BIOS on a Skyfire III - which key? avoiding windows boot manager

[rapiddescent]

embarrassing question. I'm trying to load linux on my SkyFire III, but bugger me if I can find the key to get to the BIOS so that it will boot from a USB. Tried every F-key so far and all I am getting are Windows Boot Manager screens.

 

[rapiddescent]

F11 (I think)
for a blue boot-menu. never found the BIOS settings!

 

[MadeNew]

I think it was esc for me, (or del? I forget)

 

[dogbot]

I can only say what happens with my Vortex III. The detail may not be quite the same for your Skyfire but may give you ideas.

On the very first bootup screen (Intel logo in my case) there are keys shown to enter the bios (F2) or bring up the boot device menu (F7). In the User Guide (not the PCS one) for your Skyfire it should give the procedure for installing Windows from a device and hence the F key needed for the boot device menu.

 

[rapiddescent]

All I get is:

1: a black screen that says pcspecialist (like the logo)
2: it then goes straight to the bootloader
3: 10secs later the OS is up and running

there is no text that says "press ESC for BIOS" or anything like that. I was wondering if it was because it is so quick that there's no opportunity to press any key... All I wanted to do was switch off SecureBoot but t turns out that Fedora 20 supports SecureBoot anyway.

 

[dogbot]

My PCS OS installation did not stay around for very long which is why I see the Intel one.

What does the user manual say about booting from a USB drive.

 

[rapiddescent]

After much experimentation, I found that it's the DEL key - but you have to be quick.