I'm trying to play Valorant, but I originally thought I needed to disable Secure Boot in the BIOS. The problem is that I can't seem to enter BIOS at startup. I've tried F2, F8, F10, Delete, repeatedly pressing keys immediately after powering on, and even using another keyboard. The computer either boots straight to the Windows login screen or appears not to turn on while I'm holding a key. I also never see the Windows logo during startup.
On another computer, I could hold Shift while selecting Restart and use the recovery menu to enter firmware settings. On this PC, choosing Restart produces a black screen while the fans keep spinning, although their usual lighting turns off. I then have to hold the case's power button to shut it down. The motherboard is a Gigabyte Eagle AX. Has anyone dealt with both an inaccessible BIOS and failed restarts like this?
3 Answers
First, check whether you actually need to disable Secure Boot. Many modern anti-cheat systems require UEFI mode and Secure Boot to be enabled, not disabled. If Valorant is reporting a Secure Boot requirement, changing that setting would move you in the wrong direction.
Try pressing Delete immediately after pressing the power button; that is commonly the BIOS setup key on Gigabyte boards. If Windows starts too quickly, use Windows Recovery: hold Shift while selecting Restart, then choose Troubleshoot, Advanced options, and UEFI Firmware Settings if that option appears.
If you still can’t reach firmware settings, perform a complete shutdown, unplug the power cable, and hold the case power button for about 10–15 seconds. Clearing the CMOS by following the motherboard manual’s instructions can restore default BIOS settings, but make sure the system is fully disconnected from power first. Afterward, reconnect everything and give the first boot extra time.
Be careful about changing Secure Boot or clearing BIOS settings if Windows is using UEFI or drive encryption. Take note of any current BIOS settings and follow the Gigabyte manual rather than randomly removing components.
That was my mistake—I reread the message and it says UEFI Secure Boot needs to be enabled. I had forgotten what it said because I hadn’t tried launching the game in a while.