Suddenly, I can't get into the BIOS - holding or quickly pressing the Del key isn't working

[Delicieuxz]

I haven't had this issue before. I wanted to enter my system's BIOS to try out a different CPU PBO offset, but couldn't get into the BIOS by holding or quickly pressing the Delete key. I tried many times, and the system always went straight into Windows. I tried using a different keyboard, and a different USB port for the keyboard, and I also tried using the F2 key (which I read is the button on some keyboards) but it's doing the same thing, just booting straight into Windows.

 

The motherboard is an Asus ROG STRIX X670E-A.

[TylerD321]

Hit start go to the power button, hold shift while you click restart. A window will pop up. Go to troubleshoot > advanced options > Uefi firmware settings

[Delicieuxz]

11 minutes ago, TylerD321 said:

Hit start go to the power button, hold shift while you click restart. A window will pop up. Go to troubleshoot > advanced options > Uefi firmware settings

That's a good idea. Though, it didn't work just now. I did that, and the system rebooted, and then went into a black screen and stayed there. That's also the first time that's ever happened. After a while, I just clicked around and pressed some keys, and the system rebooted again, and went straight into Windows.

[TempestCatto]

Can you try a PS2 keyboard?

[Delicieuxz]

27 minutes ago, TempestCatto said:

Can you try a PS2 keyboard?

No, my AM5 mobo doesn't support PS/2.

 

But I've found that I can enter the BIOS and Windows' startup Advanced Options menu when I connect my old monitor to my PC. When I connect the new monitor that I just bought, an Asus PG329Q, I can't enter the BIOS or the Windows Advanced Options menu.

 

It looks like lots of people have an issue entering their PC's BIOS and Windows Advanced Options with Windows 11. And there are also a bunch of reports that sound like they could be the same issue with Windows 10.

 

Microsoft answers: Can't access bios or advanced startup on windows 11

 

One person in that thread also mentions a monitor trick they used to be able to see the Windows Advanced Options menu:

Quote

This work around will only apply if you have a monitor that can be switched off/on without powering down the computer. If you can attach a separate monitor to a laptop it should also work for that.

 

I discovered (Quite by accident) that if you turn off your monitor and restart it after the Advanced Recovery, Restart Now sequence is allowed to run ( I give it about 30 seconds of black screen) it lets the video resync with the monitor. From there the standard recovery menu is there complete with UEFI BIOS select. Hope this helps someone else cause its been driving me nutz!!!

 

So, to recap, I can enter both the BIOS (by holding down the Delete key while booting up), and enter the Windows Advanced Options menu normally using my old monitor (and can, from there, also reboot into the BIOS), but I can't do either when using my new Asus PG329Q monitor.

[Beerzerker]

Just trick the system into doing a default boot by pressing the power button and simply holding it until the machine cuts off.

Some boards will trigger a default boot right away, some boards take a few times of this to get it to do the default boot so simply lather, rinse and repeat but once you see the POST screen asking you to press F1 to check and set things in the BIOS, you've got it.

Also know your keyboard could also be the problem with this but normally it's just the board POST'ing so quickly it doesn't "Register" the delete key before it's gone past POST and booting the OS.

Fast POST being disabled in the BIOS is the normal way to slow it's POST process down.

If that doesn't seem to work, you can also disable (Slow down) the POST process by setting a delay for the HDD/SSD to initialize in the BIOS, usually a delay of about 2 seconds or a bit longer will help solve the problem.
I believe even if it's an m.2 drive the delay still applies.

[Delicieuxz]

My brother told me he had the same issue with his Asus AM5 system, and that he fixed it by resetting the BIOS and removing the CMOS battery to clear things as best as possible, and then starting up fresh with the new monitor, and that fixed it for him. I tried that, and it still didn't work for me. Then I tried swapping the DisplayPort cables from my old and new monitors, and with the other DP cable, and then my new monitor was able to go into the BIOS and also the Windows Advanced Options menu a couple of times. But now it's gone back to doing the same thing as before.

