Chapter 3. Before setup

Table of Contents
3.1. Configuring your BIOS
3.2. Creating a "boot-disk"
3.2.1. Under Windows
3.2.2. Under GNU/Linux
3.3. Supported hardware
3.3.1. What's not supported
3.3.2. Collecting information on your hardware

3.1. Configuring your BIOS

The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is used to boot up a computer. Specifically, it is used to find the device on which the operating system is located and start it up. It is also used for the initial configuration of the hardware.

The appearance of plug'n'play and its widespread use means that all modern BIOS can initialize these devices, but you still have to ask it to do so. If your Windows 9x OS is initializing these devices instead of the BIOS, this will need to be changed for use under GNU/Linux.

Changing your BIOS settings is usually performed by holding down the DEL key just after the computer is switched on. Unfortunately, there are many types of BIOS', therefore you will have to look for the appropriate option for yourself. The option to look for is often called PNP OS installed (or Plug'n'Play OS installed). Set this option to No and the BIOS will then initialize any plug'n'play devices. That can help GNU/Linux recognize some devices in your machine which it would not otherwise be able to initialize.

If your BIOS can boot from the CD-ROM and you want to perform a standard installation of Mandrake Linux, you can also set your BIOS to boot from the CD-ROM before searching the hard disk. Look for Boot sequence in the BIOS features setup.

Note

If you want to use a printer locally connected to your machine: make sure that the parallel port mode is set to ECP+EPP (or at least one of them) and not to SPP. If it's not set this way, you will still be able to print, but your printer will not be auto-detected so you will have to configure it by hand. Also make sure that the printer is powered-on and properly connected to your machine beforehand.


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