Bios setup utility what to do. What is BIOS and how to configure it on a standard computer. Old version of AWARD BIOS

This material describes almost all parameters that can be set in the Setup BIOS program from AWARD Software International Inc. A specific motherboard may not have some of the described parameters. The same parameters may have different names depending on the motherboard manufacturer, so here are several options in some cases.

Virus Warning

Enabling this setting prevents any writing to the boot sector of the hard drive without user permission. It was introduced to protect against so-called boot viruses that infect the boot sector. It is recommended to always enable this option, but please note that, for example, Windows 95 freezes during installation if Virus Warning is set to Enable (a black square appears on the screen).

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Boot Virus Detection

The meaning of this parameter is very different from Virus Warning. The idea is as follows - if this parameter is disabled, then before the operating system boots, the BIOS writes the boot sector to flash memory and stores it there. After setting the parameter to Enabled, the BIOS will not boot the system from the hard drive if the contents of the boot sector differ from those stored in memory. Further, at the user's discretion, it is possible to either boot the system from a hard drive or from a floppy disk.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

CPU Internal Cache/External Cache

Enable/disable the internal or external processor cache. You should disable any type of cache memory only if it is necessary to artificially slow down the computer, for example, when installing an old expansion card.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

CPU Level 1 Cache/CPU Level_2 Cache

The first level cache and the second level processor cache are enabled/disabled for Pentium Pro architecture processors (Pentium II, Deshutes, etc.). You should disable cache memory only if it is necessary to artificially slow down the computer, for example, when installing an old expansion card.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

CPU Level 2 Cache ECC Check (Enable ECC for processor level 2 cache)

The parameter can only be present for boards with Pentium II architecture processors. It makes sense to enable it only if the installed Pentium II class processor has a second-level cache with ECC control capability.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

BIOS Update

Enabling this parameter allows you to update the BIOS microcode. In this case, new menu items may appear, with the help of which it is possible to more precisely configure the system for individual cases (for example, cases of incompatibility).

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

CPU Fast String (Fast string operations)

Enabling this parameter allows you to use some specific features of the Pentium Pro family architecture (Pentium II, Deshutes, etc.), in particular, the ability to cache string operations. You just need to understand that the program itself must meet the conditions to enable this mechanism. These conditions are specified in the documentation for any processor of this family. It is recommended to leave the parameter in the "Allowed" state.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Deturbo Mode

When this parameter is enabled, the FLUSH# signal becomes active and no data is then cached by the processor in its internal cache (first-level cache) by Pentium Pro architecture processors (Pentium II, Deshutes, etc.). Allowing this setting should only be used when you need to deliberately slow down your computer.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Quick Power On Self Test

Enabling this parameter leads to a significant reduction in the time for initial testing of the computer by the BIOS, especially with significant amounts of RAM. You should only take into account that the memory, for example, in this case is not tested, but only its size is checked.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Boot Sequence

The parameter sets the sequence of polling devices from which the operating system can be loaded. These devices are designated either by letters for physical hard drives and regular floppy drives, or by the name of the device - CD-ROM for CD-ROM drives, LS for 120 Mb a:drive drives, or ZIP for 100 Mb ZIP IDE drives.

For modern versions, possible values ​​might look like this:

• C only
• CD-ROM, C
• LS/ZIP, C
• etc.

Swap Floppy Drive

If enabled, then drives A and B seem to swap places. It makes sense only if there are 2 disk drives in the computer.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Boot Up Floppy Seek (Search for a boot drive after turning on the computer)

If this parameter is enabled, then the BIOS contacts each drive to recognize its format (40_or 80 tracks it supports). Since 40-track drives have not been available since 1993, you should not enable this option as the BIOS will take a few seconds to figure out the drive format each time.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Boot Up NumLock Status (Turning on the numeric keypad when you turn on the computer)

Enabling this parameter turns on the NumLock indicator and the numeric keypad generates digit and sign codes, otherwise arrow, Ins, Del, etc. codes are generated.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Typematic Rate Setting

Allows or disables setting the speed at which the keyboard repeats character input when a key is pressed.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec)

The parameter has an effect only if Typematic Rate Setting is enabled.

The repetition frequency has a number of fixed values, which this parameter can take:

Typematic Delay (Msec)

Sets the delay value from the moment a key is pressed until the keyboard starts repeating a character. Only takes effect if Typematic Rate Setting is enabled.

