legion-y520-15ikbn/videos/vid100750

Does boot menu have an option called Windows Boot Manager? I would choose it and see if it helps.

 

[skollop]

BIOS works, windows doesn't. Its possible bios set to wrong boot method to match your boot drive.

According to this, the key could be F1 or F2, or you may need to hold FN and tap F1 or F2 to get into bios: https/pcsupport.lenovo.com/au/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/legion-series/legion-y520-15ikbn/videos/vid100750

Does boot menu have an option called Windows Boot Manager? I would choose it and see if it helps.

Alright so after picking the boot manager as suggested, I was able to set up Windows on my secondary HDD. My SSD does however not show up, neither in Disc Management.

After a restart I succesfully entered BIOS. The BIOS seems to be the correct version (4KCN41WW).

Any suggestions as to how I'm going to have my SSD show up now?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Can you show screenshot from Disk Management?

 

[skollop]

Can you show screenshot from Disk Management?

Sure, here you go: https/imgur.com/a/T1VuN

 

[SkyNetRising]

Install chipset drivers for your laptop. Then rest of the drivers also.
https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/lv/en/.../downloads?linkTrack=footer:Support_Downloads

 

[skollop]

Install chipset drivers for your laptop. Then rest of the drivers also.
https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/lv/en/.../downloads?linkTrack=footer:Support_Downloads

Chipset drivers seems to do the thing. I can now see the SSD.
However, it now boots up on my HDD.
In BIOS and when pressing F12 the discs aren't listed, so I can't arrange them as I want. Any easy fix? I'm out of ideas.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Can you show current screenshot from Disk Management?

 

[skollop]

Can you show current screenshot from Disk Management?

Sure, here: https/imgur.com/a/GQUjV

 

[skollop]

And pics of the Bios setup https/imgur.com/gallery/gIZzJ

 

[SkyNetRising]

I don' t see bootloader partition on your 250GB drive.
Without it you couldn't possibly be able ever to boot from that drive.

Currently bootloader is located on 2TB drive. You can add bootloader entry for windows on 250GB drive with following command (from elevated command prompt):

• bcdboot d:\windows

Next time you boot your pc, you'll be able to choose between windows on SSD and HDD.
But if you later decide to remove 2TB drive from the system, your pc will not boot anymore.

If you want your system to be able to boot from 250GB drive alone, then you have to determine partitioning scheme of the drive first.
Right-click on label "Disk 1" in Disk management, chose properties/volumes and look for Partition style info.
It will be either MBR or GPT.
To create bootloader partition on 250GB drive, you have to:

• shrink D: partition by 500MB;
  create new partition in unallocated space (primary,active,ntfs for MBR disk; efi system,fat32 for GPT disk);
  assign letter to newly created partition (letter X: for example);
  and recreate bootloader files/settings using bcdboot command
  • bcdboot d:\windows /s x:
  For MBR disk you'd also have to change boot mode from UEFI to legacy/csm in BIOS.

 

[skollop]

I don' t see bootloader partition on your 250GB drive.
Without it you couldn't possibly be able ever to boot from that drive.

Currently bootloader is located on 2TB drive. You can add bootloader entry for windows on 250GB drive with following command (from elevated command prompt):

• bcdboot d:\windows

Next time you boot your pc, you'll be able to choose between windows on SSD and HDD.
But if you later decide to remove 2TB drive from the system, your pc will not boot anymore.

If you want your system to be able to boot from 250GB drive alone, then you have to determine partitioning scheme of the drive first.
Right-click on label "Disk 1" in Disk management, chose properties/volumes and look for Partition style info.
It will be either MBR or GPT.
To create bootloader partition on 250GB drive, you have to:

• shrink D: partition by 500MB;
  create new partition in unallocated space (primary,active,ntfs for MBR disk; efi system,fat32 for GPT disk);
  assign letter to newly created partition (letter X: for example);
  and recreate bootloader files/settings using bcdboot command
  • bcdboot d:\windows /s x:
  For MBR disk you'd also have to change boot mode from UEFI to legacy/csm in BIOS.

Hmm that sounds strange. I've always booted from the SSD. Could it have been deleted or somehow othervise gone?

I'll try to look into you small guide there, thanks a lot!

I still wonder though, why can't I see the drives in the BIOS boot order?

 

[skollop]

So I tried your guide, but with no luck.
Pictures attached of the Bios page, and when i try to install windows.

bios https/imgur.com/gallery/Ihtew

 

[SkyNetRising]

So - what was the partitioning scheme of your 250GB drive?
Can you show latest screenshot from Disk Management?

 

[skollop]

So - what was the partitioning scheme of your 250GB drive?
Can you show latest screenshot from Disk Management?

Sure https/imgur.com/a/ykznW
Also posted a pic of both drives being GPT and that I've created a new partition (called Boot Files), and that boot files should be created (can't see that on the partition though)

 

[SkyNetRising]

You did slight error there.
GPT disk requires EFI system partition, formated in fat32.
You created primary partition, formatted in ntfs.

 

[skollop]

You did slight error there.
GPT disk requires EFI system partition, formated in fat32.
You created primary partition, formatted in ntfs.

Ah yeah my bad there!

So I've attached a few screenshots of my procces.
Ignore the part in CMD where I try to assign the letter X. I was doing that for a screenshot for you, and X was already assigned to that partition.

I currently don't know what to do know, as it doesn't seem like I'm able to assign a letter to the partition and move the boot files to the partition.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I don't see any new screenshots.
Latest version of Disk Management - please.

 

[skollop]

I don't see any new screenshots.
Latest version of Disk Management - please.

My bad - here they are: https/imgur.com/a/gJlMH
And yeah, I formated the partition to fat32 through CMD.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Didn't you see the error there?
Failure when attempting to copy boot files.
Do this:

• diskpart
  list disk
  select disk 1
  list partition
  select partition 3
  format fs=fat32 quick
  assign letter=x
  exit
  bcdboot d:\windows /s x:

After that disconnect your HDD, change boot mode to UEFI in BIOS and try to boot, when only SSD is present.