Used Macrium, now cannot get into system BIOS

docGlenn · 30 Dec 2018

I used Macrium Reflect v7.2.3957 on my Windows 10 Pro machine with MBR boot drive. I used menu "Other Tasks", "Create bootable Rescue media". I chose Windows RE for Base WIM. When asked to Select Device, I chose Windows Boot Menu.

Used Macrium, now cannot get into system BIOS-macrium1.png

But I apparently made a tragic mistake: at some point I apparently chose C: as a destination, rather than a USB drive. It was an option that looked sensible (I thought I was choosing the source, not the destination), but now I can't bring this option up to show you.
When I rebooted I got this screen:

Used Macrium, now cannot get into system BIOS-img_20181229_222936156.jpg

I am able to boot into Windows 10, but cannot boot into the Macrium Repair.
And I can no longer access my BIOS to even attempt to boot into other repair drives that I have (such as WinPE) or choose to boot from DVD.
Since I can't run a WinPE environment, my options seem pretty limited.
What have I done that prevents me from entering BIOS? What did Macrium do to my C drive?

Kyhi · 30 Dec 2018

Macrium created a BOOT folder on your C drive (which is Normal)

Boot into Windows 10 and recreate your Macruim Boot Media...

I assume based upon your seemingly surprise - that you have not seen the Metro Style (Blue) Boot Menu Before ??

Code:

To GET the "F8" Boot Menu Option back in Windows 8/8.1, 10

From an elevated command prompt type>  bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy
From an elevated command prompt type>  bcdedit /set {bootmgr} displaybootmenu True

docGlenn · 30 Dec 2018

Yep, I've never seen a Windows 8 style boot menu! Have run Windows 3.1, 3.11, 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP, Vista and 10 - so I managed to skip one version.
Anyway, those two bcdedit commands did this:
(1) now computer boots straight to Win10 login screen. I still never see any screen from my BIOS!
(2) if I repeatedly press F8 during boot, I never get to the Win10 login screen. So I guess it has actually gone to F8 screen, but I can't see it!
Therefore I still have no way to boot into a proper repair disk.

Samuria · 30 Dec 2018

Since win8 it has been a problem getting to the bios windows boots from hibernation so fast it doesnt catch the key press. You have to start getting the key before you turn on and keep pressing. You can turn off fast start of the start windows that iften works

Bree · 30 Dec 2018

docGlenn said:

... I still never see any screen from my BIOS!

If this is the Lenovo in your specs, then at boot when the Lenovo logo screen appears it is F1 to enter the BIOS and F12 to get the one-time boot device choice menu.

A common reason for not being able to enter the bios (on any machine, not just Lenovo) is that the Fn key option to enter the bios or boot menu is only available on a cold boot. Windows 10 by default uses Fast Start up which is a warm boot (more like resuming from hibernation than a full boot up from cold).

To get to the bios you must perform a cold boot. If you don't want to turn off Fast Start up, then the easiest way to get a cold boot is to select Restart rather than Shut down. A Restart is always a cold boot. This is the method recommended by Lenovo.

Windows 8/8.1/10

Perform reboot first.
Press F1 at Lenovo or Thinkpad/Thinkcentre logo during bootup, then you will enter BIOS.

Recommended ways to enter BIOS - ThinkPad, ThinkCentre, ThinkStation - US

Bree · 30 Dec 2018

Samuria said:

Since win8 it has been a problem getting to the bios windows boots from hibernation so fast it doesnt catch the key press....

It's actually worse than that. When powering up from hibernation or a shut down that used fast startup the boot up sequence skips the screen where you could have entered the bios with a Fn key. It's not that it misses seeing the key, it's not even looking for it. A Restart guarantees you are performing the full bios boot up sequence from cold.

docGlenn · 30 Dec 2018

Wow, thanks for all the info. Unfortunately, this is not my Lenovo, It's a desktop with ASRock H170M Pro4. I almost always do Restart (cold start). I never did set my BIOS for Fast Start, because I knew it was not a good idea. I don't believe it's missing the F2 or F8 or F11 key (I've tried them all), because when I do use those keys the computer never boots to Windows login - the screens remain black; so I guess it has responded to the key and is now just waiting for something.

I see that BCDEDIT has some capability to work with firmware bootmgr: bcdedit /? TYPES FWBOOTMGR, it seems like maybe this is relevant, but I have no idea what to do with this.

Cliff S · 30 Dec 2018

I use this batch file, just place it somewhere like Documents, right click it and select create a shortcut, and place the shortcut on the desktop, then go into the shortcuts properties and set it to run as admin.
@essenbe made it for me, as I need to go into BIOS quite often when benchmarking.
BIOS.bat

Cliff S · 30 Dec 2018

To get rid of having to select a operating system every time go into
system properties (Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\System)
Advanced tab
Startup and recovery button
select default operating system Windows 10
change time to display list of operating systems to 0 seconds

Used Macrium, now cannot get into system BIOS-image-001.png

docGlenn · 30 Dec 2018

Cliff S said:

To get rid of having to select a operating system every time go into
system properties (Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\System)
Advanced tab
Startup and recovery button
select default operating system Windows 10
change time to display list of operating systems to 0 seconds

Although interesting, I'm not even getting a choice of OS at all, so this will not help me. I guess that's because I applied the bcdedit commands recommended by @Kyhi