change boot order to a dvd drive

[shankle]

I am trying to help a friend with his Dell Inspiron 560s 64-bit computer.
I t is running windows 7 pro 64-bit. The BIOS is a06 (latest one). Has a Celeron chip in it.

This 5 minute job has taken me 3 days and I still have not accomplished it.
Ran the BIOS diagnostics and they all passed. Tried to change the BIOS using the f12
key and that didn't work. Tried to change the BIOS using the f2 key and that also
didn't work. Used the up/down key to select the dvd drive but it had no effect.
Possibly the BIOS can not be changed with the Celeron chip.
The Dell site is no help as the computer is past it's warranty.
Thanks for any suggestions.

[dedndave]

the BIOS menus are somewhat clumsy
they have a limited amount of space to write the code, so they are not fancy
that means you must read carefully and sometimes try different buttons - lol

when you boot up, there is a brief period when hitting the F2 key will open the BIOS setup program
at least, it is F2 on many machines - it's a different key sometimes

when booting, the Dell logo appears, tap the F2 key 5 or 6 times, at 1 second intervals
that should get you into the BIOS setup

i think you use the left and right arrow keys to highlight different items
highlight the Boot Device Configuration menu and press Enter
it may not be named exactly that, and you may have to play with the keys to get there

there are 3 sections that apply to what you want to do
a section to select optical drive boot order
a section to select hard drive boot order
a section to select whether the first optical drive or the first hard drive is booted from

when you get it set up the way you want, be sure to Exit, Saving Changes
it is easy to Exit, Without Saving Changes

[MichaelW]

Is the problem that you cannot get into the BIOS setup, or if you can that you can't see it because there is no video output? I have that problem on my 10-year old Dell system when the much newer flat-panel display is connected via DVI, but not when it is connected via VGA.

[shankle]

Thanks guys for responding.
I can get into the BIOS just fine.
Nothing from that point on works.
As stated before neither f2 or f12 lets me change anything in the BIOS.
Sure I can move up or down on the screen, highlight the item and hit
"exit and save". Doesn't work. It will boot into windows as if I had done nothing.
If I go back into the BIOS it will show that nothing was changed.
I can see the output from the BIOS on the screen.
Remember this is a Celeron chip. My other 3 computers are Pentium and up.
One of which is a Dell gx280 and I have changed the boot order on all 3 of them
with no problems.
I tried to send an image of the window I got from hitting the f12 key but this site
won't allow the size.

[dedndave]

the keys that are most important are
the arrow keys - navigation
Enter - select
Esc - up one menu level

it sounds to me as though you are not exiting the setup program correctly
once you get the boot order set up...
press Esc to go up one menu level
then, use the arrow keys to navigate and Enter to select the Exit menu
select "Save and Exit" or something to that effect
probably a confirmation - navigate to Yes or Ok and press Enter

it should reboot with the saved changes

if that does not work, it may be that something is restoring the BIOS configuration each time you boot
or - it may be that you need the BIOS password to modify values

[shankle]

1st I would have never bought the bottom of the Dell line and 2nd never a Celeron chip.
My friend has total control of the puter or I would do the things I think need to be done.
1. buy a better model from someone.
2. Get rid of the Celeron chip.
    It is running a06. My computer is running somewhere around a11.
3. scratch everything and start clean.
He has had a techy on it and I have no idea what he did.
I wonder if his mix of programs/hardware has any bearing on the BIOS?

Anyway It doesn't work for me.
Much loss of face :redface:

[MichaelW]

I have gotten system information, drivers, configuration instructions, and similar, including even a BIOS update IIRC, from DELL for DELL systems that were out of warranty, many times. There is no good reason for them to cut off automated access to these things for anything resembling a recent system, regardless of the warranty status.

[shankle]

Let me elaborate a little Michael.
On the Dell site I was able to get the latest BIOS (a06).
However to get a service tech they ask for the "ESC". If that is out of warranty
then that is as far as I can get. Just wanted to ask them about this BIOS problem.
So I don't understand how you can get any further.   

[FORTRANS]

Hi,

   Usually, to change an entry, you use page-up/page-down or
the plus and minus keys.  Depends on the BIOS of course.  You
can try hitting F1 to see if there is a help screen.

   I posted about one of my computers where the battery has
died.  There I could (kinda, sorta) change some things in the BIOS
and try to save things.  While no error was reported, no changes
were saved.

Regards,

Steve

[shankle]

Hi Fortrans,
Did that. Made no difference.
Thanks

[Blackmasm]

Hello

You might want to reset the BIOS, and then try changing the boot order again.
This can sometimes be done from inside the BIOS, 'Restore Default Settings' or something.
Otherwise there is sometimes a jumper on the motherboard that will do it, change jumper, then recycle power.
If you can't find that then remove the motherboard battery, and also main power, and or battery if it is a laptop, which you want to have done anyway if your messing about inside the case.
This should reset the BIOS, try changing boot order again.

Cheers

[shankle]

Thank you Blackmasm for responding.
IMHO people should not have to go to these extremes to simply alter
the boot order in the BIOS. I attribute these problems to the CRAPPY
Dell Inspiron series of computers with the Celeron chip.
As I have said before I have 3 computers of varying ages that have the
DVD drive set to boot 1st. Needless to say they are NOT of the Dell
Inspiron series. Other reading I have been doing shows others having
problems with this model of the Dell computers.