How to Enter the BIOS on Any PC: Access Keys by Manufacturer

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I've encountered some older HP's that used F1 for BIOS.

This is a handy list, though dangerous. Should add the caveat that it can be dangerous to change things in the BIOS if your not familiar with what the settings are for.

Might want to make an article about resetting BIOS, for the amateurs that use this list and mess their computers up. Otherwise, we might see a flood of threads asking why their computers wont start, even to the BIOS.

This could get real ugly, real fast.
 

islandwalker

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@martell1977, that's a very valid point. We tried to cover it in the last sentence. But the story could use a mention of how to reset to fail-safe defaults. Thanks.
 

termathor

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Good article.

Also, on SteamOS, there is a grub boot entry called "Setup" that reboots in UEFI mode.
Very handy as my PC indeed posts very fast ...
There are also tools to force reboot in UEFI, depending on mobos OEM ...
 


I've worked with some old Dells where, if you did that too quickly, the whole damn system would lock up at the POST screen and it would stop accepting keyboard commands. It was really frustrating when trying to teach interns how to get in to the BIOS as they'd just hammer at the key in fear of missing the window.
 

tazmo8448

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Well if resetting things in the BIOS makes it go belly up then all should know about taking the CMOS battery out for 30 seconds or more (this resets the BIOS to Default) then all you have to do is set the correct time & date an you're back in business...removing the battery is to me easier than pulling the CMOS pin out an going thru that option as the battery is a lot more obvious.
 
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