Category: Geeks r Us
I'm installing linux onto a machine that already runs windows xp. I need to change the boot order to boot from cd first. Does anyone know if there is a standard bios screen meaning it would be the same for most machines? I don't have any sighted assistance to change the boot order so I'm trying to figure out what to do once I get into the bios. I can get some assistance later this weekend if necessary so it's not critical I do it now. But I would like to try it on my own if possible.
Unfortunately it varies greatly depending on what bios your board has, and what it's set to currently. Unless you know your bios inside out, you're not going to be able to do it without some sighted assistance. With some bios' even if you know how it works, you still need sighted assistance. This is one of the only things I've really found that there's no way around needing sighted assistance. Sorry I couldn't give any suggestions. (if someone has found a way that I'm not aware of though, I'd of course love to hear it, as this is a constant problem for me at work.)
there is no standard universal boot screen and the newest bios boot screen or at least what seems to be the newest and most common is a gray screen with tabs along the top. However Each person is different and memorizing such a process probably isn't such a good idea, considering that sometimes the machine will revert back go figure. Without know what your bios screen looks like it would be heard to even know where to start giving advice. Getting sighted help isn't all that hard, anyway.
Does anybody know of any software apps that run under Windows that would permit one to change the BIOS/CMOS settings from the OS, without having to boot into Setup?
Yes I do, because I'm a lucky bastard and was smart enough to purchase a toshiba, which has the HWSetup utility, enabling me to select my boot order from a combo box, press ok and smile at the rest of you lol. I can adjust the speed at which my processor runs at among other things.
ANd what about the other people who don't have $1500 to buy one of those laptops?
Yeah, what about the rest of us? I've got an HP desktop, and mine doesn't come with a BIOS-modification program for Windows.
Irronically, my Toshiba has this, but I have had a need to use it. On this Del, however, each time I leave an external hd plugged in, the damn thing tries to boot from it. So I'm sure something somewhere in the bios needs to be modified, but I hate asking for sighted assistence. I'd rather unplug my drives and plug them back in after windows loads.
Seems like it's trying to boot from /dev/da0 before /dev/ad0, if I have my device names correct. If not, please feel free to correct me. It's something in the BIOS, yes, but I wouldn't mess in there without sighted assistance.
lol to post 5. As far as booting into a specific system/device, us dell users can hold down f12 at boot and get a nice list of things we can boot into. Of course it doesn't talk though...
I agree that most of the time it's not that difficult to get sighted assistance. I don't like messing around with the bios unless I absolutely know what i'm doing. I did get help for help and that's not a screen I'd trust myself memorizing.
That's an interesting utility on the Toshibas. I hadn't heard of that before.