How to Add CD/DVD boot option to UEFI boot order

I can tell you how it worked on my Dell Inspiron 3542 with BIOS A12.

(1) Load the DVD, & boot to BIOS setup (hit F2 just before the Dell logo shows up).

     BIOS won't offer the DVD drive as a choice, if no DVD loaded. Also, it will read from the DVD.

(2) At the BIOS setup Boot screen, select "File Browser Add Boot Option".

     A list appears of HDD partitions & the DVD drive.

(3) From the list that appears, select "ATAPI: TSSTcorp DVD+/-RW SU208 GB".

      That is, pick the one that refers to the DVD. A "Select Media File" requestor (SMFR) will appear.

(4) In the SMFR, select " ".

     This is a folder BIOS sees on the DVD.

(5) In the SMFR, select " ".

     This is a subfolder of EFI.

(6) In the SMFR, select " ".

     This is an executable in Boot. Yours may read differently but likely has the file type ".EFI".

(7) It now asks for a name for the new boot option.

     Mine allows 17 chars. max.

(8) Go to the BIOS Exit screen, & select "Save changes & reset".

     At least, that's how mine reads.

Now, hold F12 as you boot (I must press it just before the Dell logo appears) to get to the BIOS Boot menu. The new choice will be there, so long as the DVD is still loaded. Select it. You will then see "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD...". If you fail to press a key in time, the boot will be to Windows.

This sufficed to boot my Windows 10 Installation DVD.

Thanks to both of you. It does appear that if I put my ISO disk into the CD/DVD optical drawer before accessing the UEFI, that the correct add option is available to select.  If the optical drive is empty, no option in the UEFI is 'suggested'.  So insert the CD?DVD first.  I also verified that the same occurs for a USB drive.  Before is critical.

Thanks again  :D

Thanks to both of you. It does appear that if I put my ISO disk into the CD/DVD optical drawer before accessing the UEFI, that the correct add option is available to select.  If the optical drive is empty, no option in the UEFI is 'suggested'.  So insert the CD?DVD first.  I also verified that the same occurs for a USB drive.  Before is critical. Thanks again  :D

You are welcome. Right, plug them in first.

I have a built-in UEFI boot option for the DVD, but it wouldn't work for anything but a rescue CD of my Seagate DiscWizard - & that doesn't even have an EFI folder on it. And that understandably won't boot from the one I just created.

My built-in UEFI option for a USB drive is working well for my Win 10 Recovery drive. No need for me to create one for that. But good know it will also show up there if plugged in first.

Good luck.

i can't find my internal hdd to that list 
plz help me 

Thanks. I tried all the USB ports front and back but nothing works.

I suspect I know what the issue is... My DVD boot disc is an old DVD burnt from years ago. It does not have certain directories in place for EFI booting. Does anyone know how or where to find information about this?

Suppose you have old bootable DVD discs from the past and you want to make them bootable in the EFI or UEFI new world these days?

Thanks.

I have the DVD inserted ( came with dell desktop from 2017 ) but don’t see the dvd boot option after trying steps above. 
it only show one partition for boot which is HDD but HD crashed.

any help plz.

Just to thank you for this. It really had me stumped on a similar UEFI issue.

Now I can boot into my recovery CD! If I could give you 10 Kudos, I would!