Compaq bios

[ag100]

I've got a Compaq Deskpro EP series & can't get into the BIOS. From what I've read on this excellent forum I need some sort of program to access it. Looked on the HP Compaq site & can't find anything.
I can get into setup, but no combination of keys opens BIOS.
Tried F10 F12 Del, & all sorts.
I suspect my power supply is knackered & want to check the voltages.
Thanks.


ag100


Compaq Deskpro EP- Pentium 3/ 500MHZ
Compaq 0664H mainboard
BIOS Compaq Version686JI V 3.10

 

[Nitestick]

sorry i'm not quite following. your pc doesn't work and you can't get into the bios or it does work and you can't get into the bios. have you tried the "Insert" key i think that used to be used a lot on HP and Compaq computers around that time.

 

[ag100]

My computer is working- just freezes up after a few hours. Particularly when deleting a lot of files. A restart soon fixes it. I want to get into my BIOS to check the voltages on the PSU.
Tried hitting INS when the Compaq page came up- it just started up normally. Hitting F10 gets Setup, but there's no BIOS.
thanks.

ag100

 

[Nitestick]

strange. could be a problem with your hdd if it crashes at times when the hdd is stressed. or like you said that could also point to the psu but i think unlikely if it seems related to strain on the hdd. hdd's only draw an average of maybe 7 watts.

 

[Apokalipse]

what buttons hae you tried? you have said f10, f12 and del
I know F1 is a common one, and yes insert is also used sometimes

 

[BVR]

Some use f2, del, or even esc. But check also your keybord maybe the right key does not function. In the worst case try reseting the BIOS.

 

[Apokalipse]

or maybe getting a new keyboard (if for some reason it might be the keyboard itself)
or maybe it just doesn't support the keybord without drivers (if it's a USB keyboard)

 

[ag100]

I tried F10 & F12- all the F keys one by one, Delete, Insert, Escape & a few others. I can get into Setup with F10, but that doesn't show my PSU voltages. Haven't tried any combos with Alt/Del/whatever.

I found this on the forum-"The reason you've lost the option to ente rthe BIOS is on the older Armadas the BIOS is accessed through a software partition on the hdd. Since the unit has likely had a retail windows image loaded on it that partition is now missing."

In relation to the same question for an old Compaq laptop. I looked all through the Compaq site & didn't find a way into the BIOS.

Yeah, I do suspect the HDD, as it makes suspicious grinding noises sometimes, & makes a heck of a noise all the time. I just want to check my voltages before I replace the HDD. It's my BIOS & I wanna see it!
Thanks for your help- I'll try a different keyboard- never thought of that....

ag100

 

[ag100]

Found it I think!

http://www.techimo.com/forum/t21598.html

Sounds scary to me- I think I'll try & get my old Gateway going...

ag100

 

[GX1_Man]

F10 is the setup. That is what you are looking for. You cannot "get into the BIOS". Some older COmpaq's had a asetup program that were on a separate partition, setup by their software, but it was later incorporated into the bIOS anad that is what you are seeing.

What are you trying to do that you cannot?