Booting and Operation: Award BIOS Setup
4-1
This chapter describes the Award Software BIOS Setup program. The Setup
program allows you to modify basic system configuration settings. The settings
are stored in a dedicated battery-backed memory, called CMOS RAM, that
retains the information when the power is turned off.
The Award Software BIOS is immediately activated when you first turn on the
computer. The BIOS reads system configuration information in CMOS RAM
and begins the process of checking out the system and configuring it through the
Power-On Self Test (POST). The BIOS then 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. You can enter
the Setup program by pressing <DEL> immediately after switching the system
on.
If you should discover that your computer is no longer able to boot after making
and saving system changes with Setup, the BIOS supports an override to the
CMOS settings that resets your system to its default configuration. You can
invoke this override by immediately pressing <Del> when you restart your com-
puter. You can restart by either using the ON/OFF switch, the RESET button, or
by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del.
It is recommended that you only alter settings that you thoroughly understand.
Mode switch operation allows for a CMOS Clear operation if the Reset Button
is held true for at least 2 seconds. This function does not work if the Reset But-
ton is held at power up.
In Case of Problems
Chapter Scope
C H A P T E R 4
Booting and Operation
Mode Switch
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