unable to boot from DVD or USB to add dual boot

[Toba1]

I have a XW6400 with MSFT Windows 7 installed. I'd like to replace it with a Linux OS or at least add it so I can have a dual boot environment.

I modified the start-up sequence in the BIOS to be DVD, USB and hard drive. At boot time, the leds on the DVD and the USB drive briefly light up, the system lists the correct boot order however when I select either option, it only boots from the hard drive, into Windows.

Q: what am I missing for that boot order not to work? I believe to have switched off all the security features accessible in the BIOS (passwords, security device, ...).

Would flashing the BIOS be an option, or are there less intrusive things to try further?

Version of the BIOS: 786D4 v02.38

[Dennis Handly]

A better forum for printers and PC products is the HP Support Forum:
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/