What is the best boot order or sequence? Does it matter?

[Salvador]

Hi.. I didn't know where to ask this, so I'll ask it here.

I would like to know what the best boot order or sequence would be? I see that some prefer to have the floppy drive boot first, then the hard disk, followed by the cd rom. Is this the best setup? Does it really matter?

TIA,

Sal

 

[leezard]

for me
i boot from harddisk first then only floopy..........i think is faster that way

 

[Salvador]

Why would most systems BIOS default at the floppy, then the hard disk, then the cd rom then? Is it because most average users have never been into the BIOS before?

Thanks again.

Sal

 

[richleader]

Is it because most average users have never been into the BIOS before?

exactly that.

Now that Windows OS CD's are bootable (and bootable "recovery" CD's can be made as well), however, it makes more sense to go CD, Hard Drive, Floppy.

It takes time for the floppy to search for a disk so it holds up your boot a few seconds so most people who know how to change it put it last--after all, if they ever need it, they can always just switch the order back.

 

[Mavrick007]

It goes to floppy first cause most people use boot disks and if your machine has an OS already on it, going to HD first would never touch the floppy drive where you could have your new bios to flash or just using a boot disk.

Going to cd first is an ok idea now since alot of OS are easy to install off of the cd but I still like my boot order to be floppy first, then hd and then cd since I don't boot from cds.

If you don't want to boot from anything except your hd when you already have an OS installed, then just change the order so that floppy is last and that way you will save yourself the couple of secs when booting up.

 

[exp]

Floppy first is a colossal waste of time for most people. HDD first all the way!

 

[corkyg]

My preference is (with XP Pro):

1. CD
2. FD or LS-120 or Zip
3. HDD

To make the boot fast, keep a music CD in the CD drive and it will instantly move to the FD or removable, and finding nothing there, move on to the HDD. The CD boot allows for a lot of utilities for repairs etc., independent of XP. I have created several emergency CDR boot disks. This works for me. But, it is all a personal choice depending on how you like to be able to fix things when necessary.