I am working on the Windows 10 image, and part of this project is converting to UEFI. We do have several older systems that are still in production because systems that are used for temporary or loaner aren't as important to keep up-to-date. I use the oldest model system when creating a reference image so I am sure the image will work across all models.
I first started with a Dell Optiplex 990 and quickly realized it was not compatible with Windows 10 UEFI because of missing BIOS features. I then moved up to a Dell Optiplex 9010, and it included secure boot. Once I set the BIOS for UEFI and rebooted, there was no more screen. The monitor was blank. The first thing I tried was turning off the machine, unplugging the power cord, holding in on the power button for 15 seconds, removing the battery and holding in on the power button for 30 seconds, and then reinstalling the battery before turning the machine back on. This did not reset the BIOS, and the screen was still blank.
The next thing I did was to remove the DVI cable. It was replaced with the VGA cable and was plugged into the built-in motherboard video port. When I powered on the system, I got the following screen to display.
The instructions provided do not work. The video card I experienced this with was the AMD Radeon HD 6350.
What I did to resolve this was to completely remove the video card, connect the VGA cable, and then power the system up. After that, I got the following screen.
Once I got this screen, I was able to go into the BIOS. It ended up being two settings in the BIOS. The first was the Enable Legacy Option ROMs. It must be turned off for the secure boot to be enabled. It was this option that actually caused the screen to be blank when using the video card.
The second option is the Secure Boot Enable. To use this, Enable Legacy Option ROMs has to be turned off.
Once I set these back to the defaults, the system was then able to be boot up and be displayed on the monitor using the DVI video card. It is not the computer if it is an Optiplex 9010 or higher. It is the video card that cannot support the secure boot in Windows 8 or higher due to the lack of UEFI Option ROM drivers as described by Dell and ZDNet. The solution would be to replace the video cards that can support the UEFI Option ROM drivers.
I first started with a Dell Optiplex 990 and quickly realized it was not compatible with Windows 10 UEFI because of missing BIOS features. I then moved up to a Dell Optiplex 9010, and it included secure boot. Once I set the BIOS for UEFI and rebooted, there was no more screen. The monitor was blank. The first thing I tried was turning off the machine, unplugging the power cord, holding in on the power button for 15 seconds, removing the battery and holding in on the power button for 30 seconds, and then reinstalling the battery before turning the machine back on. This did not reset the BIOS, and the screen was still blank.
The next thing I did was to remove the DVI cable. It was replaced with the VGA cable and was plugged into the built-in motherboard video port. When I powered on the system, I got the following screen to display.
The instructions provided do not work. The video card I experienced this with was the AMD Radeon HD 6350.
What I did to resolve this was to completely remove the video card, connect the VGA cable, and then power the system up. After that, I got the following screen.
Once I got this screen, I was able to go into the BIOS. It ended up being two settings in the BIOS. The first was the Enable Legacy Option ROMs. It must be turned off for the secure boot to be enabled. It was this option that actually caused the screen to be blank when using the video card.
The second option is the Secure Boot Enable. To use this, Enable Legacy Option ROMs has to be turned off.
Once I set these back to the defaults, the system was then able to be boot up and be displayed on the monitor using the DVI video card. It is not the computer if it is an Optiplex 9010 or higher. It is the video card that cannot support the secure boot in Windows 8 or higher due to the lack of UEFI Option ROM drivers as described by Dell and ZDNet. The solution would be to replace the video cards that can support the UEFI Option ROM drivers.
Really helpful advise. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this insightful blog post on dealing with a blank screen after enabling Secure Boot in the BIOS. Your clear instructions were incredibly helpful, and I was able to troubleshoot the issue effectively. The step-by-step guide provided a practical solution that saved me a lot of time. Anyone facing similar problems should definitely read this to learn how to fix computer screen issues. Keep up the excellent work!
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