Hi all,
I have a Lenovo Legion 5 (16IRX9), and the only provided method for updating the bios is an exe file from the Lenovo support site.
Is there a way to install it without a windows installation?
Thank you,
chronosJ
I had the same problem with my MSI computer. Whatever you do, don't run the EXE file. When I last did that, it did crazy stuff like making copies of my Desktop environment, cloning files, making an entire mess of everything. I just can't understand how running a BIOS update EXE, did completely irrelevant stuff, that messed everything up. In the process of me deleting those files it created, it toasted my OS.
EXE files are made for Windows, and BIOS updates are apparently meant to only be installed with Windows. Just another layer of Microslop only support, leaving Linux users with nothing.
I've heard that some motherboard BIOS can download and install a BIOS update, within the BIOS itself. My computer doesn't have such functionality. You have to do it the old school way, the way that can't be done on Linux.
Unless you truly need that BIOS update to add functionality to your computer, just forget updating it. Running that EXE on Linux will only make you hate your life, I speak from experience lol.
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The update may be in the Linux Vendor Firmware Service (LVFS)
sudo fwupdmgr refresh
sudo fwupdmgr get-updates
If it is, then there is no need for that .exe file.
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Hi.
To get round this:
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Download Ventoy and create a Ventoy USB drive.
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Next Download Hiren's Boot CD .iso from here:
Mount and open the Ventoy stick then drag the Hiren's Boot CD .iso into the open Ventoy USB window.
Once done, boot off the USB stick but be sure to choose USB with UEFI as Hiren's Boot CD uses a Win P.E. cutdown version of Windows 11. Once you are in live mode, use the Firefox browser to download the .exe and run it from within Hiren's Boot CD.
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No such luck on Lenovo Legion laptops, though my Asus computers conveniently had that (EzFlash or something like that).
No updates available.
Might be the only option, but needs an available USB stick. I'll see what I can find.
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The @swarfendor437 solution or
https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/update-lenovo-bios-from-linux-usb-stick-pen/
You could use FreeDOS booted from a USB flash drive to run the .exe file.
Beside all the other Suggestions and Advices here: It might be a Shot in the Blue, but You could simply contact the Lenovo Support, explain the Situation and maybe they have a BIOS File with Instructions for You. At least asking should be worth a Try I guess.
They don't offer the bootable iso for the Legion models.
Any particular advantage over Hiren's boot CD? I was mid write on that USB.
They're pretty clear about their lack of Linux support for the Legion models:
They also lock fan curve controls, temperature throttling, and CPU/GPU wattage control out from Linux (and the defaults are terrible).
I'm really hoping that the settings I gave it when windows was the OS aren't reset to defaults with the bios update.
Reset BIOS Settings after an BIOS Update wouldn't wonder me. I have a Gigabyte Board and when I make a BIOS Update, the Settings get reset to Factory Defaults and I have to change it again.
So, You already asked?
That's rough.. not sure I can deal with that, since the only solutions for setting bios stuff are for older Lenovo laptop models (Github repo Lenovo Legion Linux) and windows (Lenovo Legion Vantage).
No, the Contact Us support page has a) virtual AI agents and b) a community forum. Plus, when I first had the computer before the ai takeover, I didn't much care for the support. They seemed more interested in figuring out if they could void my warranty with questions like "did you spill anything on it or drop it?"
For the community forum: despite how reasonable their Linux support is for ThinkPads, it's just obvious how it'll be treated by their response to other Linux questions for Legion laptops:
Legion Vantage query
Do You need the BIOS Update because of fixing Security Vulnerabilities? Or why do You want do a BIOS Update?
Yes, specifically those updates to security.
Ah, okay. I understand. Would it only for having an up-to-date BIOS, I would say that you should think about letting like it is. But for Security Fixes, it would be good to have indeed.
Word of warning for people using Zorin with SecureBoot: updating the BIOS this way deleted/unenrolled the zorin MOK keys (though not the Ubuntu ones, oddly enough).
While it's easy enough to re-enroll the nvidia driver's MOK, I don't think the Zorin one is stored on system.