How to Set BIOS to Boot from CDROM in Different Dell Systems

All modern Computer Systems manufactured in the last years, support boot from cd feature, but it may be required to configure this feature in bios or previous owner of your computer system may have disabled this feature or may have changed the boot priority sequence )

When you start your computer, check the boot-screen for setup key, In most newer pc it will be DELETE key, so make sure to check it.

This AmiBios Require you to press DEL key to enter setup

AMIBIOS(C)2006 American Megatrends, Inc.
BIOS Date: 03/02/06 20:15:54  Ver: 09.00.07

Press DEL to run Setup

Checking NVRAM..

now you will see some similar screen and choose the BOOT option and choose Boot Device Priority and choose first boot device to CDROM and second boot device toHARD DRIVE You can press F10 to save settings.

BIOS SETUP UTILITY

Main   Advanced   Power   Boot   Security   Exit

► Boot-Time Diagnostic Screen:[Enabled]

► QuickBoot Mode:             [Enabled]

► Scan User Flash Area:       [Disabled]

► After Power Failure:        [Last State]

► On Modem Ring:              [Power On]

► On LAN:                     [Power On]

► Boot Device Priority 

1st Boot Device   [CDROM]

2nd Boot Device   [Hard Drive]

► Hard Disk Drives

► Floppy Drives

► CDROM Drives

Specifies the boot sequence from the available devices
+ -     Change Option
F1     General Help
F10    Save and Exit

(c)Copyright 1985-2006, American Megatrends, Inc.

On Award Bios you will see some similar screen and choose the right key to Enter setup

Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG, An Energy Star Ally
Copyright (C) 1984-98, Award Software, Inc.

ASUS P2B-DS ACPI BIOS Revision 1012B

Pentium III 650Mhz Processor
Memory Test : 262144K OK










 Press DEL to run Setup
 08/05/00-i440BX-P2B-DS

Now choose Advanced Bios Features

Phoenix - AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

> Standard CMOS Features

> Advanced BIOS Features

> Advanced Chipset Features

> Integrated Peripherals

> Power Management Setup

> PnP/PCI Configurations

> PC Health Status

Frequency/Voltage Control

Load Fail-Safe Defaults

Load Optimized Defaults

Set Supervisor Password

Set User Password

Save & Exit Setup

Exit Without Saving

Esc : Quit
F10 : Save & Exit Setup

Virus Protection, Boot Sequence...

and set First Boot Device to CDROM and Second or third to HDD-0 and Press F10 to save it.

Phoenix - AwardBIOS CMOS Setup Utility

Virus Warning
CPU Internal Cache
External Cache
CPU L2 Cache ECC Checking
Processor Number Feature
Quick Power On Self Test
First Boot Device
Second Boot Device
Third Boot Device
Boot Other Device
Swap Floppy Drive
Boot Up NumLock Status
Gate A20 Option
Ata 66/100 IDE Cable Msg.
Typematic Rate Setting
Security Option
OS Select For DRAM > 64MB

[Disabled]
[Enabled]
[Enabled]
[Enabled]
[Enabled]
[Enabled]
[CDROM]
[Floppy]
[HDD-0]
[Enabled]
[Disabled]
[On]
[Fast]
[Enabled]
[Disabled]
[Setup]
[Non-OS2]

Item Help


Select Your Boot
Device Priority

Esc : Quit
F10 : Save & Exit Setup

Virus Protection, Boot Sequence...

On some Dell Systems you can enter bios by pressing F2

F2 = Setup

F12 = Boot Menu

w w w . d e l l . c o m

Dimension 8100

BIOS Revision XP2

Now choose Boot Sequence and then arrance 1 to CD-Rom by pressing - + and press space to enable it
Press ESC and choose save settings and exit

Dell - Dimension 8100

Intel Pentium 4 Processor: 1.30 Ghz
LEVEL 2 Cache: 256 KB Integrated

System Time ...................
System Date ...................

Primary Drive 0 ...............
Primary Drive 1 ...............
Secondary Drive 0 .............
Secondary Drive 1 .............

Boot Sequence .................

* 1. IDE CD-ROM Device

* 2. Hard-Disk Drive C:

SPACE to enable/disable | +,- to move down/up

System Memory .................
AGP Aperture ..................
CPU Information ...............

Up/Down to Select | SPACE +,- to Change | ESC to Exit

On some Dell Systems you can enter bios by pressing F2

 Boot Device Menu
 ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

    1. Normal
    2. Diskette Drive
    3. Hard-Disk Drive C:
    4. IDE CD-ROM Device

 Enter a choice: 1

Sometimes you can press F12 to temporary boot from cd on some Dell Systems

PhoenixBIOS 4.0 Release 6.0
Copyright 1985-1999 Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
All Rights Reserved
Copyright 1996-1999 Intel Corporation.
4S4EB2X0.05A.0009.P08

Micron Electronics, Inc.

Intel(R) Pentium(R) III processor 450 Mhz
640K System RAM Passed
255M Extended RAM Passed
512K Cache SRAM Passed







 Press F2 to Enter Setup

Press F2 to enter bios setup

ROM PCI/ISO BIOS (P2B-DS)
CMOS SETUP UTILITY, AWARD SOFTWARE, INC.

STANDARD CMOS SETUP

BIOS FEATURES SETUP

CHIPSET FEATURES SETUP

POWER MANAGEMENT SETUP

PNP AND PCI SETUP

LOAD BIOS DEFAULTS

LOAD SETUP DEFAULTS

SUPERVISOR PASSWORD

USER PASSWORD

IDE HDD AUTO DETECTION

SAVE & EXIT SETUP

EXIT WITHOUT SAVING

Esc : Quit              Shift(F2) : Change Color
F10 : Save & Exit Setup

Boot Sequence, Boot Virus Protection, CPU Speed...

and set Boot Sequence to A,CDROM,C and Press Esc and then F10 to save it.

ROM PCI/ISO BIOS (P2B-DS)
CMOS SETUP UTILITY, AWARD SOFTWARE, INC.

CPU Internal Core Speed
Boot Virus Detection
Processor Serial Number
CPU Level 1 Cache
CPU Level 2 Cache
CPU Level 2 Cache ECC Check
BIOS Update
Quick Power On Self Test
HDD Sequence SCSI/IDE First
Boot Sequence
Boot Up Floppy Seek
Floppy Disk Access Control
IDE HDD Block Mode Sectors
HDD S.M.A.R.T. capability
PS/2 Mouse Function Control
OS/2 Onboard Memory > 64M
MPS 1.4 Support

650Mhz
Enabled
Disabled
Enabled
Enabled
Disabled
Enabled
Enabled
IDE
A,CDROM,C
Disabled]
R/W
HDD MAX
Disabled
Auto
Disabled
Disabled

Item Help:


Select Your Boot
Sequence

Esc : Quit
F10 : Save & Exit Setup

Some Computer has Option to temporary boot from Cd/Hdd/Floppy/Usb Device, Just keep tapping the F8 button to get Boot Menu and Now choose your manufacture of CDRom.