# Cannot access BIOS



## NSteichen

Had this issue for a while and I just now had a need to enter it.

I have tried ESC, F1-F12, END, INSERT, DEL, the default "Enter" key that my startup guide says, along with the 'break' command. None have worked.

Not sure if it is the key binding for it or if I just can't enter it.

Any ideas?


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## blues_harp28

Hi, does this help?
How to access the BIOS - ThinkPad
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail.page?LegacyDocID=YAST-3JWKJX


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## raybro

According to the user manual for your Thinkpad E535 at this web site, Chapter 5 "Recovery Overview" page 58, your computer utilizes UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) for windows boot. My experience with UEFI is limited to Win 8 (your specs indicate Win 7), but if I assume similar behavior, I suggest you try the following.

During initial splash screen following power on, hit the F12 button repeatedly. This should result in display of the UEFI windows boot menu. using the down arrow key, highlight "Setup" and hit enter. This should result in display of the familiar BIOS screen. Be cautious about changing anything. UEFI basically replaces BIOS and the 2 interact in unfamiliar ways. UEFI is a whole new world.

FYI... On my Dell Win 8 laptop, F12 takes me to the UEFI boot menu as descibed above and I can go to BIOS by selecting "Setup". Hitting F2 during initial power up takes me directly to BIOS


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## NSteichen

blues_harp28 said:


> Hi, does this help?
> How to access the BIOS - ThinkPad
> http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail.page?LegacyDocID=YAST-3JWKJX


Mine isn't even listed on there.


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## NSteichen

raybro said:


> According to the user manual for your Thinkpad E535 at this web site, Chapter 5 "Recovery Overview" page 58, your computer utilizes UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) for windows boot. My experience with UEFI is limited to Win 8 (your specs indicate Win 7), but if I assume similar behavior, I suggest you try the following.
> 
> During initial splash screen following power on, hit the F12 button repeatedly. This should result in display of the UEFI windows boot menu. using the down arrow key, highlight "Setup" and hit enter. This should result in display of the familiar BIOS screen. Be cautious about changing anything. UEFI basically replaces BIOS and the 2 interact in unfamiliar ways. UEFI is a whole new world.
> 
> FYI... On my Dell Win 8 laptop, F12 takes me to the UEFI boot menu as descibed above and I can go to BIOS by selecting "Setup". Hitting F2 during initial power up takes me directly to BIOS


Last time I tried the F# keys, they took me to a thing that says to select either Windows 7 boot, or recovery boot.

Win7 boot brought it up normally and recovery took me to system restory/factory reset options. Will try it again fast to double check.


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## NSteichen

raybro said:


> According to the user manual for your Thinkpad E535 at this web site, Chapter 5 "Recovery Overview" page 58, your computer utilizes UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) for windows boot. My experience with UEFI is limited to Win 8 (your specs indicate Win 7), but if I assume similar behavior, I suggest you try the following.
> 
> During initial splash screen following power on, hit the F12 button repeatedly. This should result in display of the UEFI windows boot menu. using the down arrow key, highlight "Setup" and hit enter. This should result in display of the familiar BIOS screen. Be cautious about changing anything. UEFI basically replaces BIOS and the 2 interact in unfamiliar ways. UEFI is a whole new world.
> 
> FYI... On my Dell Win 8 laptop, F12 takes me to the UEFI boot menu as descibed above and I can go to BIOS by selecting "Setup". Hitting F2 during initial power up takes me directly to BIOS


CORRECTION ON EARLY POST; It brings me to Win7 start up and Memory diagnostics. Win7 has advance options, but it brings me to the option for safemode and all those others, but BIOS is not on there. Nor is UEFI. This was with the F12 key. Going to do F2 now.


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## NSteichen

raybro said:


> According to the user manual for your Thinkpad E535 at this web site, Chapter 5 "Recovery Overview" page 58, your computer utilizes UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) for windows boot. My experience with UEFI is limited to Win 8 (your specs indicate Win 7), but if I assume similar behavior, I suggest you try the following.
> 
> During initial splash screen following power on, hit the F12 button repeatedly. This should result in display of the UEFI windows boot menu. using the down arrow key, highlight "Setup" and hit enter. This should result in display of the familiar BIOS screen. Be cautious about changing anything. UEFI basically replaces BIOS and the 2 interact in unfamiliar ways. UEFI is a whole new world.
> 
> FYI... On my Dell Win 8 laptop, F12 takes me to the UEFI boot menu as descibed above and I can go to BIOS by selecting "Setup". Hitting F2 during initial power up takes me directly to BIOS


F2 did the same as F12 with the boot options. No BIOS or UEFI listed.


