BIOS (English) basic input/output system- "basic input-output system"), also BSVV, is a piece of system software implemented in the form of firmware, which is intended to provide the operating system with API access to computer hardware and devices connected to it.
In this article, we will tell you how to enter BIOS in Windows 8 and 8.1. There are several proven ways to do this. Let's take a look at them.
Special download options
In order to enter the BIOS on a computer or laptop with the Windows 8 operating system, you need to use special system boot options. They will also come in handy when booting from a USB flash drive or disk, without entering the BIOS.
1. We move the mouse cursor to the lower right corner, and then up. Thus, we call the panel, which is hidden on the right.
2. In it we select "Options".
3. Then "Change computer settings".
4. Select "Update and Recovery".
5. Now you need to open "Recovery" and in the "Special boot options" item, select "Restart now".
At the very bottom, select "Restart Now"
6. This is the menu you will see after the reboot. If you want to boot from a flash drive or disk and just open the BIOS, then select "Use device". If you need to go to the computer settings, then click on the "Diagnostics" item.
Using the "Diagnostics" parameter, go to the next window
7. On this screen, select Advanced Options.
8. It remains to click on "UEFI Firmware Settings" and confirm the reboot to change the BIOS settings.
After that, you will immediately see the BIOS UEFI interface of the computer.
Using the command line
Let's look at another way by which you can enter BIOS in Windows 8.
1. Right-click on the Start icon and select "Command Prompt" from the menu. It needs to be entered - shutdown.exe /r /o .
The release of Windows 8 and the creation of new PCs specially designed for this system were accompanied by many innovations, which include a change in the procedure for entering the BIOS. Now you no longer need to press any key when loading the OS, since in Windows 8 you can enter BIOS through a special option in the system boot menu.
Please note that the above option is only available for PCs that were purchased with Windows 8 already installed, using UEFI instead of BIOS.
If the system was installed on a computer using the legacy BIOS, then access to the latter can only be obtained in the old proven way - by pressing a certain key, usually F2 or Delete, during OS boot.
It is worth noting that if any of the indicated keys is not displayed on the monitor when you turn on the computer, then you need to refer to the user manual for your PC.
Enter BIOS in Windows 8: Video
Changing UEFI BIOS Boot Options
There are several ways to access Windows 8 boot options. The easiest way to do this is through "PC Settings" - an interface that is, in essence, a second control panel. You can call it by pressing the Win + C keys at the same time, and in the sidebar that appears, go along the path "Settings" - "Update and Recovery".
In the window that opens, you need to make the “Recovery” category active and select the “Restart now” button located under the “Special boot options” option. After that, the computer will restart, and you can open the BIOS on Windows 8, as well as make changes to other settings.
You can also hold down the "Shift" button while restarting the computer, immediately go to the boot menu of the system. This is one of the easiest and fastest ways to restart the system and go to the boot menu.
For PC users working with the command line, it will be useful to know the “shutdown.exe” command, which also allows you to reboot your device directly to the boot menu: Shutdown.exe / r / o.
Access to UEFI BIOS
The main task in creating the G8 boot menu was the integration of some of the most commonly used parameters, which determined the need to go to the BIOS. For example, enabling BIOS on Windows 8 in order to boot a computer from a USB, CD, DVD or other device is much easier than in previous developer OSes, since for this you only need to click on the necessary option with the designation of the required device.
By accessing the computer's UEFI BIOS and clicking on "Troubleshoot", you can get to the "Advanced Options" setup window. There are many additional tools presented here, among which there is also the “UEFI Firmware Settings” item, which redirects the user directly to the BIOS of the computer.
The absence of a tile with the option "UEFI Firmware Settings" indicates that the computer in question does not use UEFI technology. In this case, how to enter the BIOS on Windows 8 was described at the beginning of this article, that is, it can only be done in the traditional way.
Of course, Windows 8 has many controversial design decisions and controversial points, but the developers did an excellent job on accessing the BIOS, and the implementation of such a method has long been needed.
ERD commander for Windows 8: Video
Sometimes in the instructions for solving any problems related to the functioning of a computer or laptop, it is written that you need to enter the Win 8 BIOS. But it is far from always mentioned how to open it. It is also possible that the described method does not help. Most often, we are talking about pressing a button when restarting the PC.
Switching to BIOS
Basically, the described methods are associated with pressing a key on the keyboard at the time the computer boots. But in this article we will talk about programmatic ways of how to open this menu from the system.
Method 1: Custom Boot Option
The first method, how to open the BIOS on Windows 8, is associated with special computer boot options. Call up the menu "Parameters" from the new Charms bar. Click on the line "Change settings…" and go to section "Renewal and Recovery". Then click on the column "Recovery" and select the item "Reboot Now".
Wait until the PC restarts and click on the button "Diagnostics", and then - "Extra options".From here, the output to the BIOS is available.
Method 2: Command line
The command line provides access to a large number of system functions that are called through special requests, without a graphical interface. Another option is connected with this, how to enable Bios on Windows 8. You will be able to launch the desired element from the search. Open the menu "Start" and then click on the magnifying glass icon. In the text box, enter "Command line".
Right-click on the desired item and select run with administrator rights.
Enter the following query into the terminal window:
shutdown.exe /r /o
This will automatically cause the computer to restart in various modes. From the window that appears, you can go to the BIOS.
In this manual, there are 3 ways to enter BIOS when using Windows 8 or 8.1. In fact, this is one way that can be used in many ways. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to check everything described on a regular BIOS (however, the old keys - Del for a desktop and F2 for a laptop) should work in it, but only on a computer with a new motherboard and UEFI, however, most users of the latest versions of the system I'm interested in this configuration.
On a Windows 8 PC or laptop, you may have trouble entering the BIOS settings, as with new motherboards, as well as fast boot technologies implemented in the OS itself, you may simply not see any “Press F2 or Del” or fail to press these buttons. The developers took this moment into account and there is a solution.
Here are two more ways to get into the same Windows 8 boot menu to enter BIOS, which may also be useful, in particular, the first option may work if your desktop and system start screen do not boot.
Using the command line
You can type in the command line
shutdown.exe /r /o
And the computer will restart, showing you various boot options, including entering the BIOS and changing the boot drive. By the way, if you wish, you can make a shortcut for such a download.
Shift + Reload
Another way is to click on the shutdown button of the computer in the sidebar or on the start screen (starting with Windows 8.1 Update 1) and then, while holding the Shift key, press "Restart". This will also cause special system boot options to appear.
Additional Information
Some manufacturers of laptops, as well as motherboards for desktop computers, provide an option to enter the BIOS, including with fast boot options enabled (which applies to Windows 8), regardless of the installed operating system. You can try to find such information in the instructions for a particular device or on the Internet. Usually, this is holding a key when turning it on.
