Yo Motherboard

Stuck at the BIOS screen and unable to use the keyboard

August 23, 2026 4 answers
Asked by MellowPine47
My prebuilt PC became stuck at the American Megatrends BIOS screen after a full Windows Defender scan crashed. The screen shows the motherboard BIOS information and says to press F2 or Delete for Setup or F11 for the Boot Menu, but none of the keys seem to do anything. I've restarted the computer several times and unplugged and reconnected the keyboard, but that didn't help. I can't easily access or modify the motherboard because this is a prebuilt system. What should I try to get past this screen?
BIOS screen boot issues Hardware keyboard not responding prebuilt PC USB keyboard Windows Defender crash

Answers

CopperRaven31
If the keyboard has a Function Lock setting, the F-keys may be in an alternate mode. Try holding Fn while pressing F2 or F11, or toggle the keyboard’s Fn/F-lock key and try again. A basic wired USB keyboard is often the most reliable option for accessing BIOS.
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QuietMarble5
If a known-good wired keyboard still doesn’t let you open Setup or the Boot Menu, the BIOS may not be detecting an operating-system drive. In that case, the prebuilt manufacturer’s support team may need to check the storage drive and hardware connections.
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JuniperVale62
Check whether Num Lock, Caps Lock, or Scroll Lock changes the keyboard’s indicator lights. If the lights don’t respond, try a different keyboard and plug it directly into another USB port. A Bluetooth keyboard usually won’t work before Windows loads, and some wireless keyboards use their USB cable only for charging rather than data.
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CrispOrbit8
Try pressing F11 to open the Boot Menu. If no menu appears, the computer may not be detecting the keyboard or may not be finding a boot drive.
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