holding screens at bootup

[isup]

How can I prevent the screens from proceeding to the windows OS when I boot? Would like to view the installed hardware etc. Also cannot get into BIOS setup at times when I press Del key. Could my keyboard be faulty? Thanks for your help.

-i

[diyrn]

depending on your system, sometimes you have to hit a different key to access the BIOS. It could be F1 or F2...

Timing is also important, sometimes it'll boot so fast if you're not quick enough, you'll miss the window of opportunity.

[isup]

My ABIT NF7-S motherboard says to hit Del key. Could access setup easily at first after installation. Then started having problems after unsuccessfully trying to update windows 2000 pro from sp1 to sp4. Office 2000 CD also gave an error when I tried to install it.
Could you take a harddrive from someone else's machine and install it in yours and it works ok? Would the different motherboards etc. make cause problems. That's basically what i'm doing.

-i

[diyrn]

Is this the hard drive you're trying to boot from? You can't just swap one drive for another without reformatting or reinstalling windows and not have any problems, unless it's from an absolutely identical computer.

But that's probably beside the point, because since the BIOS loads before the OS, no software should be able to interfere with your ability to access the BIOS.

I'd just keep hitting DEL over and over again immediately after you power on, until either you see the BIOS screen or a Windows load screen. I'd also try clearing the CMOS, and yes, check to see if the keyboard is plugged all the way in, or try another keyboard. Some USB keyboards won't work before windows loads if they're not enabled in the BIOS.

Good luck.

[isup]

The keyboard may be bad because when I press the capslock key the light does not come on. Also pulling the cord sometimes cause the numlock, capslock and scroll lock lamps to flash. The keyboard seems to work on and off. I'm using a PS2 keyboard. Will try and get another keyboard.

-i