BIOS Issue

Q

QuinnC11

New Member
I want to wipe my computer completely and re-install windows 7. Currently I am running Windows 7 Home Premium on a Dell Inpiron 530.

I am having an issue where the computer boots right into the OS, or right to the windows logo. It skips the bios some how and i am baffled as to how it could do that. It might be because my copy of windows isn't completely legal but that's why I'm doing a re-install because i finally bought a legit copy. Anyway i wanted to completely wipe the hard drive using KillDisk but in order to do that i have to go into bios and tell it to run off the DVD. I can't access the bios, any help here guys? Would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
-Quinn
 
Does the BIOS boot screen even appear? If you have been using a non-legal version of windows it may have an altered registry to keep the computer from actually "turning off" and instead may have just been going to sleep.

With the computer off, turn it on and IMMEDIATELY start tapping the F12 button FAST AND CONSTANTLY till the BIOS boot menu shows. If it doesn't work using the F12 key, retry but use the Delete/Del key instead.

If this doesn't work you could try unplugging the hard drive (as well as unplugging all USB's, hard drives internal and external, and exterior DVD/floppy drives) and restarting but do the same as above to try and change the boot order.
 
Thank you very much for your reply, I never even thought about taking the hard drive out and now it seems like such a simple solution.

I'll definitely give these a try as soon as i'm done backing up my files.

Thank you very much.

--EDIT--
Oh and i forgot to answer your question. No the BIOS boot screen doesn't even appear. I have another problem with my computer but i found out a while ago that its a problem with the model. When i turn off the computer sometimes it won't turn back on for a few days, its been better lately but it used to be a serious issue. When i turn it on, it is a black screen for about 3 seconds and then straight to the windows logo.
 
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Illegal copies of windows have all kinds of problems. Its just not worth using the illegal version, better to buy a legal copy or use an operating system like Ubuntu, or Mint or any of the other free operating systems like linux.
 
I got Windows 7 illegally right before it came out because i wanted to see how it ran. Loved it even with the small little errors it had in it. Technically keeping it on my computer is legal now because i own a copy of it correct? Or am i wrong?
 
QuinnC11 said:
I got Windows 7 illegally right before it came out because i wanted to see how it ran. Loved it even with the small little errors it had in it. Technically keeping it on my computer is legal now because i own a copy of it correct? Or am i wrong?
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With the legal version you are legal with only it. You are in violation of the law with the illegal version by simply having it, whether installed or not. Do not keep that illegal version. In addition to that, those illegal versions are usually chock full of malware; trojans, keyloggers, etc.... Get rid of the illegal version and don't look back.
 
gamblingman said:
With the legal version you are legal with only it. You are in violation of the law with the illegal version by simply having it, whether installed or not. Do not keep that illegal version. In addition to that, those illegal versions are usually chock full of malware; trojans, keyloggers, etc.... Get rid of the illegal version and don't look back.
Click to expand...

Ah ok got it, i was just curious. I'm having a problem though, I can't boot into BIOS pressing any of the keys used to get into it and i can't start my computer without a harddrive in it.

Any idea whats up with that?
 
You don't need a hard drive attached to the system in order to get into the bios. Try resetting the cmos by removing power cord from the power supply, remove the cmos battery, press the power button on the case a few times to discharge any remaining power, then wait a few minutes. Then reinsert cmos battery, reattach power to power supply and try booting up.
 
I am going from memory here but the Inspiron 530 first screen tells you to hit F2 for startup. Another name for BIOS. Irrelevant as to whether your copy of Visota is legal or otherwise as you are nowhere near your OS at the BIOS level.
 
Thats what i was trying to do, if you read through all the messages i posted you'll see what i've tried to do. I tried to remove the harddrive to connect. And i've tried the key to get in on boot up. Read my first post though. It skips the little screen where it says "dell" F2 for startup or F12 or whatever it is, so what i did is restart it and try every key that boots into bios on every machine. I also tried turning the computer on with no harddrive so it wouldn't boot into the OS. It won't start without the harddrive in though.
 
QuinnC11 said:
It won't start without the harddrive in though.
Click to expand...

Then you have an issue somewhere in the system, possibly a short. As I said before, you don't need to attach a hard drive in order to get into the bios. Try resetting the cmos, the process for that is in my last post. You may also have a bad power supply.
 
johnb35 said:
Then you have an issue somewhere in the system, possibly a short. As I said before, you don't need to attach a hard drive in order to get into the bios. Try resetting the cmos, the process for that is in my last post. You may also have a bad power supply.
Click to expand...

I'll give it a try thank you :). I once had a problem where my computer would have a hard time starting. It looked like it had power going to it, the power button was blue and the keyboard and mouse had power going to it. I talked to a computer hardware specialist through skype and he told me it was most likely a problem with the PCU.

Anyway, if this doesn't work i think my next step is to put a different hard drive in the computer and starting it. Because i think this copy of windows messed up my registry.

Thanks again for all of your guys help,
-Quinn
 
QuinnC11 said:
I talked to a computer hardware specialist through skype and he told me it was most likely a problem with the PCU.

Anyway, if this doesn't work i think my next step is to put a different hard drive in the computer and starting it. Because i think this copy of windows messed up my registry.
Click to expand...

Cpu or PSU? Cpu is the processor and the psu is the power supply unit like i was mentioning before.

You have some other issue besides the hard drive. It's possible the psu has done something to your motherboard/bios and hard drive.
 
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