Zhi Ouyang wrote:
> I am using a Dell computer, with one cd drive and one dvd drive.
> The default booting device is the cd drive.
> When I get into the CMOS, the boot sequence is only 3 choices:
> IDE CD-ROM, hard disk C, Diskette Drive
> How can I boot from DVD drive?
And you've tried putting the IDE CD-ROM in the boot sequence, the DVD
in the DVD drive, and rebooting the computer? It really won't boot?
Peter Boy wrote:
> I never used a Dell computer, others may give you a better advice,
> hopefully.
Neither have I, so this advice might be no good, either.
How does your BIOS detect the drives? Can you temporarily tell it that
there is no such device as the CD drive? Will it then boot from the
DVD?
In my experience, there are three ways a BIOS detects the drive:
1. Somewhere in the BIOS, the hard drives will be listed. Either all
the potential positions (primary master, etc) will be listed as "Auto",
all the ones that don't have a hard drive will be listed as "Auto", or
only the ones with an optical drive will be listed as "Auto". If you
switch the setting for your CD to "None", it won't be detected.
(Performance tip: it takes time for the BIOS to search for drives at
boot-up. Unless you regularly need to boot from them, set them to
"None", or, if they are hard disks, let the BIOS record the right
settings for them).
2. Somewhere in the BIOS, there'll be a "Detect hard disks" option. In
a few BIOSes, it will detect where the optical devices are, and remember
them. Usually, you'll be given an "Ignore this drive" option.
3. The BIOS writers want to reduce support calls, and auto detect all
the CDs all the time. In this case, you probably can't boot from the
DVD.
> A workaround is, to use the file /images/boot.iso to burn a bootable
> cdrom (read the README). After boot you will be asked for the
> installation method. The DVD should be listed.
But that might be the best advice here.
James.
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E-mail address: james | "It was rare to catch His Holiness at the moment of
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