I need to format my machine ,but i cannot go to the bios setting and cannt boot the OS cd from CD drive,, on which tab can i preess for see the bios setting?

Make sure your CD/DVD drive was set-upped as first boot. You can do that changing the BIOS settings. You need to press (one of the following keys depending on the motherboard) either F2, TAB, DEL, F10. then, go to Boot Device Priority, set the CD/DVD as first boot, SAVE your settings, Insert your OS CD, save and Exit.

Hi there.

To format you will need:
Operating Systems (OS) CD/DVD

Steps:
1) Enter the BIOS when the laptop boots by pressing the Delete key repeatedly.
2) Once the BIOS is open locate the boot disk priority and set prioity 1 to the CD/DVD drive, set priority 2 to the laptop's hard drive.
3) Save changes to the BIOS and exit. The system should now reboot.
4) Insert your OS CD/DVD.
5) Press Enter when the system asks you if you want to boot from the CD/DVD.
6) The OS setup should now start, the first thing it will ask you to do is format your hard drive.
7) After you drive is formatted you can either continue with the setup and install a fresh copy of the OS or you can exit leaving the main drive clean.

~ Slasher_X

Hello, since it can boot to bios setting, then have you try configuring the boot order,the cd drive should come first,after that your hard disc, if the hard drive comes before the cd rom then it would not recognise it. Change the settings and Save this settings, then try to boot from the cd again, if this does not work then i am rest assured that your hard drive has a problem,and you need to find solution to it by getting a new one. cheers Regards

You have to change the BIOS settings to boot from your CD drive. It must have been set to boot from harddisk.
To do this you have to change the primary boot device from Harddisk to CD drive. When you restart your computer press DEL or F12 or TAB or F1(any one...Depends on your BIOS see manual or try all) to bring bios. In bios go to boot device priority and set the CD drive to boot first.
Restart your computer, it will boot from CD drive and XP setup will start.

Hope this will help...cheers:)

To format your computer, you must have the (OS) Operating system CD. You have to move your important file to another location because formating your system will wipe out all the files you have on that drive. Put the OS CD on your CD-ROM and restart your your system. When system boots it will boot to the CD-ROM if the boot order is set that way. Otherwise you need to set the first boot order to the CD-ROM from BIOS. When the system boots to the CD-ROM you will be asked to press any key to boot from the CD-ROM, do just that and the system will boot from the CD-ROM. Follow the on screen instructruction afterward.

Dear friend for go BIOS some computers Need to preess DEL, Some Computer need to Press F1, Some Computer need to pree F2. you didnt write about your computer... One solution i have ... Press DELL+F1+F2 At starting your sustem... Here is two option to find out Boot Sequence from BIOS.... some BIOS Have Independent Boot Menu.. IN Boot menu you may see boot sequence... there you have change it. For Other Option You may go the Advanced BIOS Setting Option There you may find First boot device, Second Boot device..... Or Boot sequence.... find out your solution...



For Master And slave..setting in CD/DVD rom ..

set jumper.. near ide or sata cable... for setting as Master...

Set jumper After Master jumper... for setting as slave..

Best Regards.. sumon

You should put the drive back in the external caddy, delete the format, partition the drive for NTFS. format the drive and set as active.

try this!

if you have a xp2 bootable cd,..insert it on your cd-drive

step1: power on your laptop , then press dell until you view the bios set.up

step2: then go to boot sequence: your first boot is your ( cd-drive ) where your cd xp2 is in....

note: in boot sequence just follow the reference of your laptop settings...

step3: if you finish seting up the bios set.up,..just save and quit...then it will automatically restart...then wait for instructions view on your screen...

It sounds like your pc is trying to boot from the formatted hard drive. Go into your BIOS and make sure both the hard drive and CD drive are detected. Make sure your CD drive is set as the first boot drive and disable all other drives for booting.

Try pressing F12 at startup, you should get a boot option.