I have a HP Pavilion zt1135 laptop with a preinstalled Windows XP home edition system. The Windows system seems to be damaged, and I want to either reinstall Windows or install Linux. During power up the laptop displays a message telling to hold the "ESC" key to change the boot order or the "F2" key to enter setup. Nevertheless when I try to change the boot order with "ESC" during power up the laptop doesn't enter a menue, but rather starts a sound, which only finishes when I release the "ESC" key. After releasing the key the laptop just starts the preinstalled Windows system. Same happens when holding the "F2" key during power up. So basically the laptop doesn't let me to access the boot menue. Here are my questions:

- Can it be that by default the access to the boot menue is protected? If yes how can I unlock it?

- Is there a way to force the system to boot from CD rather than from hard disk.

I look forward to get some useful hints! Thanks for your help! Stefan

Hi Stefan!
Welcome to PC Helpforum!

You were so close, but the thing is that you shouldn't hold the key, but just press it. The easiest way is tapping one of those keys on start-up, this will let you get into your Boot Sequence menu, or your BIOS.

I have moved your thread to our general hardware section, as the forum you posted it in, is ment for tips to get inside info on PC's.

Thanks for your understanding,

Bluefish

According to member's e-mail:
Issue solved following Bluefish' instructions.

Marked as Fixed.

Bluefish