[Ham-Computers] Erratic Boot from CD

[John and Linda Miller]

Hi Aaron,

Until your 170 volume set of Encyclopedia of Computer Knowledge has been RTM by the publisher, taking time to hop in here is appreciated.  For me, you hit a nail on the head in just about every post.  For example, Dell, and their apparent default disabling of SMART reporting, speaks volumes.  I am often asked by someone with a Dell Dimension 8300 desktop, or a Dell Inspiron E1505 why, like a flash, their hard drive failed without even a kindly clue.

Is it possible for you to start to walk us through BIOS 101, even though there are dozens of BIOS flavors out here, so that we can safely pursue a reset so that SMART reporting is enabled?

I am fading in and out of reliable e-mail as I travel, but will be home in a week or two

John W0IKT