Hi Edna,

The Dell globe splash screen people refer to is a splash screen coming from the BIOS. Its purpose is to cover the written result of the Power On Self Test that the BIOS performs as the system boots up. Some people would rather see the results of the POST, so they enter Setup and disable the splash screen, based on the instructions for their version of the BIOS. I've heard that for Dell 4100's, the instruction is to Disable Quiet Boot, but you'd want to check with someone running the same BIOS to be certain of that. The result would not only disable the splash screen, but also cause the normal beep sequence to occur which indicates that the POST is successful and is handing control of the boot over to the operating system on the hard drive.

Since you do have Quiet Boot enabled, then you should most likely see the Dell globe splash screen, unless there is another entry in your particular BIOS that is involved. In my older BIOS, the thing to do to minimize the globe is to enable a Boot tab entry called Show Boottime Diagnostics, but I tell you that just as an indication of what to look for. If something has been enabled, you may want to change that. Since the BIOS is nowhere to be fooling around, you would want instructions from another 4100 user to perform any actions here, and be sure that those are printed out or written down, so that if it doesn't work, you can enter Setup again and reverse what was done.

As to whether you need it, no. It's just there to advertise for Dell and entertain people.

Kay

Hi Kay,
I just didn't want to miss out on things that I thought I should have.....Stupid question coming up, explain to me the BIOS......
All I see when I turn on the computer is the Windows ME then black screen with a blinking (-) symbol in the left corner of screen.....Then my blue desktop comes on with my icons, then I get my Paradise Picture.....That is it.....Is this what everyone else gets?
I am O.K. with what I got as long it is right.....

Hi Edna,

Your BIOS is the bottommost environment for your system. It controls specific hardware devices and how they relate to the motherboard and each other, as well as determines if all of the devices necessary to run a computer are present, not conflicting with each other, and working for the purposes of being able to boot the system, among other things. A technical description is located here.

Because this environment is so very basic and so very important, it is not advised that anyone but an experienced user experiment with settings. If someone can give detailed accurate instructions for making specific changes to the BIOS settings, then a user can follow the instructions, then return to Setup and reverse the changes previously made if the changes are not successful. It's a case where you really have to know ahead of time what to do if disaster strikes, and prior to making changes, it is not a bad idea to have a copy of your current BIOS downloaded from Dell's download site expanded and on a floppy disk ready to use. It's a backstop position in case changes made cannot be reversed adequately, since it would allow you to flash the BIOS with a correct, working version. Being able to enter Setup and knowing how to restore the default settings is another backstop position that's excellent, preferable to having to flash a BIOS. A good analogy is that you should not make changes to your system files without knowing how to run System Restore ahead of time, both from a Win ME boot floppy and from Windows. It protects you in the event of disaster.

In terms of your situation, since the system boots and performs flawlessly, then your BIOS is just fine, whatever you are seeing as the system boots. There are undoubtedly other settings in the BIOS that are preventing both the splash screen and the written result of the POST from showing up. Could be a quick boot setting, a setting such as I have regarding boottime diagnostics, any number of things. The difference in your BIOS from someone else's who is getting the imagery or the text on the screen is in these settings which are, for the most part, cosmetic only, and of no practical value so long as the system is booting out of the POST. The only particular advantage in seeing the written results of the POST is if the system fails to boot out of the POST, if you see the results, you may get a written error message or see some anomaly that needs to be looked into. Again, though, that sort of work is for very experienced people, and a lot of users are best off to copy any messages or beep codes and get in touch with some form of tech support.

It sounds as though the system boots really quickly for you, which is to be desired. Changes made to get the results of the POST or the globe may act to slow the boot--I can't tell you on that matter. If you would like to make any changes to it, then it would be best to post a question specifying your system and what you see when booting right now, then ask what you would need to do to see what you would like to see, whether that be the Dell globe or the written result of the POST, whatever. See what answers come back. I have not used your specific BIOS, so I cannot tell you what all will even be possible for you to do, but there are some expereinced 4100 users here who may be able to help you with it. Understand, though, that there is risk involved in making any change to the BIOS. Follow any instructions exactly, and as I said, locate the setting in the BIOS ahead of time which allows you to restore the default settings should something go wrong and the system fail to boot after the changes were made. Also, understand what would be necessary to do to reverse any changes made that are successful but which you just don't like.

Kay

Kay,
Thank you again.....
I am quite sure I am going to leave it alone.....But I am going to post a question to the 4100 users to see what they see when they turn on.....
Thanks again! You are the greatest!

No problem :)

Have a god one,

Kay