From owner-freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Mar 7 21:28:16 2006 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C6E1B16A420 for ; Tue, 7 Mar 2006 21:28:16 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from miguel@anjos.strangled.net) Received: from compaq.anjos.strangled.net (87-196-129-60.net.novis.pt [87.196.129.60]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 919CD43D5A for ; Tue, 7 Mar 2006 21:28:15 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from miguel@anjos.strangled.net) Received: from compaq.anjos.strangled.net (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by compaq.anjos.strangled.net (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k27LSCHc002901; Tue, 7 Mar 2006 21:28:12 GMT (envelope-from miguel@compaq.anjos.strangled.net) Received: (from miguel@localhost) by compaq.anjos.strangled.net (8.13.4/8.13.4/Submit) id k27LSBND002900; Tue, 7 Mar 2006 21:28:11 GMT (envelope-from miguel) Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2006 21:28:11 GMT From: Miguel Lopes Santos Ramos Message-Id: <200603072128.k27LSBND002900@compaq.anjos.strangled.net> To: delphi123@zebra.net, freebsd-stable@freebsd.org In-Reply-To: <440DF6CB.1090001@zebra.net> Cc: Subject: Re: Can't boot into setup to install FreeBSD 6 X-BeenThere: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Production branch of FreeBSD source code List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2006 21:28:16 -0000 > From: Benjamin Sher > Subject: Re: Can't boot into setup to install FreeBSD 6 > > Dear Miguel: > > Thank you so very much for trying to help. My answers below: > > > I think this is a bit off-topic on this list, but of course I'd like to help. > > I don't think this can be a 'software issue', this must be the BIOS (firmware). > > > > 1- Did you change your keyboard, or is your keyboard not well connected? > > I once had a keyboard which had a long reset time and sometimes was not > > detected. Try different keyboards, check the plugs. > > > First, my thanks for explaining that this is a BIOS issue. Does this > mean that it is a HARDWARE issue? The BIOS is a program which is stored in a Read-Only Memory (ROM). It is the Basic Input/Output System that among other things boots your OS. It is often called firmware for being a bit in between software and hardware. Anyway, seems not to be a Windows-related problem. > I did change my keyboard some months ago. I changed my keyboard from a > Belkin ergonomic keyboard to a Microsoft ergonomic keyboard when I > arrived in Knoxville. But I had this problem before in New Orleans with > my old keyboard. The Setup got jammed sometimes last fall for some > inexplicable reason and has never worked right since. Well, trying different keyboards is my best bet on this issue. > > 2- Are you pressing F2 at the right time? Try keeping F2 pressed as soon as > > you power on, keep it pressed. > > > > Believe me, I press F2 the moment boot starts and keep hitting it > throughout the boot process. On the other hand, I can stop the boot > process with F12. Never heard of a key to stop the boot process... Does't that really boot from the CD? Perhaps the CD player is not very good with CD-Rs... and the system boots from the hard disk... > > I don't think removing the CMOS battery can help in this case. Your problem > > seems surreal. There's a chance that removing the CMOS battery for a while and then placing it back again restores your BIOS Setup to its default settings, and then it may boot from the CD. But you should ask someone who is experienced with opening up computers to do that operation. Also, this may be a risky operation, and may be useless. > Thank you again. > > Benjamin I'm really out of ideas. Do try different keyboards, borrow a few. Miguel