How to Set BIOS to Boot From CD in Vista

Booting from a CD can require changes to your computer's BIOS setup.

Since most users employ their computer's operating systems for most of their computer work, the default for most machines is to boot the operating system first. Some users may wish to occasionally boot their computers from a CD instead of their primary hard drive, however. This can allow them to perform system scans, run "live" versions of some alternate operating systems, or even repair problems with Windows Vista. The boot order is set in the computer's Basic Input and Output System (BIOS), and resetting the boot order can be accomplished in a matter of minutes.

Instructions

1. Reboot your computer. When the initial BIOS screen appears, press and hold the indicated key to launch the BIOS setup.

2. Locate the "Boot Sequence" or "Boot Order" listing in your BIOS setup. Depending on the type of BIOS that your Windows Vista PC uses, the boot order listing may be immediately evident or it may be contained in an "Advanced Settings" section of the BIOS setup.

3. Set the CD or DVD drive that you wish to boot from as your primary boot device. Set your primary hard drive as the second or third boot device (depending on your preferred boot order and the other drives that you have installed on your computer).

4. Press the indicated key (often "F10") to save your new settings and exit the BIOS setup. The computer will reboot, and will attempt to access the CD or DVD drive that you specified before booting Windows Vista from your hard drive.

Tips & Warnings

• The key required to launch BIOS setup will differ depending on the type of BIOS that you have installed on your computer; keys generally include "Del," "Esc," "F2," and "F10."

• You can change the boot order on a per-boot basis by pressing the key indicated for "Boot Sequence" or "Boot Order" instead of setup; this will not permanently change the boot order, and your regular boot order will resume on the next rebooting. The most common key for this function is "F12."

References

• Microsoft: Windows Vista--Start Windows from a CD or DVD
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Campus Information Technologies and Educational Services - Booting from a CD