How to enter BIOS Restore mode on PC
When you buy a new laptop or a desktop system, it comes with the BIOS pre-configured. You may or may not have an operating system installed but the BIOS is definitely configured before hand. For the most part, you won’t ever need to change the BIOS. You might change the settings a bit or you might perform a BIOS reset and return it to its factory settings. There are exceptions to this though. Your BIOS can be corrupted and you may need to restore it. There are two ways to restore theBIOS but both require that you enter the BIOS restore mode. Here’s how.
BIOS Restore mode
As mentioned, there are two methods for restoring the BIOS. You can restore it from the recovery partition on your system if it supports it, or you can create a restore disk and restore from it. In either case, booting to your BIOS will not do the trick. You will have to enter BIOS restore mode.
Before you enter BIOS restore mode, make sure that you system is connected to a reliable power source. If you’re entering BIOS restore mode on a laptop, remove the battery and connect the power charger.
Next, you need to turn your system on but before that, you need to tap and hold the keys that tell your system to enter BIOS restore mode. These keys differ based on your system’s manufacturer. The list below should help.
HP: Win + B
Dell: Ctrl + Esc
Acer: FN + Esc
Lenovo: Fn + R
Hold down these keys, and tap and hold the power button for 5 – 10 seconds. Release the power key when your system turns on and soon you should see the restore screen which will look nothing like the normal BIOS screen that you get. Release the other keys you’re holding down and follow the on-screen instructions or interact with the options it presents to you to restore BIOS.
You can also restore BIOS from your desktop if you’re able to boot to it. Normally, the need to restore BIOS arises when a system won’t boot properly, or at all. If you are able to get to a desktop, or you’re able to run a live OS from a disk, you can use it to restore BIOS. It’s easier that way however, the method will differ based on your system. Some PC manufacturers provide an app that can be burned or copied to a USB disk and used to restore BIOS. You an also find third-party utilities that take the hassle out of the process but you will still need to know how to enter BOS restore mode if you go with a disk.
