Esc and F10 don't work to enter BIOS of Omen 880-160se

[kwy430]

Hi, I want to enter BIOS upon startup but pressing the Esc rapidly after pressing the power button does not work. The PC boots normally into Windows. I tried pressing F10 at startup but that did not work. I normally use a wireless USB keyboard. I thought that being wireless was the problem, so I plugged in a wired USB keyboard. I tried pressing the Esc key and F10 key with the wired keyboard, but I still can't enter the BIOS. The wired USB keyboard works when the PC boots into Windows. Is there anything else I can try?

[VikramTheGreat · Accepted solution]

Hi @kwy430,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for posting your query. I will be glad to help you.

Thanks for the detailed explanation — you're definitely on the right track by trying both wireless and wired keyboards. Since your OMEN by HP Desktop 880-160se CTO isn't responding to Esc or F10 during startup, here are a few more things you can try:

Steps to Access BIOS on HP OMEN Desktops:

1. Use the Windows Advanced Startup Method

Since the key presses aren't working, try this method from within Windows:

• Go to Settings > System > Recovery.
• Under Advanced startup, click Restart now.
• After reboot, choose:
  • Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.
• Your PC should now boot into BIOS.

2. Try Other Common Keys

Sometimes the key might vary slightly. Try these during startup:

• F2
• F12
• Del (Delete)

Make sure to:

• Turn off Fast Boot in Windows (if you can access BIOS once).
• Unplug all USB devices except the keyboard and monitor.

3. Use a Different USB Port

• Plug the wired keyboard into a rear USB 2.0 port (not USB 3.0 or front panel).
• Some BIOS setups only initialize certain ports early in the boot process.

4. Clear CMOS (as a last resort)

If nothing works, you can reset the BIOS by:

• Powering off the PC and unplugging it.
• Opening the case and removing the CMOS battery for 5–10 minutes.
• Reinsert the battery and try booting again.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, as it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

VikramTheGreat

HP Support

[kwy430]

Thank you so much VikramTheGreat! Yours was the first post that consolidated so many possible solutions in one place. I think I found enough previous posts that I could try *almost* everything in your post but I may not have followed the instructions exactly. There are some new ones in your post I can try. The closest I came to entering the BIOS (befoe I posted my question) was to use Advanced Startup > Recovery. When I tried that, my PC did not boot into windows, but it didn't boot into the BIOS either. Instead, it went to a black screen that was not responsive. I had to turn off power and reboot. I think that the problem might be that I increased memory from 8 GB of DDR2400 to 32 GB of DDR3200. Even though DDR3200 was not listed as supported, it worked and is rock solid in my PC. The DDR3200 may be confusing the BIOS. Does not seem right that DDR3200 would confuse the BIOS but that is the only think I can think of. I don't actually know. 

I accepted Vikram's solution. It is very important that such a well-organized and comprehensive solution be at or near the top of solutions when someone asks this question.

Thank you again VikramTheGreat.

Regards,

Bill

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @kwy430,

You're very welcome for the kind feedback, and I’m glad the solution helped clarify the various BIOS entry options.

I would request you to please try, and if you need any help,p keep me posted, we are here to get all the help.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue; it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Take care and have a great day ahead!

VikramTheGreat

HP Support

[kwy430]

I removed a Logitech unifying receiver from a USB port that I used for my keyboard and mouse. I connected wired keyboard and mouse to USB ports. Lo and behold I could enter the bios setup using Esc or F10. So, the problem seemed to be the Logitech Unifying Receiver.