Unable to get to boot menu and into safe mode

Hello,
I have a new MB and I am running Award Bios, same as old MB, but a newer
version on a P-4. However, I am unable to get to the boot menu. I've tried
everything, at least I think I have!!

Del key gets me into Bios, (same as old board).
Alt + F2 is the update flash utility (didn't have this feature on old
board).
The F8 key worked on my old MB, will not work with my current Award Bios
version.

*This is Award Bios V-6.0*.

*I am unable to get into dos or safe mode*.

Thanks for helping me.

Star

Boot using a floppy boot disk. Do the following commands (press Enter at end
of each line):

attrib -h - r msdos.sys
edit msdos.sys

Use Ctrl-End to get to last line. Then press Enter to make a new line:

BootMenu=1

Press Alt-F-S to Save, Alt-F-X to exit. Then:

Attrib +r + h msdos.sys

Remove floppy boot disk, then press Ctrl-Alt-Del to reboot.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Win9x

"Star" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I have a new MB and I am running Award Bios, same as old MB, but a newer
version on a P-4. However, I am unable to get to the boot menu. I've tried
everything, at least I think I have!!

Del key gets me into Bios, (same as old board).
Alt + F2 is the update flash utility (didn't have this feature on old
board).
The F8 key worked on my old MB, will not work with my current Award Bios
version.

*This is Award Bios V-6.0*.

*I am unable to get into dos or safe mode*.

Thanks for helping me.

Star

From the boot disk you would have to change the lines to read:

attrib -h -r c:\msdos.sys
edit c:\msdos.sys

and then the line

attrib +h +r c:\msdos.sys

"Gary S. Terhune" wrote in message
...
Boot using a floppy boot disk. Do the following commands (press Enter at
end
of each line):

attrib -h - r msdos.sys
edit msdos.sys

Use Ctrl-End to get to last line. Then press Enter to make a new line:

BootMenu=1

Press Alt-F-S to Save, Alt-F-X to exit. Then:

Attrib +r + h msdos.sys

Remove floppy boot disk, then press Ctrl-Alt-Del to reboot.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Win9x

"Star" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I have a new MB and I am running Award Bios, same as old MB, but a newer
version on a P-4. However, I am unable to get to the boot menu. I've
tried
everything, at least I think I have!!

Del key gets me into Bios, (same as old board).
Alt + F2 is the update flash utility (didn't have this feature on old
board).
The F8 key worked on my old MB, will not work with my current Award Bios
version.

*This is Award Bios V-6.0*.

*I am unable to get into dos or safe mode*.

Thanks for helping me.

Star

Instead of tapping the F8 key, start the computer and hold down the CTRL key, till
the boot menu appears.

If that doesn't help, start Windows, click StartRun, type msconfig and click OK.
Click the Advanced button, on the General tab.
Put a check in the box for "Enable Startup menu", click OK, and OK.
Reboot.
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


"Star" wrote in message ...
Hello,
I have a new MB and I am running Award Bios, same as old MB, but a newer
version on a P-4. However, I am unable to get to the boot menu. I've tried
everything, at least I think I have!!

Del key gets me into Bios, (same as old board).
Alt + F2 is the update flash utility (didn't have this feature on old
board).
The F8 key worked on my old MB, will not work with my current Award Bios
version.

*This is Award Bios V-6.0*.

*I am unable to get into dos or safe mode*.

Thanks for helping me.

Star

http://support.microsoft.com/support.../Q118/5/79.asp
Contents of the Windows Msdos.sys File
......Quote.................
BootKeys=Boolean
Default: 1
Purpose: A setting of 1 enables the use of the function key boot options
(that is, F4, F5, F6, F8, and CTRL). A setting of 0 disables the use of
these function keys during the boot process

NOTE: A setting of BootKeys=0 overrides the use of BootDelay=n.
......End of quote.......

Here is a way to edit MSDOS.sys. This is an important file.

(1) You won't even see it, unless "START, Settings, Folder Options, View
tab" is bolted "Show all files"; may as well uncheck "Hide file
extensions..." too.
(2) Find "C:\MSDOS.sys" and back it up. Call the backup MSDOS.bck, in
C:\.
(3) Then, R-Clk "C:\MSDOS.sys", Properties, and uncheck Read-Only.

