Step 15:
BIOS Configuration

Getting Into BIOS

Before you can begin BIOS configuration, it is necessary to get into the BIOS Setup Utility. As computers become more powerful and faster, so the boot up has become faster. In fact, Microsoft now has what is called Rapid Booting in which their systems boot up within seven seconds.

The BIOS Setup Utility is entered during the booting-up of the system. You enter by pressing the correct key. That means you have to act very quickly in order to enter BIOS. Luckily, the use of the Pause button (upper right-hand corner of the keyboard) can help.

The first thing you must do is to discover what letter or key on the keyboard you must press (at exactly the right time) in order to get into BIOS. Wouldn't you know, each manufacturer uses a different key. The one you need to use could be F1, F2, Alt, Ctrl, or any other key. During boot up, the BIOS entrance page will flash on the screen for a second or two. You may have to boot up once or twice just to have enough time to look around that page and see which key they want you to use to enter BIOS. It will be stated very clearly on the screen and is often (not always) in the lower left corner.

After you know the key, then you'll be able to press the key at just the right time to enter BIOS. Now you can begin BIOS configuration.

Design Variations

Each manufacturer has a different design and arrangement to its BIOS Setup Utility. Therefore, use the following list of BIOS settings only as a rough guide.

General Rule

There are several approaches to BIOS settings. Some like to use BIOS settings to make their system run exactly the way they prefer. There is certainly merit to that approach. However, this is an initial BIOS configuration, so it is wise to take a conservative approach.

For the purpose of this BIOS configuration, only use default settings when possible.

Many BIOS Utilities have a Default Section where you can set all default settings automatically without the need to attend to individual settings. It's a good idea to use it.

You can use your mouse or use the keyboard for selections, using the Enter key, Escape key, and arrow directions. BIOS Help is usually at Alt+H.

Standard CMOS Setup

Make sure that:

The date and time are correct.
The Floppy Disk Drive is set to 1.44MB, 3.5 inches.
Video is set to VGA/EGA.
In HALT select ON to stop the PC from repeatedly rebooting.
Set IDE for Auto-Detection. IDE will either be on the setup menu or on its own menu.(Only some BIOS have this.) Perform an IDE Auto-Detection now.

A scan will be made of the four IDE set positions whether actual drives exist in all positions or not. Each drive that exists will be automatically connected and three choices will be offered to you. Always select the choice suggested by the BIOS. Later you may select differently, but with initial boot-up, do what they suggest.

When the BIOS is searching for drives that you know do not exist, you may press the skip button, if you wish. Otherwise you can wait until it's satisfied and stops looking.

Rarely, you will have to enter drive specifications into the USER mode. But if needed, simply enter the information provided to you about each drive into each field.

Advanced BIOS Settings

The following can be enabled or disabled. At least for now, we suggest you do the following:

The Virus Program - Will scan your hard drive at startup and warn you of trouble. Enable or disable as you wish.
Cache - Enable; and also, if available, enable ECC Error Checking.
Quick POST - Allows BIOS to boot-up faster by skipping some tests. If you leave your computer on most of the time, disable. If you turn your computer off daily, enable.
Boot Sequence - Controls the order in which bootable information is searched. In some versions you may select options. In other versions you have separate settings for "First Boot Device", "Second Boot Device", and so on. If your System Boot is on the O/S Installation CD, then for this initial boot-up set CD-ROM as first, hard drive as second, and A: Drive as third. However, if your System Boot is on floppy disk, then set A: Drive as first, hard drive as second, and CD-ROM as third.
Swap Floppy Drives - This is usually disabled. Only enable if you have two floppy drives and you wish to assign the A and B drive letters interchangeably.
Fast A20 Gate - Leave at default.
Typematic Rate Settings - Disable. This deals with the rate by which holding a keyboard character down produces repeated characters on the screen.
Boot Numlock - Enable.
CPU Serial Number - Privacy buffs disable it. This identifies the CPU serial number in Intel CPUs.
Video BIOS Shadow - Disable or default.

Advanced Chipset Settings

You should not need to bother with this section. However, some basic settings are provided for your information. You may enable or disable the following:

Chipset Special Features - (If available) Disable.
L2 Cache Size - (If available) Set to match size of your external cache.
DRAM Parity Checking - Enable only if using parity memory.
DRAM Parity/ECC Mode - Select which one you are using.
DRAM Clock Control - Set to the speed of the system bus, which should be the default. At a later time, some super-tweaker types may like playing with the settings in this section. Know what you're doing before changing these settings. A wrong setting can cause damage.
DRAM Frequency - Set to the speed of your memory (such as 166).
AGP Mode - Set to "uto." If available. Otherwise, leave at default.
AGP Aperture - Sets the amount of memory space available for graphics. Set to 64 MB, this is normally fine.

There will most likely be many more options available to you. It is best to leave these alone at least for the initial boot-up, and maybe best left alone permanently.

Power Management

This is for sophisticated tweaking, which we are not doing now. Your manual will best describe the different options available, if you are interested. But for now, and maybe forever, leave at default (disable) as available.

Integrated Peripherals

Enable the ports you intend to use, disable the ports you intend not to use:

IDE Ports - Enable if you will use both.
- Device options may be available; if so, set to AUTO when possible.
- Enable IDE pre-fetch only if your IDE interface supports it, which most likely it does.
- Enable IDE HDD Block Mode if your hard drive supports it, most new drives do.
USB - Enable, if used.
Serial & Parallel Ports - Enable, if used.
- Set the parallel port mode to ECP, EPP, or both. If you don't know which to pick, leave at default.
Motherboard Integrated Hardware - If not controlled by jumpers, you may enable or disable video, sound, or network hardware as you wish.
Expansion Card Hardware - If you are using one or more expansion cards and your motherboard also has the same options, you need to disable the motherboard options to allow the use of the expansion cards.

PnP/PCI Configuration

This section controls aspects of "Plug-n-Play" and the PCI bus. Most selections should be left at default; but two deserve your attention:

PnP OS Installed - Enable or "Yes". This allows you to run "Plug-n-Play" programs.
Reset Configuration Data - Usually set to Disabled. However, if a system reconfiguration has previously caused a serious error that rendered the O/S un-bootable, you may wish to enable this option. It will enable you to reset the Extended System Configuration Data (ESCD) when you exit BIOS setup. This allows you to add hardware and software without trouble (in theory).

PC Health

Also known by other names, this section monitors some very basic operational settings, such as voltage levels, fan speed, internal processor temperature. In some versions you can set the temperature at which the computer would automatically shut down.

SoftMenu / Frequency-Voltage Control

This is for use by those with "jumperless" motherboards. This section allows you to control computer settings related to minute voltage settings, CPU multiplier selection, and the system bus speed. Leave all settings at default or AUTO.

This is the section that would also be used by those wishing to overclock their computer system (Not recommended right now).

Defaults

In many BIOS versions, a few clicks will set all default settings automatically without your need to attend to individual settings. Some versions offer "Fail-safe" defaults as well as "Optimized" defaults. If a Default section is available in your BIOS version, feel free to use it.

Passwords

Many BIOS versions have a Password section to allow for the use of passwords. If you use it, be very sure to record your password somewhere safe. Should you loose it, the entire BIOS system will lock and you will only be able to use your computer after the entire BIOS system is reset.

To Finish:

Click "Save"
Make sure your O/S Installation Disk with System Boot is in the CD-ROM drive, or the floppy System Boot Disk is in Drive A:.
Exit BIOS Setup Utility. This will automatically reboot your machine.
You have now finished BIOS configuration.

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