Windows 8 bios on a laptop. Why change? Switch to BIOS

Here it is, the ultimate goal of our journey.

Reader, to launch the BIOS (and it doesn't matter if you have windows 8 or something else), do the following:

1) Turn on your computer (or reboot).

2) Press one of these keys:

del, F8, F2, F7 are four options, but only one is suitable for your computer.Therefore, when you first boot use one key. If it doesn’t help, reboot again and use another button.

Some nuances on the launch

1) Pick the right moment.  The fact is that you can run bios exclusively at the initial stage of turning on the computer (these are the few seconds when the inscriptions, tsiferki, hardware configuration appear on the screen). But when the window appears windows bootor more, window greetings windows  - then everything, the train is gone, the moment you enter bios is missed - reboot.


2) What to press then?  Above were given some keys. Which ones to press? It all depends on your motherboard. What a board - such and bios those buttons and press. BUT! Do not be afraid to press something wrong, the computer will not explode from it, it will not break, and even with Windows nothing will happen.

3) How many times to click?My answer: hammer on the key, nothing will happen to it, as well as to the computer. In other words, you click 5 times, 10 times, or more - it does not matter at all. No, of course, a clear and verified movement, produced at the perfect moment - you can go into bios and the first attempt, but why such difficulties? Turn on the computer, but click on the button.


P.S.  A computer can be without Windows at all, but the BIOS is always installed in it! The fact is that bios is “sewn up” to the motherboard, it is NOT CONNECTED WITH WINDOWS 8 or another OS. Consequently, questions related to how to enter it under a certain axis are tritely incorrect.

The problem with how to log into Bios on Windows 8 may arise from users who need to hardware enable or disable some components of the computer.

And, if the PC is installed windows system  8 or 8.1., It can be done in several ways, including even the input from the OS itself.

The main reason that you may need to enter the BIOS directly from Windows 8, is too fast loading of the OS.

New motherboards are equipped with advanced Bios (and their UEFI counterparts), thanks to which the system starts loading not in seconds, but in milliseconds.

As a result, you can simply not have time to click on the usual buttons for quick entry, which was used before.

And yet there is a solution. 8th generation developers operating system  from Microsoft provided an opportunity to log in to BIOS (UEFI) after it was downloaded.

Special download options

The main way to solve the problem with the inability to enter the BIOS, which often arises from the owners of new computers and laptops from certain manufacturers, such as Lenovo and Hewlett Packard, is to use special options to boot the system.

This method does not require a lot of time, and, after getting acquainted with it, logging into the BIOS will take the user only a few minutes.

To use the first and most popular way to get into the BIOS before booting the entire system requires:

  1. Open the right panel of the system;
  2. Select the item "Parameters" and "Change Parameters";
  3. Click on the words "Recovery";
  4. Find a point of special boot options and choose to reboot the system.

When the computer restarts, a sign of this type will appear on the screen:


If a USB flash drive is inserted into the USB port of the computer, or there is a boot disk in the drive, the menu may be slightly different. The icon “Use device” will appear in it, by clicking on which, you can boot not from the HDD, but from external media.

However, to load the BIOS and change the system settings, select the "Diagnostics" item.


Here you can restore the working capacity of the computer or continue to gain access to the BIOS by clicking on the “Advanced Settings” item. A new troubleshooting menu will appear on the screen.


Selecting “Firmware Parameters”, you must confirm the BIOS boot and reboot the system. After rebooting, the user gets access to the BIOS settings.

The method is quite simple, although it takes some time, however, as a result, it is possible to achieve the desired in about 90% of cases.

BIOS settings

Using the settings of the BIOS itself, you can also get into the advanced settings menu. There are 2 ways to do this:

  • Use the command line;
  • Reboot with the Shift key held down.

Using the command line

The first option may seem simpler than choosing different panels and menus. It is carried out only by a challenge. command line  and entering into it the command shutdown.exe / r / o.

The computer should restart and show the same boot options that were described in the previous paragraphs. A feature of using the command line is the ability to create a special button for this download.


Shift reboot

You can also get to the advanced options menu by simply restarting the computer while simultaneously holding down the Shift key. True, it works only on Windows 8.1. and later versions of the system.