(4) Open it in Notepad, &
(a) Delete "BootKeys=0" from the [Options] section, if there.
That would suppress the boot keys mentioned above.
(b) Save it & Exit Notepad

(5) Then, R-Clk MSDOS.sys again, and make it Read-Only. Reboot.
(6) Can't reboot? Then, in DOS, copy the backup over the one you've
mussed.
(a) ATTRIB -R -S -H C:\MSDOS.sys
(b) COPY C:\MSDOS.bck C:\MSDOS.sys
(c) ATTRIB +R +S +H C:\MSDOS.sys


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Star" wrote in message
...
| Hello,
| I have a new MB and I am running Award Bios, same as old MB, but a
newer
| version on a P-4. However, I am unable to get to the boot menu. I've
tried
| everything, at least I think I have!!
|
| Del key gets me into Bios, (same as old board).
| Alt + F2 is the update flash utility (didn't have this feature on old
| board).
| The F8 key worked on my old MB, will not work with my current Award
Bios
| version.
|
| *This is Award Bios V-6.0*.
|
| *I am unable to get into dos or safe mode*.
|
| Thanks for helping me.
|
| Star
|
|
|

Good catch. Thanks.

Actually, though, I would use "C:" to change to the C:\ directory, first, then
run it as I described, s.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Win9x

"Richard Goh" wrote in message
...
From the boot disk you would have to change the lines to read:

attrib -h -r c:\msdos.sys
edit c:\msdos.sys

and then the line

attrib +h +r c:\msdos.sys

"Gary S. Terhune" wrote in message
...
Boot using a floppy boot disk. Do the following commands (press Enter at
end
of each line):

attrib -h - r msdos.sys
edit msdos.sys

Use Ctrl-End to get to last line. Then press Enter to make a new line:

BootMenu=1

Press Alt-F-S to Save, Alt-F-X to exit. Then:

Attrib +r + h msdos.sys

Remove floppy boot disk, then press Ctrl-Alt-Del to reboot.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Win9x

"Star" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I have a new MB and I am running Award Bios, same as old MB, but a newer
version on a P-4. However, I am unable to get to the boot menu. I've
tried
everything, at least I think I have!!

Del key gets me into Bios, (same as old board).
Alt + F2 is the update flash utility (didn't have this feature on old
board).
The F8 key worked on my old MB, will not work with my current Award Bios
version.

*This is Award Bios V-6.0*.

*I am unable to get into dos or safe mode*.

Thanks for helping me.

Star

How shameful, but I will speak the truth...
I have never made a boot startup floppy for my system, however I do when I
help others!! I just made one, slap me on the side of the head! I could
always just boot from the boot menu into safe mode..

Actually, I fibed... I *could* get into dos from the start menu and change
the dir. to (cd to C:\) of course. But I wanted to get into safe mode.

I was thinking, why doesn't the start menu/shut down dialog box have the
option... restart in safe mode too. But, thx. Glen, it actually does,
msconfig/gen tab/adv. (and it's staring me in the face)!!

I'm saving this entire thread will, PCR Pro... I will look at my msdos.sys
file, maybe it is at 0 disabled, and now that I have a floppy boot, I will
see if I'm savy enough to follow Gary's & Richard's instructions.

Thank you, Thank you, TY

"Star" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I have a new MB and I am running Award Bios, same as old MB, but a newer
version on a P-4. However, I am unable to get to the boot menu. I've tried
everything, at least I think I have!!

Del key gets me into Bios, (same as old board).
Alt + F2 is the update flash utility (didn't have this feature on old
board).
The F8 key worked on my old MB, will not work with my current Award Bios
version.

*This is Award Bios V-6.0*.

*I am unable to get into dos or safe mode*.

Thanks for helping me.

Star

Star wrote:

How shameful, but I will speak the truth...
I have never made a boot startup floppy for my system, however I do when I
help others!! I just made one, slap me on the side of the head! I could
always just boot from the boot menu into safe mode..

Actually, I fibed... I *could* get into dos from the start menu and change
the dir. to (cd to C:\) of course. But I wanted to get into safe mode.

I was thinking, why doesn't the start menu/shut down dialog box have the
option... restart in safe mode too. But, thx. Glen, it actually does,
msconfig/gen tab/adv. (and it's staring me in the face)!!

I'm saving this entire thread will, PCR Pro... I will look at my msdos.sys
file, maybe it is at 0 disabled, and now that I have a floppy boot, I will
see if I'm savy enough to follow Gary's & Richard's instructions.

Thank you, Thank you, TY

"Star" wrote in message
...

Hello,
I have a new MB and I am running Award Bios, same as old MB, but a newer
version on a P-4. However, I am unable to get to the boot menu. I've tried
everything, at least I think I have!!

Del key gets me into Bios, (same as old board).
Alt + F2 is the update flash utility (didn't have this feature on old
board).
The F8 key worked on my old MB, will not work with my current Award Bios
version.

*This is Award Bios V-6.0*.

*I am unable to get into dos or safe mode*.

Thanks for helping me.

