How to Switch My Boot Sequence in My Dell Laptop

By Melissa Rae

The BIOS, or Basic Input/Output System, determines your Dell laptop's boot sequence. The BIOS settings control your laptop's hardware settings and boot order. If you wish to change the boot sequence--to make the computer boot from a disc, for example--you'll need to enter and modify the BIOS at startup. There are a few different ways to enter the BIOS, depending on which Dell laptop you're using.

Turn on your Dell laptop. When the Dell logo appears on the screen, tap the "F2" key multiple times until the BIOS menu appears. If it does not appear, restart the computer and press the "Delete" key, or press and hold "Fn+F1" when the Dell logo appears.

Navigate the BIOS menu with the arrow keys on your keyboard. Highlight "Boot Sequence" under "System" and press "Enter." Follow the instructions in the Boot Sequence menu to change the boot order.

Press "Enter" to return to the BIOS menu. Press the "Escape" key and highlight "Exit." Press enter to boot the Dell laptop.

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