I reset the secure boot keys through BIOS and after that I am not able to boot into windows if secure boot is enabled. I tried the BIOS recovery option using the usb stick and the .rcv file but that didn’t work either.
When you reset or clear the Secure Boot keys in a Dell BIOS, the active database (db, KEK, and PK) is either cleared completely or reverted to a state where the active certificates no longer match or validate your Windows Boot Manager (bootmgfw.efi) . Because the BIOS cannot cryptographically verify the signature, it halts execution and reboots .
Restore Factory Secure Boot Keys in BIOS Resetting the keys via the Custom Mode / Expert Key Management interface in Dell BIOS often requires turning off Custom Mode to restore the factory default NVRAM databases .
Power on the machine and tap F2 to enter BIOS Setup . Navigate to Secure Boot (or Boot Configuration / Security on newer Dell BIOS interfaces) . Locate Expert Key Management: If Enable Custom Mode is turned ON, select Reset All Keys. Then toggle Enable Custom Mode to OFF / Disabled . On Dell firmware, disabling Custom Mode restores the factory-embedded Microsoft PCA and Dell platform keys to the active database . Under Secure Boot Enable, set it to Enabled (or set Secure Boot Mode to Deployed Mode if prompted) . Click Apply Changes and Exit .
Re-deploy the Microsoft Secure Boot Recovery Utility If Windows updated its bootloader signatures (for example, rolling out updated Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011/2023 certificates) and the motherboard's factory keys are out of sync, Windows provides a native recovery binary . Turn Secure Boot OFF in BIOS and boot into Windows . Insert a USB flash drive and format it as FAT32 . Open File Explorer, navigate to: text C:\Windows\Boot\EFI\ Locate the file named securebootrecovery.efi . On the USB drive, create a folder structure: EFI\Boot\ . Copy securebootrecovery.efi into the EFI\Boot\ folder and rename it to bootx64.efi . Restart the computer, tap F12 at the Dell logo, and select the USB drive under the UEFI boot menu . The screen will display Microsoft Secure Boot Recovery and automatically update the NVRAM certificates before restarting . After it restarts, enter the BIOS (F2), turn Secure Boot ON, and boot normally .
Rebuild the EFI System Partition (BCD and Boot Files) If the signatures in your current EFI System Partition are mismatched, rebuilding the EFI partition from within Windows will reinstall cleanly signed bootloaders. Boot into Windows (with Secure Boot disabled) . Press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). Mount the EFI partition by running: text mountvol S: /s Reinstall and refresh the boot files from your local Windows installation to the EFI system partition: text bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: /f UEFI Unmount the partition: text mountvol S: /d Restart the PC, enter BIOS (F2), re-enable Secure Boot, and verify if Windows boots .
Perform a Full NVRAM / RTC Reset If the BIOS is holding corrupt key tables in non-volatile memory, standard BIOS flashing or .rcv recovery files will not overwrite them . Shut down the computer and disconnect the power adapter . Press and hold the power button for 30 to 35 seconds (on modern Dell laptops and desktops, this triggers an RTC / Real-Time Clock hardware reset). The power LED will flash amber/white several times to signal a full CMOS/NVRAM wipe. Power on, tap F2, enable Secure Boot, and ensure storage settings match your original setup .
I hope this helps! If this was useful, please hit 'Yes' or 'Like'! Thanks! 😊
@Sharan G Thank you for the suggestions. I first tried restoring the keys through BIOS and it did not work. But re-deploying using the secure boot recovery tool worked.
That usually means the keys got wiped rather than restored — Secure Boot has no trusted signers left, so it rejects the Windows bootloader even though Windows itself is fine.
Try this:
Enter BIOS (F2), go to the Secure Boot section.
Look for the exact option you used. If there's a "Delete All Keys" vs "Restore Factory Keys" (or "Reset All Keys to Default") — you want the factory restore one. It reloads Microsoft's keys so Windows Boot Manager is trusted again.
If the option isn't there or doesn't fix it: set Secure Boot to Disabled, save and exit. Windows should boot fine like that — this also confirms the keys are the problem and nothing else broke.
