Quick BIOS Boot order – sequence change tutorial
If you have ever needed to boot from a CD, DVD or USB device you will know about bringing up the boot menu or changing the boot sequence in the BIOS boot options, if you don’t know then this if for you.
BIOS (Basic Input Output Subsystem) is a programmable chip that controls how information is passed to various devices on the motherboard. A typical method to access the BIOS screen is to press either ESC, F1, F2, F8 or F10 (Depending on your computer manufacturer or BIOS Version) when your computer is booting, You will have to be quick as some machines don’t give you much time so press repeatedly until you find the right one.
Once you have access to the BIOS screen you may configure the order that your computer searches these physical devices for the boot sequence. The first device in the order list has the first boot priority. For example, to boot from a CD-ROM drive instead of a hard drive, place the CD-ROM drive before the hard drive in priority.
While you are in the BIOS Setup Utility you will not be able to use your mouse. Use the keyboard arrow keys to move around the screen and specific keys to move items.
To change the boot sequence:
- Start the computer and press ESC, F1, F2, F8 or F10 during the first startup screen. Depending on the BIOS manufacturer, a menu may appear.
- Choose to enter BIOS setup. The BIOS setup utility page appears.
- Use the arrow keys to select the BOOT tab. System devices appear in order of priority.
- To give a CD or DVD drive boot sequence priority over the hard drive, move it to the first position in the list.
- To give a USB device boot sequence priority over the hard drive, do the following:
- Move the hard drive device to the top of the boot sequence list.
- Expand the hard drive device to display all hard drives.
- Move the USB device to the top of the list of hard drives.
- Save and exit the BIOS setup utility.
- The computer will restart with the changed settings.