Help With Bios

I need to go into the BIOS and I do not know how to do this. What I am looking for is to see after I had done a complete restore on my pc, I need to find out if my usb ports are enabled. I am having trouble getting my pc to recongize or install drivers properly for my multipass printer. Thanks for any help.

 

Make, model, or motherboard?

 

Hi Abraxas,
What do you mean, make and model of pc?
It is a Compaq presario, does this help? Thanks

 

winnie,

Belarc Advisor is a neat tool that will tell you just about everything you want to know about your computer. You can download it for free personal use at: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Install & run it. With this tool you can be able to give more specific information about your computer's hardware components, & software applications, to people who are trying to help you.

 

Winnie started with this Thread

 

Need Help With BIOS

Sorry All,
I thought if the question was not about hardware that I was supposed to go to the right catagory, since it was about the BIOS, I went to Windows98. I know, I'm an idiot!!! Sorry!
I still don't know much about the BIOS. How do I access this? See, told you I am an idiot! Just when I think I have learned a lot about something on pc, here comes another hurdle.
If anyone can guide me in the right direction, I would most appreciate it. Thanks again. And I will stay on the same thread this time. Ha!
Winnie

 

Hey, no problem winnie, we'll hold the 60 lashes with a wet noodle.

Here's something you can try to enter the bios in your Compaq Presario:

Compaq Presario - Press <Alt> <Ctrl> <Esc> at boot when you see the "Compaq" log in big letters

Like I said before, I don't know much about Compaq's but what you need to look for in the bios is something that allows you to enable/disable usb ports. When you are poking about the bios just make sure you do not accidently change something or you could render your computer un-bootable.

Maybe you can wait to see if someone else on the BBS, familiar with Compaq's, can come up with some more explicit instructions on how to enable/disable usb in the bios.

 

Winnie

I don't know nutting at all about a Compaq. Mine's a made to specs rig.

Did you get Belarc Advisor? It can really come in handy. It will tell you so many things about your computer.

Hmmmmmmmmm! I thought BIOS was hardware related, since the BIOS is located on the Motherboard. Not in Windows. Maybe I'm wrong? It wouldn't be the first time.

 

If I remember correctly when you boot up the computer you will see some type of message at the bottom or top of the screen that says something along the lines of press ? to view/see/set system settings.
I believe if you do what it says quickly it will put you in BIOS.
From there using your tab button press it a few times and it will hop you around the different category settings. From there if you use your arrow up or down you will see what that category settings impact - usually to change the setting you use the horzontal arrow keys.
Look around for the USB if that is where your Canon is plugged in. If it is plugged in the printer port look around for that setting. Make sure that they are enabled. If they were not, then enable and when you exit, save settings.

BTW your not an idiot.

 

Some BIOS help:
Stephen J. Bigelow has a great book called Troubleshooting, Maintaining and Repairing PCs. He days that there is a huge number of different commands to enter the BIOS and finding the right one can be "an exercise in frustration." However, he does list a few.
AMI BIOS-------DEL key during post
Award BIOS-----CTRL-ALT-ESC
DTK BIOS-------ESC key during post
IBM PS/2 BIOS--CTRL-ALT-INS after CTRL-ALT-DEL
Phoenix BIOS---CTRL-ALT-ESC or CTRL-ALT-S
ALR PC---------F2 for PCI systems
---------------or CTRL-ALT-ESC for non-PCI systems
Compaq PCs-----F10
Gateway 2000---F1
Sony-----------F3 when starting (Sony logo), then F1

Try any or all. Hope this helps.

 

Thank You All,
I will try some of these, I have tried the F10 key, and the pc jumped to a screen really quick and then right back off of it. It just flashed a black screen with the writing and went right into loading Windows. It didn't give time to do anything.
That book sounds interesting. I think I need another book! Ha
I tried last night again a few things still nothing. When I do go into look for files, I found that there were drivers files for this multipass and went into some other files and when I opened them in quick view, some of the files said, "Bad device" or "Bad Driver" or always something bad. And another thing that is throwing me off, when I looked at some of these files through quick view, at the top it had Window95. I have Windows98 on here. Unless, this disk is mislabeled. I don't know, this is driving me crazy.. . I do thank everyone for trying to help. I will try some of the things or getting that book. Thanks again, Winnie