Once back in, reboot into BIOS again and restore the factory keys, then re-enable Secure Boot.
Also check that Boot List Option is set to UEFI (not Legacy) and that Windows Boot Manager is the selected boot entry — Secure Boot only works in UEFI mode with a GPT disk.
If the USB BIOS recovery didn't work, double-check you're using the right file for your exact model: download the latest BIOS from Dell's support page, the recovery file goes on a FAT32 USB stick (usually named BIOS_IMG.rcv), then power off, plug the stick in, hold Ctrl + Esc while connecting the AC adapter, and release when the recovery screen appears.
Let me know your model number and which options you see under Secure Boot — that'll help narrow it down.
Sharan G
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Posted August 28th, 2026 15:07
@Vishwanth
When you reset or clear the Secure Boot keys in a Dell BIOS, the active database (db, KEK, and PK) is either cleared completely or reverted to a state where the active certificates no longer match or validate your Windows Boot Manager (bootmgfw.efi) . Because the BIOS cannot cryptographically verify the signature, it halts execution and reboots .
Restore Factory Secure Boot Keys in BIOS
Resetting the keys via the Custom Mode / Expert Key Management interface in Dell BIOS often requires turning off Custom Mode to restore the factory default NVRAM databases .
Power on the machine and tap F2 to enter BIOS Setup .
Navigate to Secure Boot (or Boot Configuration / Security on newer Dell BIOS interfaces) .
Locate Expert Key Management: If Enable Custom Mode is turned ON, select Reset All Keys. Then toggle Enable Custom Mode to OFF / Disabled . On Dell firmware, disabling Custom Mode restores the factory-embedded Microsoft PCA and Dell platform keys to the active database .
Under Secure Boot Enable, set it to Enabled (or set Secure Boot Mode to Deployed Mode if prompted) .
Click Apply Changes and Exit .
Re-deploy the Microsoft Secure Boot Recovery Utility
If Windows updated its bootloader signatures (for example, rolling out updated Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011/2023 certificates) and the motherboard's factory keys are out of sync, Windows provides a native recovery binary .
Turn Secure Boot OFF in BIOS and boot into Windows .
Insert a USB flash drive and format it as FAT32 .
Open File Explorer, navigate to:
text
C:\Windows\Boot\EFI\
Locate the file named securebootrecovery.efi .
On the USB drive, create a folder structure: EFI\Boot\ .
Copy securebootrecovery.efi into the EFI\Boot\ folder and rename it to bootx64.efi .
Restart the computer, tap F12 at the Dell logo, and select the USB drive under the UEFI boot menu .
The screen will display Microsoft Secure Boot Recovery and automatically update the NVRAM certificates before restarting . After it restarts, enter the BIOS (F2), turn Secure Boot ON, and boot normally .
Rebuild the EFI System Partition (BCD and Boot Files)
If the signatures in your current EFI System Partition are mismatched, rebuilding the EFI partition from within Windows will reinstall cleanly signed bootloaders.
Boot into Windows (with Secure Boot disabled) .
Press Win + X and select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
Mount the EFI partition by running:
text
mountvol S: /s
Reinstall and refresh the boot files from your local Windows installation to the EFI system partition:
text
bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: /f UEFI
Unmount the partition:
text
mountvol S: /d
Restart the PC, enter BIOS (F2), re-enable Secure Boot, and verify if Windows boots .
Perform a Full NVRAM / RTC Reset
If the BIOS is holding corrupt key tables in non-volatile memory, standard BIOS flashing or .rcv recovery files will not overwrite them .
Shut down the computer and disconnect the power adapter .
Press and hold the power button for 30 to 35 seconds (on modern Dell laptops and desktops, this triggers an RTC / Real-Time Clock hardware reset).
The power LED will flash amber/white several times to signal a full CMOS/NVRAM wipe.
Power on, tap F2, enable Secure Boot, and ensure storage settings match your original setup .
I hope this helps! If this was useful, please hit 'Yes' or 'Like'! Thanks! 😊