Window 8.1 only boot into BIOS – Stuck BIOS
The Problem Is not in Bios:
It needs AHCI Boot
Fast boot
‘optional secureboot’
In my case some pc’s in my infrastructure had a dimmed display boot:
Some would advocate for hardware failure (without any substantial proof). Let’s first rule out software before attacking the screws.
Plug in a VGA,HDMI,DVI ect cable on the sucker and let it boot.
If you see any sort of dimmed SECOND screen, almost impossible to see, but with some information about windows , you have a Software issue.
For some reason Windows 8 screws up the Aditional Screen Config in the registry, and incapacitates the Video Driver.
In my case it has replaced the values for the Nvidia car inside the registry under :
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\NVIDIA\global\nvUpdate
This is usually 1
I have added the correct value but the Driver was still busted.
Started having doubts about the HDD so I performed a : chkdsk C: /f /r /x
Nothing conclusive….
Let’s take the bazooka to kill the fly, as too much effort in troubleshooting an isolated case.
Let’s install Windows 10 on the device.
The device consumed about 30 minutes to install the W10 Image, and about 20 minutes after the OS has been installed and booted correctly it has identified also some windows updates but also the Graphics Drivers.
After installing all the WU’s the issue was gone.
This is where SCCM comes in to play, captured the full image and added it in a Task sequence.
Created a Direct Membership Collection with the Problematic devices (after checking they were backed up correctly (user perspective))
Deployed the TS to the devices in the evening, notified the impacted users via Ivanti.
Next day the users had windows 10 on the devices and where thrilled.
This incident convinced management that a W10 rollout would be strongly recommended even if extended support is still there.
Spitt the devices in pilots, and in a couple of days all devices have been upgraded.
Lessons learned by the customer, there is some argumentation behind end of mainstream support.