Glee's suggestion of changing it through the System Configuration
Utility, checking a checkbox in the GUI, does the same (more safely) as
editing the msDOS.sys file directly as described by Gary & Richard.
But changing BootMenu=0 to BootMenu=1 through either means will make the
"Startup Menu"/BootMenu come up each time you boot. That wasn't what you
asked for.

PCR's suggestion/solution is one reason for why the Ctrl-key would not
work the times you would want to invoke the Bootmenu on purpouse.
A person posted with the same "Ctrl-key doesn't bring up the BootMenu"
problem just a couple of days ago. He didn't followup to comfirm if his
BootKeys= was indeed set to 0. But if his wasn't and yours isn't there
must also be other ways to disable it. Please post back after checking.

--
Please followup in newsgroup.
E-mail address is invalid due to spam-control.

Sometimes, in some machines, the startup sequence is simply such that it is
almost impossible to use the boot keys to bring up the Startup Menu. In some
systems, that small moment when the key will work is so tiny as to be
non-existent--goes directly from POST to starting Windows.

I posted the "edit MSDOS" method for one simple reason--it works when you can't
get into Windows to use MSCONFIG. I have to use it on occasion when the first
remedy to a situation is to get to Safe Mode or Command Prompt Only (the latter
because some things simply can't be done, or can't be done *easily*, from a
floppy boot.)

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Win9x

"... et al." wrote in message
news
Glee's suggestion of changing it through the System Configuration
Utility, checking a checkbox in the GUI, does the same (more safely) as
editing the msDOS.sys file directly as described by Gary & Richard.
But changing BootMenu=0 to BootMenu=1 through either means will make the
"Startup Menu"/BootMenu come up each time you boot. That wasn't what you
asked for.

PCR's suggestion/solution is one reason for why the Ctrl-key would not
work the times you would want to invoke the Bootmenu on purpouse.
A person posted with the same "Ctrl-key doesn't bring up the BootMenu"
problem just a couple of days ago. He didn't followup to comfirm if his
BootKeys= was indeed set to 0. But if his wasn't and yours isn't there
must also be other ways to disable it. Please post back after checking.

--
Please followup in newsgroup.
E-mail address is invalid due to spam-control.

I've never actually run into one, but cquirke has sworn on a stack of
pancakes that "C:\Winboot.ini"-- if it exists-- will override
"C:\MSDOS.sys". It has the same format, says he.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"... et al." wrote in message
news | Star wrote:
|
| How shameful, but I will speak the truth...
| I have never made a boot startup floppy for my system, however I do
when I
| help others!! I just made one, slap me on the side of the head! I
could
| always just boot from the boot menu into safe mode..
|
| Actually, I fibed... I *could* get into dos from the start menu and
change
| the dir. to (cd to C:\) of course. But I wanted to get into safe
mode.
|
| I was thinking, why doesn't the start menu/shut down dialog box
have the
| option... restart in safe mode too. But, thx. Glen, it actually
does,
| msconfig/gen tab/adv. (and it's staring me in the face)!!
|
| I'm saving this entire thread will, PCR Pro... I will look at my
msdos.sys
| file, maybe it is at 0 disabled, and now that I have a floppy boot,
I will
| see if I'm savy enough to follow Gary's & Richard's instructions.
|
| Thank you, Thank you, TY
|
| "Star" wrote in message
| ...
|
| Hello,
| I have a new MB and I am running Award Bios, same as old MB, but a
newer
| version on a P-4. However, I am unable to get to the boot menu. I've
tried
| everything, at least I think I have!!
|
| Del key gets me into Bios, (same as old board).
| Alt + F2 is the update flash utility (didn't have this feature on
old
| board).
| The F8 key worked on my old MB, will not work with my current Award
Bios
| version.
|
| *This is Award Bios V-6.0*.
|
| *I am unable to get into dos or safe mode*.
|
| Thanks for helping me.
|
| Glee's suggestion of changing it through the System Configuration
| Utility, checking a checkbox in the GUI, does the same (more safely)
as
| editing the msDOS.sys file directly as described by Gary & Richard.
| But changing BootMenu=0 to BootMenu=1 through either means will make
the
| "Startup Menu"/BootMenu come up each time you boot. That wasn't what
you
| asked for.
|
| PCR's suggestion/solution is one reason for why the Ctrl-key would not
| work the times you would want to invoke the Bootmenu on purpouse.
| A person posted with the same "Ctrl-key doesn't bring up the BootMenu"
| problem just a couple of days ago. He didn't followup to comfirm if
his
| BootKeys= was indeed set to 0. But if his wasn't and yours isn't there
| must also be other ways to disable it. Please post back after
checking.
|
| --
| Please followup in newsgroup.
| E-mail address is invalid due to spam-control.