BleepingComputer.com: Bios Problem: won't save setting to boot off CDROM

I picked up a used PC, in which I promptly got a Windows Genuine Advantage warning that I had a pirated copy of XP. Not a big deal as I wanted to wipe the HD clean and install my own copy that I have on disc.

However I can't seem to get the BIOS to save changes to the boot order so that the PC will boot off the CDROM for me to accomplish this. I can't install XP with the PC running under the hard drive's OS because Windows won't let me install an older OS on top of a newer one... or so says the warning.

Perhaps I can uninstall all the updates and try it then, but I'm really skeptical that this will work. Do you think the PC is toast? Should I toss it and get another? It's an HP Pavilion a614n motherboard is an MSI MS-6577 ver 4 1. I think the bios was a version 3.14

Thanks for any advice,
Bill

First off is the BOIS showing the correct system date and time? If not you need to replace the CMOS backup battery on the motherboard.

Second, while in the BOOT order menu section of the BIOS setup utility are you selecting the correct drive? If so, are you then pressing the F10 key which is the Save changes to CMOS and exit? prompt and typing Y to confirm those changes? It might be worded slightly different in your BIOS though.

Make sure you are saving those changes to the CMOS properly before exiting the utility. It should ask for a confirmation, if you are not seeing this, then you are not properly saving those changes and that is why it is not booting from your DVD drive.

Hope this helps.

Post back and let us know the out come.

I will admit the BIOS screen seems really, really archaic, even as BIOS screens go. However, yes, I choose CDROM for the #1 boot, have to save out of this subscreen and then save and exit out of the BIOS. But it apparently doesn't save as the next boot goes straight to Hard Drive and opening the BIOS again does not show my changes.

I'd flash the Bios but without having something to flash it from I don't know what my options are.

Advice?

Thanks,
Bill

What all are you trying to boot?

It's an HP Pavilion A614n.

I skipped an earlier question about the time and date in the BIOS. It is correct. Also I really should have brought the Bios up before me while I typed. When the BIOS is loading I have an option to hit ESC for the "boot menu" or um... one of the F keys for the BIOS setup itself.

If I hit ESC I have the option of booting from floppy (hey I forgot it even had one), CDROM or Hard Drive. I just changed it to floppy and it stayed and tried to boot from floppy first. But if I choose CDROM, it doesn't access the CDROM, just goes straight to the hard drive.

The CDROM drive does work and I do have a bootable CD in there... I've verified that on my other PC.

If I go into setup I have a primary drive (my hard drive) and a 2ndary drive (CDROM) and to my knowledge this is correct and should not affect boot order. I'm pretty sure I don't want to change that order around.

Thanks for you continued help,
Bill

Okay I will be returning soon with some advice on what to do.

But I personally like to point people to their computer manufactures support/help pages.

So till I return with a solution for you, I am posting this link for you.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product...p;submit=Go%20»

Here are some pages I found, took me some looking to find them but was worth it.

This link is a list of links related to your BIOS and a few other things. http://h10061.www1.hp.com/ccsearch/search?...&submit.y=4



This link here is your whole BIOS setup utility you see when you hit the F1 key during bootup, this is very well detailed images ( a very rare find if you do not have a detailed manual.) http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/documen...;product=427235


I will be back with you in a bit. But I wanted to share this inforamtion with you as I feel it will be helpfull for you and it is rarely included with store bought OEM model such as HP.

Below is a pic of your BOOT menu in your systems BIOS setup utility.




 c00506021_1_.jpg (52.93K)
Number of downloads: 12



This is your BOOT menu in your BIOS it is this page that you select the cdrom as your first boot device. then you choose Device 0 as your second device.

After doing that, choose F10 if a confirmation asking Save to CMOS and Exit? is displayed, you will type Y for yes.

Your computer should reboot, if the disk in the cdrom does contain a boot command it should load to your screen.

Let us know if this worked and good luck.

Thanks for all this information. I was on the HP site for what seemed like forever, unable to find BIOS info. I started questioning why my BIOS did not look like the pics you posted or on the HP website. Granted I have a different version BIOS than what it says, but still, this was the hardest to navigate BIOS I had ever seen.

Well, it turns out that my monitor vertical adjust was off, cutting off at exactly the menu line of the BIOS so I couldn't see what my choices were. In short, I have fixed my boot order. Don't know why there's a separate F key to enter the boot order outside of the setup, and I don't know why that wouldn't work, but I no longer care.

It does appear there is a BIOS update for my PC. Last question before I put my new OS on this PC...

Last I knew BIOS flashing required a boot to floppy and running the EXE in a command like prompt. From the HP site it appears this can be done inside windows, right off the desktop. Does that sound correct?

Again, GREAT THANKS MRBRUCE and all others that surely must have been directing some positive cosmic energy rays or something.

Bill

Glad you figured it out and solved it! As for flashing your BIOS I would/don't recommend you flashing it there is no need and as long as it is working correctly i would just leave it alone.