Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

[frankus333]

G'day folks

I have a HP-15 notebook (maybe -15-r110tu ?),
model K2N67PA#ABG,
BIOS Insyde F.23-09/12/2014 (096c110000405F00050660180), UEFI secure boot,
SMBIOS ver 2.7,
Embedded Controller version 57.35,
Hardware Abstraction Layer version = "6.3.9600.17196.

It has a broken screen, and I use it via the only external monitor port it has, a HDMI port. I have an in-line HDMI to VGA adapter which drives my VGA monitor.

I have seen a number of posts on another forum reporting that it should be possible to see the initial boot screens and/or the BIOS screens with this kind of configuration (often with VGA port and/or legacy BIOS), but no combination of function keys allows me to see mine.

I have Windows 8.1 and Linux Mint 18.1 KDE dual booted on this machine (hence my need to see the boot and BIOS screens for trouble shooting). The F4 key switches through the display options available in either OS, but does nothing in the initial boot period. I have set the lid switch to Do Nothing in both OSes, and also tried the special option available in LM 18.1 of turning off the laptop display only, leaving the external display on, when the lid closes. No combination changes the display behaviour at boot time. The lid switch options in Win 8.1 only involve actions of the OS (sleep, hibernate, shut down) and have no effect on display options. The display on/off option in LM18.1KDE lid switch options seems more relevant, but again seems to have no effect on boot/BIOS screen access prior to OS loading.

I have also experimented with using a small (2cm or about 0.8 inch diameter) disc magnet from the back of a fridge magnet to simulate the lid closed so I can still access laptop keys. This seems to mimic lid closure, but also seems to disable some keys, so not all that useful. I am using a PS/2 keyboard (and mouse) via a twin USB adapter, and the keys needed to select OS boot options (Esc, F9, down cursor and Enter), and to toggle display options (F4 on this machine; not Fn +F4) seem to work at boot time OK. So I have tried accessing boot/BIOS screens after reboot with the lid closed, pausing the sequence, but get nothing on the external display until the selected OS has booted.

I have seen another post which said that disconnecting the internal screen to try to force the display output to the external monitor did not prevent the laptop from thinking it was still there, so this would only be a last resort for me to try, unless someone actually has confirmed this might work on a HP-15 like mine.

I wonder if anyone out there has experience with the HP-15 notebook and has been able to get boot/BIOS screens to show in an external HDMI monitor? Or, who has some detailed information on the accessing steps to the BIOS screens (e.g.; service manual), so I can get in and shut down Secure Boot (or change whatever else in BIOS that might allow HDMI output during boot)? Or, who might know whether there is the possibility of accessing a VGA port on the motherboard?

Apologies if this is too detailed a post; first time poster.

Cheers

[jiroy]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Little options you've got there , i must admit . Either you'll have to buy its original screen , or , use the HDMI to VGA relayed to an old monitor , not an LCD . I keep one or two for such rescue missions ..The difference there , old monitors didn't have smart programing controllers , and they can take easily lower resolutions .
It's always handy to keep such an old , let's say tool now , monitor .

[frankus333]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Thanks jiroy

I was actually relatively easily able to disconnect and remove the screen from the connector in the lid; I did not go all the way to the motherboard and remove the other end of the cable. This did not seem to have achieved anything on the initial bootup, but after a reboot, it worked; I could see the boot menu, and enter BIOS, but did not see any sign of the Linux GRUB booting menu.

I was able to turn off Secure Boot (but did not purge the Secure Boot keys) and correct the clock in BIOS. The initial screens remained available through a series of reboots, starting in Safe Mode, and shutdowns, while I explored to see if I could locate the GRUB menu. So far so good.

However, after switching to Legacy boot mode in BIOS to see if that would allow the GRUB menu to show up, I got a warning that this might prevent any OS booting. I opted to go ahead anyway. Both OSes can be booted as before, but now the initial boot screens and BIOS are no longer available; I am back to square one!

I completely shut down the machine, removed the battery and purged any residual power by holding down the power button as before, to see it this would allow it to get back into recognizing there was no longer an internal display. No change on restart; no HDMI output until OS booted.

I find it hard to believe it can still think there is an internal display attached, so I suspect the regression relates to the legacy boot selection. However, I also opted to change action key operation so that Fn + [action key] is required, not just the action key, so the regression may be related to that, although it seems less likely. I don't want to risk blindly trying to navigate my way back to the BIOS section to turn off Legacy Boot again; too many steps and thus room for seriously stuffing up the BIOS.

