How to install Ubuntu on an Acer Aspire 3 Laptop

Guide Overview

The purpose of this guide is to teach you how to install Ubuntu on a current model Acer Aspire laptop.

 

I received a new laptop for Christmas this year. My old Acer Aspire, from Christmas of 2010, was still going strong, with Xubuntu 20.04. But, well, it was time for a newer cpu. The Athlon II x2 P340 2.2GHz was getting a little overworked when running a Win7 virtual machine, just so I could use my plotter with AutoCad 2k.

I now have an Acer Aspire 3 A317, with an Intel i5 cpu. I hope that it will last ten years, like the last one, but I am not counting on it.

The change over went smoothly. There was a learning curve for this old horse. I had an interesting time installing Xubuntu. It took me a day and a half to do what turned out to be a 30 minute job.

All because the Xubuntu installation software told me I had to disable Intel RST.
I am getting too old. What's an Intel RST?

I searched the internet, and found several answers to that question, plus a couple of other problems.

So, what follows is an explanation on how I installed Xubuntu on an Acer Aspire 3 A317.

I post this, in hopes that it helps out someone coming after me. This will save a little head scratching.

This may also work for other models of Acer Aspire laptops, as well.

Tools Needed

• Current model Acer Aspire laptop.

• Ubuntu 20.04 installation media on USB.

Instructions

################################################

How to install Ubuntu on an Acer Aspire 3 Laptop

If you are installing on a brand new laptop, out of the box, STOP!
DO NOT go through the Windoze set up. You MUST make some changes in the BIOS first.

NOTE: If Windoze was set up before you make the changes to the BIOS, then Windoze will not boot. You will need to install AHCI drivers.
You may have to run a Windoze repair, after the changes, in order to allow it to boot properly.

If you already have BIOS Ver. 1.17, and you do not intend to use dual boot, then you do not need to run Windoze. You can ignore most of this.




Step 1 Disable Intel RST and set system to use AHCI.

Power on the laptop for the first time, and enter the BIOS using the F2 key.

In order to make and save changes in the BIOS, you must set a Supervisor Password.

In the BIOS, go to "Security" - Set Supervior Password
You will need to enter the password to access the BIOS everytime, from here on.

Go to the BIOS "Main" to enable Supervisor privileges, by pressing "ctrl-s".

Select the "SATA Mode" and change from "Intel Optane" to AHCI.

Also, disable Fast Boot.




Step 2 Check and upgrade your BIOS version if requred.

It must be version 1.17 or later. If it is not, you must go through the Windoze setup to upgrade it.

If you already have version 1.17, skip this step and go to Step 3.

Save the BIOS changes and boot into Windoze set up.

DO NOT connect a network cable to the laptop.

During setup, you can disable Cortana (Optional). She turns me off, so I turned her off first.

At the Network screen, in the bottom left corner, tell setup that you have NO INTERNET.

Select minimal options for Windoze.

Provide a user name and password. The password can be optional, if you do not intend to use dual boot, as you will be erasing Windoze anyway.

You can now boot into Windoze and connect your network cable, or set up the wifi.

Go to Acer Support website, and obtain the latest version of your BIOS. Make sure you get the correct one for your model.

CAUTION: If it’s the wrong model, then you will probably brick your new laptop!

Download and install the update. It is an .exe program that runs in Windoze.

Allow the system to boot back to Windoze, to ensure that BIOS update completes properly.



Step 3 Only if you intend to use Dual Boot.

If you do not want to save Windoze, skip this step and go to Step 4. The Ubuntu install will then erase your entire drive.

You must resize the storage partition on the hard drive.

Do not use gparted. You must use the native Windoze disk manager.

If you have not done so, because your BIOS is up to date, then you must go through the Windoze setup, as described in Step 2.

Open "Computer Management" in Windoze, and select the "Disk Management Tool".

Select the storage partition, (it's the largest partition on the disk.)

Shrink the partition to provide enough space to install Xubuntu.




Step 4 Set your install media as a trusted boot device in the BIOS.

Insert your installation USB into the laptop.

Restart the laptop and enter the BIOS using F2.

Go to the "Security" tab, "Select an UEFI file as trusted for executing"

Navigate to USB0\EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi and add it as a trusted boot option.

Go to the "Boot" tab and select the USB as the primary boot option.

Save changes and exit the BIOS.




Step 5 Boot the laptop with the USB install media.

Install your favourite flavour of Ubuntu.

I prefer Xubuntu, with my own customized xfce desktop.

Post install, reboot the laptop, and go back into the BIOS.

