Cannot Boot To BIOS Setup (F2) or One-Time Boot Sequence Options (F12)

NavyLCDR · 28 Nov 2020

Bastet said:

Thanks NavyLCDR. It’s been a long time since I used a desktop PC but do use an external keyboard with my laptop which does have a Fn key.

The Fn key is for keyboards that have custom functions attached to their Function keys. Most laptops will have screen brightness, WiFi on/off, etc attached to their function keys. Sometimes there is a setting in BIOS that determines whether a function key, by default, will output the F1 function or the Mute function (for example). The Fn key toggles it so that the opposite function is output by the keyboard.

Most desktop keyboards will have all the custom functions as separate keys, not tied to the F1-F12 keys, therefore they will not have an Fn key. Although, looking at Logitech keyboards, most of them do actually have Fn keys. Maybe it is not as uncommon as I originally thought.

NavyLCDR · 28 Nov 2020

Yeah...I saw the Fn key after I posted the photo

Bastet · 28 Nov 2020

caxtin · 28 Nov 2020

NavyLCDR said:

Almost all desktop keyboards have no Fn key.

I have five laptops and all of them have the "Fn" key.
I have four desktops with keyboards and have some extra four keyboards, and non of them has the "Fn" key.
Am at the office, I checked the other keyboards with newer computers and they have the "Fn" key and they are the newer computers, which I believe now comes with that key.
- Updated - - -

Bastet said:

You should be rapidly clicking/pressing the F12 key as soon as you see the manufacturer’s logo, clicking when the keyboard light comes on may be too late.
Can you try a different keyboard?

A different keyboard did not work either. I had mentioned that if I click a key repeatedly, the system will NOT boot again, I will have to restart it. Very strange!
-------------------------------------------------------------

I just tried with a keyboard from a newer desktop with the "Fn" key, still it did not work. I tried the Fn-F2 or Fn-F2-F12 in about one second intervals, still did not go to the BIOS or the Boot Sequence page.

Looks like I've tried all I can which has been a lot at this moment. I really appreciate all the help you all have been giving me to try. I don't know what else to do.

NavyLCDR · 28 Nov 2020

Have you tried the command:
shutdown /r /fw /t 00

note: 00 is two zeros

Winuser · 29 Nov 2020

NavyLCDR said:

Almost all desktop keyboards have no Fn key.

My keyboard has a fn key between the ctrl and the window key.

NavyLCDR · 29 Nov 2020

Winuser said:

My keyboard has a fn key between the ctrl and the window key.

I realized my age was showing. Desktop keyboards used to not have a Fn key "back in the day". But these new fangled ones do now.

Try3 · 29 Nov 2020

caxtin said:

I have five laptops and all of them have the "Fn" key.
I have four desktops with keyboards and have some extra four keyboards, and non of them has the "Fn" key.
Am at the office, I checked the other keyboards with newer computers and they have the "Fn" key and they are the newer computers, which I believe now comes with that key.
- Updated - - -
A different keyboard did not work either. I had mentioned that if I click a key repeatedly, the system will NOT boot again, I will have to restart it. Very strange!
-------------------------------------------------------------
I just tried with a keyboard from a newer desktop with the "Fn" key, still it did not work. I tried the Fn-F2 or Fn-F2-F12 in about one second intervals, still did not go to the BIOS or the Boot Sequence page.
Looks like I've tried all I can which has been a lot at this moment. I really appreciate all the help you all have been giving me to try. I don't know what else to do.

Caxtin,

Can I just check my understanding of the situation & what you have already tried?
1 Your keyboard is USB-connected.
2 You have been repeatedly tapping the F12 key as soon as the Dell logo appears but not before.
3 You have swapped out the USB-connected keyboard for other USB-connected keyboards that you access to.
4 You have tried a number of USB-connected keyboards in every USB socket.
5 You've also tried the F2 key.
6 If you don't touch anything, the computer boots into Windows without any bother.

If all these have been done it begs the question whether you have ever [well, since the last Bios update] been able to use F2 or F12.

Denis

NavyLCDR · 29 Nov 2020

And has the command:
shutdown /r /fw /t 00

been tried?

Ztruker · 29 Nov 2020

What does this actually mean?

Code:

    /fw        Combine with a shutdown option to cause the next boot to go to the
               firmware user interface.

Guess I'll try it and find out.

Edit: That is slick. Took me right to BIOS Setup as if I'd pressed F2. That's a keeper for sure. Can't believe I've never seen it before.
Thanks John.