Maybe the simpler steps of navigating blindly to reset the BIOS to default settings will restore UEFI booting? I think from memory that would involve getting to the BIOS screen (Esc > F10) then moving to the most right hand menu item by one [left arrow] key press (because I am not sure how many [right arrow] steps would be required). Then, two [down arrow] key presses should get me from Exit Saving Changes > Exit without Saving > Reset to Defaults. Now pressing Enter should complete the reset, unless there is a confirmation dialogue related to this action.

If anyone could confirm that my assumptions and these steps are accurate or not, that would be a great help. I am also curious about whether anything I have changed in the display settings in either OS (e.g.; whether there are one or two displays, and which is primary) could have any effect on the display selection during boot/BIOS entry, before any OS has loaded. I suspect not, but would be nice to confirm this. I also wonder if the changes in BIOS can limit or change what the OS display options are now. I ask because there seems to be some changes/limitations to display options, particularly in Win 8.1, such as not being able to get letterbox effect as before when resolution set to recommended optimal for this display.

Many thanks for any ideas.

Cheers

[jiroy]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

I doubt at this point that you can see your Bios in safe mode or after multiple shutdowns which also means safe mode , and which also means lower resolutions .
You may repeat your previous steps and write down your bios structure , so to work in blind mode .

[frankus333]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Thanks jiroy

Not sure I understand your last post; perhaps I have confused things with too much information not immediately relevant to the issue of seeing boot screens.

I mentioned safe mode in passing, as it was one of the options I temporarily gained when the initial screens became visible for a while. I use safe mode to run virus scans to provide a simpler environment for the scanner to check everything completely, and it was not accessible to me in Win 8.1 until the initial screens could be seen. I presume the lower resolution of the OS display in safe mode has no influence over the presence or absence of the initial screens prior to OS loading.

The multiple shutdowns and reboots were into the full OSes, not safe mode, except for the one time when I tried it out. I will probably be able to boot into safe mode again now, as I know what the screens looked like, and the three options for safe mode alone, and with either networking or command prompt, are options 4, 5 and 6 respectively.

If someone has accurate key sequence for resetting this BIOS to default, I would be most grateful.

Cheers

[jiroy]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

What i meant Frankus333; is , when you gained a temporarily view and the initial screens became visible for a while , it was because the laptop was in safe mode ..In safe mode , a lower resolution is used , and lower resolutions are common standards for most monitors and LCDs .

Anyway , If you want to do a Bios reset easily on HP15 , turn it on while pressing F10 repeatedly once a second . When the Bios is (supposedly) loaded , press F9 , the key to restore defaults .

Welcome Frankus333 ..

[frankus333]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Thanks jiroy

I don't follow your explanation involving safe mode as the reason I was able to see the boot screens. My understanding is that safe mode is a function of the OS, specifically Windows. (Linux has a "recovery " mode which also uses low resolution, but I can't access that option without seeing the GRUB boot menu.) These modes have nothing to do with the initial boot processes or screens as far as I am aware.

I have been able to boot into safe mode in the Win 8.1 partition because I now know the option number to select it via the recovery>troubleshooting>boot options path from the normal OS, and the password entry is straightforward. However, there is no screen visible at all, and I have to shut down by holding down the power button, as I don't know how to shut down properly without a screen view. So, being able to boot back into actual OS safe mode has not allowed the screen to become visible. I have tried this even with an old CRT VGA monitor as you suggested, and still no result. I am therefore more inclined to believe the problem was caused by some change I made in the BIOS when I could see it; most likely the switch to Legacy Boot.

Are you (or any other community members) really sure that just pressing F9 once I have loaded the setup screen via F10 is all that is required to reset BIOS to defaults in this particular UEFI BIOS? Will there be a confirmation request I would need to confirm? Could there be a requirement to enter a code to restore Secure Boot, as there was to disable it? (If so, this would be too complicated to do blindly, and navigating to the restoration of just the UEFI boot might be safer.) What would be the key sequence to save changes and exit safely?

Can anyone comment on my previous question above about whether changes in BIOS could affect what display options are available in the fully loaded OS? I don't remember any BIOS settings relating to display options.

Thanks folks; cheers.

[jiroy]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Thanks jiroy

I don't follow your explanation involving safe mode as the reason I was able to see the boot screens. My understanding is that safe mode is a function of the OS, specifically Windows. (Linux has a "recovery " mode which also uses low resolution, but I can't access that option without seeing the GRUB boot menu.) These modes have nothing to do with the initial boot processes or screens as far as I am aware.

