accessing BIO help

hi, can you tell me how to access the BIOS of an old PC? i don't know which BIOS make it is. it's running Win98 and the delete, F1 and F2 keys haven't done it. when it boots it says something about Norton loading then it loads. thanks.

 

i'm going to go through this...
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

 

Puter model would have helped buddy!


*Hot* solution authored by "Joe" @ annoyances ....

GF

 

*Hot* solution meaning it worked for most in the thread.

GF

 

hi, nothing works. i want to boot from a cd then i can put a different OS on it.

i don't understand your hot solution, it says hold down the function key and F8, which function key?

 

You mean there's no Fn key? Make and model Ice?

GF

 

Another manufacturer's list for BIOS .... http://www.computerhope.com/support.htm

GF

 

maybe i'm being thick but i thought the functions keys were the F1>F12

it's a IBM 300 GL

here's a picture of it
http://computer.2dehands.nl/markt/hele_systemen/pentium-ii/9682903-ibm-300-gl-pentium.html

 

I'll look into it right away Ice. I the meantime maybe you could force setup by overloading the keyboard buffer?
Boot with the mouse and keyboard disconnected.

GF

 

thanks, GF i realised i wasn't rebooting correctly when pressing Ctrl/Alt/Del. doing that kept on missing POST. i turned it off using the on/off button instead

now when i tap F1 i get to the configuration/setup utility, is that the BIOS? i don't see any drive booting options

 

Correct! F1 held down during power-on would also work as per my reading's. Something additional I've perused spoke of PARALLEL PORT SETUP, accessed by selecting DEVICES and I/O PORTS. Input as follow's:

• Set the Base I/O Address to: 0378h
• Set the Mode to: Extended
• Set Extended Mode to: EPP

Are you viewing something similar? This a desktop or laptop? Internal or external drive?


GF

 

Here's the BIOS info, last modified: 2004-05-17 .... http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-4HAPEF

GF

 

thanks GF i found it! it was the DEVICES and I/O PORTS option. that took me to IDE Drves Setup. i'll see if i can get it to change the boot options now, i had a look but it doesn't really say anything about boot order still.

the first thing it does, before POST, is load a pre-boot Norton scan. i think i'll uninstall it.

 

i just put a CD in the drive and it's broken, so it's never going to boot from it. i might open it up and have alook inside to see if it looks OK. thanks for all the help.

 

What if you hold a gun up to it!? One other page I came across with good suggestion's and link's ....

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Hardware/Desktops/Q_21510415.html


GF

 

thanks, GF. i have got two 300 GLs here and the second one is working fine. i'd like to take the second DVD player from the working one and put it in the broken one while i install a new OS, but i'm not too sure it would be appreciated, especially if i end up braking them both

i think i'll go and read the newspaper.