Capturing BIOS o/p

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

When I boot my Intel WinXP PC the BIOS (I guess it's the BIOS anyway)
outputs some white text on a black background that says something about
the BIOS, SCSI, PCI devices, etc.

I would like to study that output at my leisure. Is it captured (or can
I capture it) to a file for later reading?

I know that this isn't really an XP matter, but I don't know where to
post questions about the BIOS. Any suggestions?

 

[Jerry]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

What you're seing is simply a report of what the BIOS has detected in your
system. It is not captured anywhere except on the retina of your eye and to
read it later - why? Just go into the BIOS and look at all the settings.

Your owner's manual SHOULD tell you how to get into the BIOS and what the
different screens are for and how to change the settings.

"George Cox" <george_coxanti@spambtinternet.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:41742459.77C784A1@spambtinternet.com.invalid...
> When I boot my Intel WinXP PC the BIOS (I guess it's the BIOS anyway)
> outputs some white text on a black background that says something about
> the BIOS, SCSI, PCI devices, etc.
>
> I would like to study that output at my leisure. Is it captured (or can
> I capture it) to a file for later reading?
>
> I know that this isn't really an XP matter, but I don't know where to
> post questions about the BIOS. Any suggestions?

 

[papa]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Just hit the pause button. Then, when you have finished reading that page,
hit the ESC button to continue.

"George Cox" <george_coxanti@spambtinternet.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:41742459.77C784A1@spambtinternet.com.invalid...
> When I boot my Intel WinXP PC the BIOS (I guess it's the BIOS anyway)
> outputs some white text on a black background that says something about
> the BIOS, SCSI, PCI devices, etc.
>
> I would like to study that output at my leisure. Is it captured (or can
> I capture it) to a file for later reading?
>
> I know that this isn't really an XP matter, but I don't know where to
> post questions about the BIOS. Any suggestions?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

If you know where the PAUSE/BREAK key is on your keyboard, pressing that at
the right moment will stop the page..


"George Cox" <george_coxanti@spambtinternet.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:41742459.77C784A1@spambtinternet.com.invalid...
> When I boot my Intel WinXP PC the BIOS (I guess it's the BIOS anyway)
> outputs some white text on a black background that says something about
> the BIOS, SCSI, PCI devices, etc.
>
> I would like to study that output at my leisure. Is it captured (or can
> I capture it) to a file for later reading?
>
> I know that this isn't really an XP matter, but I don't know where to
> post questions about the BIOS. Any suggestions?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Hi, George;

In addition to using the screen Pause button, you can obtain quite a bit of
BIOS/hardware information by using scripts. Some examples here:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/hardware/basic/default.mspx

--

....Sky

================

George Cox wrote:
> When I boot my Intel WinXP PC the BIOS (I guess it's the BIOS anyway)
> outputs some white text on a black background that says something about
> the BIOS, SCSI, PCI devices, etc.
>
> I would like to study that output at my leisure. Is it captured (or can
> I capture it) to a file for later reading?

 

[george]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Capturing would be a little difficult, because it involves running (screen
capture)software at a time when the system hasn't even checked and
initialized any of the basic-basics yet.
However, the things that are displayed are simply viewable by hitting Esc,
or F2 or Del (depending what BIOS your system has; but it's indicated at
initial power on so you'll know).
Then you can browse through all the BIOS setup pages and options (NOT
changing anything in the process) and that way seeing what is defined. As a
little 'bonus' you can then use the Ctrl-PrtSc key combination to 'dump' the
screen displayed onto your printer.

hth

george

"George Cox" <george_coxanti@spambtinternet.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:41742459.77C784A1@spambtinternet.com.invalid...
> When I boot my Intel WinXP PC the BIOS (I guess it's the BIOS anyway)
> outputs some white text on a black background that says something about
> the BIOS, SCSI, PCI devices, etc.
>
> I would like to study that output at my leisure. Is it captured (or can
> I capture it) to a file for later reading?
>
> I know that this isn't really an XP matter, but I don't know where to
> post questions about the BIOS. Any suggestions?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Jerry wrote:
>
> What you're seing is simply a report of what the BIOS has detected in your
> system. It is not captured anywhere except on the retina of your eye and to
> read it later - why? Just go into the BIOS and look at all the settings.

If what I see is "in the settings" why does the BIOS have to detect it?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

The BIOS has detected it.. but it still has to initialize the hardware in
the right order..


"George Cox" <george_coxanti@spambtinternet.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:4174459D.B0D18B51@spambtinternet.com.invalid...
> Jerry wrote:
>>
>> What you're seing is simply a report of what the BIOS has detected in
>> your
>> system. It is not captured anywhere except on the retina of your eye and
>> to
>> read it later - why? Just go into the BIOS and look at all the settings.
>
> If what I see is "in the settings" why does the BIOS have to detect it?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Papa wrote:
>
> Just hit the pause button. Then, when you have finished reading that page,
> hit the ESC button to continue.

Thanks. That's the answer.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Mike Hall wrote:
>
> If you know where the PAUSE/BREAK key is on your keyboard, pressing that at
> the right moment will stop the page..

