How to enter bios or boot menu

[AMalsher]

I've got a HP ProLiant ML310e Gen8 v2 which refuses to enter boot menu or setup. 

I am so frustrated with this machine that it will go to the tip unless I get help.

A number of other people report this problem with various proliant machines, by no solution has been found.

[Jimmy Vance]

During POST there should be a message on what key to press to access RBSU. if the USB keyboard is unresponsive maybe someone disabled USB.  You can set switch 6 of the 12 position switch to 'on' to clear all the NVRAM settings and put the sytsem back to default. Download the maintenance and service guide for more information

[AMalsher]

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@Jimmy Vance wrote:

During POST there should be a message on what key to press to access RBSU. if the USB keyboard is unresponsive maybe someone disabled USB.  You can set switch 6 of the 12 position switch to 'on' to clear all the NVRAM settings and put the sytsem back to default. Download the maintenance and service guide for more information

I do get a message to press a key to get the setup or boot menus, when I press the key (F11), the screen responds by aletering the background on the F11 prompt (so I know the keyboard and USB is working), but the boot menu doesn't appear.

I then set switch 6 to "on" as you suggested, but that stopped it booting at all.

When I set switch 6 to off, I can reboot, but still cannot enter the boot menu nor setup menu.

What can I do?

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[Jimmy Vance]

can you post a screenshot of the POST/boot screen?

[AMalsher]

 Thanks, Jimmy, 

I think I have moved forward on this.

My first problem was caused by a VGA to HDMI adapter. I had this server connected to an HDMI display, and for some reason, although the  initial bios screens displayed normally on this display, the setup and boot menus did not display.

When I connected an old VGA screen, those menus did display.

However, I still could not boot from the DVD drive.

I was trying to boot a Windows 7 Pro installation DVD.

Is there something that prevents the loading of Win 7 on this machine and is there a work-around?

Thanks. 

[Jimmy Vance]

Nothing should prevent Win7 from booting, but win7 may not have the correct stroage and network drivers to function properly. WIn7 isn't a supported OS on that system

[AMalsher]

I understand that Win 7 might not be supported, I wouldn't expect "support".

But I would expect to be able to boot the install disk.

Are you implying that this machine is incompatible with the Win 7 install disk?

Does the same apply to Win 10?

Thanks

[Torsten.]

Not supported, but working.

Example:

http://pcwizardpro.com/183/

[AMalsher]

Thanks for that very helpful suggestion.

When I can next get access to this server, I will give it a go and report back.

[OKU_sysadmin]

Hewlett Packard ProLiant DL380e Gen8 
- The same problem, but if connect the keyboard to the front USB, works fine! 
Mouse, USB stick (bootable) works well on the rear USB connection.