Member Avatar for loyd

Would like to install xp on latitude c400 but cannot change the boot order. Up and down work, enable and disable work, there is no primary password, no admin password, no hdd password. Setup is accessed with FN-F1 and appears normal. The boot order will not respond. There is external DVD-CD which would be sweet but the boot order is FDD, HDD, CDD. It boots into HDD and won't look for any other. How does one xp?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by shahbuddinshah

Dani AI

Generated

A few practical, low-risk steps and alternatives that complement the reports from , and .

Common BIOS checks and quick tests

  • Verify any BIOS options named "USB Legacy", "USB Keyboard", "USB Storage" or "External CD" and toggle them (many older BIOSes hide USB mass‑storage behind those settings).
  • Try the machine's one‑time boot key (as noted by ) and look for the external device listed under any "USB‑HDD", "USB‑FDD" or "USB Storage" entry.
  • Test the external DVD/CD on a different PC and try different USB ports on the C400 to confirm the drive itself enumerates.
  • Before any BIOS flash, confirm the exact Latitude C400 model and current BIOS version; use AC power, a charged battery, and the official Dell update for that model only.

If the BIOS never exposes the external CD

  • Chainload a tiny boot utility (Plop Boot Manager burned to CD, for example) to add USB boot support on machines whose BIOS won't natively boot USB media.
  • Prepare a USB installer that emulates a CD (tools exist that create an XP install stick with integrated SP3 and mass‑storage support). Because base XP setup lacks modern USB mass‑storage drivers, the installer should include the correct drivers or use a tool that handles the CD→USB emulation.
  • As a last resort, remove the laptop HDD, attach it to another PC (IDE/USB enclosure), install or image XP there, then return the drive to the C400.

Cautions and context

  • A BIOS update can resolve enumeration problems but carries risk; follow Dell's instructions and back up data first.
  • Slipstreaming SP3 and supplying any required storage drivers ahead of installation reduces "missing driver" issues during XP setup on older hardware.
    These items expand on the thread's findings (notably 's USB‑keyboard discovery and 's followup) and collect practical alternatives when the C400 BIOS refuses to boot an external optical drive.

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All 7 Replies

Member Avatar for disophisis

So you can get into setup where you change the boot order? Have you tried the +/- keys on the keypad to change the order of the devices or has it just not let you even get into the boot order menu?

Member Avatar for loyd

Good afternoon, I will cut to the chase. With a full battery and plugged in, press "on" button, then press "esc" several times, plug in usb keyboard, when the bios is available select a boot order. That is the core of it, really. This will not work if we plug in the USB keyboard first and then press "on".

From there, it was predictable. Loaded XP (no prob) and SP2 (no prob).

I did not figure out the why of it all, but I carry a usb keyboard now 24/7.

Thank you for helping, Loyd.

Member Avatar for jbennet

Hit F12?

On my dimension desktop i can hit F12 to choose a one-off boot device

Member Avatar for loyd

Some things should be printed on the edges or bottom, emergency stuff.

Thank you. I am sure to cross that difficulty again. In my prior, I should have stated Fn F1 and not Esc, sorry about that. Too many machines.

Is there a page of "tricks to access" anywhere in Daniweb?

Member Avatar for niekas

Hi,

I have the same problem with C400. I've tried to use external USB-CDROM, but no success. Could you explain about that trick with USB keyboard? Is that some kind of cheating the BIOS and it boots from USB-CDROM while normally it is not possible?

BR,

niekas

Member Avatar for tmillones

yo tambien tengo este problema tengo una dell latitud c400 y una unidad de
dvd-cd rom externa x favor yo quiero areglarla.
si alguien puede me puede dejar un msj a my correo elec.

gracias...

Member Avatar for shahbuddinshah

how to install windows xp using through pendrive

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