The value can be selected from the range:

PS/2 Mouse Function Control

Enabling this setting gives IRQ12 for the PS/2 mouse port only. Otherwise, if there is no PS/2 mouse connected to the computer, IRQ12 is free for other devices. It is recommended to set it to Auto.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed and IRQ12 occupied
• Auto - BIOS detects the presence or absence of a PS/2 mouse

OS/2 Onboard Memory > 64MB (Select a value for OS/2 if there is more memory than 64 Mb)

Requires permission if two conditions are met: the computer has more than 64 MB of memory installed and OS/2 is used as the operating system.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

PCI/VGA Palette Snoop (Adjusting the palette of a VGA video card on PCI)

This option should only be enabled if the colors on the screen are not displayed correctly. As a rule, this effect can occur when using non-standard devices such as MPEG cards, 3D accelerators and other similar devices.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Video ROM BIOS Shadow (Video BIOS to memory)

Enabling this option causes the BIOS video to be transferred from the ROM (read-only memory) on the video card to the computer's main memory, which significantly speeds up working with the BIOS video (this is necessary and visible in DOS). The acceleration is explained both by the fact that accessing ROM is much slower than accessing RAM, and by the fact that accessing ROM is on an 8-bit grid, and accessing RAM is on a 32- or 64-bit grid.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Floppy Disk Access Control (R/W)

Enabling this option allows information to be written to the floppy disk, otherwise the floppy disk can be read. This parameter should be used to protect against unauthorized copying from your computer.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

CHIPSET FEATURES Setup

AUTO Configuration

Has 3 meanings:

• 60 ns - sets access parameters for DRAM with speed 60 ns
• 70 ns - the same for memory with a speed of 70 ns
• Disabled - allows you to set any possible access parameters to DRAM memory

DRAM RAS# Precharge Time

This function allows you to determine the number of system bus clock cycles for generating the RAS signal. Decreasing this value increases performance, but reducing it too much for a particular memory may result in data loss.

Takes values:

DRAM R/W Leadoff Timing

Defines the number of clock cycles on the bus before any DRAM operations are performed.

• 8/7 - eight bars for reading and seven bars for writing
• 7/5 - seven bars for reading and five bars for writing

DRAM RAS to CAS Delay

During memory access, column and row accesses are performed separately from each other. This parameter determines the state of one signal from another. Decreasing the value increases performance.

The parameter can take the following values:

• 3 - three delay cycles
• 2 - two delay cycles.

DRAM Read Burst Timing

A read and write request is generated by the processor in four separate phases. In the first phase, access to a specific memory area is initiated, and in the remaining phases, the data is actually read. Reducing the total number of clock cycles increases performance.

The parameter can take the following values:

• x2222 - two delay cycles
• x3333 - three delay cycles
• x4444 - four clock cycles.

Speculative Leadoff

Enabling this parameter allows a read signal to be issued slightly earlier than the address is decoded. This technique reduces the overall time spent on a read operation. In other words, the processor will initiate a read signal at the same time it generates the address where the required data is located. The read signal is sensed by the DRAM controller and, if Speculative Leadoff is enabled, the controller will issue a read signal before the address is decoded.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Turn-Around Insertion

If this parameter is enabled (Enabled), then one additional clock cycle is included between two consecutive memory access cycles. Resolution reduces performance, but increases reliability during read/write operations.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Data Integrity (PAR/ECC)

Enables/disables memory monitoring for errors. The type of control is set by the DRAM ECC/PARITY Select parameter. To activate this option, memory modules that support this function are required.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

DRAM ECC/PARITY Select

The parameter appears only for the 430HX set (for example, in the ASUSTeK P/I-P55T2P4 motherboard) or 440FX/LX and only if memory modules with true parity are installed. In some BIOS versions, this parameter can only set the type of check, and the permission to check is set by the Data Integrity (PAR/ECC) parameter. Such strips are often called 36-bit.

Can take values:

• Parity - if an error occurs, a memory parity error message is displayed on the monitor and the computer stops working
• ECC - (Error Control Correction) if a single error occurs, it is corrected and work continues. If there is more than a single error, the computer also stops working. You just have to take into account that, according to Intel, the memory exchange speed when this mode is enabled decreases by approximately 3%.

Fast RAS# to CAS# Delay

During memory regeneration, rows and columns are addressed separately, so this parameter sets the interval between the RAS and CAS signals.

SDRAM Configuration

The parameter determines whether the BIOS program itself should determine the timing of memory access based on information from the SPD block or allow the user to do this.

Can take values:

• By SPD - access parameters are set according to SPD
• 7 ns (143 Mhz) - access parameters are set by the BIOS as for memory with an access time of 7 ns and a bus frequency of 143 MHz
• 8 ns (125 Mhz) - access parameters are set by the BIOS as for memory with an access time of 8 ns and a bus frequency of 125 MHz
• Disabled - set by user

SDRAM RAS Precharge Time

The parameter allows you to determine fast or slow charge accumulation by RAS before the start of the memory regeneration cycle. Setting the value to Fast increases performance, but Slow increases the stability of the computer, so the value to Fast should be set if you are confident in the quality of the memory.

Can take values:

• Fast - quickly
• Slow - slowly

SDRAM (CAS Lat/RAS-to-CAS)

This parameter allows you to choose between the duration of the CAS signal and the delay between the RAS and CAS signals. The value of this parameter depends on the characteristics of the SDRAM used in the motherboard and the speed of the processor. Therefore, you should change this parameter extremely carefully.

Can take values:

SDRAM CAS to RAS Delay

The parameter determines the delay value after the RAS signal is issued until the CAS signal appears for synchronous memory. The lower this value, the faster the memory access. However, it should be changed carefully.

