The Basic Input/Output System, or BIOS (short for Basic Input/Output System), is a place on a motherboard where many groups of commands are stored. The BIOS helps control basic computer features like automatically configuring the hard drive, drive, and USB when restarting the operating system, checking and running drivers of peripheral devices like the keyboard, USB, mouse, and audio card, etc
- BIOS – Basic Information for Beginners
- Reset Bios password or remove Bios password with CMOS battery
- Enable password feature in BIOS
- Instructions for accessing BIOS on Windows 8
Today’s computers’ most popular BIOS access keys are F1, F2, F10, F12, DEL, or ESC. However, to make it simpler to remember the BIOS access key, you can differentiate by mainboard type or model:
List of BIOS access keys by motherboard
- Mainboard Abit – Press the DEL key to enter the BIOS Setup Utility.
- Acer motherboard – Press F2 or DEL key to enter the BIOS Setup Utility. On older computers, you can press F1 or Ctrl + Alt + Esc.
- Mainboard ACube Systems – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard AMAX – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard AOpen – Press F2 key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard ASRock – Press the F2 key to enter the BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard ASUS – Press DEL, Print or F10 key to enter the BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Biostar – Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard BFG – Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Chassis Plans – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility
- Mainboard FREESCALE – Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard DFI – Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard ECS Elitegroup – Press DEL or F1 key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard EPoX – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility
- Mainboard EVGA – Press Del key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard First International Computer – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility
- Mainboard Fujitsu – Press F12 (or F11) key to enter Boot Menu. After that press Tab key to go to Application Menu and select BIOS Setup
- Mainboard Foxconn – Press Del key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard GIGABYTE – Press Del key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Gumstix – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility
- Mainboard Intel – Press F2 key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard JetWay – Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Lanner Inc – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Leadtek – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Lite-On – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Mach Speed – Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard MSI (Micro-Star) -Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard NZXT – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard PCChips – Press DEL or F1 key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard PNY – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Powercolor – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard SAPPHIRE – Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Shuttle – Press Del or Ctrl + Alt + Esc key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Simmtronics – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Soyo – Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Super Micro – Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard TYAN – Press Del or F4 key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard VIA – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard Vigor Gaming – Press F2 or DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard XFX – Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
- Mainboard ZOTAC – Press DEL key to enter BIOS Setup Utility.
List of BIOS access keys by model
SONY VAIO Laptop
- To enter the BIOS when restarting the computer, you need to press and hold the F2 key
- To enter Recovery when restarting your computer, you need to press and hold the F10 key
HP Laptop – COMPAQ
- On some HP models, you will have to press ESC – the Escape button – to enter the BIOS.
- To get into the BIOS when you restart your computer, you need to press and hold the F10 or F2, F6 key on some computers.
- To enter Recovery when restarting your computer, you need to press and hold the F11 key
- To get into BOOT when you restart your computer, you need to press and hold the F9 key
ACER Laptop
- To get into BOOT when you restart your computer, you need to press and hold the F12 key
- To get into the BIOS when restarting the computer, you need to press and hold the F2 or DEL key (F1 or Ctrl + Alt + Esc on some older computers)
ASUS Laptop
- To enter the BIOS when restarting the computer, you need to press and hold the ESC key. There are some laptops that require you to press and hold F2, then press the Power button and keep holding F2 until the BIOS screen appears.
- To get into BOOT when you restart your computer, you need to press and hold the F2 key
LENOVO THINKPAD Laptop
- To enter the BIOS when restarting the computer, you need to press and hold the F1 or F2 key
- To enter Recovery when restarting your computer, you need to press and hold the ThinkVantage key
- To get into BOOT when you restart your computer, you need to press and hold the F12 key
DELL Laptop
- To enter the BIOS when restarting the computer, you need to press and hold the F2 key
- To enter Recovery when restarting your computer, you need to press and hold the F8 key and select Repair your Computer
- To get into BOOT when you restart your computer, you need to press and hold the F12 key
Alienware Laptop
- To enter the BIOS when restarting the computer, you need to press and hold the F2 key
Razer Laptop
- To enter the BIOS when restarting the computer you need to press and hold the F1 or DEL key
Good luck to you!
