Boot Device Sequence Setup in BIOS

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ZeeOSix

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I went into my BIOS to check what the computer's Boot Device order was setup to - these are factory setting from Dell. Running Windows 7, SP1.

I want to make sure it will boot from my CD/DVD drive if it can't boot from the HDD, so if I have a Windows Repair Disk installed it will boot-up. Here's a snap-shot of my current BIOS settings. Not sure how a PC boots from an "Onboard NIC Device". The 3rd option "Internal ODD Device" is my CD/DVD drive.

So if I leave it in this configuration will it boot from my CD/DVD drive since I don't think I have any way to boot from a NIC device ("Network Interface Card") ... ?? I don't know anything about booting from a NIC device.

 
It should work with what you have set.
You could optimize it more, if you want. Disable USB booting. Move the ODD device to 2nd boot device.

Google PXE Boot for more information about booting from the NIC, but you won't want to put that kind of work into a home PC.
 
I tried making some changes to the Boot Device settings, and it doesn't let me adjust each on independently. For instance, if I change the setting for the 2nd Boot Device, it will also make the 1st Boot Device setting change to something else. I'll have to go back into the BIOS and play with it again.

I guess I can also make the computer boot from the CD/DVD drive by hitting F12 on boot-up and choosing it.
 
If you want the functionality, make the CD drive 1st and HDD 2nd, NIC 3rd. If there is no disk in the drive on boot, it will skip it and go to the HDD. NIC booting is for network-based stuff, does not apply. You should be able to go into the NIC line item and disable it.
 
Setting HDD as 1st boot will help the system boot faster as it won't search the cd drive each time you boot. And the way I think about it is if you can't enter into the BIOS to change the boot order, you have bigger issues than a boot from CD will solve.
 
Went back into the BIOS and set the Boot Device order. I was able to change the order as shown. Not sure what a "USB Floppy" is, but boot-up sequence will never get that far anyway.

I just want a Repair Disk to boot from the CD/DVD drive in case the HDD can't boot up without going into F12 and choosing the boot device. Should be good to go.

 
A USB floppy is just that, since there aren't a lot of built in 3.5" floppies any longer. But, some people may have a use for starting from a floppy still, albeit it very rare.

There are lots of good suggestions here, and what you have will work. Some people, as indicated, like the CD first, which has some advantages, but most of them are obsolete. Trying the HD first is faster, of course, and has its advantages, too.

I rarely boot from an optical disc, unless I'm redoing the operating system, so I have it set something like you do, and simply boot from the CD/DVD manually by going into the boot options and booting from the DVD manually. I see your secure boot is disabled from the factory, which is kind of odd. For me, it's disabled, because Mint's support is spotty, as is the developers' understanding of it.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
I see your secure boot is disabled from the factory, which is kind of odd.


I didn't know what Secure Boot was, so did some Google research. It's disabled because Windows 7 doesn't support it. It sounds like Windows 8.1 and beyond supports Secure Boot technology. When I bought this computer Dell was selling both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 machines ... I opted for Windows 7.
 
Ahh, okay. My historical knowledge of Secure Boot isn't great. I had to battle with it a little while back, when one version of Mint worked with it, and the subsequent version, paradoxically, did not. I had some arguments with the developers over that, because they claimed no support for Secure Boot in Mint. Then, they decided to update some secure boot packages, which caused me to go off on them, because muddling with secure boot packages when you don't support secure boot in your OS is the height of stupidity and time wasting.
 
Secure boot was a pox on my ubuntu install as well. Went through some workaround script. Was cool when it worked though as I didn't need GRUB though it was set up anyway-- could go into BIOS and pick my OS that way as well.

OP is set up fine. In the rare occasion that he has too boot off a CD what's an extra second wait for the NIC to not work?
 
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