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Thread ID: 80923 2007-07-09 10:11:00 BIOS question tedheath (537) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
567435 2007-07-09 22:07:00 Well by the looks of it noone knows. Ring Dell. Speedy Gonzales (78)
567436 2007-07-09 22:49:00 Hi Ted.
What comes up if you press F12 after the logo screen at boot up
rocky138 (10636)
567437 2007-07-09 23:13:00 Howdy Rocky

Press F12 it goes to Dell BIOS thats where I cant find the cd drive in the boot sequence only hard drive and usb ports.
Not going to call Dell the computer is almost out of warranty and blue screening.
I want to get all the Dell stuff off the computer and start afresh.

thanks

tedheath
tedheath (537)
567438 2007-07-09 23:35:00 A couple of things to try - you may have already done this I havn't read through the whole thread.

1. Reset the bios. ( I assume you know how to do this.. if not PLEASE ASK!!!! :))

2. Power off the PC and unplug the CD Drive. Turn the PC on, let it get past BIOS post, then power the PC off again, plug it in and try again. also try changing the jumper settings on the CD Drive. If its CS change to master, or whatever. Good Luck! ;)

P.S. The motto of the story: Don't Buy Dell.:badpc:

Edit: Do a HDD and memory diagnostic too.. if it was blue screening. If you don't know where to get hold of these ask and you will receive.. ;)
wratterus (105)
567439 2007-07-10 02:38:00 You want them to read your question, Ted? That's a bit extreme. :(

I am surprised that the BIOS doesn't allow a CD as the boot device.

I am even more surprised that the "device is almost out of warranty" and you won't call Dell. Why not make use of the warranty while you have it?

I have a horrible idea that you won't have a floppy disk drive. The debian Linux installation disks have an image file which can be used to make a floppy which you can boot. That lets you choose a device to boot from. The CD you put in that device doesn't have to be a Linux one. They may have a USB image file which is the equivalent.
Graham L (2)
567440 2007-07-10 03:37:00 Dells normally have a boot loader that allow you to choose which drive to boot from. There no need to go into the BIOS, from memory simply press F8 and it brings up a menu to select which drive. Pete O'Neil (6584)
567441 2007-07-10 10:07:00 Thanks Pete I tried f8 it brings up a menu but I cant see any drive options


thanks

tedheath
tedheath (537)
567442 2007-07-10 11:11:00 CALL DELL! How many people have to say it before you do it? Btw, good luck:D beeswax34 (63)
567443 2007-07-10 11:47:00 I am not going to call Dell because I want to reinstall windows without all the stuff Dell add to computer. Its got 3 weeks on warranty.
I just cant get it to put boot from cd disk.
This dell has been sweet it worked straight out of the box. It just needs a reinstall of windows like all other windows computers. People who dont like dell are usualy labour voting, liberal ,anti gun, tree hugging, foreign car driver dip@#$%^.
I thought there might be some dell experts here
If I cant get any help here I will take the computer to a chick mega ultra super computer geek near here and get her to sort it out. Shes a legend but dosent do phone support. You take the computer to her or she pitches up at your place.
Only thing it costs money which I could of spent on important things like beer

tedheath
tedheath (537)
567444 2007-07-10 17:16:00 My dell 4600i has the CD boot option in the BIOS. It also has a "Driver reset tool". It works a treat. If it is not on your system, you can get it from here.

support.dell.com
Vince (406)
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