Accessing BIOS Setup old Dell 486

[growlerjim]

I wonder if anyone out there knows which key combination gets me into this old Dell 486 (model is a 425s/L). It has a Phoenix Bios and the machine was given to me.......just tryin to see if it can be used!

Thanks,

--An idea is not responsible for the one who thinks it--

[commodsquad]

Try the F2 key during the ram count...
I know that is what it was on a 486 gateway I had with a phoenix bios..I'm not too sure about dell computers though since I never owned one..you can also try causing an error by unplugging the keyboard and turning it on and when the error halts the boot process it should give an option press a key to continue bootup or press a key to get into the bios and just plug the keyboard back in and proceed doing what you planned on doing in the bios...hope that helps...

[Butchk]

I had a old Packard Bell that had a Phoenix Bios. The key combination it had was control- alt-s. You must be in the dos mode for it to work. I don't know if it is the same as Dell but it might work.

Good Luck Butchk

[Axel]

You've got to ask yourself, is a 486 you can't upgrade worth the amount of time you are about to spend on it?

You might check the Pheonix web site to see if they even post a BIOS upgrade file. Last time I looked at the Pheonix/Award site, they were shipping all such requests on dated systems off to outside vendors who'd charge $65 a piece for a flash file.

I have yet to see a 486 motherboard that was worth $65 - if you want some data off the hard drive, slave it to another computer and leach off the files.

On the other hand, there are folks that keep such systems running to play DOS games which won't run on newer operating systems.

My recommendation to you would be to strip out the floppy drive, hard drive, memory if it has 72 pin SIMMS, and the ribbon cables, and put the rest in your recycling bin. I have also gotten several useful hardware frames and screws out of such old systems before "recycling" them. Every now and then, I might also save the power switch, but that's about it.

On the humorous side of things, I've still got an old 5.25 floppy and about 200 disks sitting in a closet that I just can't bring myself to part with - not sure why - I'll never use them again.....

[U-96]

hehe Axel you forgot those precious 486 fans http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

U-96

[growlerjim]

Thanks for the responses.....! I found that CTRL ALT ENTER after the ram check got me there....! Machine works fine.

Axel....I suppose I waste my time on these old buggers because...well....that is what I do sometimes. I also have an old Eagle II CP/M machine that still runs fine. Anybody remember that one? No hard drive...just two 5 1/4 floppies! Looks suspiciously like these new E-machines with the one piece design!

Thanks again for the posts. I will send Axel a 1mb 9pin SIMM for his next B'day! Cya troops!

[Axel]

If it were a fine old Jaguar automobile you wanted to restore, I'd understand.

If it was a vintage radio you wanted to restore, I'd sympathise.

but a 486 computer?

and U-96, know what you mean about the fans, but most of the 486's I scrap around here are HP's - that's when they used to put special fans in that can't easily be re-used in ANYTHING else - not that I haven't tried....

[bdunn]

Nothing wrong with maintaining a 486.

My kids use it every day. It is a 486-120 with 24 MB RAM it runs Win95 And every program My 4 and 6 year old daughters like to play with.

I recently replaced the CD drive not that the 24x wasnt working but she got a program that required a multi-session compatible drive.

[growlerjim]

Wow! Fun discussion. I think 486 fans are like the brakes on the old Plymouth and Dodge's......they always seem to squeal and pull......!