Hi All, I'm trying to access the BIOS Setup on a Compaq Deskpro 4000. Usually on these machines, you get prompted at the POST stage to press F10. However, I'm getting through POST ok and the system then proceeds to load Win98 and runs without a hitch. No mention of Pressing F10 to enter Setup. I've tried pressing F10 anyway, but that only leads me to the ritual "Keyboard Error" !! I've also tried DEL, F1-F12, and just about every other combination involving Esc, CTRL, ALT, etc. But no luck. (Though I KNOW 100% it's F10). Also, I am not able to access the floppy drive. On Boot up, it doesn't bother looking for it, and in Windows it is reported as being a "Removable Drive" as opposed to the usual "3.5" Floppy" and won't read any disks. I'm pretty sure that the two incidents are related but I just can't figure out how to sort it. I've tried Compaq's website and came close to a solution, but alas not close enough !! I then attempted to remove the CMOS Battery thus leaving it for a few minutes to lose it's settings. But the battery is virtually welded to the terminal - If the battery comes out, the terminal comes out with it and it's not going to go back !!! If anyone has got any suggestions I would be very grateful to hear from you since the machine is a good system apart from that. Regards Simon

Did you just replace the hard drive? The Compaq setup program resides on a small partition on the hard drive and if you have fdisked and reformatted or installed a new hard drive you will need to use the Compaq setup program. Download it from the Compaq web site.

Hi Darren, Thanks for your reply. I don't know much about the history of the system. Someone bought it from a computer asset management company that basically just strips out older computer systems from banks, building societies, etc. They asked me to set it up for them and install an OS. I managed to boot from the Win98 cd to install the OS, but am getting this error with the floppy drive plus there's a couple of other bits I want to get to in the BIOS for. I have seen reference on Compaq's website to the partition you mention & the program you can download, but since the floppy drive is not accessable I can't boot from the "Diagnostic Disk" that I made from their instructions. Well, I've just fdisked from the hard drive and that hasn't got it. I now need to get a floppy drive hooked up to it so I can give the thing a good format !! Guess I'll have to rip the HDD out and hook it up to another PC. Why did I ever get involved !!!!! By the way - All cables & ribbons are in tight and are the right way round both in the drives and on the mobo. Thanks Again Simon

If you could get that floppy drive working, The Ultimate Bootdisk from startdisk.com has an option on it for entering the BIOS.

The reason is most likly the partition that the BIOS was stored on was deleted which leads to both of the problems. In order to restore it use a windows 98 boot up diskette and get to the page where it prompts the A:/. Then just reload the BIOS. Wrie to tell me if it doesn't work. I will be very surprised