I cannot change the BIOS boot drive

[jpedi1]

After a few months of use this PC is trapped in the "repair" system on boot up.  I do not recall needing to set up a Microsoft account or getting a recovery key for the Bitlocker system so I do not have a key code.  I am willing to wipe the drive and reinstall windows 11 but in the BIOS the option for a USB boot drive will not select, only the OS option so even if I took the hard drive out and formatted it, I'll never be able to get windows reinstalled.

My question is, how can I make this doorstop useable again?  It seems to still be under warranty so maybe I just need to carry it to the service center.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @jpedi1,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding your PC!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

Let's try a few steps before considering a repair or a replacement:

Access the Boot Menu:

• Restart your computer and press Esc or F9 repeatedly to access the boot menu.
• Ensure that the USB drive is connected to your computer and select it from the boot options if it becomes available. If USB boot is not an option, you may need to adjust settings in the BIOS.

Enable USB Boot in BIOS:

• Reboot your system and press Esc repeatedly to enter the Startup Menu, and then F10 to enter the BIOS Setup.
• Navigate to the System Configuration or Boot tab.
• Look for the Boot Options setting and ensure that "USB" or "External Device Boot" is enabled.
• You may also need to disable Secure Boot and enable Legacy Support to allow USB booting.

Create a Bootable USB Recovery Drive:

• Use another computer to create a Windows 11 bootable USB drive using the Windows Media Creation Tool.
• Once created, insert this USB drive into your All-In-One 27-CR000 and try booting from it.

Perform a System Recovery:

• If you cannot access the USB boot, HP provides a built-in recovery option.
• Press F11 as the computer starts to enter the Recovery Manager.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to perform a system recovery. You may choose to reset the PC with or without keeping your personal files.

Potential BitLocker Issue:

• If you didn’t enable BitLocker yourself, check with your organization or school IT department, as they might have policies applying BitLocker by default.
• If BitLocker is active, and you don’t have the recovery key, you will need assistance from Microsoft Support.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[jpedi1]

I have disabled secure boot but there is no "legacy support" option to select and the USB drive cannot be selected.  F5/F6 moves it to first in line but nothing will change the selection from OS  boot.  Going to F11 Recovery Manager does no good, I get back to the same recovery option screen and trying to recover from USB gets me the same Bitlocker key trap. 

Basically Bitlocker is wonderfully secure -- data can never be lost or compromised because you can't use the computer to create any.  I guess there is nothing left to do but take it to a service center for a replacement or some secret magic restoration they might have.

[Kuroi_Kenshi · Accepted solution]

Hi @jpedi1,

Thank you for the response.

I get how frustrating that must be. Since Secure Boot is already disabled but the USB still won't work, and there's no Legacy Support option, here’s one final round of "secret magic" you can try before taking it in:

Check for "UEFI Hard Lock" – Is TPM or BitLocker Ownership Corrupted?

Go into BIOS > Security tab.

Look for TPM (Trusted Platform Module). If enabled, try:

Clearing TPM → this can sometimes release the BitLocker key trap.

Save and restart.

Use HP Hardware Diagnostics (UEFI) – Force Boot

HP laptops/desktops often have a pre-boot diagnostic tool:

Shut down the PC.

Power it on and immediately press Esc repeatedly, then press F2.

Run diagnostics → let it complete → look for any “Boot from USB” override option after diagnostics.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[jpedi1]

It's ALIVE!  I re-ran the diagnostics but did not see anything come up regarding USB ports.  I reset the TPM and rebooted with the USB Cloud Recovery drive created on my old computer (after 3 HP support chats and some glitches) inserted and it proceeded with the recovery.  I am back with a new computer!  WITHOUT Bitlocker best I can tell.  

No clue what caused the original crash other than possibly something in Windows got corrupted.  Hopefully it will behave from here on out.

Thank you for your help!

[Garp_senchau]

Hey @jpedi1,

Thanks for the update!

 I'm glad to hear the recovery worked and you're back up and running without BitLocker. 

If you run into any more issues, feel free to reach out. We're always here to help!

Regards,