25
Starting Setup
The BIOS is immediately activated when you first turn on the computer. The
BIOS reads system configuration in CMOS RAM and begins the process of
checking out the system and configuring it through the power-on self test
(POST).
When these preliminaries are finished, the BIOS seeks an operating system
on one of the data storage devices (hard drive, floppy drive, etc.). The BIOS
launches the operating system and hands control of system operations to it.
During POST, you can start the Setup program in one on two ways:
1. By pressing Del immediately after switching the system on, or
2. By pressing Del or pressing Ctrl+Alt+Esc when the following message
appears briefly at the bottom of the screen during POST:
TO ENTER SETUP BEFORE BOOT PRESS DEL KEY
If the message disappears before you respond and you still wish to enter Setup, restart
the system to try again by turning it OFF then ON or pressing the RESET button on the
system case. You may also restart by simultaneously pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del. If you do
not press the keys at the correct time and the system does not boot, an error message
appears and you are again asked to:
PRESS F1 TO CONTINUE, DEL TO ENTER SETUP
