Boot menue button ESC does not work

[MS1812]

I created an USB recovery drive and wanted to test its functionality. For this reason  I plugged in the USB stick
and started the notebook. Though I pressed the ESC key immediately the ESC button was not recognized and 
the normal windows started.

[Garp_senchau]

@MS1812, Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

Thanks for the details — this is a common issue when trying to boot from a USB recovery drive. Here are a few steps to troubleshoot and ensure you can successfully boot from the USB:

Insert USB, Then Power On

To ensure your laptop detects the USB:

Power off the laptop completely.

Plug in the USB stick.

Power on the device, and immediately start pressing the correct boot menu key (not just once — tap it repeatedly every second until the menu appears).

Test USB on Another PC

To rule out issues with the USB drive itself, try booting another computer from it. If it works there, the issue is likely BIOS/boot menu settings on your notebook.

Also, i suggest you refer to this article: Boot from USB on Windows 10 PCs: A Step-by-Step Guide

I hope this helps.

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

[MS1812]

Hi,

I have tried it the way you described but it does not work. Also USB-sticks with ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE or AOMEI-BACKUPPER  don't work. But my test on another PC with WINDOWS 10  was successful.

Are there other solutions? Thank you for help.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @MS1812,

Thank you for your update, I appreciate you trying those steps!

Since your USB boot works on another Windows 10 PC but not on your HP notebook, and the ESC key doesn't bring up the Startup Menu, here are a few additional steps that can help resolve the issue:

Use F9 Instead of ESC (Direct Boot Menu)

Sometimes, ESC may not respond due to Fast Boot or firmware behavior. Try this instead:

Power OFF your notebook.

Insert the USB stick.

Power ON and immediately tap F9 repeatedly (once every second).

This brings up the Boot Device Options menu directly.

Disable Fast Boot in BIOS

Fast Boot can prevent the system from recognizing keypresses early during boot.

Press ESC or F10 to enter BIOS (try both).

Navigate to the Boot or System Configuration tab.

Look for "Fast Boot" or "Quick Boot", disable it.

Save changes and exit.

Enable Legacy Support (If USB Is Legacy-Formatted)

If the recovery USB is built using legacy boot mode tools like AOMEI or Acronis, make sure Legacy Boot is enabled:

Go into BIOS (F10 key during startup).

Under Boot Options or Advanced, enable:

Legacy Support

Disable Secure Boot

Save and restart.

Note: Disabling Secure Boot may trigger a warning, don’t worry, this is expected and reversible.

BIOS Update

If none of the above works, consider checking if there's a BIOS update available for your HP notebook from the official HP support page:

Go to: https://support.hp.com

Enter your device model and check the latest BIOS version.

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,

[MS1812]

Hi,

thank you for your help but using F9 instead of ESC  also does not work!

Regards

[Garp_senchau]

Hey @MS1812, 

Thanks for reaching out! Since the issue remains unresolved, I suggest contacting our phone/chat support team for personalized assistance. They can provide one-on-one help and may even be able to work their remote assistance magic to fix the problem.

Note: There might be a nominal charge for the service they provide.

Regards,

[MS1812]

Hi,

thanks for your suggestion but I want to close the ticket. 
I don't have any current needs at the moment, so I'm waiting until the problem becomes relevant.

Thanks very much for assistance.

[Garp_senchau]

Hey @MS1812,

Thanks for the reply! If you need anything else, don't hesitate to contact us. We're happy to assist whenever the need arises.

Regards,