How to set my BIOS to boot from CD?
 

Hi there,

I'm getting Knoppix in an hour and would like to know how to set my BIOS to boot from CD. I'm running Windows 98SE currently on a Quantex P3 333mhz computer with 128mb SDRAM. It has the BIOS v4.51pg if that's any help.


I checked out the BIOS and it had loads of options. I found some things that looked useful, however not a lot. I found two options, [b]Boot up floppy seek[b] and Boot Sequence, both were under the main category Bios Settings I think it was, however I'm not sure if this is what I'm looking for.
I could not find anything about booting from a CD, and will also ask the person I'm getting Knoppix off as he is a computer tech and should know. I also found another option called Load Setup Defaults and tried to change it, however the options were only Y/N and I don't know what either option would do so didn't try changing it.

Could anyone help me with this? Will I need to instead find some program to boot from floppy which would boot the CD and have Knoppix running?

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

All BIOS's have a different layout so I cant help you specifically. However I can give you a few pointers.

The Boot Sequence Is the option you are looking for. There will be a number of options such as hda0, hd1, floppy, cdrom etc etc.

You can use the "page up" and "page down" keys to modify these options (however as BIOS's are different this may be dfferent on your computer).

It basically works that the top one will boot first and the bottom one last so do something like this

floppy
CDROM
hda0

you will see the floppy light up first if you got this right.

-jax

Thanks for that Jax8.

Ok - So let's say I change that to boot from CD, then put the Knoppix CD in and it boots. I mess around in Knoppix, get the feel for Linux and then wish to return to Windows (Don't wish to use Linux under the Internet just yet and am just testing Knoppix anyway to see how well my hardware compares and to see how much I like it before I purchase Mandrake).

How would I return to Windows? Would I take out the Knoppix CD, start my computer and then go into the BIOS and have it boot from what it currently boots from? (I think it's hda0 or something like that)
Or when I remove the Knoppix CD would it auto-return to Windows?

Also - last question, I'm presuming Knoppix won't ruin Windows at all or any of my data as long as I don't touch it while I'm messing around in Knoppix or do anything silly shell, correct?

Thanks for your help. :)

Ok - I'd also like the questions to my above questions answered and also I checked in the BIOS and I see the following options under the Boot Sequence.


So I presume I should the CDROM, C, A option so it tries the CDROM, then the C drive and then the floppy drive, correct?

Thanks for all the help people. :)

CDROM, C, A - I presume I should choose this, correct?
Yes.

No need to change the boot sequence back, the computer will boot to the C drive as long as there isn't a bootable disk in the CDROM when you reboot or start up.

I have used knoppix several times and it hasn't messed with my existing installations. Like you said though I havent gone around willy nilly messing with stuff that I'm not sure what it is.

Ok, thanks for your help toastermaker. :)

My PC settings are all ready and I can't wait until I go get my Knoppix CD in 20 minutes. :D
I'm pumped up with adrenalin and excitement and can't wait.

To flash your BIOS firmware chip on motherborad, things need are flash bios program like Awdflash.exe that should have document tell everything what to do, binaray file .BIN(size of 256, 512, power of 2 usually, and so on) that fit your model of motherbroad and firmware brand like intel.

Compaq BIOS are quite good designed, with mult language menu. Does anyone having a multi language BIOS BIOS on desktop laptop computers?