How do I access BIOS?

Alrighty. I own a POS Sony VIAO Desktop computer, with a Pentium III and Windows XP Home installed on it.

Motherboard has been updated as my computer's old as snow; so I do not know brand, etc.

1- Where can I find that info?
2- How can I access my BIOS so I can boot from CD-Rom [Disk] and go to Knoppix?

Thank you tons, Geeks!

 

hi fine sir!!!


get this utility...
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download181.html

then post specs here!!!, not all, just summarized

 

reboot and press delete key to gain access to your bios

 

some pcs dont have a post screen

 

Most often the keys to press during boot are <Del>, <F1>, <F10>, or <Esc>, but those might not work.

Well, if the motherboard is no longer the one that came with it, then you need to determine the name of your motherboard (or the BIOS manufacurer).

First, download and install Everest. Run it and browse to the motherboard tab to find out who made your motherboard (see image). You can also check the BIOS tab to see who made your BIOS.

http://www.cps.cmich.edu/~aiken/images/everest.png

After that, you can check your motherboard's documentation, or you can cross reference your BIOS manufacturer.

 

It worked with Delete. Thanks.

'Cept my disk didn't load.

I moved the bootup load order around to CDrom< Floppy < HD < Other

And my disk, which is Knoppix with an untouched ISO lay unused by the bootup.

Now how would I run Knoppix if I run it off of boot and it didnt seem to work?!

By the way, my internet went down. Using alternate computer w. WifI

 

That everest looks like a knockoff of Aida or Vise Versa

 

Use Nero's Media Information (or similar) and make sure the disk detects as bootable.

This is what a bootable CD says:

 

This is accessible in Nero CD Burner's correct?

 

Yep. I've got Nero 5.5, but it should be Recorder --> Media Info, or <Ctrl> + <I>, or click the button with the CD and the big blue 'i' next to it.

 

I noticed the diference. I clicked "Data Disk" 'stead of "BOOTABLE Data Disk" lol; dammit

 

Well, did you burn the image, or did you write the .iso file as a data file? In windows, my Knoppix 3.4 CD has the following root directory:

Code:

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>dir g:
 Volume in drive G is KNOPPIX
 Volume Serial Number is A0DD-E6C8

 Directory of G:\

05/09/2004  07:55p      <DIR>          KNOPPIX
03/02/2004  11:06p      <DIR>          LinuxTag
04/02/2004  10:09a      <DIR>          Talks
06/17/2001  04:50a                  54 autorun.bat
02/22/2003  11:23p                  45 autorun.inf
05/01/2004  04:35p                 967 autorun.pif
01/10/2004  04:40p      <DIR>          boot
03/02/2004  05:28p               3,262 cdrom.ico
05/01/2004  04:37p               2,181 index.html
               5 File(s)          6,509 bytes
               4 Dir(s)               0 bytes free

 

Burnt mine as an image. BRB. Testin 'er out

 

And it works...kinda

It works as a command line and it should be a desktop? What went wronggg?

 

Not sure. Maybe run an md5 sum on the .iso and check it against what it should be. Try burning the CD again, but burn it at a lower speed (at least half the media and burner speed).

 

MD5 sum?

And dammit, that was my last CD-R

 

MD5 is an algorith that's used as a checksum. When you downloaded the .iso you might have seen a file named "KNOPPIX_V3.4-2004-05-04-EN.iso.md5". That file contains the result of the MD5 algorithm when run on the file.

The checksum for KNOPPIX_V3.4-2004-05-04-EN.iso is "8e9cd4d310ad8381d1ec3326c6caae2b", You can download a DOS MD5 summer here. You simply open a command prompt and run "md5 <filename>" You should get the same string for your .iso as the one above (that is, the .iso file, not the burned CD). If you don't, your file is damaged (and you burned a damaged .iso).

 

I know what I did wrong!!!

I burnt it as a bootable CD; I should've went to "Burn Image"!

 

There ya go. Figured it was something like that.