Computer Blues

[comloding]

M child has been given a computer from an Ivy league school through a youth summer program. One of my other children has done something terrible to it! When the computer (dell) boots up, the passwords are not automatically logging onto windows anymore (think the other child changed them somehow and doesnt know what he did). I have a copy of windows 2000, which is what originally was on the hard drive. My intention is to use the 2000 CD to boot from the CD rom and write my personal copy to the hard drive. Therein lies the problem. When I go into F2 (System setup), and change the boot sequence from it's primary setting so that it will boot from CD instead of the hard drive, It looks like it starts to read from the CD but jumps back to the hard drive. Does dell bios have some kind of bounce mechanism? I am not an IT person, probably know just enough to get myself into trouble. Can anyone give me help please!!

 

[Wombät]

You should try the Dell troubleshooters guide which is at this link... http://support.dell.com/support/troubleshooting.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

 

[rdcmmnst]

are you sure you set the bios right. Because if you did you should have no problem.

 

[wozelbeak]

is the 2000 disc good? if it isn't it will go to second boot probably your hdd.
can you check the disc?
woz

 

[lurkswithin]

More than likely the school has put a locked bios in the program to stop the students from doing just exactly what you are trying to do. If so only the school admin can get into it or his designated tech support.

 

[rdcmmnst]

But if he is able to change something initially doesn't that mean that his bios isn't locked?