BIOS boot order help needed

DarkStar · Sep 29, 2010, 18:01:48

I now have my new computer and need to change the BIOS Boot Priority/Sequence so that the first boot option is from a CD. I need to do this so that I can boot the system with a recovery CD and recover with a backup if things go wrong.
The Motherboard is an ASUS M4A87TD/

The default BIOS boot priority is as follows:
[Removable Dev]
[IDE: ST3500418AS] this is the Seagate 7200.12 HDD
[Atapi CD-Rom]
[IDE: Optiarc DVD RW]
[Network]

I have by using the plus + & minus – keys moved the Atapi CD-Rom to the top of the list.
The BIOS boot order is now:

[Atari CD-ROM]
[IDE:Optiarc DVD RW]
[Network]
[Removable Dev]
[IDE: ST3500418AS] The HDD

Unfortunately, although the boot disc now loads first the IDE: ST3500418AS HDD is now the last boot device so each time I start up or reboot normally I have to wait for either the IDE: Optiarc DVD RW or the Network to do it's thing before the computer boots from the HDD. Whichever device is taking its time to do it's run through sequence takes well over a minute. Would this likely be the Network device?
What comes up on the screen lists Intel (I have an AMD cpu!) and Realtek.

What I want to do is move the Removable device and HDD into 2nd and 3rd positions above the Optiarc and Network but they will only change order of priority, they still maintain the sequence order, ie: Network will always follow Optiarc, the HDD will always follow Removable Dev.
Any advice on if it's possible to change this so that I can order them how I want? Any likely problems if I try to change that default sequence?

Steve · Sep 29, 2010, 18:22:26

It seems odd that you cannot have any order you wish,normally I thought you could highlight the 1,2,or 3 in the boot sequence and toggle through any device you wish. Some bios allow you select boot options at start up by keyboard input on boot i.e f11 or whatever. At least this way you can have HDD first and are not waiting for the others to be initialised and bypassed.

DarkStar · Sep 29, 2010, 18:47:56

Thanks for the reply Steve. I am sure that in my last computer I could determine the boot sequence myself, that is why I was puzzled that I couldn't do it on this one.
Would the [Removable Dev] entry in the BIOS refer to a USB memory device/stick? If so I could reset the BIOS to default settings and take a look at what options there are for recovery/back up software that will boot from a USB stick, I am sure Macrium have an option to do this using the Windows PE environment.

Steve · Sep 29, 2010, 19:04:04

It sounds like a USB drive

esh · Sep 29, 2010, 19:58:13

It will be the network that is taking a long time as it will first try and negotiate a DHCP license and then boot over TFTP or PXE. If you truly cannot change the order of these items (ridiculous) investigate first a BIOS update, and then a cheap external CD-ROM as this would count as an external/removable device and is first priority just before the HDD.

kinmel · Sep 29, 2010, 20:10:41

On one of my similar Asus boards, you use the arrow keys to move between the various devices and then the + and - keys to move that selected device up and down within the list.

DarkStar · Sep 29, 2010, 20:21:41

Quote from: esh on Sep 29, 2010, 19:58:13
It will be the network that is taking a long time as it will first try and negotiate a DHCP license and then boot over TFTP or PXE. If you truly cannot change the order of these items (ridiculous) investigate first a BIOS update, and then a cheap external CD-ROM as this would count as an external/removable device and is first priority just before the HDD.

I found out a little while ago that the it was the network that was the realtek device. Will have a look at the external CD-ROM option, hadn't thought of that.

DarkStar · Sep 29, 2010, 20:26:28

Quote from: kinmel on Sep 29, 2010, 20:10:41
On one of my similar Asus boards, you use the arrow keys to move between the various devices and then the + and - keys to move that selected device up and down within the list.

Thats how it worked on my previous machine. On this one I can use the arrow keys to highlight any one of the five but when I press the + and - keys they move en-block, there doesn't seem to be a way to make one leapfrog over the one above. Stupid.

DarkStar · Oct 05, 2010, 13:05:48

An update

Contacted PCSpecialist who I got the computer from and what I need to do if I want to boot from a CD/DVD or USB stick is to insert the relevant device and reboot. As the computer gives a ping as it starts up I have to press F8 and I then after a few seconds I get a small Boot Options window in which I can then select with the up/down keyboard arrows the boot option I require. If I have say a USB stick inserted with a Linux distro on it that I want to play with the boot options actually shows a USB device with what is on it. Quite handy but I've never seen or heard of this way before. It would have been handy if there had been a mention of it in the help manual I got with the computer.
So, problem now solved

Lance · Oct 05, 2010, 13:26:32

Glad you sorted it. The option on boot up is quite common (hence Steve mentioning it in his first reply). Unfortunately, by the time the screen has woken up the bios has already whizzed passed the screen with the options.

Its still odd that you can't set the order within the bios.

vitriol · Oct 05, 2010, 19:48:44

I normally disable unused boot options. Glad you got it sorted though.