How do I get into compaq bios?

[copyfixer]

I just got a compaq deskpro for playing with linux. I wanted to peek around in bios. The usual delete, F1, F5, F10 keys don't get me in. What's the trick?

 

[Schlocemus]

For my Compaq it was the F10 key...

 

[Shatter]

well on my deskpro F10 does get me into the bios but only if i cold boot -- after the firsttime i did it i change the timeout for keypress -- also if that don't work create a keyboard error when booting -- i.e. press lotsa keys when booting and that shoud get u access or if you can boot from a floppy then use killcmos32

bst rgrds
Shatter

 

[corkyg]

Was working on one yesterday and it was the DEL key. I guess it depends on what BIOS is used. This was AMI. Award is also DEL. I have two desktops with AMI, both DEL. My laptop also has AMI but it is F2. Looks like a crapshoot!

 

[Colt45]

ive had some machines where you have to press ESC or CTRL+ALT+ESC

 

[Timothy]

It's F10 IF the "diagnostic" partition is installed. Does FDisk show the first partition labled non-DOS? If not, you have no diag partition, therefore F10 will not work.

How to add the diag partition? Nuke all partitions and download the utility from Compaq's site.