Problem
Your PC or notebook always boots into the BIOS setup utility when you turn it on. Even if you use the Boot Device Menu (F8 on Asus based machines) the BIOS setup utility still appears.
Cause
This is caused by the BIOS not being able to find a device that it can boot from. This may be due to BIOS settings, or failed hardware.
Troubleshooting Steps
- If you just Downgraded from Windows 8 to Windows 7
- If you have always been running Windows 7, but recently completed a BIOS Update
- If you received a message about CMOS Defaults being loaded on your Windows 7 machine
Follow the following Steps:
- Make sure that Windows 8 features are properly configured in your BIOS. For example, as you are running Windows 7, Secure boot should be disabled, or set to "Other OS".
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- Typically, for Windows 7, UEFI boot should also be disabled ("legacy only"), or alternatively, "UEFI and Legacy" support should be enabled, to let the BIOS detect what mode to use.
- If you are running Windows 8, check that UEFI mode, or UEFI and Legacy mode are enabled.
- Finally, check that your hard drive is still being detected in the BIOS. If the hard drive has failed, most modern BIOSes will boot straight into the setup utility if a valid boot device cannot be found.
Tip: A quick way of seeing if the hard drive is still being detected, without going into the BIOS, is to try and use the BIOS boot device menu. Tap the Boot Menu function key right after turning the machine on until the menu is displayed. The boot menu function key is F8 on Asus based machines, F10 on Intel based systems, F11 on MSI based systems and F12 on many other brands of motherboard.
Applies to:
- All Desktop and Laptop Products which support Windows 8.x boot features such as Secure Boot.
