Hp_bioscfg: unable to set BIOS settings on HP systems

Support and Help
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1

Ubuntu Version:26.04

Desktop Environment

GNOME

Problem Description:

I can load up Ubuntu 26.04 it runs in a live session but as it’s loading it says [hp_bioscfg: unable to set BIOS settings on HP systems] on the loading screen. Then when the live session starts whever the “install RELEASE” program tries to run to install Ubuntu and give the option to replace the other OS(in this case windows 10) it tries to start up then crashes. This USB has been used to install Ubuntu to 2 laptops(asus) just last week with no problem.

Relevant System Information:
HP desktop:Compaq 8000 Elite SFF PC. System BIOS 786G7 v01.02

What I’ve Tried:
I’ve looked in the BIOS myself trying to find some lock or password. I’ve looked on many forums trying to find a line to run in the terminal or setting to change in the BIOS but no one seems to have run into this who couldn’t fix it themselves.

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2

I am not sure but this could be some type of protection in the UEFI that you may need to disable. Maybe start looking into “HP Sure Boot” which seems to be their way of oneuppance on “Secure Boot”.

3

@nube-to-the-butu Welcome to Ubuntu Discourse :slight_smile:

On a tangential journey across the internet I came across some information, but that was related to testing the beta release.

However, that said, give this a try:

  1. Reboot into your Ubuntu Live USB
  2. Disconnect any Ethernet cables and turn off your Wi-Fi from the upper-right corner menu before opening the installer
  3. Run the installer offline. You can safely reconnect to the internet and download updates once the desktop environment is fully installed

Let us know if this helps at all.

4

Unfortunately this did not work, seems the offline didn’t help. Thank you for the info though! I appreciate it!

5

Not able to give two reactions to posts, one of them would have been a happy face to help, the other a sad face that it didn’t work.

Any error messages, something else we can use to help troubleshoot the issue?

Please post the make/model of the computer and, if possible, full specifications such as graphic card, memory etc.

Hopefully, someone will come along with more ideas.

6

Your PC is 2009/2010 vintage with 4GB Ram?
Probably not suited to Ubuntu 26.04 with Gnome 50.

I suggest that you try Xubuntu 26.04 or Lubuntu 26.04

7

The BIOS settings pages have neither secure boot nor HP sure boot.

8

It is an old model but it has been upgraded to 8gigs of ram…it is an Intel 2 core duo at 33GHz processor though.

9

Still worth experimenting with one of the Ubuntu family distros

Is your PC UEFI compatible?

10

I would but the 2 laptops I’ve uploaded this too run fine and they are much lower spec. This seems like a very different problem that I don’t think changing the distro will chabge but If I don’t get results soon I’ll try another distro for sure

11

Ah! it’s running a legacy BIOS mode, I’ll try to upgrade

12

BIOS settings - Is your PC UEFI compatible?
Did you boot the USB installer in Legacy or UEFI mode?

Oops - 60 seconds late

13

I updated it, the Windows won’t run anymore(no concern there because I had it backed up and was trying to shift anyways. But the error remains, Ubuntu can’t set the BIOS and the installer crashes immediately.

14

How did you update it? To me it sounds like you’ve only changed some setting; possibly from booting in BIOS or CSM mode to UEFI only. A reset to factory defaults could do the trick.

15

After resetting the BIOS to default, can you successfully boot into a “Try Ubuntu” live session?

If so, please post the output of this command:-

[ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && echo "UEFI" || echo "Legacy"
16

I am not 100% certain but after some more research it seems that message results from a recent kernel update.

However, it is considered to be non-critical and should not prevent you from installing Ubuntu.

Next time, please select Safe Graphics Mode when live mode starts.

Also, make sure you flashed the image to the USB in the mode you intend installing with (in this case Legacy BIOS and not GPT).

Any luck?

17

As far as I’m aware all Ubuntu live images have been “hybrids”, which can be booted from both BIOS and UEFI, for a long time. All one needs to do is to properly “clone” them to the raw device (not a partition(!)); any fiddling with settings of “cloning tools” is probably undermining that design.

18

there seems to be a BIOS update for that system from HP to version 01.14

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Software-and-How-To-Questions/HP-Compaq-8000-Elite-SFF-Bios-update/td-p/8195418

edit .. also a link for the BIOS update here

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/what-s-the-latest-bios-version-for-HP-8000-Elite-USDT/td-p/8513657

19

I am trying this now, this is the only think I can think because it looks like I have some locked down BIOS. I’ll let you know if it works.

1 Like
20

when I put that in terminal It outputs “Legacy”