HOW to change BIOS?

[shoutcrown]

Hello!
I am a new user, and I am from PERU.
I have a laptop Dell Latitude C600 (P3), although this laptop is very older I just do basic operations (I am a beginner) and I am learning...
I was looking for a program to boot from USB this laptop, although the BIOS doesnt have the option BOOT FROM USB
When I found this program Plop Boot Manager I was very happy. IT REALLY WORKS!
I can install Plop Boot Manager in Puppy Linux.
I have installed GRUB and Plop Boot Manager appears at the bottom.
As I told I am from PERU and I dont understand all the information in this web page. So I have a question: Could you tell me if the Bios can be modifyed with Plop Boot Manager (that is Add the option Boot from USB in the same BIOS)?

By the way, Do you know the best program to make bootable my USB flash drive? Because I want to boot from USB to format the PC and install Windows, I found some programs, but finally they cant to make bootable my USB flash drive for example when I use an ISO file or a reduced Windows (many people says old machines need a reduced Windows to run faster)

THANK YOU!
BEST REGARDS!

[Dan]

BIOS modification is for experts only. It's also risky if you don't have a backup BIOS.

[Elmar]

hi,

As I told I am from PERU and I dont understand all the information in this web page. So I have a question: Could you tell me if the Bios can be modifyed with Plop Boot Manager (that is Add the option Boot from USB in the same BIOS)?

for dell, you would need a special program to modify the bios rom. i don't know if there is one in the web.

flashing the bios can be dangerous. when something goes wrong, then you have to flash the bios chip with external hardware.

best regard
elmar

[shoutcrown]

HI guys!
Dan and Elmar, You are right!: "Experts only modify the BIOS, and there are many Risks..."
I am learning about many things. At first I thought: "Its impossible to learn by myself about PC".
Now I have learned many things that I didnt know. For example I learned how to update the BIOS for Dell Latitude C600. So I updated the BIOS from the version A03 to A23 (I read that many people says that is better do not update the BIOS...) And this laptop is Ok after this updated!
I have to admit that many people write about many things (some information is true, and some information is wrong), so I read many information before to do every process.
And now I would like you to teach me how to modify the BIOS for Dell Latitude C600?
I want to boot the laptop from USB, but there are not an option to boot from USB with this BIOS. I thought if I updated the Bios from A03 to A23 (the last Bios version for this laptop) this Bios would give me the option to Boot from USB. But this A23 version doesnt have that option. So I think it is not illegal to modify this BIOS if there are not a new version that gives the option to Boot from USB.
PLEASE, Would you explain me step by step how to modifiy the same BIOS to boot from USB? (I think if you can show me the process I will be able to do it by myself). THANKS!

[Elmar]

at first you need a program to add or replace an option rom in the dell bios file.

[Lutz]

I was looking for a program to boot from USB this laptop, although the BIOS doesnt have the option BOOT FROM USB

If http://jcyberinux.com/rjdreyes/?p=219 is right, booting Dell Latitude C500 / C600 from inbuilt USB is integrated in the BIOS, just press F12 (for Advanced Boot Menu) after switching on and choose  "boot from usb"
It might be even possible to make the USB-stick the standard boot-"disk" by entering the BIOS (F2, delete, F1 ??), but the USB-stick must be connected before powering on, or the option might be not displayed in the BIOS. (Just a guess, i do not have this notebook)

I assume, your notebook is supporting USB1.0 only? If your notebook does have a pccard-slot, you could insert an USB2 pccard (NEC-chip, do not buy VIA) and boot faster from USB2.0 with plop installed to your harddisk (BIOS won't support it).

Install as much RAM to your notebook as permitted by chipset (at least 512 MBytes) and try with Windows XP (2000 is dangerous nowadays, no security updates).

My favourite Linux on Pentium 3, 600 MHz with 512 MByte:
Live-cd or usb-stick: zenwalk, salix, knoppix, fast, but not userfriendly: core-linux (successor to DamnSmallLinux DSL)

Installed to harddisk: mint with xfce, ubuntu (latest might have dropped support for your CPU), did not try plop-linux 

Best regards,
Lutz

(Although this thread is old, F12 might help others to boot from USB.
If F12 does not work, take a small chance and let your notebook be upgraded to the latest bios while on mains-power by knowledgable people - do NOT power off the notebook while flashing new bios - and try again)