[SOLVED] No BIOS for Me!

[hassenpheffer]

I got a new pre-built rig with Windows 11 Home.

I reinstalled Windows from a USB (made boot device USB in BIOS).

Installed this and that and made some tweaks here and there.

I cannot boot into BIOS at start up anymore.

I hit the DEL key (MSI board) and it stops Windows from booting up.

I tried restarting with USB boot and nothing.

I tried restarting from settings, the shortcut SHIFT+RESTART in Windows to get to UEFI as well as in the command line (shutdown /r /o /f /t 00 or shutdown /r /o )

I'm not sure what to do.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

what happens when loading Advanced Boot Options with F8?

 

[Colif]

Isn't F8 safe mode?

1. go to settings/recovery
   
2. Next to advanced startup, click restart now button
   
3. this restarts PC in a blue menu
   
4. choose troubleshoot
   
5. choose advanced
   
6. Choose UEFI Firmware interface
   

that should get you into BIOS

This prebuilt, what make/model? if its someone other than Dell or HP, or a big brand, any idea what motherboard it has?

Did you turn on anything like super fast boot?

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

Isn't F8 safe mode?

no, pressing F8 upon boot loads the boot manager that offers multiple advanced options for your system boot bypassing any 'built-in' options.

 

[Colif]

Guess I have never set this up so its possible it takes you same place

Spoiler

Here is another way to try to get to Safe Mode.

Boot to the Command Prompt of your boot disk (see methods to create below). Enter these BOLD commands and press ENTER after each.

(Note the colon after C with no space; then the spaces which are important - one after T before / & T before { & } before B & Y before L)

C:

BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY LEGACY

EXIT

You are back to the boot screen -> Shutdown the computer.

Boot back up and "immediately" start tapping F8 (That means power button - then F8).

Hopefully that should get you into Safe Mode.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To reverse that you can use the same steps and type these (again note spaces)

C:

BCDEDIT /SET {DEFAULT} BOOTMENUPOLICY STANDARD

Restart but F8 will not work now.

its why I thought F8 was safe mode.
My list is another way to maybe same menus.

 

[hotaru.hino]

You may have to enable pressing F8 before booting to see the advanced boot options: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/safe-mode-in-windows-8

Either way, there's a way through Settings as @Colif mentioned.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

hopefully one of these options lead to accessing the BIOS.

if not, if Windows 11 has somehow interrupted regular options, it may take some 3rd party bootable disk management software to format the disk and allow a fresh OS install.

according to the OP's description of the current status anyway...

 

[Colif]

You may have to enable pressing F8 before booting to see the advanced boot options: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/safe-mode-in-windows-8

Either way, there's a way through Settings as @Colif mentioned.

my spoiler are those steps so I guess its only way to access safe mode from boot screen. You can get to blue menus a few ways but booting off USB generally won't give access to Safe mode... not sure about UEFI choice as most times I offer that is to get to safe mode

 

[hotaru.hino]

my spoiler are those steps so I guess its only way to access safe mode from boot screen. You can get to blue menus a few ways but booting off USB generally won't give access to Safe mode... not sure about UEFI choice as most times I offer that is to get to safe mode

I was also reading that the F8 menu was not doable anymore if you're using UEFI booting instead of legacy booting, but then most other people said F8 menu was still a thing so I dunno.

I don't mind F8 being disabled by default though. There are still ways to get into Safe Mode and Windows will boot into it anyway if it fails to boot a certain number of times normally.

 

[hassenpheffer]

So I was with tech support with iBuyPower and went through all the troubleshooting.

I put in an older card (the rig came with a RTX 3070 and I switched it with a GTX 970) and it let me into bios.

They concluded that the new card is defective so I'm going to send it back.

I've had this rig for less than a month and this happens. Hooray for technology.

 

[hassenpheffer]

Isn't F8 safe mode?

1. go to settings/recovery
2. Next to advanced startup, click restart now button
3. this restarts PC in a blue menu
4. choose troubleshoot
5. choose advanced
6. Choose UEFI Firmware interface

that should get you into BIOS

This prebuilt, what make/model? if its someone other than Dell or HP, or a big brand, any idea what motherboard it has?

Did you turn on anything like super fast boot?

Yes, fast boot is enabled in bios.

 

[Colif]

I don't mind F8 being disabled by default though. There are still ways to get into Safe Mode and Windows will boot into it anyway if it fails to boot a certain number of times normally.

F8 was disabled at boot for security reasons. Why have secure boot if people can just override it, I think was reasoning.
can't get to safe mode from the fail to boot screens, windows 10/11 only offer safe mode if windows can get as far as logon screen. its why I offer spoiler for anyone who wants safe mode.

So I was with tech support with iBuyPower and went through all the troubleshooting.

I put in an older card (the rig came with a RTX 3070 and I switched it with a GTX 970) and it let me into bios.

They concluded that the new card is defective so I'm going to send it back.

I've had this rig for less than a month and this happens. Hooray for technology.

Okay, so card was reason. Strange it doesn't work in BIOS but works everywhere else

Fast boot may have been reason, but generally all fast boot does is runs all the checks at once, instead of one at a time. It doesn't disable anything. Super Fast Boot does same as fast boot but disables some USB devices at boot.

 

[hassenpheffer]

So here's the punchline: it wasn't the card after all. It was the keyboard I was using. I was waiting for a new keyboard to come in and as soon as I connected it I was able to get into safe mode and bios.

I don't know why but that was the reason. Fortunately, I got the RMA canceled just before it shipped.

Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[Colif]

faulty keyboard.

its always something unexpected.

Cheap answer. good thing you could stop rma.

 

[hassenpheffer]

faulty keyboard.

its always something unexpected.

Cheap answer. good thing you could stop rma.

Yeah I dodged a bullet there. The keyboard isn't cheap. It's a Microsoft Digital Media Keyboard. I've been using it for a long time and it was great. Unfortunately the Microsoft Keyboard and Mouse software no longer supports the model I had. I bought the newest version and I don't like it very much.

Oh well.

Thanks to all for your help!

 

[Colif]

Microsoft used to make some really good gaming keyboards, I had a Sidewinder X6 but they stopped making them before I was ready for a new keyboard and was not amused when I couldn't get another one.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

Microsoft used to make some really good gaming keyboards

definitely.

had a Sidewinder keyboard/mouse kit maybe 15 years ago that was very nice.
was the first mouse i'd ever seen with a tilting scroll wheel plus the two extra forward & back buttons.
took me quite a while to find a new set that even compared to the comfort and response of them.

still have a very old beige MS keyboard i keep around for old PS/2 systems and it's keys have better response and feel than the majority of "gaming" keyboard's Cherry options.