How to enter BIOS / boot into BIOS from Windows 8

[c627627]

I hope search engines pick this up, I did a quick title search and could not find it here. I was testing a Windows 8 laptop and found out the hard way that

Shut Down in Windows 8 does not shut down Windows. It puts it into a deep sleep mode [for faster booting/rebooting].

You have to HOLD the SHIFT key just before clicking on Shut down and keep HOLDING the SHIFT key until the system completely shuts down.


NOW when you next start the machine you can hold F2 or whatever the key is on the system you're using to boot into BIOS.


Please no hating on Windows 8 in this thread, we have several other threads designated for that .



Oh and if you want to do any Drive Imaging of Windows 8 laptops, you need to go into BIOS and not only
Security > Secure Boot > [Disabled]

but also

Advanced > System Configuration > Boot Mode > [CSM Boot]

This allows you to boot off of a CD. You need to put that Boot Mode back to [UEFI] to boot into modern preinstalled laptops with Windows 8.



EDIT:You may only be able to enter BIOS if you completely shut down Windows 8 on laptops by taking out the battery or creating a custom shut down link
%windir%\System32\shutdown.exe /s /f /t 0

because Windows 8 does not completely shut down always and you therefore cannot enter BIOS when starting it up.

Then also
BIOS > Security > Secure Boot [Disabled]

BIOS > Advanced > System Configuration > [Enter] > Boot Mode
UEFI for Windows 8
or
CSM for booting off of a boot CD or USB.


This all varies but you get the idea.
If making backups of store bought partitions, when restoring them to blank or new HD, the hard drive must be formatted as GPT.


If opting to just remove laptop bloatware, completely uninstall it. If you just disable it in its options it may still download willy-nilly whatever it wants and install updates it wants, potentially destabilizing a working laptop through non essential and unnecessary updates.

I found this out the hard way when despite everything being disabled, manufacturer software was still downloading needless updates through a very limited internet connection I had on the road. Uninstall is therefore mandatory, not just trusting their options would turn them off. Or of course a complete nuke like the original poster suggested. Laptops may come with non Pro version of Windows 8 and Win8 key can be seen using this freeware http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html which should be run before nuking the laptop.

 

[Johan45]

I had read that before. They just expect that your everyday user has no need for the BIOS.

 

[redduc900]

... or create a shortcut w/ shutdown /s /t 0 in the Location field, then pin it to the Start page or taskbar.

 

[c627627]

redduc900, does that shortcut always take you to BIOS or does it sometimes take you to BIOS boot selection screen only.

I read somewhere I think about a shortcut to boot selection screen where you can select to boot from CD or from USB or HD.



Also, on a new Win8 laptop I am having trouble booting from USB but booting from CD is OK. If the USB is confirmed as bootable by virtue of successfully being used to boot another machine, is there anything else in BIOS that needs to be modified for a new machine that does boot from CD but has trouble booting from USB?

 

[Omsion]

redduc900, does that shortcut always take you to BIOS or does it sometimes take you to BIOS boot selection screen only.

The /s flag on shutdown is the classic shutdown, and thus allows a BIOS entry. /s /hybrid runs the new shutdown.

 

[c627627]

Custom shut down shortcuts I have work across different Windows OS. Does adding /hybrid affect the shortcut's functionality if used under previous OS?

/hybrid works great on a Win8 Laptop, thank you.

 

[JimmyG]

... or create a shortcut w/ shutdown /s /t 0 in the Location field, then pin it to the Start page or taskbar.

I'm not sure about the syntax of your shortcut command above. Do you mean that "w/ shutdown /s /t 0" goes in the command box or just "shutdown /s /t 0" ??

Does this also work on an OEM desktop such as an HP?

 

[redduc900]

The /w is short for "with". And yes... the shortcut will work on an OEM PC, but only w/ Win7 and prior OS's, otherwise /s /hybrid as noted above.

 

[JimmyG]

You guys rock! Where do you find out this stuff anyway??

 

[c627627]

You may only be able to enter BIOS if you completely shut down Windows 8 on laptops by taking out the battery or creating a custom shut down link
%windir%\System32\shutdown.exe /s /f /t 0

because Windows 8 does not completely shut down always and you therefore cannot enter BIOS when starting it up.

Then also
BIOS > Security > Secure Boot [Disabled]

BIOS > Advanced > System Configuration > [Enter] > Boot Mode
UEFI for Windows 8
or
CSM for booting off of a boot CD or USB.


This all varies but you get the idea.
If making backups of store bought partitions, when restoring them to blank or new HD, the hard drive must be formatted as GPT.


If opting to just remove laptop bloatware, completely uninstall it. If you just disable it in its options it may still download willy-nilly whatever it wants and install updates it wants, potentially destabilizing a working laptop through non essential and unnecessary updates.

I found this out the hard way when despite everything being disabled, manufacturer software was still downloading needless updates through a very limited internet connection I had on the road. Uninstall is therefore mandatory, not just trusting their options would turn them off. Or of course a complete nuke like the original poster suggested. Laptops may come with non Pro version of Windows 8 and Win8 key can be seen using this freeware http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html which should be run before nuking the laptop.