 

I tried using an HDMI cable instead of a DP one, and it also didn't go into the BIOS or show Windows Advanced Options (it's just a black screen). But I've found that pressing Space while in Windows Advanced Options will restart the PC, and then it seems to pretty consistently show the ROG splash screen, pre-Windows loading (which doesn't happen when I do a cold boot, or a normal reset from within Windows). So, I tried holding the Delete key after I rebooted from Advanced Options (which I did by pressing Space at the black screen where Advanced Options should be displayed), and I ended up going into the BIOS. While in the BIOS, I tried switching from HDMI to DP, and I got no signal. Then I tried switching back from DP to HDMI again, and also got no signal.

 

So, I shut-off the power supply, and turned it on again, and restarted the system with only DP connected. It again wouldn't go into the BIOS if I held down the Delete key, but it did load Windows, as is normal. Tomorrow, I'll try getting into the BIOS with a DP cable by doing the same thing I did via the black Windows Advanced Options screen with an HDMI cable.

 

I still don't have this issue using my old monitor, which goes into the BIOS and displays Windows Advanced Options normally.

[Delicieuxz]

13 hours ago, Beerzerker said:

Just trick the system into doing a default boot by pressing the power button and simply holding it until the machine cuts off.

Some boards will trigger a default boot right away, some boards take a few times of this to get it to do the default boot so simply lather, rinse and repeat but once you see the POST screen asking you to press F1 to check and set things in the BIOS, you've got it.

Also know your keyboard could also be the problem with this but normally it's just the board POST'ing so quickly it doesn't "Register" the delete key before it's gone past POST and booting the OS.

Fast POST being disabled in the BIOS is the normal way to slow it's POST process down.

If that doesn't seem to work, you can also disable (Slow down) the POST process by setting a delay for the HDD/SSD to initialize in the BIOS, usually a delay of about 2 seconds or a bit longer will help solve the problem.
I believe even if it's an m.2 drive the delay still applies.

The couple of times I was able to enter the BIOS with the Asus PG329Q monitor was right after clearing the CMOS, and then swapping the DP cables. When I booted after clearing the CMOS, with the PG329Q connected, I got a black screen. But when I connected the old monitor, an LG 32GK650F-B, I was able to see the "press F1 to enter setup" screen. After doing that, I swapped the DP cables, and I was able to see the F1 screen and the BIOS for a couple of times with the PG329Q monitor. But then it started doing the same thing as before, where I couldn't enter the BIOS or see the Advanced Options screen.

 

The issue seems to be unrelated to the speed of posting, and is related to to the VGA connection. With my old monitor, the LG 32GK650F-B, I'm able to just hold down the Delete key to enter the BIOS. I don't need to repeatedly press it. Though, I can tell when to press the Delete key, as right before the moment when it needs to be pressed, there's a faint pop from the PC speakers, then the CPU fans die down, and then the RGB on my mouse lights up. I've tried both holding down the Delete key and rapidly pressing it, many times, and neither work with the new monitor.

 

I've tried different keyboards, and the issue persisted. But my old monitor works with the keyboards I've tried.

[mMontana]

Sorry for the silly question if it was already answered. I did not read the whole topic.

 

Keyboard is connected to a USB Hub on the monitor... or on the PC?

[Delicieuxz]

21 minutes ago, mMontana said:

Sorry for the silly question if it was already answered. I did not read the whole topic.

 

Keyboard is connected to a USB Hub on the monitor... or on the PC?

I didn't address this thought yet. The keyboard is connected to the motherboard USB hub, and not the monitor.

[mMontana]

Thanks.

I'm starting to thing that there's a ground loop between monitor and PC...

[Delicieuxz]

I'm finding that I can consistently enter the BIOS with the new monitor if I Shift-key + Restart from the start menu, to boot into the Advanced Options screen (which doesn't display on the monitor but is just a black screen), and then, while at that black screen, press the Space key, which resets the PC again while making an Asus screen appear that says press Delete to enter the BIOS. If I'm not holding down the Delete key as the system starts booting after memory training, that screen won't display. But if I am holding the Delete key down, that screen will display and it'll go into the BIOS after that.

 

I'm going to push Asus for a fix, because it's a premium Asus monitor and a premium Asus motherboard, both part of their current lineup, and they should work together without an issue like this.

[Delicieuxz]

I've found that enabling Compatibility Support Module in the BIOS fixes the issue. Now I can see and access the BIOS and the Windows Advanced Options menu normally with my Asus PG329Q monitor.

 

Still, a current-production Asus motherboard and monitor should work together without an incompatibility issue.