HP TC4400 User Manual

MultiBoot

Document Part Number: 405530-001

January 2006

Contents

1 Default boot device order

2 Enabling boot devices in

Computer Setup

3 Boot order change considerations

4 MultiBoot preferences

Setting a new default boot order in Computer Setup . . . . 4–2

Dynamically choosing a boot device using

the f9 prompt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4–2

Setting a MultiBoot Express prompt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4–3

Entering MultiBoot Express preferences. . . . . . . . . . 4–3

MultiBoot ii

Default boot device order

As the computer starts, the system attempts to boot from enabled
boot devices. The MultiBoot utility, which is enabled by
controls the order in which the system selects a boot device. Boot
devices can include optical drives, diskette drives, a network
interface card (NIC), hard drives, or USB devices. Boot devices
contain bootable media or files that the computer needs to start
and operate properly.

Some boot devices must be enabled in Computer Setup before

✎

they can be included in
refer to “Enabling boot devices in Computer Setup.”

By default, when more than one boot device is installed in the
system, the computer selects the boot device by searching
enabled boot devices and drive bay locations in a predetermined
order. By default, the boot order is

■ MultiBay (select models only) or optical drive

the boot order. For more information,

1

default,

■ USB CD-ROM

■ USB diskette drive

■ internal hard drive

■ USB hard drive

■ network controller

MultiBoot 1–1

Default boot device order

You can change the order in which the computer searches for a
boot device by changing the boot order in Computer Setup. You
can also press
displayed in the lower-left corner of
computer starts up. Pressing
current boot devices and allows you to select a boot device. Or,
you can use MultiBoot Express to set the computer to prompt you
for a boot location each time the computer is turned on or
restarted.

If MultiBoot is disabled, the computer uses a fixed boot order that
consists of first searching for a drive A boot device. If none is
found, the computer looks for a drive C boot device. Drive A boot
devices include optical drives and diskette drives. Drive C boot
devices include optical drives and hard drives.

The NIC does not have an assigned drive letter.

An optical drive (such as a CD-ROM drive) can boot either as

✎

drive A or drive C, depending on the format of the boot CD.

The following list describes the default boot order in which

letters A and C are assigned when MultiBoot is disabled.

drive
(The actual order varies by configuration.)

f9 while the “F9 = Boot device menu” message is

the screen when the

f9 displays a menu that shows the

■ Default boot order for drive A boot devices:

1. Optical drive in an optional docking device or in an
optional external MultiBay that contains a disc
formatted

2. Optical drive in the internal MultiBay (select models
only)

3. Diskette drive in an optional docking device or in an
optional external MultiBay.

1–2 MultiBoot

as drive A.

that contains a disc formatted as drive A.