Can't disable secure boot in bios of the mini pc I want to load HAOS on

Installation
1

My Minisforum UM 350 pc will not allow me to disable secure bios.I’ve spent hours researching. I’m afraid to update the bios (one is available on their website) for fear I might brick the machine. Anyone got any ideas on how to get around this? I actually did install HAOS onto it the other day, but got the error message that HAOS needs to have secure boot disabled.

1 Like
2

Load some Linux variant and install a VM with HAOS on it or try container then.
Debian with GNU or Mint would work nice.

3

https://www.reddit.com/r/MiniPCs/comments/1ihvuw6/minis_forum_un100p_secure_boot_cannot_be_disabled/
This might work similarly. You should upgrade the BIOS nevertheless.

4

You usually need to disable Secure Boot, not “secure BIOS.” On many Minisforum units, the option only appears after setting an admin/supervisor BIOS password first.

Try this:

  1. Enter BIOS/UEFI.
  2. Set a temporary Administrator/Supervisor password.
  3. Look under Security or Boot for Secure Boot.
  4. Disable Secure Boot.
  5. Save and reboot.
  6. After HAOS boots, you can go back and remove the BIOS password if you want.

Also check if there is an option like OS Type: Windows UEFI / Other OS. Setting it to Other OS often disables Secure Boot.

I would avoid flashing the BIOS unless you really need to. Try the password/Other OS option first.

5

I remember having the exact issue with having no way to disable secure boot until i have setup an admin pw in bios, so i recommend this.

6

I have finally stumbled onto a fix! I had downloaded the updated bios, and was going to try to do the update without bricking the pc, but I did a bit more searching and I ran into a post which told me the little hole next to the power switch on the Minisforum UM350 was for resetting the bios. I checked the digital manual I have and right there in the manual I was instructed to “remove the power” and then stick a paper clip into the hole and push for ten seconds. I wondered how the bios could be reset with the power off, but I suppose there is a little coin battery in there somewhere. I did it, turned the machine back on while hitting the DELETE key and I was back in bios, and everything worked. I was able to easily disable Secure Boot. I saved and exited and, to my amazement, the HA software came up and loaded. I had reloaded Ubuntu 26.04 again, so I was surprised that the HA software was still on the drive. Just to be safe, I’m going to boot from the Ubuntu USB stick again, select “try buntu” again, redownload the HA OS again so that I can follow along on my other screen in Windows for the “Onboarding” instructions.

Thank you all for your suggestions!