Can't see internal solid state HDD when booting HP Envy x360 from Linux USB flash memory stick

[burt1iband]

I use LInux as my primary OS, so after a couple of weeks of windows10 emersion therapy I was more than ready to install Linux on my new HP Envy convertible laptop. I am blind which means I must have sighted assistance to work with bios configuration, i.e. perhaps I'd have seen something useful  if I could have changed settings with out borrowed eyes. I did get help to turn off secure boot, enable booting from USB,and put that at the top of the boot order. I can boot in to Linux fine from a USB key now, but can not find the internal HDD when in Linux. Is there something else I need to do in the bios configuration so that my internal drive is visible and mountable from Linux? Normally I'd just say forget windows altogether, but there are a couple of tasks that are more acdcessible via windows screenreading software, so I want to set up a dual boot system. I've already given myself all the free space I *need, (windows's partitioning tool won't let me shrink the windows partition as much as I'd like, I have as much or more unused space as used on the main NTFS partition/do not know if this is normal or not; and yes, I did make sure thatthe partition was defragged before starting to shrink it). I usually set up my Linux partitions before starting to install said OS even if I am installing a distro with an installer that lets one configure partitions during the installation process. I even tried starting Linux installation in case the windows partitions showed up from the installer, but as I thought nothing new appeared from the installer. What am I missing? Thanks in advance for any help. 

[BrianTan]

You can shrink more NTFS volume with gparted.

Which distribution of Linux are you trying to install?

[burt1iband]

I booted using a specialized spin of Ubuntu, but will most likely be installing arch-Linux as my primary OS. I was using Vinux the Ubuntu spin I mention above as it was what I had handy on a memory stick, and also it requires little configuration and I wanted to see what just worked out of the box before installing my new OS. Gparted as well as other partitioning tools such as gdisk saw nothing in the way of any drives other than the pendrive that Linux was running from. blkid also showed nothing, not sure what to do/guess I'll just have to get someone to read me every option availble in bios config menus and hope something sounds like it might fix my problem.

[BrianTan]

What is the model number of your x360?

[burt1iband]

I am not sure what you mean by model #, but perhaps this info will give you what you want.

System Model HP ENVY x360 Convertible 15m-cn0xxx
System SKU 3VU72UA#ABA
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-8250U CPU @ 1.60GHz, 1800 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Insyde F.16, 21-Sep-18
SMBIOS Version 3.0
Embedded Controller Version 70.30
BIOS Mode UEFI

The laptop has a 256GB solid state drive,

Manufacturer (Standard disk drives)
Model SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDJTNG-8310A
Bytes/Sector 512
Media Loaded Yes
Media Type Fixed hard disk
Partitions 4
SCSI Bus 2
SCSI Logical Unit 0
SCSI Port 0
SCSI Target ID 0
Sectors/Track 63
Size 238.47 GB (256,052,966,400 bytes)
Total Cylinders 31,130
Total Sectors 500,103,450
Total Tracks 7,938,150
Tracks/Cylinder 255
Partition Disk #0, Partition #0
Partition Size 260.00 MB (272,629,760 bytes)
Partition Starting Offset 1,048,576 bytes
Partition Disk #0, Partition #1
Partition Size 139.09 GB (149,344,485,376 bytes)
Partition Starting Offset 290,455,552 bytes
Partition Disk #0, Partition #2
Partition Size 980.00 MB (1,027,604,480 bytes)
Partition Starting Offset 238,194,524,160 bytes
Partition Disk #0, Partition #3
Partition Size 15.68 GB (16,831,741,952 bytes)
Partition Starting Offset 239,222,128,640 bytes

Here's a bit more data that may or may not be of use in your attempt to understand my system.
Kernel DMA Protection Off
Virtualization-based security Not enabled
Device Encryption Support Elevation Required to View
Hyper-V - VM Monitor Mode Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Second Level Address Translation Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Virtualization Enabled in Firmware No
Hyper-V - Data Execution Protection Yes

Pretty much standard for what it is I reckon, I've not configured any disk encryption, only shrunk the main partition as can be seen/was going to finish my partitioning scheme from my usb linux boot, most likely with gparted as you mentioned, but as the disk is not seen...

[BrianTan]

According to page 1 of  HP ENVY x360 15 Convertible PC - Maintenance and Service Guide and SK hynix BC501, it looks like you have a 256-GB, 2230, PCIe-3×2, NVMe solid-state drive with TLC (m.2 2230).

My 14" laptop have a Toshiba BG3 256GB which I believe is also an m.2 2230 TLC drive.  It comes with Intel i5-8250 but with Insyde Bios version F.22. I can see the m.2 drive with gparted, shrink C: drive, installed Fedora without problem.

I may be wrong, but according to https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-envy-15m-cn0000-x360-convertible-pc/20270297 Bios version F.22 is available for your notebook. You have to check in with your particular serial number on support.hp.com to be sure.

Other than that, can't think of what else may be causing your problem at the moment.

[burt1iband]

Well, I was able to update the bios, but that made no difference I have noticed yet, i.e. I still do not find my sdd at all, much less any partitions and data  when booting from a Linux pendrive. Other than disabling secure boot, did you change any thing else in security configuration, or anywhere in the bios screens? Thanks for your interest and ideas, some way I will get to the bottom of this/I refuse to be stuck in windows much longer...lol!

[BrianTan]

I did not have to disable secure boot, just raise USB priority in UEFI Boot Order to boot Linux USB.

Once Fedora was installed, I switched the boot order in OS Boot Manager under UEFI Boot Order to favor Fedora.

My BIOS setting:

Security Settings

Administrator Password <Clear>

Power-On Password <Clear>

TPM Device <Available>

TPM State <Enabled>

Clear TPM <No>

Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX) <S/W Controlled>

System Configuration

Language <English>

Virtualization Technology <Enabled>

Fan Always On <Enabled>

Action Keys Mode <Enabled>

Battery Remaining Time <Enabled>

>Boot Options

>UEFI Device Configuration

Boot Options

Post Hotkey Delay (sec) <5>

CD-ROM Boot <Enabled>

USB Boot <Enabled>

Network Boot <Disabled>

Network Boot Protocol <IPv4+IPv6 (UEFI)>

Legacy Support <Disabled>

Secure Boot <Enabled>

Platform Key (grey out) Enrolled

Pending Action (grey out) None

Clear All Secure Boot Keys (grey out)

Load HP Factory Default Keys (grey out)

UEFI Boot Order

   USB Diskette on Key/USB Hard Disk

>OS Boot Manager

     Fedora (KBG30ZMV250G TOSHIBA)

     Windows Boot Manager (KBG30ZMV250G TOSHIBA)

    ......

Could it be Linux kernel not recognizing your SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDJTNG-8310A? If you have access to another m.2 2280 NVMe SSD, you can swap and check.

Sorry can't be of more help.