I'm dealing with a frustrating issue on my Z97 PCMate motherboard where I can't access the BIOS at all. I use this PC every day, and I've tried everything to get into BIOS to enable secure boot for playing BF6, but all I'm getting is a black screen when I hit DEL on startup. I've even switched monitors and experimented with different display outputs—HDMI and DisplayPort from both my GPU and motherboard—but no luck. I've removed the CMOS battery briefly and unplugged all drives to troubleshoot, yet still nothing works. The only time I see a POST screen is when I abruptly turn off the PC via the PSU switch, but even then, it gets stuck before letting me enter setup. I'm now looking into reflashing the BIOS, but most methods require BIOS access, which I don't have. Is there any way to reflash the BIOS without entering it, given the issues I'm facing?
3 Answers
Just a heads up, your keyboard probably isn't the issue since you said it responds but gets stuck. It could be a problem with the motherboard itself, especially if it won't go beyond the POST screen. Have you checked for any loose connections or even the CPU seating? That can sometimes cause weird issues like this.
Unfortunately, it looks like your motherboard doesn't support BIOS flashback, which means if it's not able to POST, it could be bricked. The fact that you see the POST screen gives me some hope though—it might still be salvageable. Have you tried plugging in a basic keyboard to see if that helps with key recognition when you start the PC? Sometimes that makes a difference for entering BIOS.
Yeah, I would try that first. Make sure you're using a wired keyboard—wireless ones can sometimes have input issues during startup.
I would suggest trying to do a BIOS recovery through a USB drive if your motherboard supports it. However, it seems you mentioned that there’s no USB slot for that in the manual. Just double-check to ensure there isn't a hidden option before you dive deeper into any hardware fixes.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll take another look at that manual and see if I missed anything about recovery options.
I haven't checked the CPU seating yet. I was hoping it wouldn't come to that, but it might be worth a look.