Can't open boot option or setup menu even after pressing F2 and F12

Try turning it on in "Safe Mode" and see if it will load....

How to enter "Safe Mode" when booting the computer.

In Windows 8 and 10 ...

As your computer restarts, press F8 (possibly a few times) to enter "Safe Mode"

a. Press the "F4" key to Enable "Safe Mode".
(The computer will then start in "Safe Mode" with a minimal set of drivers and services.)

b. Press the "F5" key to Enable "Safe Mode" with Networking.
( Once "Safe Mode" with Networking starts, Windows is in Safe Mode, with additional network and services for accessing the Internet and other computers on your network.)

c. Press the "F6" key to Enable "Safe Mode" with Command Prompt.
(In "Safe Mode" with "Command Prompt" starts Windows in Safe Mode, with a Command Prompt window instead of the Windows interface. This option is mostly only used by IT professionals.)

Now sign in to the computer with your account name and password. (If you have one set.) When you are finished troubleshooting, you can exit "Safe Mode" restarting your computer.

If it won't let you enter "Safe Mode" then you should check the BIOS...

It seems that there is a problem with BIOS software in some Dell computers. Pressing F2 or F12 doesn't access it. However, below is a possible work around.

1. Turn on your laptop and leave it on, to drain the battery, to under 10%. But don't let it completely die. Be sure to check it every few hours to make sure you catch it before it drains lower.

2. Once the battery hits 10%, you should get the following message...

"Battery critical low, press F2 to enter BIOS or F1 to continue."

Due to the bug in some Dells, this is the only place you can hit the F2 and get into BIOS.


The only ways, that I know of, to access BIOS in that series of computer is...

A. Pressing the "Shift" key while you are clicking on "Reset"/"Reboot".

B. The above battery draining, below 10%, method.

Also, once you have access, you may want to check that you don't have "Fast Startup" turned on. This can also lead to problems accessing BIOS on booting up the computer.


To Turn On or Off Fast Startup in System Settings

1. Go to 'Control Panel' and click on the "Power Options icon".
2. Click "Choose what the power buttons do" on the left side.
3. Click "Change settings that are currently unavailable".
4. If prompted by UAC (User Account Control), click "Yes".
5. Do step 6 or step 7 below for what you would like to do.

6. To Turn On Fast Startup.
6a. Under "Shutdown settings", check the "Turn on fast startup box", click "Save changes", and go to step 8 below.

7. To Turn Off Fast Startup.
7a. Under "Shutdown settings", uncheck the "Turn on fast startup box", click "Save changes", and go to step 8 below.

8. You can now close the 'System Settings' window.

Note: If the "Turn on fast startup" setting is not listed, then you will need to close the "System Settings" window, enable "hibernate", and then start over at step 1 again.