BR-Automation Automation PC 820, User Manual, Page: 83 / 252

Software • BIOS options
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83 Automation PC 820 User's Manual V 1.00
Chapter 4 • Software
1. BIOS options
1.1 General information
BIOS stands for "Basic Input Output System". It is the most basic standardized communication
between the user and the system (hardware). The BIOS system used in the Automation PC 820
system is produced by American Megatrends Inc.
The BIOS Setup Utility lets you modify basic system configuration settings. These settings are
stored in CMOS and in EEPROM (as a backup).
The CMOS data is buffered by a battery (if present), and remains in the APC820 even when the
power is turned off (no 24VDC supply).
1.2 BIOS setup and boot procedure
BIOS is immediately activated when switching on the power supply of the Automation PC 820
system or pressing the power button. The system checks if the setup data from the EEPROM is
"OK". If the data is "OK", then it is transferred to the CMOS. If the data is "not OK", then the
CMOS data is checked for validity. An error message is output if the CMOS data contains errors
and the boot procedure can be continued by pressing the <F1> key. To prevent the error
message from appearing at each restart, open the BIOS setup by pressing the <Del> key and
re-save the settings.
BIOS reads the system configuration information in CMOS RAM, checks the system, and
configures it using the Power On Self Test (POST).
When these "preliminaries" are finished, BIOS seeks an operating system in the data storage
devices available (hard drive, floppy drive, etc.). BIOS launches the operating system and hands
over control of system operations to it.
To enter BIOS Setup, the DEL key must be pressed after the USB controller has been initialized
as soon as the following message appears on the monitor (during POST):
Information:
The following diagrams and BIOS menu items including descriptions refer to BIOS
version 1.14. It is therefore possible that these diagrams and BIOS descriptions do
not correspond with the installed BIOS version.