If your laptop powers on and works fine within the operating system but fails to display anything when you try to enter the BIOS, you are not alone. The screen remains blank, though the backlight is working, indicating that the system is on but not rendering an image.
This issue specifically affects laptops, and while a similar problem could occur on desktop PCs, the solution might be different. I’ll cover that in a separate guide. In this article, I’ll explain why this happens on laptops and how you can fix it by resetting the BIOS settings.
Why Does This Happen?
The issue arises due to an incorrect setting in the BIOS, which prevents it from displaying properly. Resetting the BIOS can solve the problem, but unlike desktop PCs, laptops do not always provide an easy way to reset the BIOS settings.
Possible Fixes
1. Connect an External Display
Before attempting any hardware-related solutions, try connecting your laptop to an external monitor, TV, or any screen that supports HDMI or DisplayPort input. If the BIOS appears on the external display, you can navigate the menu to reset the settings.
2. Blindly Reset the BIOS
If the external display does not work, another option is to reset the BIOS settings blindly. Even though the screen is blank, the BIOS is still active in the background, and your keyboard inputs are being registered. If you know the exact steps required to reach the “Load Defaults” option in your BIOS, you can execute the reset without seeing the screen. A good way to figure this out is by checking with someone who owns the same laptop model.
3. Reset the BIOS by Removing the CMOS Battery
If the above methods fail, you will need to reset the BIOS at a hardware level. This involves disconnecting the laptop’s CMOS battery, a small lithium coin cell that powers the BIOS settings. Here’s how to do it:
Power Off and Disconnect: Shut down your laptop completely. Unplug the charger and remove the main battery if possible.
Locate the CMOS Battery: This battery is usually inside the laptop and can be accessed by opening the bottom panel. It provides power to store BIOS settings.
Disconnect or Desolder the Battery: In most laptops, you can remove the battery by unplugging a small connector. However, in some models, especially Lenovo laptops, the battery is soldered onto the motherboard. In that case, you will need to desolder at least one of the battery’s legs to break the connection.
Wait for 5-10 Minutes: This ensures all stored BIOS settings are erased.
Reconnect or Resolder the Battery: Once enough time has passed, reconnect or resolder the battery.
Reassemble and Power On: Put everything back together, power on your laptop, and enter the BIOS. The settings should now be reset, allowing you to configure them properly.
Additional Benefits
In many cases, this method also resolves issues where the laptop does not allow you to boot from a USB flash drive for reinstalling the operating system.
By following these steps, you should be able to restore BIOS functionality on your laptop and resolve the blank screen issue when accessing the BIOS.