How do you change BIOS?

[chaoszero118]

I am new to linux, I've never even touched a machine that had it running and was hoping to try. I decided Knoppix because of it's simplicity and how I could just run it from the disk. Though it doesn't boot when I restart my comp with the disk I have the .ISO file in, it doesn't load, but I realize now that I probably have to change the BIOS, I am comfused though, because it doesn't label the drives as C:\ , D:\ , E:\ etc. I am running windows XP and have two disk drives aside from the floppy and the hard drive. The system i am running is a Dell Dimension 8200 desktop. Does anyone know how to do this?

[baldyeti]

The cd should not just show as one big .iso file. Once burnt, you should see several files (eg index.html) at the top level, and a knoppix directory with a huge (+/- 690 Mb) KNOPPIX file in it. If that's what you're seeing, you may indeed have to set your cdrom as the first bootable device in your BIOS configuration.

[fingers99]

It looks like you've just burnt a CD with the iso in it as a file. What you should be doing is to simply burn the iso to CD as an image.

http://www.linuxiso.org/viewdoc.php/howtoburn.html

has pretty good instructions.

Once you've done that, reboot the computer and a little message should tell you what key to press to get into the bios: often it's the "Delete" key.

Once there, just set the bios to "bios defaults" and to boot first from CD, and you should be there.

[rudiz]

or F1

[ec]

Most bios's use F1 or 'delete' key to enter setup. Yours may show/have on screen something like 'to enter setup press 'del' or something right after start up. You may want to turn on monitor and get it warmed up prior to the system gettting going on some of these faster machines before you power on the monitor if it not one of the lcd types as it may get past this point too soon for the display to show it.

Also, if you cannot get into setup before it is passed by, then as soon as you start reboot, tap and keep tapping rapidly the F1 or delete key till it 'beeps' back at you (as fast as you can move that finger). That should get you to setup.
I have run across a bios that also used F5, but only once.

Tiptoe around in the settings...especially if you have NO idea what one does, at least there is a 'return to default' somewhere that should get you out of trouble IF you changed something that you shouldn't have touched and nothing works..hopefully.

What you want to change is the order that the bios looks for the boot device. Normally they look for hd, called 'C' by the bios first.

The 'string' of options look like this: c, a, cdrom or similiar in most bioses, use the indicated keyboard arrows to change the option to: cdrom, x, x, so that cdrom is the first boot device.

Other bios's have a 4 teir list, just make sure cdrom is listed in the number one position. or at least ahead of the hard drive.

Be sure to 'save' before exiting or all changes will be lost and you will be at the same place as you started from.

If this sounds too 'spoon feeding', I didn't mean to offend, But you said something that made me feel you are a true novice...especially around the bios. btw, I get 110 percent awake whenever I am in the bios also. Just fyi.

That is so I don't go

[ec]

:!:
Oh, and also, when in the bios if you have trouble getting there as the system gives you almost no time to click to get to setup. When you do get in there, tell it to run the 'power on self (memory??) tests. This takes about 5 seconds at all startups and gives you time to hit the key!! IF it takes too long normally. I just leave it enabled and hit the 'esc' key to proceed with out it. This machine has about 1/2 second to get to bios setting without it set to run 'POST' tests. That is why I run them each time. I usually hit the esc key and go on. All the post test does is run a simple ram checker that misses anything but a really hard failure in the ram anyway.

A friend has a windoze machine that runs fine with bad ram that linux dies on!! and it passes the post test!!!! Oh, well. Like I said, it is a gooood time extender for getting to the bios setup utility... Which on this ole Itzzy bittz machine netvista p40 wont boot from rom .. no place to setup except a, hd or from network!!! Oh, well, and the bios chip is soldered in!! Long live the boot flappy! :D :D :D

[Razor-X]

I suggest you use the simple harmless way (i.e. bad BIOS equals dead computer). Use a ...dun dun dun!!! BOOT FLOPPY. Insert a floppy into ur floppy drive, right-Click the drive and hit format (do the full thing, no quickie crap). Then go into the Knoppix cd and go into firectory Knoppix and double-click mkfloppy.bat. This will make the boot floppy. Insert the floppy and cd. Shutdown comp and restart and enjoy Knoppix beauty (i'm in Knoppix now as I type )

[fingers99]

Don't be too afraid of the bios: even if you screw up the settings completely, you can just remove the bios battery for 15 minutes or so and you'll just have to re-set the clock and wait for the drives to be autodetected. The default settings will work just fine for Linux and Windows, just make sure that the bios tries to boot from CD first.

But I suspect that once you've got the burn right, you'll be OK.