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About the Setup Utility
This chapter explains how to use and modify the BIOS setup utility that is
stored on the mainboard. The setup utility stores data about the
mainboard components and the configuration of devices that are
connected to it. This information is used to test and initialize components
at start-up time and to make sure everything runs properly when the
system is operating.
The setup utility is installed with a set of default values. You will probably
have to make changes to the setup utility whenever you add new
components to your system such as new disk drives. You may be able to
generate increased performance by changing some of the timing values
in the setup, but this can be limited by the kind of hardware you are
using, for example the rating of your memory chips. In certain
circumstances, the system may generate an error message that asks
you to make changes to the setup utility. This happens when the system
finds an error during the POST (Power On Self Test) that it carries out at
start up.
Starting the Setup Utility
You can only start the setup utility shortly after the computer has been
turned on. A prompt appears on the computer display which says
“Press
DEL to run Setup”
. When you see this prompt, press the
Delete
key, and
the system will start the setup utility and display the main menu of the
utility.
Using the Setup Utility
When you start setup, the main menu appears. The main menu of the
setup utility shows a list of the options that are available. A highlight
shows which option is currently selected. You can use the cursor arrow
keys to move the highlight to other options. When an option is
highlighted, you can execute the option by pressing the
Enter
key.
Some options lead to dialog boxes which ask you verify that that you
wish to execute that option. You usually answer these dialogs by typing
Y
for yes and
N
for no. Some options lead to dialog boxes which ask for
more information. Setting passwords have this kind of dialog box.
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