Stuck in EFI

Press ESC in 1 seconds to skip startup.nsh, any other key to continue.

Shell>

What do I do???

Hi AndreeaHS,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

Is it valid to press and hold the ESC key for at least 1 second or press any other key on this interface?

It appears that your Acer Aspire 5 has booted to the EFI Shell, which is the command-line interface provided by the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) on modern computers. This can happen if the system cannot find a valid bootable operating system or if there is a problem with the boot configuration.

You may need to check that the correct boot order is configured in the UEFI settings.

To do this, you may need to follow the steps below:

• Restart your computer.
• During startup, press the appropriate key (usually Del, F2, F12, or Esc) to access UEFI/BIOS setup. The key to enter the BIOS varies from manufacturer to manufacturer; it is usually mentioned during the boot process.
• Once in UEFI/BIOS Setup, navigate to the "Boot" or "Boot Order" section. Make sure your primary boot device (usually the internal hard drive or SSD) is listed as the first boot option.
• Save changes and exit UEFI Setup.

Instructions for modifying the boot sequence for Acer products are described in this link.

• Changing Boot order - Acer Community

  	Disclaimer: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate and safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

If the boot sequence looks correct but you're still having issues, try resetting the UEFI settings to default. In the UEFI/BIOS settings there should be an option to "Load Defaults" or "Reset to Defaults". Apply changes, save and exit.

If your computer has Secure Boot enabled, try disabling it and see if that helps. Secure Boot can sometimes prevent the system from starting if it does not recognize the operating system or if the startup files have been modified. Look for options such as "Secure Boot" in the UEFI settings and disable them.

Consider this is your newly purchased device.

• And modifying BIOS settings can be potentially risky, as incorrect configuration can cause other problems.
• We strongly recommend that you contact Acer for instructions specific to your product.
• They are obligated to take responsibility for your new purchase. Support | Acer United States

Thanks for your patience and understanding!

Best Regards,

Kyo - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist