Article Number: 000138054
This article provides information on why the computer screen is blank when booting to Windows 7 with Secure Boot enabled in the BIOS settings.
If your system originally shipped with Windows 7 and you updated your computer's BIOS to the latest version, you may notice the screen is blank before Windows 7 starts to load. The Dell logo may not appear and the time to fully boot into Windows may be longer than usual. This will occur if the version of the BIOS update included compliance for Windows 8 on your computer, and your computer's graphics card is not compliant with Windows 8.
The updated BIOS to make your system compliant with Windows 8 includes a setting for Secure Boot under the boot list options in the BIOS. This setting is intended for systems with Windows 8 installed, and with installed graphics cards that support this setting with Windows 8. For Secure Boot to be enabled on your system, then the Legacy ROM option must first be disabled in the boot settings of the BIOS.
If your system's graphics card is not compliant with Windows 8, then booting your computer with the Legacy ROM setting disabled in the BIOS will cause the blank screen until Windows 7 starts to load. The BIOS will not be able to communicate properly with the graphics card and no video signal will be seen during these initial load screens.
To resolve the issue, make sure the Legacy ROM option is chosen in the Boot List and Boot Sequence settings in the BIOS. If you wish to take advantage of the Secure Boot option, then you would need to upgrade your computer's graphics card to one that is compliant with Windows 8. For more information on upgrading your system, please refer to the Windows 8 Upgrade Checklist at the Dell Support Website.
Fixed Workstations
21 Feb 2021
4
Solution