PLEASE HELP: Monitor Does not Switch on Until Windows Boots?

[A]

I need to get into my BIOS but the monitor doesn't come on until Windows
boots. I need it to come on when I first switch the machine on. How can I
set it to do that?


Thanks

J

 

[Robert B. Clark]

I need to get into my BIOS but the monitor doesn't come on until Windows
boots. I need it to come on when I first switch the machine on. How can I
set it to do that?

Try pressing the Del key (or whatever keystroke you need to enter the CMOS
setup) after booting, but before the POST beep. It may take some practice
to do this without any visual cues. It may help to stick a DOS boot disk
in your floppy or CD-ROM drive in order to avoid starting Windows if you
miss the CMOS setup keystroke(s).

Your monitor may just have a problem switching video modes. We have a
ViewSonic P90f here at the lab that takes almost two full seconds to switch
between 640x480 70Hz (DOS full screen) and 1024x768 120Hz.

 

[user]

I need to get into my BIOS but the monitor doesn't come on until Windows
boots. I need it to come on when I first switch the machine on. How can I
set it to do that?


Thanks

J

Assuming you have the boot sequence in CMOS currently set to A:, C:,
SCSI, place a disk in your floppy disk drive. The computer should stop
at that disk even if it is a non bootable disk. During that time your
monitor should change to the VGA resolution and you should be able to
set CMOS by doing a clt+alt+del. Another poster commented that your
monitor is probably faulty. If you cannot sync to the VGA horizontal
sync fast enough to view the monitor during POST, then I agree. I would
try another monitor, although I guess it is possible (but VERY unlikely)
that your video card could be the problem.

Ken

 

[JAD]

bios set for PCI/AGP as primary?
had an ECS board that would not have video when an AGP card was used and PCI
was selected as primary