Hi Joyce,

Usual keys to enter setup are: F1, F2, F8, Delete, occasionally ESC

Try each of these in turn. Don't hold down the key but tap it about once a 
second. If you hold the key machine might think key is stuck and stop 
booting due to keyboard failure.

Dell machines depending on model/age are usually F2 or F8 (as you say).

Hope some of this helps.

Regards

Michael.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joyce A" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 11:14 PM
Subject: [PCBUILD] Clean machines


> Cleaner than I thought!  LOL!  Okay, here's the problem: Windows has been 
> scrubbed out of the two Dell computers I bought at a college auction on 
> Saturday.  Each one is equipped with a 3.5 floppy drive, a CD drive, and a 
> DVD drive, as well as a hard disk.  I can't get either one of them to boot 
> from the CD or DVD drive so I can install an operating system on them, and 
> of course they're just so much scrap without an OS.
>
> So how do I work it?  Do I try to install DOS (latest version I have is 
> 6.0) through the floppy drive?  Then go from there?  Or is there a way I 
> can get them to read from the CD or the DVD?  I tried holding down F8 
> while I rebooted, and once I let it up, the machines continued to boot 
> until I got the message "System Halted."
>
> Not willing to shell out $120 for a new copy of Windows...  I mean to 
> install Ubuntu on these machines.  TIA for any help!
>
> Joyce in SE Ohio
>
>                         PCBUILD's List Owners:
>                      Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]>
>                        Mark Rode<[log in to unmask]>
>


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