Question Can't access boot/BIOS menu onToshiba Satellite P875-S7200

[dheianevans]

Hi everyone,

The missus was recently given an old Toshiba Satellite P875-S7200.

When you turn it on, the computer goes automatically to the Windows repairing startup screen. No Toshiba splash screen. No indication of what key to hit to enter BIOS, so that I can boot from USB and do a clean windows install. How do I get to the BIOS.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Etrius vanRandr]

When you turn it on, the computer goes automatically to the Windows repairing startup screen. No Toshiba splash screen. No indication of what key to hit to enter BIOS, so that I can boot from USB and do a clean windows install. How do I get to the BIOS.

Take out the hard drive and it should go straight to BIOS.

If not, it's either F2 or F12

My advice is to avoid Toshiba laptops, they've always been hot garbage.

 

[dheianevans]

Yeah, I know the rep. But the price was free, and she just wanted something quick to write on.

Speaking of the F keys, it's one of those keyboards where there's the Fn key. Do you need to hit that and F2 during boot, or is the Fn key usually only needed when you're in Windows?

 

[Etrius vanRandr]

Do you need to hit that and F2 during boot, or is the Fn key usually only needed when you're in Windows?

Often the defaults require you to hit FN as well, hella annoying. My HP has that option in the BIOS, I have it se to not require FN to use the function keys.

Try both just in case.

 

[dheianevans]

I'll give it a try after the Celtics/Warriors game. Thanks.

Update: F2 and F12 aren't doing it.

You think the BIOS manufacturers would settle on a standard. "I see why you crashed, on Ford's the brakes on the right, gas on the left."

 

[Etrius vanRandr]

Update: F2 and F12 aren't doing it.

Try ESC or DEL

HP uses F9

Dell uses F10/F12

Take out the hard drive, as Win8 UEFI sometimes skips BIOS splash

 

[dheianevans]

Here's an update. I've built PCs before, so at this point I just don't want this Toshiba to beat me.

1) No drive installed at all:
Does not go automatically into BIOS. Power off and on. F2 does not work. Power off/on. Neither does F12, ESC, or DEL.
Toshiba tries to do a PXE-MOF Ethernet boot instead.

2) Ventoy boot USB in. SSD (wiped/NFTS formatted) installed. Power on. Toshiba just sits there. Screen black. Never loads Ventoy grub menu.

3) Ventoy USB in. Power on, goes to Ventoy menu. Install SSD. Neither Win 10 or Ubuntu detect SSD. BIOS probably doesn't recognize hot plugging.

So the questions. 1) why won't the Vento USB boot if a clean/formatted empty SSD is plugged in as well at power up? If the Ventoy boot USB loads if nothing is plugged in, what's stopping it when an SSD is?

2) why is it not going to BIOS when nothing is plugged in?

3) why aren't Del, esc, F2 or F12 working?

Thanks.

 

[Etrius vanRandr]

So the questions. 1) why won't the Vento USB boot if a clean/formatted empty SSD is plugged in as well at power up? If the Ventoy boot USB loads if nothing is plugged in, what's stopping it when an SSD is?

Boot order prioritizes first disk over removable media

2) why is it not going to BIOS when nothing is plugged in?

Probably BIOS splash timeout set to 0s. Can you remove the BIOS battery? AFAIK yours uses InsydeH20 which is a really annoying ROM to deal with.

3) why aren't Del, esc, F2 or F12 working?

Splash timeout.

 

[dheianevans]

While having a coffee, I suddenly remembered that I had a USB to SATA cable. Installed Ubuntu to the SSD via that. Tossed the SSD into the laptop and voila, the missus has a free laptop for emails and light surfing.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Have a great weekend!