Windows 10: After Upgrade Can't Access BIOS to Change Boot Order for W7 Reinstall

Have a Lenovo H420 desktop that was upgraded about 2 months ago. We backed up everything and want to reinstall Windows 7.

But I can find no way to get into the Setup screen. I've gone to Settings, Update & Security, Advanced Startup and Restart Now. But I have no option to Use a Device. If I choose Troubleshoot then Advanced Options, the subsequent screen has no option for UEFI Firmware Settings.

I've disabled Fast Boot through Power Options in the Control Panel, then tried F2 and the Delete key when starting. Nothing...

The fact that I can't do something that was so easy in Windows 7 is enough reason in itself to remove 10. Throw in the fact that the scanner part of my printer no longer works is just icing on the cake. I have the Windows 7 disk. I just can't figure out how to use it.

:)

 

Win 10 problems on restart only

After original upgrade from Win 7 had problem, after anniversary upgrade and re-flash of Bios with an 8.1 bios from Dell it went away, Latest upgrade returned the problem. When "restarting" after installing-reinstalling programs due to the change to 10,
the computer will say restarting briefly turn off as usual, the black screen " operating system not found". Hard boot turning off computer and starting, going into BIOS set up finds that the HD is in fact first and computer will boot normally with Microsoft
wireless mouse in USB port. However with transmitter in USB port it will not Restart. With it removed it seems normal. I can't figure out why if the boot order is HD, DVD, USB why the D**** thing keeps looking to a USB to restart but doesn't if powered off,
and the powered on as a hard boot. HELP.

 

After Windows 10 PC reset, inaccessible boot device

Sorry to hear. So you can't even access the recovery or tools partitions. Can you get into the bios and try changing the boot order to your recovery USB?

 

According to the mamual:

 

As I already said I've disabled Fast Boot through Power Options in the Control Panel, then tried F2 and the Delete key when starting. Nothing...
I sort of figured that when I mentioned the F2 option, it was understood that I was 'repeatedly pressing and releasing' the F2 key.

 

Is the F2 key assigned another function? For example mine is assigned as decrease screen brightness. When restarting the computer you might have to hold down the FN key while repeatedly pressing F2 to make it the actual F2 keystroke vice the function assigned to it.

Also to ensure you are going all the way back to a pure bios bootup, hold down the shift key when clicking Shutdown or Restart from the power icon in Windows 10 (although normal "restart" is supposed to go back all the way to a pure bios bootup).

 

I think that the fn key is a feature I've only ever seen on laptops. My unit is a desktop, and at any rate the F2 on my keyboard is only an F2.

Funny that your second paragraph only displayed when I hit 'Reply with quote'. But I had already tried the <shift> + Shutdown without success.

 

Is your keyboard a USB keyboard, or wireless with a USB receiver? If so, is it plugged into a USB 3.0 port? Some motherboards won't support USB 3.0 until a driver is loaded, so try moving it to a USB 2.0 port.

 

USB keyboard.

 

Also have you tried resetting the CMOS by using the reset jumper on the motherboard or disconnecting all power and removing the CMOS battery?

 

No. What do you think that will do? Enable F12? Enable F2? Bring back the Use a Device option? I'm certainly willing to do that, but to what end? I need guidance on what to do after resetting the CMOS.

 

There may be some setting in bios that is either keeping it from detecting the keystrokes during startup or keeping Windows 10 from seeing the UEFI function of the bios to restart into.

But - before you do that - from an elevated command prompt ("run as administrator" command prompt), type reagentc /info

What result do you get?

You should see something like this:

If you see Windows RE status as Disabled and/or the Windows RE location is blank, that is why you don't have a fully functioning advanced startup/troubleshooting menu.

 

Okay... Somehow all the Lenovo crap I read was disinformation. The last time I shut down I held down that <shift> key while clicking Restart. This time tapping F1 (not F2) took me into the BIOS, where I changed the boot order to a CD/DVD first. When I restarted, I got the familiar 'Press any key to boot from CD....'. I pressed any key, deleted the Windows partition, formatted and am now installing Windows 7.

I'll keep you apprised of the progress.

 

Windows 7 Home Premium installed perfectly and accepted the product key. Am now plowing through the close to 300 updates it needs. Thank you for your help.