And the release of new computers specifically designed for this system, there is also a change in the process of entering the BIOS. You no longer have to press a certain key during the boot process to load the BIOS, since the BIOS access option is now located in the Windows boot menu.

Traditionally, computers displayed a message in the style: “Press F2 to enter setup mode” at the very beginning of the boot process. Clicking this button will go into the computer's BIOS.

However, some computers equipped with Windows 8, for example, are loaded so quickly that the user has only 200 milliseconds (0.2 seconds) to click on a given key (or key combination).

And this is only one of the reasons for which the company decided to revise the procedure for accessing the BIOS.

Now in Windows 8, the hardware uses the UEFI replacement of the traditional BIOS as it is done for mac computers  from Apple.

Computers designed for Windows 8 vs old Windows 8 computers

Please note that the new login method only applies when you purchased new computer  with pre-installed Windows 8 that uses UEFI. If you installed Windows 8 on old computer, which uses the inherited BIOS, it will be accessed in the same way as before. Just click on the desired button during the boot process.

Usually they click on the F2 or Delete buttons, but there may be other options. It all depends on your computer. If you do not know which button to press and during the boot process, the screen does not indicate the corresponding key, then refer to the user's manual for your computer.

Access to download options

There are several ways to access the Windows 8 boot parameters. The easiest way to do this is through the new PC Settings interface (essentially the second one, which appeared in the G8). To call it, press the WinKey + C keys simultaneously (the sidebar will appear), then click on "settings" and there select the item "change PC settings".


In the PC settings, select the category “General” and click on the “Restart Now” button, which is under the item “Special boot options”. Your computer will restart and you will enter the boot menu. windows settings  8, where you can access the UEFI BIOS, as well as change other settings.


In addition, you can hold down Shift when you click on the “Restart” button in the menu to restart the computer right into the boot menu. This is one of the most quick ways  reboot into the boot menu, since you can access the computer shutdown panel anywhere on your system.


Lovers will be happy to know what they can accomplish. special team "shutdown.exe"to restart your computer directly to the boot menu:
Shutdown.exe / r / o


Access to UEFI BIOS

The boot menu was created to integrate some commonly used parameters for which people entered the BIOS. For example, if you need to boot a computer from a USB, DVD, CD or other device, then you just need to click on the desired item with the designation of the desired device.

If you are logged in to gain access to the computer's UEFI BIOS, then click on the “Troubleshoot” button.


Pressing it will call on the Advanced Options screen — additional tools, among which is the UEFI Firmware Settings option that directs the user straight to the computer's BIOS (in UEFI, which is designed to maintain a single EFI interface. At the same time, the settings are equivalent to the traditional BIOS of computers).


If you do not see the tile with the "UEFI Firmware Settings" option, then your computer does not use UEFI technology. You need to access the BIOS in the traditional way, that is, by pressing a certain button during system startup.

Even with a Windows startup error, you will not be cut off from the BIOS - the boot screen options appear immediately after turning on the computer. Here you can restore your computer or enter the BIOS.

Why change?

Although the changes may seem inconvenient, since there is no way to access the BIOS without booting Windows, but they certainly were necessary. Microsoft’s official Windows 8 blog describes everything that happens to new system  in this direction.

As we said above, there have been cases when with an increase on some systems, no more than 200 milliseconds were given to press the desired key. Even the most best programthat emulates keystrokes can only press one button once every 250 milliseconds. In such a situation, accessing the BIOS would have required frantically pounding at a breakneck pace, plus a certain amount of luck, well, or a few reboots of the computer.

The changes brought much-needed consistency and uniformity in Windows 8: now all computers will have the same way to access the BIOS. Prior to this innovation, all devices used a variety of keyboard shortcuts at startup.

Of course, in Windows 8 there may also be ambiguous design solutions that some people don’t like. However, the new method of entering the BIOS is perfectly implemented and has long been needed.

In this manual - 3 ways to go to the BIOS when using Windows 8 or 8.1. In fact, this is one way you can use different ways. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to check everything described on a regular BIOS (however, the old keys should work in it - Del for the desktop and F2 for the laptop), but only on the computer with the new motherboard  and UEFI, however most users latest versions  The system is interested in this particular configuration.