 

Winnie,
Do NOT buy this book. It is very expensive and way too advanced for you. Use these and other forums instead and you will get all the information that you need.
As regards your BIOS, you must hit the appropriate key(s) when the screen first lights up right at the very beginning. In some cases, if you look carefully, you will see an instruction on the screen that says "Hit F1 to enter setup" or something like that. If you don't see that, just keep hitting the key(s) repeatedly from the very beginning BEFORE windows begins to boot.
As regards your other problem, you will have to furnish more details.
What the heck is "there were drivers files for this multipass?" What is multipass? What file are you trying to open with quick view? What are the exact "bad" messages? Where are you finding the driver information that you are talking about? With more detail, we may be able to help.

 

Hi Bluejay,
Ok, let me see if I can relay this accurately. Ha!
When I go to "find Files" I typed in "USB PORTS" ok, 59 files were found on this. In the list of files were several named, "c555usb9" ok, my multipass is a "MultiPASS C555 ". When I click on any of these that are listed under this "c555usb9" a message comes up "This is an invalid Security Catalog File ". There are about three or four of these files on the list. Next, I clicked on another in the list of files, "USBDrvW98" under this I opened it and "Disk 1" was listed, clicked on it, this is what was listed under that-- "Bjusbprn" "c555usb9" "sysFppa.sys" "unsteins" and two other ones labeled-- "spooladd.dll" and "sysFmon.dll" now when I click on these last two, in quick view, there is where I have been seeing this at the top-- "Dynamic Link Library--32 bit For Windows 95 and Window NT" and then the other such as Techn. File Info. and Image File Header and so on.
Does this help any. I figured since it was the usb ports that I was having trouble getting my pc to recognize, that I would go into usb port files and see just what was there. Guess I was just fishing for an answer. If this explains anything to you about my situation, please let me know. Maybe there is something else I can add later. Thanks for your help, and Yes, I don't think I want to buy another book that is high priced and then I can't even understand it. ha! Thanks Winnie

 

Also, I forgot to add to my last post, A Canon Multipass is a multifunction machine. It is a four-in-one Printer\Copier\Scanner\Fax. Sorry, I forgot to add that in on my last post. I hope that helps. Thanks

 

Hi Winnie,
Now I understand. Your problem is that finding files with usb in the names will not give you any diagnostic information about your usb ports. You are just trying to read files which you shouldn't be reading , i.e., that don't contain much valid user information. To avoid all of those strange messages in quick view, just don't read those files! They weren't meant to be read.
A better way to diagnose problems with your usb ports is to go to the Device Manager which you can access through Start>Settings>Control Panel>Device Manager or just press WINkey>Break. Click on Device Manager and in View devices by type, scroll down to usb at the end. Click on the + sign and you will see two or more entries for your port(s). If they do not have any strange icons beside their names, they are probably working properly. In fact, if you select one with your mouse and then click on Properties, Windows will tell you if the device is working properly or not. If there is an icon of a question mark or an exclamation point beside the name of the device, this means that there is a problem of some sort and going into Properties will indicate the nature of the problem.
Hope this helps.

 

Hey to All,
Want to thank everyone for their help and advice.
Guess What? WE HAVE LIFTOFF! Ha!
Yes, my brother-in-law fixed the problem. It had to do with finding the drivers in the CD-Rom and I wasn't putting in the right path for it to take to find and install the drivers. Or something to that effect. I sorta know what he did, because I had been through so many steps, but I didn't take that last step. I know you probably are reading this Bro-in-law, so I'll tell you thanks again. Ha!

BlueJay-- Thanks for your help too, I did read your last post and that was one area I was in a lot. The Device Manager. I would uninstall the printer drivers and then reboot, go into the D. Manager again and there would be that stupid "Unknown Device" again, with a red X through it. So I know it wasn't installing or working right.
So, anyway, I do have the mulitpass running again.
This is a great help site. Everyone is helpful and nice.
Thanks again.

Now, where do I post a question for colors on screen to print out in the same color and shade on paper? My colors that I see on the pc screen look totally different when I print it out. Lavenders look like red and Red looks like a light brown, and so on.
If I need to move my butt to another area, kick me out and tell me where to go.
Winnie