BIOS access solved (Corsair Strafe RGB)

[Splinterdog]

Ever since a BIOS update on my Crosshair Hero VII, I've been unable to get into the UEFI with F2 or del and had to use an old PS2 keyboard.
The manual doesn't say very much about this, but it turns out that holding the lock key and F1 key down puts the keyboard into BIOS mode, which then allows you to access the UEFI. The mystery key next to caps-lock then blinks,
I'm still not sure why this mode exists on the keyboard in the first place

 

[sneekypeet]

Some keyboards are not initialized in time for BIOS access.
This is new to me, but with a lot of the keyboards I test, I do not tend to access BIOS. I am told that the K70 had a switch with KVM mode, which might be similar to what you are doing. I also agree, that nowhere in any of the Corsair boards I have used say anything about this.

 

[Solaris17]

I am curious what would happen if you opened up something like aqua key test and hit that button. I know most boards do allow it (mine will only do it on initial power on, reboots dont work) but you have to mash the key. I wonder if aqua would show it spamming a key.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I've run into this many times over the years and so I always keep a couple (PS/2 and USB) very basic wired keyboards handy. On the USB side, I have always wondered if the problem is not in the USB interface rather than the keyboard itself. This is because the problem seems to happen more often with wireless keyboards and I have noticed it even more the last couple years when keyboards are using USB 3.x ports. But PS/2 connected keyboards seem to always work fine.

And BTW, it is not just accessing the BIOS that some times fails, but when attempting to enter Safe Mode during the boot process too.

I also note some newer motherboards don't include even one PS/2 connector anymore and I think that is a mistake. Surely they only cost pennies to include, and very little real estate. Plus I know some organizations immediately disable USB ports for security reasons - to prevent accidental (or intentional) insertion of infected USB thumb drives.

 

[Splinterdog]

I've run into this many times over the years and so I always keep a couple (PS/2 and USB) very basic wired keyboards handy. On the USB side, I have always wondered if the problem is not in the USB interface rather than the keyboard itself. This is because the problem seems to happen more often with wireless keyboards and I have noticed it even more the last couple years when keyboards are using USB 3.x ports. But PS/2 connected keyboards seem to always work fine.

And BTW, it is not just accessing the BIOS that some times fails, but when attempting to enter Safe Mode during the boot process too.

I also note some newer motherboards don't include even one PS/2 connector anymore and I think that is a mistake. Surely they only cost pennies to include, and very little real estate. Plus I know some organizations immediately disable USB ports for security reasons - to prevent accidental (or intentional) insertion of infected USB thumb drives.

Luckily, my Asus Crosshair Hero VII has a PS2 port, but for the life of me, I can't fathom why the Corsair keyboard even has a BIOS mode in the first place. It took me ages to figure this out, updating the keyboard firmware, checking the USB settings in the UEFI, considering rolling back the BIOS, scratching my head etc.
But yes, as an emergency fallback, the PS2 keyboard came into its own, so I'm glad I kept it.
Regarding safe mode, it's a pity F8 doesn't work for safe mode as it used to on Windows 7.

 

[Bill_Bright]

but for the life of me, I can't fathom why the Corsair keyboard even has a BIOS mode in the first place.

Sadly, there are many products out there that have the same primary function. And so to make their product stand out from all the others, manufacturers add extra features that nobody really "needs", then their marketing people try to convince consumers they really "need" that "must have" feature.

We see it all the time in software. A browser just needs to browse. A firewall just needs to block ports. This is why basic browsers and basic firewalls work just fine. But it is common common for some makers to pile on extra features to make their product stand out - but typically it is just "bloat". And often that bloat does little but bog systems down, or worse, cause some important, truly needed function to fail.