From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Feb 17 10:18:41 2012 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C514B106564A for ; Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:18:41 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd-questions@herveybayaustralia.com.au) Received: from mail.unitedinsong.com.au (mail.unitedinsong.com.au [150.101.178.33]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3E7558FC0C for ; Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:18:41 +0000 (UTC) Received: from mail.unitedinsong.com.au (bell.herveybayaustralia.com.au [192.168.0.40]) by mail.unitedinsong.com.au (Postfix) with ESMTP id C56AF5C28 for ; Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:32:06 +1000 (EST) Received: from laptop1.herveybayaustralia.com.au (laptop1.herveybayaustralia.com.au [192.168.0.177]) (using TLSv1 with cipher DHE-RSA-CAMELLIA256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by mail.unitedinsong.com.au (Postfix) with ESMTPSA id 48A3A5C22 for ; Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:32:06 +1000 (EST) Message-ID: <4F3E2862.9010801@herveybayaustralia.com.au> Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:13:54 +1000 From: Da Rock User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; FreeBSD amd64; rv:7.0.1) Gecko/20111109 Thunderbird/7.0.1 MIME-Version: 1.0 To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org References: <201202160154.q1G1sMpc043081@mail.r-bonomi.com> <201202161753.q1GHr5wT011479@fire.js.berklix.net> <4f3e7fcf.HAl2rACbehr3sfWu%perryh@pluto.rain.com> In-Reply-To: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Subject: Re: Technical Support Question X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:18:41 -0000 On 02/17/12 19:58, Chip Oakley wrote: > Thanks interesting possibilities. > > One thought I had is creating an operating system independent BIOS where > the appropriate machine code is inserted into the events that lead to an > override of the processes that is forcing into windows. Maybe burned to a > CD or USB, from another computer and tie the low level to a keyboard > function, Like pressing F2 etc, at boot to access new BIOS functionality. > > Is this possible? I don't believe so. Its not really that hardwired to windows, not in my experience; it is a real PITA though. If you play your cards right and you know enough about BIOS you will get it. With the new laptops they really try hard to stick windows like shit on your laptop. But they can't _make_ you use it. New HP laptops (like the ones I use), can take a few goes to get it to install. Asus are about the same. Just watch your boot ordering and you will be fine. I keep reiterating using USB to install because it really does simplify matters. In the BIOS you usually find about 3 entries to set the boot order. One is to set the boot order (removable, hdd, or network), one for which removable (cdrom, usb cdrom, usb floppy, etc), and one for hdd priority (here is where your usb disk will show up, and you _will_ have to set it as boot every time, but it will boot). Set the boot order for removable, hdd, network (or disable if you like). Set the removable to cdrom. Set the hdd (temporarily because as I said it _will_ change) to the usb disk. Voila! it will start the install. I have found the cdrom to be fickle on the new laptops for booting, I'm not sure exactly why but I suspect the confusion of removable drives in the BIOS. I'm not a samsung expert, but most laptop BIOS are very similar (at least ones in the same era). #1 Get a BIOS expert to help if you can't get this figured. They will be able to show you exactly what to do in front of you in about 5-10 mins. Easier to understand if its visually shown to you rather than described. Once you jump this hurdle you will do just fine. > > On Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 11:26 AM, wrote: > >> Chip Oakley wrote: >> >>> Am tempted to remove the drive and insert a new one, not sure as >>> there is memory on the drive available and nothing really wrong >>> with it. >> If you don't mind losing everything currently on the drive, >> overwriting the MBR -- and the backup GPT at the end of the drive, >> if the BIOS supports GPT/UEFI -- would surely keep it from booting >> into Windows. You'd probably have to take the drive out, and >> connect it to a different machine (since this one's BIOS seems >> hardwired to boot only from the hard drive). >> >> Another possibility would be to clear the machine's CMOS, if there's >> a way to do that. Desktop mainboards usually have a jumper for the >> purpose; dunno about Samsung laptops but removing the CMOS battery >> and giving it a few minutes for the stray capacitance to discharge >> should suffice. (Getting to the CMOS battery may involve taking the >> case apart.) >> > >