I have been able to boot into safe mode in the Win 8.1 partition because I now know the option number to select it via the recovery>troubleshooting>boot options path from the normal OS, and the password entry is straightforward. However, there is no screen visible at all, and I have to shut down by holding down the power button, as I don't know how to shut down properly without a screen view. So, being able to boot back into actual OS safe mode has not allowed the screen to become visible. I have tried this even with an old CRT VGA monitor as you suggested, and still no result. I am therefore more inclined to believe the problem was caused by some change I made in the BIOS when I could see it; most likely the switch to Legacy Boot.

Are you (or any other community members) really sure that just pressing F9 once I have loaded the setup screen via F10 is all that is required to reset BIOS to defaults in this particular UEFI BIOS? Will there be a confirmation request I would need to confirm? Could there be a requirement to enter a code to restore Secure Boot, as there was to disable it? (If so, this would be too complicated to do blindly, and navigating to the restoration of just the UEFI boot might be safer.) What would be the key sequence to save changes and exit safely?

Can anyone comment on my previous question above about whether changes in BIOS could affect what display options are available in the fully loaded OS? I don't remember any BIOS settings relating to display options.

Thanks folks; cheers.

You're lucky today Frankus333 , i have one HP15-ac009ne right now for repairs , and after finishing , i studied the Bios structure , and found an easy way :

1- press escape while turning the laptop on .
2- press F10 for Bios setup .
3- press the right button 3 times .
4- press the down button 2 times (you reached now the load setup default ).
5- press Enter twice one for the load and another to "yes" load setup defaults .
6- press Enter two more times for exit and yes .

Good luck .

[frankus333]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Great, thanks jiroy

I wonder if you still have that machine, and if you could tell me the sequence just to switch from legacy boot back to UEFI boot?

I am worried that if I reset back to all defaults, there may be other steps related to secure boot changes that I made, that are too involved to do blind.

Many thanks for your interest and time.

[jiroy]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Great, thanks jiroy

I wonder if you still have that machine, and if you could tell me the sequence just to switch from legacy boot back to UEFI boot?

I am worried that if I reset back to all defaults, there may be other steps related to secure boot changes that I made, that are too involved to do blind.

Many thanks for your interest and time.

Yes Frankus333 , it's still here (i don't know when the client would show up) . The sequence i gave you in the previous post closed down the legacy boot so the laptop refused to boot , then i had to rearrange things , with legacy (disabled======> enable ) ..

[frankus333]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Thanks jiroy

Wow! Sounds like there are many potential unforeseen outcomes in these exercises!

Does that mean the laptop was originally in Legacy mode, and had to be put back that way, not left in UEFI mode, before it would boot again?

[jiroy]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Thanks jiroy

Wow! Sounds like there are many potential unforeseen outcomes in these exercises!

Does that mean the laptop was originally in Legacy mode, and had to be put back that way, not left in UEFI mode, before it would boot again?

Legacy mode is optional in HP15 , so definitely it was enabled at some point ..

Welcome Frankus333.

[frankus333]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Thanks jiroy

Are you able to tell me the key sequence to reset only the boot from Legacy back to UEFI please?

Cheers

[Anselme]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Go to boot sequence and disable secure boot then you can play around with the boot type is very easy just read the instructions

[frankus333]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

Thanks Anselme

As noted in post #3 in this thread, I have turned off Secure Boot. The problem is not being able to see the BIOS or boot screens on the external HDMI monitor now, so I don't have the luxury of playing around with the BIOS. I am trying to determine if it is safe and feasible for me to blindly switch back to UEFI booting, from Legacy booting, with no visible screens. I am not even certain that this is what caused them to disappear, but seems the most likely explanation, as explained in the thread.

Cheers

[frankus333]

Re: Can HP15 boot/BIOS screens be seen via external HDMI monitor on HP15 laptop

G'day again folks
My situation has been resolved by being able to get a new screen for half price, because it had one locked pixel, so I can see everything now. It is now clear that any attempt to have reset the BIOS blindly would have been too complicated, and potentially been disastrous, so I am glad I held off. I have changed back to UEFI booting, but have not disconnected the new screen to test if that actually solved the display problem above; chose to leave well enough alone.

Not really a solution to similar dilemmas, but my resolution in this particular case.

Cheers.