Windows Stuck in a BIOS Loop

Hi guys,

Got a new laptop with windows 8 on it and after a number of attempts to downgrade the OS in a civilized manner I gave up and reformatted and partitioned the HDD.

Now I can't get passed the BIOS menu. I have changed boot orders, disabled devices, anything I can think of. No matter what I do, it refuses to boot off either the offical Windows 7 installation disc or the USB boot drive I made.

I know that is not a huge amount of information for you to go on, but any ideas to put me in the right direction?

 

Windows 8 fully support UEFI firmware interface of the computer (UEFI replaced the aged old BIOS). One of the features of UEFI is the ability to lock itself to a supported OS using an encryption certificate. The idea of this system was to block malware or virus from setting itself as boot, which alters Windows files, disables or hack the virus database of A/V software to make them scan and detect nothing, and then boots Windows. Sadly, OEMs have different idea in their mind, such as blocking you from downgrading and possibly even upgrading your Windows (and if it's a Linux system, you'll be stuck with Linux, and not even able to change distro). Now there is an option in the UEFI to disable it to allow you to change the OS, but they remove the option in the UEFI menu screen. So you are stuck with Windows 8, and don't ask me what to do if you change the SSD/HDD. This is new, so I don't know.

So unless you find that option in the UEFI options, I am afraid you are stuck with Windows 8.

In the good news, Windows 8 is actually great OS if you get to know it. Personally, I don't want Windows 7. Windows 8 is faster, and I noticed a nice visible performance improvement in my games especially with old hardware (new stuff, not so much, like reviews pointed out). Moreover, the Start Screen is really cool. You can always search as before by just typing, but you can also pin any folder you like, it excludes all the "Uninstall', "Read me", crap that programs insist in dumping on the start menu. And you can organize it the way you want.

I build a computer for someone and put Windows 8 upon his request after I did him a quick tour on my laptop of Windows 8, and he likes it a a lot, and he is not computer knowledgeable. When I pointed out the lack of the Start button, he said: "I didn't notice it was gone, I just move my mouse to the bottom and left corner of the screen and click". And I realized that he is not alone.

If it helps getting you started with Windows 8 Start Screen, here is mine on my desktop. I haven't got the time to install all my games due to University, that started (I had beta version of Windows 8 before), but you can image yourself me having all my games direct access without the need of accessing Steam first, under the group I called "Games".


Another thing that is cool with Windows 8 which surly you will like. Free unlimited music streaming of 30 million+ songs via the XBox music app. This is almost as big as iTunes if not practically the same. FREE! And it's high quality too. There is even SmartDJ features which based on an artists you listen, it will scan other artists that got inspired by what you are listening or the song artist got inspired of, and similar genres and make you a list. A cool way to discover new music.

In my case, I got the XBox Music Pass, which allows me to download unlimited amount of songs in higher quality, and use the Zune Music Pass (shares the same library) which I use every day as it's a desktop app, and also I have a Zune, which I can send my downloaded songs too. (Downloaded music is only playable on Windows devices, so: Windows RT, Windows XP/Vista/7/8, Windows Phone 7/8, and XBox 360. And it will expends soon, with iOS and Android app so that you can use those devices to listen to music.
It's really cool, worth at least a look.

In my case I downland about 10-12 albums a month. I like a song, whatever, I get the album it doesn't cost me more. So much money saved compared of buying my music on iTunes. It's only 10$ a month, or 100$ a year (that gives you 2 months free).


Another cool thing with Windows 8 is Storage Space! Check it out. You can mix HDD from different controllers or the same, USB, SD card, old HDD new HDD, you name it, and you can make different RAID setups or simply merge everything into 1 drive.

 

How much are MS paying you?

I have tried W8 for on and off for a week and it just was getting on my nerves. Admittedly I would just turn to my main PC when I got lost, so that might not have helped.

Guess I'll have to give it a second chance and see what happens, but if anyone has any ideas of getting around the UEFI I'm listening

 

Honestly stick with win8. All you have to do is just have an icon for the desktop on the start screen and thats it. Basically everything else is either the same or better than windows 7 anyway. It took me about 3-4 weeks to get used to it, and I prefer it to win7 now, but I still only have the desktop 'app' on my start screen.

 

hehe. None, sadly. Not even working there.

The problem with this damn option is that the name changes between manufacture.
Look for perhaps: "UEFI Mode" option, or "Secure Boot", or "BIOS Mode" and it might be called other things.

Took me a month to get use to it and get confortable. My only problem I have, is on my desktop, in turning off the computer or putting it to sleep. It's not particularity easy access as before. I do Alt+F4 on the desktop and get the standard old shutdown/restart/sleep panel. Laptop is fine, I just hit the power button or close the lid.