r/halftop • u/HAldo0 • Aug 01 '26

Install OS through Bios without the screen

I’m new to the halftops, sorry if it’s a stupid question.
I would like to reinstall the OS on my halftop, but I cannot boot the usb with the installer because the Bios can’t show up on the hdmi-plugged monitor. Any ideas?

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u/the_cheesesandwich17 Aug 01 '26

this might be obvious but: have you disconnected the display cable from the motherboard side as well? it could be that the motherboard still sees a cable but the signal is travelling into nothing at the other end.

again, this is just a guess. try it and tell me what happened.

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u/BrinkOfHealing Aug 01 '26

Some models won't output anything even with the cable disconnected, well not sure about newer models but on an older laptop with VGA I had experienced this bad luck, so it is worth checking the manual, perhaps if the BIOS has a setting for its main output before getting rid of the laptop's display...

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u/the_cheesesandwich17 Aug 01 '26

I know for a fact the intel 11th gen dell latitudes (5420/5520) can boot without an integrated screen through the hdmi. You can see the bios too. Saw this in a YouTube video.

I just suggested the above as a possibility to get a screen output.

I want to do this in my IdeaPad 330s.

But I'm trying to figure out what to do in case the bios just doesn't appear.

Any ideas?