Troubleshooting BIOS Boot Priority for Ubuntu on Supermicro Motherboard

[member 428835]

Hi PF!

I just built a desktop and installed Ubuntu. The issue is, upon powering on the device I am taken to the BIOS display, where I have to choose how I want to boot up. I'd prefer the computer automatically always use the SSD, which has Ubuntu on it. Do you know how I can automate this?

I'm using a Supermicro motherboard, if that matters.

 

[PeterDonis]

Do you know how I can automate this?

Your BIOS setup utility should have a way of setting which boot device you want it to pick to boot automatically. Most computers will display a message when they first start up that tells you to press a particular key (often F10 or Esc) to enter the BIOS setup utility.

 

[phinds]

Your BIOS setup utility should have a way of setting which boot device you want it to pick to boot automatically. Most computers will display a message when they first start up that tells you to press a particular key (often F10 or Esc) to enter the BIOS setup utility.

 

[jack action]

Are you taken to the BIOS or to a boot loader menu, such as GNU GRUB?

If you are sent to a boot loader menu, you can change its configuration file to your liking. https://www.techbrown.com/change-grub-boot-order-timeout-ubuntu-16-04/, you have some instructions to do so to modify the one for a GNU GRUB boot loader.

 

[MikeeMiracle]

PC probably won't boot if you don't have the right boot order so I am guessing this is a Linux boot loader.

 

[member 428835]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I'm unsure if I'm taken to GRUB or BIOS, but here are two images: the image that says "please select boot device" occurs after I press F11. If I don't press anything I go to another screen automatically, where it looks for a bootable device, ultimately requiring me to turn off the machine.

All this to ask, how can I have the computer automatically log into ubuntu without seeing this?

If it matters, I want to do this because I have a graphics card I would like to use. When I plug it into the motherboard and connect the monitor the the graphics card, I get no response from the screen. From what people have said, it is likely that the graphics card will only work with the OS until I install the correct drivers (which cannot be installed unless the graphics card is plugged in and running).

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[PeterDonis]

I'm unsure if I'm taken to GRUB or BIOS

The screens in your images are BIOS screens.

how can I have the computer automatically log into ubuntu without seeing this?

On the first screen, it says "Press <DEL> to run Setup" just below supermicro.com (the right part of the first line of the message there), so pressing the Del key while you're at that screen should take you to the BIOS setup utility.

On the second screen, "Enter Setup" is one of the menu options, selecting that should also take you to the BIOS setup utility.

I have a graphics card I would like to use. When I plug it into the motherboard and connect the monitor the the graphics card, I get no response from the screen

Not even the screens you showed images of? Those should come up regardless of the monitor/graphics card arrangement (the computer boots in a default graphics mode that should work with any monitor/graphics card combination). If you see nothing at all, it usually means something isn't hooked up right (wrong cable from monitor to graphics card?) or something isn't configured right on the card (jumper in wrong place, perhaps).

the graphics card will only work with the OS until I install the correct drivers (which cannot be installed unless the graphics card is plugged in and running)

The screens you showed images of have nothing to do with your OS; they are straight from the BIOS. As above, they should display no matter what your monitor/graphics card arrangement is, since they don't require any graphics modes that are specific to particular cards.

The way I normally do this is to boot the computer from my installation medium for my OS (such as an installation CD/DVD for Ubuntu) with my desired monitor/graphics card combination already installed, and run the OS installation process with that monitor/card, so it installs the correct drivers.

 

[member 428835]

Not even the screens you showed images of? Those should come up regardless of the monitor/graphics card arrangement (the computer boots in a default graphics mode that should work with any monitor/graphics card combination). If you see nothing at all, it usually means something isn't hooked up right (wrong cable from monitor to graphics card?) or something isn't configured right on the card (jumper in wrong place, perhaps).

Nope, when the graphics card is plugged into the motherboard and powered, I get no display. The fans attached to the graphics card spin, and a blue LED on the graphics card illuminates, signifying power, but no screen visualization. I noticed something else odd happens: I have a keyboard that illuminates, and when the graphics card is plugged in, the keyboard does not illuminate (the CPU is definitely on, as the same LED lights on the motherboard are on and the CPU fans are running) but when the graphics card is not plugged in, the keyboard illuminates. Any idea why, or if this is related?

 

[PeterDonis]

Any idea why, or if this is related?

Does your motherboard have built-in graphics? If so, you might need to set some jumpers or do some other configuration to disable the built-in graphics before it will work with a graphics card.

 

[member 428835]

Does your motherboard have built-in graphics? If so, you might need to set some jumpers or do some other configuration to disable the built-in graphics before it will work with a graphics card.

I think it does. I called tech support yesterday and switched the necessary prong cable. Just unsure if there was something more that perhaps one of you has experience with.

Any clue about the keyboard issue?

 

[PeterDonis]

Any clue about the keyboard issue?

I suspect it's a side effect of whatever the motherboard is doing that makes it not work with the graphics card.

 

[member 428835]

I suspect it's a side effect of whatever the motherboard is doing that makes it not work with the graphics card.

You were kind of right! The issue turned out to be manually setting the jumpers AND giving priority to offboard GPU units under "advanced" settings in the BIOS. After doing both of these, when I rebooted with GPU installed and connected to monitor, it worked.

Thanks for all your help everyone; I really appreciate it!