Can't access recovery Menus on startup

[Jason1302]

Overnight my laptop must have done a reboot. Unfortunately it has 'hung' and I can't access any of the recovery menus. I have a message in the bootom left of the bootup screen that says "Entering Boot Menu" ( or setup, factory recovery, system diagnostics et al). 

I tried to be patient, and left it there for approx 3 hours 

Any suggestions?

[Deep_World · Accepted solution]

Hi @Jason1302,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

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

Sorry for the inconvenience caused don’t worry let me help you.

To better understand the issue, could you please provide a few more details?

• What is the exact model of your HP laptop?
• Did this issue start after a Windows update or BIOS update?
• Do you see any other messages or error codes on the screen besides “Entering Boot Menu”?
• Have you connected any external devices (USB drives, external hard disks, printers) when booting?

In the meantime, here are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:

1. Power Reset:
   • Shut down the laptop completely.
   • Disconnect the power adapter 
   • Hold the power button for 15–20 seconds, then reconnect power and try starting again.
2. Remove External Devices:
   • Disconnect all USB drives, external storage, or peripherals.
   • Restart the laptop to see if it bypasses the hang.
3. Try Different Startup Keys:
   • Restart and press Esc repeatedly to access the Startup Menu.
   • From there, try pressing F9 (Boot Device Options) or F11 (System Recovery).
4. BIOS Reset:
   • Restart and press F10 to enter BIOS Setup.
   • If accessible, reset BIOS to default settings and save changes.
5. Run HP Hardware Diagnostics:
   • Restart and press Esc → then F2 to open HP PC Hardware Diagnostics.
   • Run a full system test to check for hardware issues.
6. Create a Recovery USB (if menus remain inaccessible):

• On another PC, use the https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_4511095-4511141-16  to create a recovery USB.
• Boot your laptop from this USB to access recovery options.

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,

Deep_World