The BIOS is the first software to run after turning on the computer. If the BIOS on your computer becomes corrupted, the computer fails to boot to Windows. The BIOS can be corrupted during normal operation, through environmental conditions (such as a power surge or outage), from a failed BIOS upgrade or damage from a virus. If the BIOS is corrupted, the system automatically attempts to restore the BIOS from a hidden partition when the computer is restarted. This document covers other methods to restore the BIOS if the automatic BIOS restoration does not work.

If you experience any of the following symptoms after restarting the computer, recover the BIOS.

• Windows does not start and the Caps Lock or Num Lock keys blink, or the computer beeps 2 times
• Power light or charging light continues to blink
• A BIOS APPLICATION ERROR 501 message displays
• The computer stops at a black or blank screen when powered on
• The computer turns on and you might hear the internal fan, but the display is blank and Windows does not start

NOTE:

For business computers, your company IT department or local IT service might manage BIOS settings. Confirm this if you cannot access BIOS settings or restore the BIOS.