If you use an HP laptop or desktop computer, there may be times when you need to access the boot menu or BIOS settings. These menus allow you to control how your computer starts, choose a boot device, or make system-level changes. In this guide, you will learn everything about the HP boot menu and BIOS, including what they are, how to open them, and why you might need them. No need to be a tech expert — this guide is written in simple language so anyone can follow it. Let us begin by understanding what the boot menu is.
The HP boot menu is a screen that appears before the operating system starts. It gives you a list of devices to choose from when you want to boot your computer.
For example, you can use the boot menu to start your computer from
An external hard drive
A CD or DVD
The main hard drive
A network location
This is helpful when you want to install a new operating system, recover your system, or run tools from a USB stick.
The boot menu lets you control how the computer starts. Without it, your computer would always boot the same way, usually into Windows. But if something goes wrong with your main hard drive or if you want to use a bootable USB, the boot menu is the tool that lets you switch to another option.
Here is how you can open the boot menu on an HP laptop or desktop
Turn off your computer completely
Press the power button to turn it back on
As soon as the screen lights up, start pressing the ESC key repeatedly
The Startup Menu will appear on the screen
From the list, press F9 to open the Boot Device Options
You will now see a list of available boot devices. Use the arrow keys to move up or down and press Enter to select one.
This method works on most HP models. If it does not work on your device, try pressing F9 directly when turning on the computer.
Depending on the HP model, the boot menu key may vary. However, these are the most common
ESC then F9
F9 directly
F12 on some older HP models
Once you are in the boot menu, you will see several boot options. These may include
Internal Hard Disk Drive
This is the default boot device where your operating system is installed
USB Flash Drive
Use this to boot from a USB stick that has Windows installation files or repair tools
CD or DVD Drive
Useful for booting from a disc if your computer has an optical drive
Network Boot
This is often used in company or school environments to boot from a server
External Hard Drive or SSD
If you have installed an operating system on an external drive, you can boot from it
UEFI Boot
For newer systems using modern firmware
Legacy Boot
For older operating systems or devices that do not support UEFI
BIOS stands for Basic Input Output System. It is a special menu where you can control many system settings. You can change the boot order, enable or disable hardware features, set passwords, and more.
To enter BIOS on an HP laptop or desktop, follow these steps
Turn off your computer
Press the power button to turn it on
Immediately start pressing the ESC key repeatedly
The Startup Menu will appear
Press F10 to enter BIOS Setup
Once you are inside BIOS, you can use the arrow keys to move between menus. You can change the settings and press F10 again to save and exit.
Boot order
Secure Boot
Legacy Support
Virtualization
Fan control
System date and time
Here is a simple comparison between the boot menu and BIOS
Boot Menu is for temporary changes
BIOS is for permanent settings
Boot Menu lets you choose a device to boot from
BIOS allows you to change many system settings
Boot Menu is accessed using ESC then F9
BIOS is accessed using ESC then F10
If you always want your computer to start from USB first or another device, you can change the boot order in BIOS. Follow these steps
Turn on your HP device and press ESC then F10 to enter BIOS
Go to the Boot tab
Use the arrow keys to highlight Boot Order or Boot Priority
Move your preferred boot device to the top
Press F10 to save and exit
Now your system will always try to boot from the selected device first.
There are many reasons why you might want to use the HP boot menu or BIOS
Installing or reinstalling Windows
Running a live USB system like Linux
Repairing your operating system using recovery tools
Diagnosing hardware issues
Changing the order of boot devices
Enabling features like virtualization
Managing secure boot settings
Resetting BIOS settings to default
If you cannot enter the boot menu or BIOS, try these solutions
Try pressing ESC key earlier. Timing is very important
If ESC does not work, try F9 or F10 directly
Remove any CDs, DVDs, or USBs that may interfere with the boot process
Disconnect external devices like keyboards or mice
Use an external keyboard if the built-in one is not working
If your system boots too fast, use Windows Advanced Startup options
If you are using Windows 10 or Windows 11, you can also access BIOS from inside Windows
Click on Start and go to Settings
Choose Update and Security
Click Recovery from the left menu
Under Advanced Startup, click Restart Now
After rebooting, choose Troubleshoot
Select Advanced Options
Choose UEFI Firmware Settings
Click Restart
Your computer will restart and open the BIOS menu automatically
Do not change BIOS settings unless you understand them
Always back up important data before making system-level changes
Make sure your USB device is properly formatted and bootable
Use official tools when creating bootable drives
Avoid disabling important boot devices in BIOS
A recovery disk is a bootable device such as a CD, DVD, or USB drive that contains repair tools. You can use it to
Fix startup problems
Restore system settings
Recover lost or deleted files
Access a crashed system
Power Data Recovery is a helpful software that allows you to recover data from a failed system by creating a bootable disk.
