HP Zbook 17 G3; Grub boot loader refuses to load after install on HDD ( UEFI or Legacy ).

[OSIRIS777]

Hi All, 

I recently purchased a HP Zbook 17 G3, product ID: X1X64UT#ABA.  There are so many problems with the firmware(s) running on this machine from what I am reading online as well as experiencing on this machine.  It looks like, HP released newer versions of the BIOS which may have stabilized certain issues and Windows 10 Pro seems to be running on it without problems but the problems I am having are related to the Debian Linux installations.  This is a dual boot system (Windows 10 and Debian).  Windows is installed on the second drive in UEFI GPT partitioned drive, secure boot disabled.  Debian 10.1.0 is installed on the first HDD in the legacy mode (MBR).  When I installed Debian, I unchecked the box in the Bios Setup for UEFI so that it only sees the Legacy devices and the Boot order is correct.  After the Debian install, the machine reboots and it refuses to load the Grub Boot Loader.  I get a black screen then it continues to try boot from other devices on the boot order list (network boot).   It looks like, some security volnurabilities were found relating to Grub and were addressed in the newer bios releases but this concerns the UEFI and secure boot installations. It seems to me whatever changes were done in the Bios firmware code, it is affecting the Legacy boot installations also… Grub is being delibaretly blocked from loading by the Bios even in the legacy mode.  Initially, I had attempted my installation of Debian 11.5 using the UEFI GPT and that had also failed where the Grub boot loader would not load.  When I checked the ESP , I did not find a Debian directory under \EFI directory. which means grub did not install correctly.  But, what is the excuse for the legacy mode install not working?  Someone had suggested changing the video from auto to discreet in the boot-list options in the bios setup and that did not help either… Furthermore, based on what I am seeing and reading, there has been major issues relating to the IME firmware where people have bricked and lost machines after an update.  I don’t see the usual IME screens when I select the IME from F9.  None of the menu options for configuration exist.  Passwords cannot be set.  No configuration can be done.  Clearly, this is a major @#&#*&($.  Will there be a fix to all of this after 7 years?    I would appreciate any help I can get from the support community.  Also, going forward, is there an attempt/plans by HP and Microsoft to block the installations of other OS to control the direction of what OS(s) can be run on the HP Hardware?

Kind Regards,