Entering BIOS
What keystroke is needed to enter BIOS ?
This depends on the system. Generally, the keys used are the function keys (F1 - F12) or ESC or DEL. Often POST will display the proper keystroke on the screen, but you might have to have a quick eye to catch it.
Here are likely some keystrokes to try (according to various sources on the Web). (These have not been verified.)
- ALR PCs (PCI systems) -- F2
- ALR PCs (non PCI systems) -- CTRL-ALT-ESC
- AMI BIOS -- DEL during bootup
- AST -- CTRL-ALT-ESC
- AWARD BIOS -- DEL or CTRL-ALT-ESC Anytime
- Compaq -- F1 or F10
- Dell -- DEL or CTRL-ALT-ENTER, newer dells use F2 for BIOS and F12 for pick your boot media
- DTK BIOS -- ESC during bootup
- eMachines -- TAB
- Gateway -- F1 or F2
- IBM PS/1 models -- F1
- IBM PS/2 BIOS -- INSERT, CTRL-ALT-?, or CTRL-ALT-INSERT after CTRL-ALT-DEL
- IBM -- F1, CTRL-ALT-INSERT, or reference disk
- NEC -- F1, F2, or F10
- Olivetti -- CTRL-ALT-Shift with DEL (on number pad)
- Phoenix BIOS -- F1, F2, CTRL-S, CTRL-ALT-S, or CTRL-ALT-ESC
- Sony PC -- F3 at Logo then F1
- Tandon -- CTRL-Shift-ESC, or CTRL-ALT-ESC
- Toshiba -- ESC, or F1
- Zenith PCs, Phoenix BIOS -- CTRL-ALT-INS
Other keystrokes to try for various types of computers):
- CTRL-ALT-+
- CTRL-ESC
When you can't figure out the keystroke
You can also google a term like "Gateway bios key" to find pages that might tell you. (It might help to include the computer's model number.) Pages from the manufacturer's web site are the most likely to be accurate.
Some computers will prompt you with the option of entering the BIOS on the first boot after a hardware change. Changing the amount of memory may do this, for example. Disconnecting the hard drive cable from the motherboard is another very useful tactic.
Occasionally you will find a password protected BIOS. In these cases, removing the battery for a minute or two may reset BIOS into a default state, bypassing the password. In the rare cases where there is a default password, these are often available via a google search.