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

george wrote:
>
> Capturing would be a little difficult, because it involves running (screen
> capture)software at a time when the system hasn't even checked and
> initialized any of the basic-basics yet.
> However, the things that are displayed are simply viewable by hitting Esc,
> or F2 or Del (depending what BIOS your system has; but it's indicated at
> initial power on so you'll know).

No, that will show me the BIOS setting, but not what the BIOS discovers
"outside itself", if I may put it that way, as it boots.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Sky King wrote:
>
> Hi, George;
>
> In addition to using the screen Pause button, you can obtain quite a bit of
> BIOS/hardware information by using scripts. Some examples here:
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/hardware/basic/default.mspx

Ooh, thank you, that's nice.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Sky King wrote:
>
> Hi, George;
>
> In addition to using the screen Pause button, you can obtain quite a bit of
> BIOS/hardware information by using scripts. Some examples here:
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/hardware/basic/default.mspx

Please excuse my ignorance, but how does one run these?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

George Cox wrote:
>>
>> In addition to using the screen Pause button, you can obtain quite a bit
>> of BIOS/hardware information by using scripts. Some examples here:
>> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/hardware/basic/default.mspx
>
> Please excuse my ignorance, but how does one run these?

Each page will have a grey area containg Script Code. Highlight the area in
grey, copy, then paste into a plain text editor such as Notepad. Then Save
As... to a relevant name with the suffix .VBS.

VBS files should be associated with the Windows scripting engine. However,
it is possible they are set to Open with the command line version.
Highlight one of the .VBS files then right-click. Select the Open With
option, then change that so those types of files always Open using
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscript.exe

If the "Open with..." option isn't in the right-click menu, you can perform
the same association by right-clicking on one of the files, selecting
Properties from that menu, then use the Opens With: change dialogue there.

BTW, if you haven't already you should download/install the latest MS
scripting support files located here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c717d943-7e4b-4622-86eb-95a22b832caa&DisplayLang=en

Note that the above update is newer than even XPSP2 so worth your time to
grab.

--

....Sky

================

 

[george]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

except, the scripts as-is won't give you a nice listing as you'd like, but
instead will display all eht individual pieces of information, one-by-one in
a dialog box, that you OK to get the next piece.
So without altering the scripts (which I fear is over the OP's head) this
won't help him.
:-((
george

"Sky King" <skyking@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:%23%2357rXFuEHA.3524@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> George Cox wrote:
>>>
>>> In addition to using the screen Pause button, you can obtain quite a bit
>>> of BIOS/hardware information by using scripts. Some examples here:
>>> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/hardware/basic/default.mspx
>>
>> Please excuse my ignorance, but how does one run these?
>
> Each page will have a grey area containg Script Code. Highlight the area
> in grey, copy, then paste into a plain text editor such as Notepad. Then
> Save As... to a relevant name with the suffix .VBS.
>
> VBS files should be associated with the Windows scripting engine.
> However, it is possible they are set to Open with the command line
> version. Highlight one of the .VBS files then right-click. Select the
> Open With option, then change that so those types of files always Open
> using C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscript.exe
>
> If the "Open with..." option isn't in the right-click menu, you can
> perform the same association by right-clicking on one of the files,
> selecting Properties from that menu, then use the Opens With: change
> dialogue there.
>
> BTW, if you haven't already you should download/install the latest MS
> scripting support files located here:
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c717d943-7e4b-4622-86eb-95a22b832caa&DisplayLang=en
>
> Note that the above update is newer than even XPSP2 so worth your time to
> grab.
>
> --
>
> ...Sky
>
> ================
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

george wrote:
> except, the scripts as-is won't give you a nice listing as you'd like, ...

Never said it would.

> So without altering the scripts (which I fear is over the OP's head) this
> won't help him.

I don't know that editing a script is over the OP's head, and neither do
you. As to how much help it will be, who knows. I offered it as just
another suggestion for getting some of the information requested.


--

....Sky

================

 

[george]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

"Sky King" <skyking@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:OU5RnWHuEHA.3200@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> george wrote:
>> except, the scripts as-is won't give you a nice listing as you'd like,
>> ...
>
> Never said it would.

I know you didn't, but the course of the thread it wouldn't be at all
strange to think that was implied. (But hey, I'm no native english speaking
person, so you guys might very well have some subtle nuance in there, that I
have missed)

>
>> So without altering the scripts (which I fear is over the OP's head) this
>> won't help him.
>
> I don't know that editing a script is over the OP's head, and neither do
> you.


You're right, I don't if editing *a* script is over his head.
I'm pretty sure editing *these* scripts is over his head (as small as they
are). Why?
Because after your pointer to them some posts back, he's asking "how does
one run these?"
If he knew how to modify these (obviously having seen them), I'm pretty
confident he would have know how to run them.

)


> As to how much help it will be, who knows. I offered it as just another
> suggestion for getting some of the information requested.
>
>
> --
>
> ...Sky
>
> ================
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Sky King wrote:
>
> George Cox wrote:
> >>
> >> In addition to using the screen Pause button, you can obtain quite a bit
> >> of BIOS/hardware information by using scripts. Some examples here:
> >> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/scripts/hardware/basic/default.mspx
> >
> > Please excuse my ignorance, but how does one run these?
>
> Each page will have a grey area containg Script Code. <snip advice>

Thanks for your help.