BIOS Access on Compaq Presario 4760

I rescued (if you could call it that) a Compaq Presario 4760 from the clutches of the garbage collector. I'd like to fix it up and give it to an underpriveliged family, but I'm having trouble accessing the BIOS. The computer boots and displays the red Compaq logo, gives error messages about there being no floppy drive and that's as far as it gets. I've tried F10, F1, F12, CTRL-F12, DEL, ESC, and just about any other key combination while the cursor flashes in the upper right corner, but nothing gets me into BIOS. Any ideas, or is this wretched thing going back to the curb?

this page says F10 should work.


http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...name=c00007682

Are you sure it's not a problem with the keyboard ?

No the keyboard is the one I use daily.

I just remembered that with these Compaq machines the BIOS is stored on the hard drive, and the hard drive is dead and gone, so that's why I can't access it. :(

I don't know exactly what this is, but maybe it will help. You'll need to put in a floppy though.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...wareitem=33817

Yes, you can access the BIOS using bootable floppy with BIOS setup files on it -I remember downloaded it from Compaq long time ago... Then you can transfer those setup files (there is special an option for that) to the harddrive to make a hidden BIOS partition... If I remember it correctly... What the motherboard model inside?

How's Ottawa, by the way?;) Glad to see you again... ;)

Found this on HP site:
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"Entering the BIOS Setup utility
Sometimes it can be a little tricky to get into the BIOS Setup screen because it requires pressing a specific key at a specific time. If you fail to enter the Setup screen on your first try, repeat the following steps until you are successful:

Close all applications that are currently running and restart the computer by clicking Start, Shut Down, Restart the Computer, and then OK.

When the red Compaq logo screen appears, press the F10 key on the keyboard to enter the Setup menu. If you are using a 6300, 6400, or S3000 series Presario desktop press the F1 key on the keyboard to enter the Setup menu.


NOTE: An alternate to the above steps, especially if the red Compaq logo screen disappears too quickly to enter BIOS, is to shut down (turn off) the computer. Wait 30 seconds, turn the power on and press F10 or F1 at the red Compaq logo screen. "