On a computer or laptop with Windows 8, you may have a problem with entering the BIOS settings, as with the new motherboards, as well as fast boot technologies implemented in the OS itself, you can simply not see any of the words "Press F2 or Del" or Do not have time to press these buttons. The developers have taken into account this moment and there is a solution.

Entering the BIOS using the Windows 8.1 special boot options

In order to enter the UEFI BIOS on new computers running Windows 8, you can use special options for booting the system. By the way, they will also be useful in order to boot from a USB flash drive or disk, even without entering the BIOS.


The first way to launch special boot options is to open the panel on the right, select "Options", then - "Change computer settings" - "Update and restore". In it, open the “Restore” item and in the “Special download options” item, click “Restart Now”.


After the reboot, you will see the menu as in the picture above. In it, you can select the item “Use device” if you need to boot from USB drive  or drive and go to the BIOS needed only for this. If you still need an input to change the settings of your computer, click "Diagnostics".

On the next screen, select "Advanced Options."



And here we are, where you need to - click on the item “UEFI firmware parameters”, then confirm the reboot to change the BIOS settings and after the reboot you will see your computer's UEFI BIOS interface without pressing any additional keys.


More ways to go to BIOS

Here are two more ways to get into the same Windows 8 boot menu for entering the BIOS, which may also be useful, in particular, the first option may work if you do not load the desktop and the initial screen of the system.

Using the command line

You can enter in the command line

shutdown.exe / r / o

And the computer will reboot, showing you various boot options, including for entering the BIOS and changing boot drive. By the way, if you wish, you can make a shortcut for such a download.


Shift + Reload

Another way is to click on the button to turn off the computer in the sidebar or on the initial screen (starting with Windows 8.1 Update 1) and then hold down the Shift key and click "Restart". This will also cause special system boot options.

Additional Information

Some manufacturers of laptops, as well as motherboards for desktop computers, provide an option to enter the BIOS, including with fast boot options enabled (which is applicable for Windows 8), regardless of the operating system installed. Such information can be tried to find in the instructions for a specific device or on the Internet. Usually, this is holding a key when turned on.

BIOS - a kind of operating system for managing components of the motherboard. Such a control is a mandatory part of any computer. You can enter and configure it even from a PC on which Windows is not installed. This can be done at the initial stage of loading. But everything was so easy only for motherboards of the old generation. A new version  BIOS - UEFI made it very difficult for PCs and laptops last generations. For many, even experienced users, such updates have become a big problem. But there are always solutions.

BIOS with one finger

For all PCs released before 2012, it is possible to enter the BIOS by pressing one key. For different motherboards there are own “hot keys” of input - DEL, F2, F12. It is necessary to press rhythmically several times immediately after pressing the start button during the testing procedure:


IMPORTANT! Do not change the BIOS settings, which are not sure or do not know, this can lead not only to failures in the boot, but also to failure of the components of the motherboard (processor, video card, RAM).

UEFI BIOS in Windows 8

The difficulty of entering a modern BIOS on a PC running Windows 8 is that the download takes place in a matter of seconds, and the boot options are not even displayed. You can fix the situation standard means  controls and settings. You must enter the control panel and find the section "Power":


In this section, in the menu on the left, we find the item “Actions of the power buttons”. In the window that opens, you must unlock additional features  settings. To do this, click on the line "Changing the parameters that are currently unavailable":


It is necessary to disable the item “Enable quick start  (recommended) ”, save changes and reboot the system. The computer will also quickly load Windows 8, but when turned on (a few seconds), boot options will be shown, as well as hot keys.

Another entry option is a special order of restarting the operating system. windows systems  8. In the sidebar (usually located on the right and automatically hidden), select "Settings" (Settings). Next, we find “Change PC settings” (Change PC settings) and select “General settings” (General). In the menu that appears, go down to the bottom and click on "Advanced startup options" (Advanced startup), select "Troubleshoot" (Troubleshoot). Next, select " Additional settings"(Advanced options) and select" UEFI firmware settings "(UEFI firmware settings). Confirm the computer restart, after which the long-awaited BIOS will automatically load on the screen, where you can make changes.

UEFI provides a large selection of settings, including performance. Logging into the BIOS is not as difficult as setting it up correctly. Do not change doubtful parameters. If you need to improve performance, you can use ready-made configuration sets.