BIOS continually resetting to UEFI [Solved]

[xtac]

Hello. I have a problem with my 2014 Acer E5-571 laptop. It only started about a month ago. Until then I've never had an issue with MX Linux. I don't tinker at all with the system or CLI. Only default updates which shows in the green box on the panel are done.
I had to switch my BIOS to Legacy in order to install and boot MX Linux. This was not an issue at all until my BIOS started resetting back to UEFI for an unknown reason. Even though I save the settings every time in the BIOS and I do not have any other OS installed on here. Like I said, everything has been working well for quite a while now until almost a month ago when this started happening.

Can anyone please offer any help?

Kind regards.

I was wondering if it was the Boot Options update but I don't see any settings there which look like it could be the culprit.

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-37-amd64 [6.1.140-1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-37-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.38 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm v: 4.20.0 vt: 7
    dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0 Distro: MX-23.6_x64 Libretto April 13  2025 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12
    (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Acer product: Aspire E5-571 v: V1.09 serial: <superuser required> Chassis:
    type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Acer model: EA50_HB v: V1.09 serial: <superuser required> UEFI-[Legacy]: Insyde v: 1.09
    date: 07/11/2014
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 12.4 Wh (22.3%) condition: 55.5/55.5 Wh (100.0%) volts: 11.0 min: 11.1
    model: SANYO 0032334134314C41 type: Li-ion serial: <filter> status: charging
  Device-1: hid-15:03:fe:00:01:a7-battery model: BT 5.1 keyboard-1503 serial: N/A charge: N/A
    status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i3-4005U bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Haswell gen: core 4 level: v3
    note: check built: 2013-15 process: Intel 22nm family: 6 model-id: 0x45 (69) stepping: 1
    microcode: 0x26
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 2 tpc: 2 threads: 4 smt: enabled cache: L1: 128 KiB
    desc: d-2x32 KiB; i-2x32 KiB L2: 512 KiB desc: 2x256 KiB L3: 3 MiB desc: 1x3 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 948 high: 998 min/max: 800/1700 scaling: driver: intel_cpufreq
    governor: ondemand cores: 1: 998 2: 998 3: 800 4: 998 bogomips: 13568
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: indirect_target_selection status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: conditional cache flushes, SMT vulnerable
  Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Unknown: No mitigations
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines; IBPB: conditional; IBRS_FW; STIBP: conditional; RSB
    filling; PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected; BHI: Not affected
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI driver: i915
    v: kernel arch: Gen-7.5 process: Intel 22nm built: 2013 ports: active: HDMI-A-2 off: eDP-1
    empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0a16 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Chicony HD WebCam type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 2-7:5 chip-ID: 04f2:b452
    class-ID: 0e02 serial: <filter>
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: xfwm v: 4.20.0 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: crocus gpu: i915 display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 509x286mm (20.04x11.26") s-diag: 584mm (22.99")
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-2 mapped: HDMI-2 pos: primary model: Asus ML248 serial: <filter> built: 2011
    res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 92 gamma: 1.2 size: 531x299mm (20.91x11.77") diag: 609mm (24")
    ratio: 16:9 modes: max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
  Monitor-2: eDP-1 note: disabled model: BOE Display 0x0672 built: 2015 res: 1920x1080 dpi: 101
    gamma: 1.2 size: 344x194mm (13.54x7.64") diag: 395mm (15.5") ratio: 16:9 modes: 1366x768
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 4400 (HSW GT2)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Haswell-ULT HD Audio vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel bus-ID: 00:03.0 chip-ID: 8086:0a0c class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Intel 8 Series HD Audio vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI 8 driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:9c20 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-37-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI
    driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 3000 bus-ID: 01:00.1
    chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9565 / AR9565 Wireless Network Adapter vendor: Foxconn
    driver: ath9k v: kernel modules: wl pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 02:00.0
    chip-ID: 168c:0036 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Foxconn / Hon Hai type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 2-5:8 chip-ID: 0489:e078
    class-ID: e001
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 4 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 2.1 lmp-v: 4.1 sub-v: 1
    hci-v: 4.1 rev: 3101
  Info: acl-mtu: 1022:8 sco-mtu: 183:5 link-policy: rswitch hold sniff
    link-mode: peripheral accept service-classes: rendering, capturing, object transfer, audio,
    telephony
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 447.13 GiB used: 20.13 GiB (4.5%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Crucial model: CT480BX500SSD1 size: 447.13 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: R022 scheme: MBR
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 447.13 GiB size: 439.04 GiB (98.19%) used: 20.13 GiB (4.6%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 4 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 file: /swap/swap
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 47.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2154 libs: 1071 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb https://ftp.saix.net/pub/linux/distributions/mxlinux/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/extrepo_librewolf.sources
    1: deb [arch=amd64 arm64] https://repo.librewolf.net librewolf main
Info:
  Processes: 212 Uptime: 17m wakeups: 5 Memory: 15.55 GiB used: 2.19 GiB (14.1%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: BIOS (legacy, CSM, MBR)

[chrispop99]

I wonder if the CMOS battery has died, resetting BIOS/UEFI back to default?

Chris

[RedGreen925]

I wonder if the CMOS battery has died, resetting BIOS/UEFI back to default?

Chris

I was going to say the same as it was the first thing that came into my head reading the description of the problem. With any luck the machine will have the socket type CMOS not one of them damn soldered on ones I had to buy and replace once. It is easy to change the socket type.

[j2mcgreg]

Here's a how to on CMOS battery replacement for an Aspire V5 - 571. The V5-571 and E5-571 are just different versions of the same laptop so the instructions hold true. Acer in their wisdom put the CMOS battery on the reverse side of the motherboard, so this procedure might be daunting for a beginner (could be worth a visit to a computer shop).
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Acer+Aspir ... ment/36745

[chrispop99]

Here's a how to on CMOS battery replacement for an Aspire V5 - 571.

That's why I love Dell machines. Full service manuals going back 20 years, and generally much easier to work on.

Chris

[FullScale4Me]

My HP that I use for UEFI testing had a thing a while back of showing a 1960s style light show for ~20 seconds on boot every time Secure Boot was enabled.

Changing the battery eliminated it. A part of this old guy missed the Joshua/Owsley style light show.

[m_pav]

What's the harm in using EFI boot? Most machines nowadays are.

[RedGreen925]

What's the harm in using EFI boot? Most machines nowadays are.

He says in the original posting he needed to go with legacy in order to install and use the MX on the machine.

[xtac]

Hey everyone. Thank you for all the suggestions and links! Much appreciated! I'll ask a computer technician if the CMOS battery can be replaced. One change almost 11 years later isn't too bad :) Cheers.

[m_pav]

He says in the original posting he needed to go with legacy in order to install and use the MX on the machine.

Yep and that's why I asked.
With the train wreck that was Windows Vista in 2008 coming with EFI boot support then very shortly afterwards the Windows 8 being well into it's alpha/beta testing during 2010-2011, I would be very surprised if his Acer did not have EFI boot capabilities.