HP 8300 Elite tower - changing boot order

[maryeleek]

I recently purchased a refurbished business computer, a HP 8300 tower with windows7Pro. It has been set up to boot from a USB device. Apparently the boot sequence isn't always the easiest to change on this computer. I have tried the obvious, logical steps by attempting to switch the sequence in the bios but haven't been successful in resetting the boot to a DVD drive. I've googled the issue and apparently this is something that a few other HP 8300 owners have struggled with.

With my old computer, I have always kept a 1TB USB drive connected to use as one of several backup destinations. Because of this current boot sequence, if my USB drive is left connected, when I turn on the computer in the morning, it tries to boot from this drive.

My question is, might there be something like a cutoff switch I could use between a USB connection and the attached USB device, so I wouldn't have to actually attach and remove the USB device each day? I worry that, in time, the USB connector on the computer will become defective? Might this be possible?

Some of the suggested fixes I have read about online are likely beyond my abilities to attempt. I am leery of digging a deeper hole for myself so reluctant to try all the suggested fixes. I have gone into the bios and attempted to change the boot sequence, saved and exited but the changes don't seem to make a difference. I've tried the reset to factory default settings but that doesn't make a difference. Of course, I've no idea whether this boot sequence IS the factory default. There is nothing in the manual I found on line that addresses this issue. I've done this before on other computers I've owned but there must be something that isn't obvious to me here that is blocking a change.

I have emailed the seller requesting instructions on how to change this but no reply has been forthcoming.

I figure if there is anyone who would know about some sort of switch I could purchase and use, it would be someone here on this forum.

If you've gotten this far, my thanks for your time and any advice or suggestions.

 

[maryeleek]

This is what I see on the screen under the F9 key

Please Select Boot Drive

UEFI Boot Sources
Legacy Boot Sources
ATAPI CD/DVD DRIVE
SATA2
Hard Drive
SATA0
Network Controller (IBA GE SLOT 00C8 v1381)

Can anyone notice anything that doesn't appear correct?

This computer - Windows7PRO

Just received a couple of replies from the seller. He told me to move the the hard drive into the first position. I wrote back and ask if another source should be polled first. His reply was the computer should boot first from the hard drive. Am I misunderstanding totally what the boot sequence is for?

his reply:

"The computer is suppose to boot from the hard drive 1st. Which means 1st priority should be the hard drive.[FONT=&quot]Lets say you want the computer to boot from the DVD Drive, when you turn on the computer keep tapping F9 and it will give you all the boot options you can then select CD drive to boot from CD." [/FONT]

 

[mrjimphelps]

It isn't set up to boot from a USB device - you can't do that with Windows 7.

As far as switching a USB connection on or off, here is a Switched USB Hub:
https://www.amazon.com/Tendak-Super...pID=51gxBB11pwL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

I've never used one of these, but I understand the concept -- I believe it cuts the power which is going to the USB device. If I'm right about that, then this will allow you to switch off your external USB hard drive, as long as your drive doesn't have its own power supply. If you get one of these switched hubs, be sure to get the power adapter that is offered with it. Using the power adapter will insure that the USB ports on the hub always have enough power for whatever devices are connected to them.

If you want to avoid the problem of wearing out the computer's USB connector, you could get a USB extension cable, and plug the device into it. You might wear out the connector on the extension cable, but not on your computer's USB connector. If you go with a USB extension cable, I suggest that you buy one locally, so that you can try it out and return it for your money back if it doesn't work. I have purchased USB3 extension cables on Amazon, but they haven't worked; and it was too much of a hassle to try to get my money back. (USB2 cables should work whether you buy them online or in a store.)

Make sure that you "unmount" the drive before unplugging it or switching it off. Either that, or just power the computer off before unplugging the drive or switching it off. (You don't need to do any of that when plugging the drive in, only when unplugging it.)

As far as the Legacy Boot Sources you have listed, there are three which could be the internal hard drive: SATA2, SATA0, and Hard Drive. My guess is that it is Hard Drive, and that there is nothing connected to SATA0 and SATA2 (that's why it doesn't say what is connected to it.) But I don't see any listing for the external hard drive. It would usually say "external device" or "removable device", or something like that.

Until you get a USB extension cable or a Switched USB hub, I suggest that you leave your external drive unplugged until you want to do a backup or a restore. In this way, your backups will be better protected from malware or other problems.