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## dvk01

when using the F keys on a laptop press & hold the FN key + the F key you want 

it is probably FN+F1 to get to bios 

.While the "To interrupt normal startup, press Enter" message is displayed at the lower-left area or lower-center area of the screen, press the F1 key. The ThinkPad Setup menu will be displayed. If a password prompt appears, type the correct password.


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## DaveBurnett

> when using the F keys on a laptop press & hold the FN key + the F key you want


Not on my older Thinkpad. The Function keys have secondary functions such as switching monitors, sleep,sound,brightness, etc. THEY need the Fn KEY.
Thinkpads usually use F1 for BIOS, but there is often a separate "Access IBM" type button.


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## NSteichen

dvk01 said:


> when using the F keys on a laptop press & hold the FN key + the F key you want
> 
> it is probably FN+F1 to get to bios
> 
> .While the "To interrupt normal startup, press Enter" message is displayed at the lower-left area or lower-center area of the screen, press the F1 key. The ThinkPad Setup menu will be displayed. If a password prompt appears, type the correct password.


As stated earlier, I have tried all the F#'s, with and without Fn key held.
The "To interrupt normal start up, press enter" doesn't display anymore; hadn't sense shortly before I had this issue.


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## NSteichen

DaveBurnett said:


> Not on my older Thinkpad. The Function keys have secondary functions such as switching monitors, sleep,sound,brightness, etc. THEY need the Fn KEY.
> Thinkpads usually use F1 for BIOS, but there is often a separate "Access IBM" type button.


FN key is required for my F#'s on this one. I was going to go into bios to change that actually (that is, if that is possible). What would the "Access IBM" button be, even though I doubt that would be it because I don't think this has IBM on it.


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## NSteichen

Is there a way to change what key enters bios/a way to force start into bios?


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## Elvandil

UEFI is a replacement for BIOS. It has legacy support for some BIOS, but a machine does not need to have a BIOS at all with UEFI. In some Thinkpads, the only access to BIOS was through a menu entry in the running OS after it was booted up. There was, so far as I know, no way to access it at boot time.

So, it is possible that you have no BIOS at all, or at least that you can't access it even if you do. What exactly is the reason that you believe the BIOS is something you need to change?


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## NSteichen

Elvandil said:


> UEFI is a replacement for BIOS. It has legacy support for some BIOS, but a machine does not need to have a BIOS at all with UEFI. In some Thinkpads, the only access to BIOS was through a menu entry in the running OS after it was booted up. There was, so far as I know, no way to access it at boot time.
> 
> So, it is possible that you have no BIOS at all, or at least that you can't access it even if you do. What exactly is the reason that you believe the BIOS is something you need to change?


Well it is running at 1.9ghz when it is supposed to be at 2.8ghz, as specific to how I ordered it, so I was going to go in and activate turbo frequency. When I went to go it, I couldn't get into it.

I was also going to see if there was anything else i could mess with to see if I could make it run better/more to my liking, such as not having to press the FN key to do F1-F12


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## Elvandil

Chances are that the Fn keys are controlled by software. Possibilities are limited in the combinations of possible keystrokes and that is one of the reasons that "shift" levels exist, which is what pressing the Fn key really is.

Not use what to say about the speed. Where are you getting the reading and what processor do you have, or do you know?

Check in the advanced Power Options for your system. There are multiple settings for processor speeds there. Sometimes, though the settings go from 0-100%, only 50% or 25% or a few intermediate settings work on particular machines. It sounds like yours may be set to 50% for some conditions and you may only need to make changes there. As an example, I have mine set to run the processor at 50% speed when on battery and 100% when plugged in.


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## NSteichen

Elvandil said:


> Chances are that the Fn keys are controlled by software. Possibilities are limited in the combinations of possible keystrokes and that is one of the reasons that "shift" levels exist, which is what pressing the Fn key really is.
> 
> Not use what to say about the speed. Where are you getting the reading and what processor do you have, or do you know?
> 
> Check in the advanced Power Options for your system. There are multiple settings for processor speeds there. Sometimes, though the settings go from 0-100%, only 50% or 25% or a few intermediate settings work on particular machines. It sounds like yours may be set to 50% for some conditions and you may only need to make changes there. As an example, I have mine set to run the processor at 50% speed when on battery and 100% when plugged in.


Already did that; made no difference in speed. Ps; AMD A-8 4500M APU

I have it set for max speed at all times when in use.


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## NSteichen

Is there a way to force start it into bios, like a file that it reads that tells it how to boot up?

Or a way to change the key so that I know the key?


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## NSteichen

Any other idea's?


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