⟐ Answer deleted August 12, 2019 at 21:28 MST

⟐ Answer accepted April 27, 2026 at 18:32 MST

⟐ Answer edited September 10, 2025 at 5:04 MST

The main problem is:

The BIOS detects the internal SSD correctly, but when I try to boot from it, I get:

> Operating System Not Found

The most important detail is that this problem existed before installing Linux. The laptop originally had Windows 7 installed, and it already showed exactly the same error. Therefore, I don't think Linux is the original cause of the problem.

Hardware

• Dell XPS 13 L321X

• BIOS: A08

• SSD: Samsung PM85, approximately 256 GB

• Phoenix SecureCore Tiano BIOS

• Motherboard: Quanta D13 / DA0D13MBCD1

What we have verified

The BIOS detects the SSD correctly.

The F12 boot menu shows:

• Removable Drive

• Hard Drive

• CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive

• Diagnostics

• Setup

If I select **Hard Drive**, the laptop attempts to boot but immediately ends up with:

> Operating System Not Found

The SSD is also visible and accessible from a Linux Mint Live USB environment.

Linux Mint

We installed Linux Mint from a USB drive.

The SSD was partitioned using GPT and contains an EFI System Partition as well as the main Linux partition.

We also previously verified that the Linux Mint USB environment was booting in UEFI mode.

However, after installation, removing the USB drive results in:

> Operating System Not Found

We previously attempted to repair GRUB, and one of the repair attempts reported:

> Installing for i386-pc platform.

> Installation finished. No error reported.

This made us suspect a Legacy/BIOS vs UEFI mismatch. However, the strange part is that **Windows 7 had already produced the exact same error before Linux was ever installed**.

BIOS password

The BIOS originally had an administrator password:

• Admin Password: Set

• System Password: Cleared

• HDD Password: Cleared

The administrator password prevented us from changing some BIOS settings, particularly settings related to boot configuration.

After researching the issue and following a physical reset procedure, I completely discharged the laptop and performed a bridge/reset procedure at the RTCR2 area of the motherboard. Afterward, a new status appeared:

• HDD Password State: Cleared

However, the administrator password still appears as Set, and the boot problem remains.

I don't want to continue bridging motherboard contacts or modifying the BIOS blindly.

What I am trying to find out

Has anyone experienced this specifically on a **Dell XPS 13 L321X**?

In particular:

1. Is there a known issue with BIOS A08 and booting from the internal SSD?

2. Does this BIOS require a specific bootloader or a specific EFI file/path?

3. Is there something unusual about this Phoenix BIOS that makes it detect the SSD but fail to find the operating system?

4. Should GRUB be installed in Legacy/BIOS mode on this model, or should it use UEFI?

5. Is there a specific BIOS configuration required to boot Linux from the internal SSD?

6. Has anyone successfully installed Linux Mint, Ubuntu, or another modern Linux distribution on an L321X and booted it directly from the internal SSD?

We have verified that the SSD is detected and that the operating system can be installed successfully from USB. The failure happens specifically **when the laptop tries to boot from the internal SSD**.

Any expe

rience, procedure, or model-specific information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

⟐ Commented August 11, 2026 at 16:38 MST

Powering on the laptop with pressing D starts the display test and it works so it is not a display issue.

Let me explain how i got here.

I have been using the laptop with ubuntu 19.10 booting in legacy mode. After the newest update and a reboot i got only in minimal grub. I was trying to repair grub and switched from legacy to UEFI which got me to a black screen, keyboard lights on and a 4 beeps signal that kept on repeating.

Next i unplugged all peripherals and AC, opened the laptop removed the CMOS battery and the battery. Pressed the power button for 30sec, put everything back in order and tried to boot it. This time still black screen, keyboard lights on, but no beeping this time.

Next i tired to flash the BIOS, following the solution here:

https://www.dell.com/community/Laptops-G...

I can see that the laptop boots and starts to read the flash drive but then nothing happens and the white LED keeps on blinking still black screen.

Tied many many times to flash from the usb drive and waited for hours but nothing happens. The led on the usb flashes in the beginning while keyboard lights are on as well as the front indicator led. Then the light of the usb goes off and the indicator led on the front of the laptop flashes.

Is there another way to reset the NVRAM??

Any other ideas i could try? Apart from this the laptop has been stellar and would love to keep it.

Thanks.

⟐ Commented August 26, 2023 at 0:04 MST

⟐ Commented September 23, 2020 at 10:01 MST

As I open my Dell L321X laptop, I connect it to the Wifi, it becomes as an intermittent connectivity and it turns off and I should turn it on again. other device at home’s wifi will turn off also.

Besides my laptop doesn’t detect the battery and it says”No battery is detected” and as i pull of the charger cable, the laptop turns off.

Thanks a lot for your responses, but as I updated my drivers and by letting the laptop to be on the table near the WiFi router, the condition got even worse. and the troubleshooter didn’t work either. I am going to run through your instructions with the application that you told and see if that works.

I have cleaned the fan, but I still get the load noise of working fan while running Windows.

Thanks a lot and your assistance will be truly appreciated. :)

The ppp setting is set to continuous.

Thanks, please see the image. I don’t know what step is the next and what should I change. Thanks a lot.

Yeah it is 2004 version!

I had no problem before I had Win7 untill I get it repaired in the shop…

Do you recommend that I keep this laptop or I change it with a new Dell XPS one? As the picture indicates it seems it is still a fabulous laptop!

TNX. :)

⟐ Commented August 23, 2020 at 18:01 MST

⟐ Commented June 26, 2020 at 14:57 MST

I am using dell, I am contributing open source project.

I am have frequent low Ram issues. My Laptop spec says Max supported RAM is 16.

Can I install Ram More that 16gb will it work?

Regards

⟐ Commented May 31, 2020 at 6:54 MST