Here is how you can make a recovery USB disk using Power Data Recovery software
Step 1: Download Power Data Recovery
On another working computer, go to the official website of Power Data Recovery
Download the free or paid version of the software
Install the software by following the on-screen instructions
Step 2: Open the Software and Select Bootable Media
Launch Power Data Recovery
From the top menu, click on the option called Bootable Media
The software will ask you to select the media type
Choose USB Flash Drive
Insert a blank USB drive into the computer
Select the drive and click on Create
Step 3: Wait for the Process to Complete
The software will now create a bootable recovery USB disk. This may take a few minutes. Once it finishes, you will see a message saying the USB boot disk is ready.
You can now use this USB drive on your HP laptop or desktop.
To use the recovery USB disk, you need to boot your HP device from the USB instead of the hard drive.
Follow these steps carefully
Step 1: Plug in the USB Boot Disk
Insert the USB drive into a USB port on your HP computer
Make sure the computer is completely turned off
Step 2: Access the Boot Menu
Press the power button to turn on the laptop
As soon as you see the HP logo, press the ESC key repeatedly
This will open the Startup Menu
Press F9 to open Boot Device Options
Step 3: Select USB Drive
You will now see a list of bootable devices
Use the arrow keys to select your USB drive
Press Enter
Your HP laptop will now boot from the USB recovery disk
Once your HP device boots from the USB, you will see the Power Data Recovery interface on the screen. Here is how to use it
Step 1: Select a Recovery Mode
Power Data Recovery offers several recovery modes such as
This PC
Hard Disk Drive
Removable Disk Drive
Crashed Computer Recovery
If your laptop is not starting normally, choose Crashed Computer Recovery
Step 2: Choose the Drive You Want to Recover
The software will show all drives and partitions
Select the drive you want to recover files from
Click on Scan
Step 3: Wait for the Scan to Complete
The software will search for lost or deleted files. This may take some time, depending on the drive size.
Step 4: Preview and Recover Files
Once the scan is done
Browse through the files
Preview the ones you want to save
Select the files and click Recover
Choose another safe drive or USB to save the recovered files
Step 5: Shut Down or Restart the Laptop
After recovering your files, you can safely shut down the device or restart it to try another recovery method like Windows system recovery.
Question What is the boot menu key for HP laptops
Answer Press ESC repeatedly when starting the device, then press F9
Question How do I enter BIOS on an HP desktop
Answer Press ESC when turning on the PC, then press F10 when the Startup Menu appears
Question Can I boot from USB without changing BIOS
Answer Yes, by using the boot menu F9 you can boot from USB without changing settings
Question What is the difference between UEFI and Legacy Boot
Answer UEFI is newer and supports more advanced features. Legacy is for older systems and devices
Question My USB drive is not showing in the boot menu. What should I do
Answer Make sure it is formatted as FAT32 and contains bootable files. Plug it in before turning on the PC
Knowing how to access the HP boot menu or BIOS gives you more control over your computer. Whether you need to install a new operating system, run repair tools, or change startup settings, the boot menu and BIOS help you get the job done.
Just remember these key steps
Use ESC then F9 to open Boot Menu
Use ESC then F10 to enter BIOS
Make changes carefully and save before exiting
With this guide, you now have a clear understanding of how the boot menu and BIOS work on HP devices. You can now troubleshoot, install, and manage your computer with confidence.
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