It is infrequent, but sometimes it is possible to find a situation that is very ambiguous for many users when an error message is displayed on the screen when you turn on the terminal or laptop, asking you to press the F1 key, although previously the user did not make any download or login settings. Why does the computer ask you to press F1 and how to fix it? We will present information about this in the article.
Some experts reasonably believe that everything is to blame for some problems with the motherboard, and it needs to be tested or even replaced. This is not always the case, and the ordinary user can be offered several simple solutions that, in general, do not apply to drastic measures. But first things first.
Why does the computer ask you to press F1 at startup?
Despite the fact that basically a failure of this type refers to problems with the installed equipment, the primary BIOS I / O system signals this, which is directly responsible for checking it when the computer starts and saving the basic settings associated with it. As for the reasons that the system asks you to press F1 when you turn on the computer, they can be detected quite simply.
Just look at the accompanying message, which may indicate inoperative or missing equipment (in this way, the BIOS responds to failed components).
The system asks you to press F1 when you start the computer: identifying symptoms of failures
However, the true reason is far from always indicated in the message, and if there is one, it will be very problematic for an average user, even without an initial knowledge of English, to understand what is happening. In the simplest case, if the system asks you to press F1 while booting up the computer, and there is no message about possible failures, it is possible that the BIOS settings themselves have failed. You can determine this by the incorrectly displayed date and time. In some cases, the root cause may not lie in the installed equipment, but in the CMOS battery, which, as they say, breathes incense. As already clear, it is necessary to try to replace it.
Another problem is a partial failure of the motherboard. Here extreme measures are necessary with full testing in the service center. Finally, a failed component may be indicated in the notification, and the computer asks to press F1 to skip testing its performance, which is often observed when a failed keyboard is connected to the terminals.
How to fix the situation in the simplest way?
Now, after finding out the main causes and symptoms of such behavior of a computer or laptop, you can directly proceed to consider the simplest methods for eliminating the error. The first step is to enter the BIOS options, if possible. If this is not possible, the computer must be restarted forcibly and logged in after that.
After entering, you do not need to change the installed options. All you need to do is exit with saving the settings (F10). Surprisingly, such an action helps quite often.
If this does not help, and when the computer boots up, the system asks you to press F1 again and again, try changing the date and time by setting the correct parameters, and save the changes on exit.
Manual BIOS reset
If the previous steps do not help, re-enter the parameters of the primary system, find the reset point there to the factory settings (something like Load Setup Defaults), accept the reset, and then restart.
However, it also happens that such actions do not give the desired effect, and when the computer boots up, it asks you to press F1 again.
In this case, you can try to simply remove the CMOS battery located on the motherboard for 10-15 minutes, then insert it into the socket and turn on the terminal. Parameters will be reset automatically.
Actions with additional parameters of the primary input / output system
Some users who have encountered such a problem report that sometimes a positive effect on resolving the described problem can be achieved by changing some settings of the primary system.
In particular, it is about deactivating the Swap Floppy Drive and Boot Up Floppy Seek items by setting them to Disabled in the Advanced BIOS Features. After that, as usual, you will need to save the options and reboot the system.
What if the problem is in the peripheral equipment?
If, when the computer boots up, the system asks you to press F1, and the message indicates broken or problem equipment, try reconnecting or replacing it. Quite often, such situations can be found with mice and keyboards. On fixed terminals, if PS / 2 devices are connected, you should also check that the cables are connected to the jacks correctly (they are marked with the corresponding colors). In the case of using such external devices on laptops, in principle, there should not be any problems, however, it is better to check the operability of USB ports, as well as their inclusion in the BIOS settings.
Additional remedies
Finally, if none of the above helps, it is entirely possible that the main problem is not in the equipment, but in the primary system itself. In this situation, you can try to fix the problem by installing the latest firmware, which should be downloaded from the website of the manufacturer of the motherboard, laptop or the developer of the BIOS software shell. Unlike UEFI, flashing the BIOS is a very time-consuming process, and it is not recommended to do such things without special knowledge. However, in some BIOS modifications, firmware update points are provided, even with a detailed description of the actions performed.
Brief conclusions
As can be seen from the foregoing, among all possible problems, two main ones can clearly be distinguished: problems with the equipment and the primary system itself. To select the optimal method for correcting the situation, the first thing to do is pay attention to the accompanying message, in which the root cause of such a phenomenon can be indicated. In all other cases, you can use the simple saving of BIOS settings without changing them or a complete reset to the factory state. However, if the motherboard is damaged (especially when it can be visually observed), it is better to take it to a service center or the nearest workshop for a full test. Maybe only one microcircuit is out of order, and replacing it will eliminate the malfunctions. But the further use of the “motherboard” in case of ignoring warnings can lead to the failure of more significant components (for example, a processor or something else), and their replacement or purchase of a new motherboard, as they say, can fly into a pretty penny.