How can I get back into my bios after installing freebsd

J

Jim Starkloff

I just bought a computer that had window 11 on it. Then after finding out that a certain ps3 emulator would run best on freebsd, I installed freebsd. It's actually unusable as I only have a command line asking me to sign in. I once signed in as root but it won't let me to sign in anymore. I tried to sign in as my user name but it won't accept that either. I would install the kde desktop environment but I'm in freebsd limbo. I can't even go back into bios to try to reinstall. nothing works. Any suggestions would be great. If I could just get back bios I'd be in the clear.
 
Installing FreeBSD won't remove or somehow disable access to the BIOS.

As for resetting root's password, boot to single user mode. Then mount your filesystems read-write and use the passwd(1) command to reset the password.
 
Jim Starkloff said:
It's actually unusable as I only have a command line asking me to sign in.
Click to expand...
It's perfectly usable, you just need to use the right username (probably root) and its password; since you set the password yourself during the installation this shouldn't be too much of a problem.

As for being on just the commandline... ever heard of this thing called PowerShell? In a way both environments are actually quite alike.. PowerShell gets you hands-on acccess to the full .NET framework (!) whereas a FreeBSD shell gets you hands-on access to a whole whooping Unix-like operating system.
 
I was able to sign in. I had to clear the screen. I wasn't able to see the bottom text. I was typing in the dark. Now I tried to install a user desktop and I'm stuck. At this point I just want out of this limbo and go back to bios but I still can't. I do have a US type of keyboard. Powershell? I just want my computer back to bios. I'm not interested in freebsd any longer.
 
After doing more research into this, it seems that freebsd corrupted the bios chip and now I will need a new mother board or maybe have the bios firmware reinstalled on the chip.
 
if you have a HP machine Press ESC at boot to enter BIOS
If you have a White box , AMIBIOS is usually entered by pressing DEL key at Boot .
this has nothing to do with what operating system is installed.
 
could someone please give me the commands to install a different OS from a usb drive? I already have a image ready to install. Thank you.
I can't get any further with this sticky install. The computer is a Dell Optiplex 7050 MT, i76700 3.40 ghz, 32 GB DDR4 (4X8), ITBNVME yottamaster
 

Attachments

  • 20250421_145912.jpg
    20250421_145912.jpg
    179.6 KB · Views: 264
ShelLuser said:
Depends on your hardware, and since you never mentioned that...

I suggest using Google, or stick with the general instructions from drsnx60 above; those apply to most hardware.
Click to expand...
I got a message: Oops! We ran into some problems. You do not have permission to view this page or perform this action.
 
Jim Starkloff said:
I just bought a computer that had window 11 on it. Then after finding out that a certain ps3 emulator would run best on freebsd, I installed freebsd. It's actually unusable as I only have a command line asking me to sign in. I once signed in as root but it won't let me to sign in anymore. I tried to sign in as my user name but it won't accept that either. I would install the kde desktop environment but I'm in freebsd limbo. I can't even go back into bios to try to reinstall. nothing works. Any suggestions would be great. If I could just get back bios I'd be in the clear.
Click to expand...
From the picture you provided I discern a few things. You said you'd like to install kde but the picture shows you installed gnome. Also, it seems you are using the UEFI boot system, hence you got a framebuffer error. The X window server wants to see a different video "card" with the UEFI system so you'll need to create a file like this:

Code: 
     ee /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-scfb.conf
                        Section "Device"
                          Identifier "Card0"
                          Driver     "scfb"
                        EndSection
                        # -EOF-

My advice: start over with a fresh install of FreeBSD where you overwrite the disk anew.

There is a FreeBSD Handbook on-line that can help walk you through the various steps.
 
Bucky said:
From the picture you provided I discern a few things. You said you'd like to install kde but the picture shows you installed gnome. Also, it seems you are using the UEFI boot system, hence you got a framebuffer error. The X window server wants to see a different video "card" with the UEFI system so you'll need to create a file like this:

Code: 
     ee /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-scfb.conf
                        Section "Device"
                          Identifier "Card0"
                          Driver     "scfb"
                        EndSection
                        # -EOF-

My advice: start over with a fresh install of FreeBSD where you overwrite the disk anew.

There is a FreeBSD Handbook on-line that can help walk you through the various steps.
Click to expand...
I tried the KDE and Gnome was just the latest one that I tried to get to work. Nothing works like it's advertised. I love a lot of the Linux distros but this one has me wishing that I could turn the clock back.
 
Jim Starkloff said:
I tried the KDE and Gnome was just the latest one that I tried to get to work. Nothing works like it's advertised. I love a lot of the Linux distros but this one has me wishing that I could turn the clock back.
Click to expand...
I entered the text that you suggested. It went in ok but it didn't help. I would start over but I can't get into the bios. I used to be able to get into the bios by holding down the shift key on start up but now it boots directly into freebsd no matter which key or keys that I hold down,
 
You can. Stick with what you love.

As mentioned https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/...os-after-installing-freebsd.97605/post-698806 geting into BIOS depends on the computer model and (for me) has nothing to do with FreeBSD. As https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/...os-after-installing-freebsd.97605/post-698766 said. On my ThinkPad I have to press ENTER early after pressing the power button, then I can choose to e.g. continue to boot from a usb stick. Read this https://www.ecosia.org/search?q=Dell+Optiplex+7050+MT+bios+boot+menu

For further help maybe ask who's advice you followed to begin with, they may know.
 
Hi Jim,

RypPn is correct with F2 but ESC is a traditional method that is usually upheld and works.

Have you installed xorg?
Code: 
pkg install xorg

some Desktop Environments want a display manager (sddm, lightdm, gdm) to work. If you continue with FreeBSD, a wise decision, then you should install xorg and any display manager required by your DE. I recommend xfce4 DE, which doesn't require a display manager to function.
 
Another method to enter BIOS/UEFI on next boot:

efibootmgr --fw-ui then shutdown -r now

You will need to run these commands as 'root' in FreeBSD.
 
Jim Starkloff said:
At this point I just want out of this limbo and go back to bios but I still can't.
Click to expand...
Jim Starkloff said:
The computer is a Dell Optiplex 7050 MT, i76700 3.40 ghz, 32 GB DDR4 (4X8), ITBNVME yottamaster
Click to expand...
Get your Optiplex 7050 MT manual; likely OptiPlex 7050 Tower Owner's Manual:
Entering BIOS setup program
Steps
1. Turn on your computer.
2. Press F2 immediately to enter the BIOS setup program.
NOTE: If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the desktop. Then,
turn off your computer and try again.
Click to expand...
Note (special case): if you happen to have a keyboard that has its function keys activated by first pressing and holding down a Fn key, you do that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top