Turning on Starting in Startup menu

[PestilentW]

After a clean windows clean install, every time I restart the computer it goes through "startup menu" then I have to manually choose to the last option "enter - continue startup" to proceed.

UEFI boot order seems fine, starts with OS BOOT MANAGER at top

secure boot enable 

in windows, startup selection is Normal startup (current os; difault os)

I tried boot related issue diagnosis, it stuck in "processor check at about 3%" not even escape key worked.

I don't know how that could be a problem since when I normally select "enter - continue startup" it loads into windows normally, no issue in day-to-day whatsoever.

there are recent 0502s in log of BIOS.

the battery is dead and ordered a new replacement part

not a critical problem but I'd rather have the PC ready to log-in instead while getting my morning coffee. 

Any idea what could be the problem? 

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @PestilentW 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown. Based on your HP laptop’s behavior—booting into the Startup Menu every time and requiring manual confirmation to continue—it sounds like a BIOS-level hang or misconfiguration, possibly triggered by the dead battery or a residual boot flag from the clean Windows install.

Here’s a structured approach to resolve it:

1. Perform a Hard Reset

This clears residual power and resets hardware flags:

• Power off the laptop
• Disconnect charger and remove battery (if removable)
• Hold the power button for 15 seconds
• Reconnect power and boot again

This simple step can sometimes clear boot menu loops.

 

2. Reset BIOS to Default Settings

Even if the boot order looks fine, a corrupted setting might be causing the hang:

• Press Esc at startup → Enter Startup Menu
• Press F10 to enter BIOS Setup
• Use arrow keys to navigate to Exit tab
• Select Load Setup Defaults
• Save and Exit

This will reset all BIOS settings, including boot flags.

 

3. Disable Fast Boot (if enabled)

Sometimes Fast Boot can conflict with hardware checks:

• In BIOS Setup (F10), go to Advanced > Boot Options
• Disable Fast Boot
• Save and Exit

 

4. Check for BIOS Update

If your BIOS logs show recent 0502s, it may be worth updating:

• Visit HP’s support site
• Enter your laptop model
• Download and install the latest BIOS update using HP’s tool

 

5. Replace the CMOS Battery

Since your main battery is dead and being replaced, the CMOS battery may also be failing. A weak CMOS battery can cause BIOS to forget settings and re-trigger the Startup Menu.

Diagnostics Tip

You mentioned the boot diagnostics hang at “Processor Check 3%” — this could be a symptom of:

• A BIOS bug
• A hardware conflict
• Or simply a failed diagnostic tool due to the battery issue

Once your new battery arrives, retry the diagnostics. A stable power source often resolves these hangs.

Let me know your exact HP model if you'd like tailored BIOS update links or CMOS battery part numbers. And once your battery arrives, we can recheck everything with a fresh power baseline.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[PestilentW]

thank you for your response! 

Before replacing the battery performed hard reset! no luck! 😞

on the board, looks like my device does not particularly has one! unless on keyboard side of the board!?

There's no fast boot option in BIOS menu either!

by the looks of it, it seems like HP retired my laptop and there's no more bios update available!

it's a HP OMEN NOTEBOOK 15t-5000 CTO

Product number: J2W12AV#ABA

Serial number: 8CG50405H7

Held Win+B on powerup, I have double flashes of caps lock on start up, it double flashes! Bios/Cmos related issue!

[Hawks_Eye]

@PestilentW 

We sincerely thank you for your patience and co-operation during this troubleshooting process.

I'm sending you a private message to guide you on the next steps.

To access it, click the private message icon in the upper-right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your name.

If this resolves your issue, kindly mark this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" if it was helpful.

Take care and have a great day!

Regards,

Hawks_Eye