Add HDD0\EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi as a trusted boot option in the "Security" tab, and set it as primary in the "Boot" tab.




You’re done. Enjoy!

Cheers!

Naught.

Acer Aspire 3 Laptop - Intel Core i5-1035G1/512GB SSD/8GB RAM A317-52-58ZK
Xubuntu 20.04

My Laptop is Aspire 3 (i3, 10th generation).

I followed every step mentioned by you.

But still, it didn't work.

I want to know, why?

Distro I was/am trying to install = Ubuntu 20.04

What happens:
After going to through Ubuntu installer, when it comes to Keyboard > Language > WiFi > Harddisk.

I'm the 4th stage, where I should be getting an option like this:
I) Use the entire disk

ii) Something else (manual partition)

I didn't saw these two options. #help
 

Edited by arunzeb, 16 April 2021 - 04:07 AM.

Reading through several results from a search on the subject, it appears some Acer models do not possess the ability to change modes without setting Supervisor password in UEFI.  I've enclosed this link as an indirect hint at your specific problem.  It comes fom reading this thread.   Hope it helps.

Ottherwise, one may want to try antiX instead of ubuntu, especially on earlier Aspires.

Edited by sidzen, 16 April 2021 - 09:37 AM.

Reading through several results from a search on the subject, it appears some Acer models do not possess the ability to change modes without setting Supervisor password in UEFI.  I've enclosed this link as an indirect hint at your specific problem.  It comes fom reading this thread.   Hope it helps.

 

Ottherwise, one may want to try antiX instead of ubuntu, especially on earlier Aspires.

Well, I have tried as per the post made by me over here:

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/635997/is-it-possible-to-install-ubuntu-lts-in-acer-aspire-a315-56-is-this-device-oem-locked-to-windows#latest

I decided to give up (for now).

Edited by arunzeb, 17 April 2021 - 11:26 PM.

hi,

i'm trying your procedure to install ubuntu on acer a317-52 but there is a problem.

first :

• bios setup ok : enabled admin password and enabled ahci
• ubuntu live now can see the nvme

but  ....

windows first run gives blu screen error (no boot device) for 2 times.

then start 'Preparing Automatic Repair'.

now it seems frozen.

i will restart the pc and try to reenable 'rst' optane.

......

optane reenabled.

windows setup started.

.....

windows setup completed without network and then conneted and actvied.

NOW I MUST SEARCH HOW TO PASS FROM OPTANE TO AHCI AND HAVE A WORKING WINDOWS 10.

What a stressssssssssss.

Start windows 10
Select Safe Mode Boot in msconfig
Reboot go into BIOS
Change Setting to AHCI

continue the boot
Let Windows do its magic
Uncheck Safe Mode in msconfig
Reboot as normal

(https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/enabling-windows-10-to-boot-ahci/6ea296ed-6c2d-452b-9b3e-982ab98a1331)

ubuntu installed (now i'm trying the xfce4 interface....) and working as primary os.

I think i will keep win10 updated for future needs.

Thank you very much for the precious guide.

Edited by luke67m, 08 September 2021 - 06:43 AM.

Hi all.
I want to share another experience with this notebook and make a request.
I bought the internal sata cable to connect an hdd and bought a 2T hdd.
But...
The hdd was visible from Win10 but not from Linux.
Damn...
Searching (if i use duckduckgo i can say ducking instead of googling?) around i noticed that this happens .
So i started trying to solve the problem.
The first working suggestion that i found was : sleep and unsleep. Terrible but working.
Then looking at the linux kernel site for the ahci drive i red that this driver had problem with some intel chipset at 6gbps a at 3gbps.
and on the same site i found that libata can be forced at different speed.
So now i added a parameter in the boot options of grub to slow-down sata connection to 1.5Gbps and everithing seems to work :
libata.force=1.5Gbps
 
And now a request : someone knows a better solution?
 
For example : is there a way to go from 1.5G to 3 or 6Gbps after boot?
Remember that on the same bus there is the dvd.

 

Many thanks for this post. Just got an new Acer Aspire 3 for a good price from Argos and I'm installing Arch linux on it. This saved me hours of farting around with the BIOS setup app.

Only thing to add is on  the 'Boot' screen 'Secure Boot' needs to be 'Enabled' to be able to select the 'Select an UEFI file...' on the 'Security' screen, BUT BUT BUT 'Secure Boot' needs to be 'Disabled' to get a working boot. This is what I've found but YMMV.

Also after selecting the UEFI file you need to reboot to see them on the boot menu. It might be a 'Good Idea' ©  to reboot after each change.