Re: Help in installing Fedora dvd

From: James Wilkinson (james_at_westexe.demon.co.uk)
Date: 08/21/04

  • Next message: Alex White: "Re: Help in installing Fedora dvd"
    Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2004 13:32:43 +0100
    To: fedora-list@redhat.com
    
    

    Zhi Ouyang wrote:
    > I am using a Dell computer, with one cd drive and one dvd drive.
    > The default booting device is the cd drive.
    > When I get into the CMOS, the boot sequence is only 3 choices:
    > IDE CD-ROM, hard disk C, Diskette Drive
    > How can I boot from DVD drive?

    And you've tried putting the IDE CD-ROM in the boot sequence, the DVD
    in the DVD drive, and rebooting the computer? It really won't boot?

    Peter Boy wrote:
    > I never used a Dell computer, others may give you a better advice,
    > hopefully.

    Neither have I, so this advice might be no good, either.

    How does your BIOS detect the drives? Can you temporarily tell it that
    there is no such device as the CD drive? Will it then boot from the
    DVD?

    In my experience, there are three ways a BIOS detects the drive:

    1. Somewhere in the BIOS, the hard drives will be listed. Either all
    the potential positions (primary master, etc) will be listed as "Auto",
    all the ones that don't have a hard drive will be listed as "Auto", or
    only the ones with an optical drive will be listed as "Auto". If you
    switch the setting for your CD to "None", it won't be detected.

    (Performance tip: it takes time for the BIOS to search for drives at
    boot-up. Unless you regularly need to boot from them, set them to
    "None", or, if they are hard disks, let the BIOS record the right
    settings for them).

    2. Somewhere in the BIOS, there'll be a "Detect hard disks" option. In
    a few BIOSes, it will detect where the optical devices are, and remember
    them. Usually, you'll be given an "Ignore this drive" option.

    3. The BIOS writers want to reduce support calls, and auto detect all
    the CDs all the time. In this case, you probably can't boot from the
    DVD.

    > A workaround is, to use the file /images/boot.iso to burn a bootable
    > cdrom (read the README). After boot you will be asked for the
    > installation method. The DVD should be listed.

    But that might be the best advice here.

    James.

    -- 
    E-mail address: james | "It was rare to catch His Holiness at the moment of
    @westexe.demon.co.uk  | transformation into the Infallible Hulk."
                          |     -- Chris Ward, Church Times caption competition.
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  • Next message: Alex White: "Re: Help in installing Fedora dvd"

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