Strike F1 to retry boot, strike F2 for setup utility

[Cornholio]

Hello everybody!

Sorry, that I wrote this in English, I speak German, but I can't write it.
I have a weird problem.
A couple of days ago I got a pentium 3 from a frend.
I would love to install Linux on it, so I can pratice, but I have some BIOS problems.
The PC probably jused to boot from a network server, there whas no OS installed.
In the BIOS, (Dell GX110 ?) under Boot sequence, there were 2 options; 'mba undi' and 'hard disk'.
I removed the option 'mba undi' (network boot I guess?)
The PC doens't boot from CD, and I don't know how to do that...
The CD player seems to be plugged in right, the tray opens.
The diskdrive is working, but can't boot.
I made a MS startup disk with XP, whenever the disk is insert, I can see a:/ and it's contents.
Without the disk I keep getting the message "Strike F1 to retry boot, strike F2 for setup utility"
I have been Googleling this problem for days, but I can't find a way to fix the problem, me = still a n00b...

Does anyone have any idea what I need to do do to get a (Linux) OS (with a GUI) on my PC?

Any kind of advice is welcome!

GreetS,

Cornholio

 

[OCcult]

Hi Cornholio,
unfortunately I do not know the Dell's BIOS, but first aid can be to make a reset of the BIOS by loading the OPTIMIZED DEFAULTS or SETUP DEFAULTS ... something like this. This procedure might make the CD visible in the BIOS. I guess, that it was not found in the CMOS SECTION and if that was the case indeed, then you could not have found that option to boot from CD. After resetting, the option to boot from CD should work.
I cross fingers that the DEFAULTS-reset will help. Greets. OC

PS: Please also check in the CMOS SECTION, whether under Floppy Drive there is "1,44 MB DISK" marked in the field accordingly. The Floppy Drive seems to miss the FDC (Floppy Drive Controller), which has to be activated as well. You should find that FDC under CHIPSET FEATURES.

 

[oziris]

Try GRUB

If the problem is still existant, it might help to create a GRUB boot floppy.
GRUB is a boot loader and should be able to chainload another boot loader from CD/DVD (if the disk drive can be accessed in the state mentioned by you). GRUB further has a limited command line interface, enabling you to perform some tasks like locating disks, partitions and somtimes even single files within file systems with auto completition.

Here's some more info:

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I know it sounds more easy than it is, so: Good luck.