The parameter can take the following values:

• 3 - three delay cycles
• 2 - two delay cycles

SDRAM CAS# Latency

Sets the CAS delay value for SDRAM. A lower value improves system performance. It is recommended to set this value lower for SDRAM running at 10 ns or better.

Can take values:

SDRAM Banks Close Policy

The parameter was introduced for boards with the 440LX set due to the fact that memory with a 2-bank organization does not work correctly in these boards if the memory bank access parameters are set to default. This was not required in the 430TX set, since the access rules for different memories were the same. You should only change the default BIOS settings for this option if your memory is unstable.

Can take values:

• Page Miss - used for dual bank memory
• Arbitration - for memory from 4 banks.

DRAM Idle Timer

This parameter sets the time (in clock cycles) until all open memory pages are closed. Affects both EDO and SDRAM memory.

Can take values:

Snoop Ahead (Prediction)

Enabling this parameter allows data to be streamed between PCI and memory, predicting what data will be needed next and thereby speeding up data transfer.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Host Bus Fast Data Ready

Enabling this parameter will allow data to be removed from the bus at the same time as it is sampled. Otherwise, the data will be held on the bus for one additional clock cycle.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Refresh RAS# Assertion

This parameter sets the number of ticks (i.e. RAS duration) for the regeneration cycle. The accepted values ​​are determined by the quality of the memory and the chipset. A lower value improves performance.

MA Wait State

The parameter allows you to set or remove an additional wait cycle before starting memory reading. For EDO memory, one clock cycle is always present by default, and setting the value to Slow adds another wait clock cycle. For SDRAM there is no sleep cycle by default and setting Slow introduces one clock cycle.

Can take values:

• Slow - one bar is added;
• Fast - no additional wait cycle.

SDRAM Speculative Read

Enabling this parameter allows a read signal to be issued slightly earlier than the address is decoded. This technique reduces the overall time spent on a read operation. In other words, the processor will initiate a read signal at the same time it generates the address where the required data is located. The read signal is sensed by the DRAM controller and, if the SDRAM Speculative Read option is enabled, the controller will issue a read signal before the address is decoded.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

System BIOS Casheable

Enabling this parameter makes it possible to cache the memory region at system BIOS addresses F0000H through FFFFFH into cache memory. The setting will only be used if cache memory is enabled in the BIOS Features Setup section. If any program tries to write to these addresses, the system will display an error message.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Video BIOS Cacheable (Caching the BIOS area of ​​the video card)

Enabling this parameter makes it possible to cache a memory area at video card BIOS addresses from C0000H to C7FFFH into cache memory. The setting will only be used if cache memory is enabled in the BIOS Features Setup section. If any program tries to write to these addresses, the system will display an error message.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Video Memory Cache Mode

The parameter is valid only for Pentium Pro architecture processors (Pentium II, Deshutes, etc.). The Pentium Pro processor had the ability to change the cache mode depending on a specific memory area through special internal registers called Memory Type Range Registers - MTRR. Using these registers, the UC (uncached), WC (write combining), WP (write protect), WT (write through) and WB (write protection) modes can be set for a specific memory area. write back - write back). Setting the USWC (uncached, speculative write combining) mode allows you to significantly speed up data output via the PCI bus to the video card (up to 90 MB/s instead of 8 MB/s). Please note that the video card must support access to its memory in the range from A0000 - BFFFF (128 kB) and have a linear frame buffer. Therefore, it is better to set the USWC mode, but in case of any problems (the system may not boot), set the default value to UC.

Can take values:

• UC (uncached) - not cached
• USWC (uncached, speculative write combining) - do not cache, combined write mode

Graphics Aperture Size

This parameter specifies the maximum size of the memory area for use by a video card with an AGP interface. The default value set at power-on or reset is 4 MB. After initialization, the BIOS takes the value selected by the motherboard manufacturer (usually 64 MB).

Allowed range of graphic aperture values:

• 16 MB
• 32 MB
• 64 MB
• 128 MB
• 256 MB

PCI 2.1 Support

When enabled, PCI bus specification 2.1 capabilities are supported. Specification 2.1 has two main differences from 2.0 - the maximum bus clock frequency is increased to 66 MHz and a PCI-PCI bridge mechanism is introduced, which makes it possible to remove the limitation of specification 2.0, according to which no more than 4 devices can be installed on the bus. It makes sense to disable this parameter only if problems arise after installing a PCI card (as a rule, they arise only with fairly old cards).

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

8 Bit I/O Recovery Time (Recovery time for 8-bit devices)

The parameter is measured in processor cycles and determines what delay the system will set after issuing a request to read/write a device (or, as is customary with Intel, a port) I/O. This delay is necessary because the read/write cycle for I/O devices is significantly longer than for memory. In addition, 8-bit I/O devices themselves are generally slower than 16-bit I/O devices. The default value of this parameter is 1 and should be increased only if any slow 8-bit device is installed in the computer.

Can take values ​​from 1 to 8 cycles.

16 Bit I/O Recovery Time (Recovery time for 16-bit devices)

The parameter is measured in processor cycles, and determines what delay the system will set after issuing a request to read/write a device (or, as is customary with Intel, a port) I/O. This delay is necessary because the read/write cycle for I/O devices is significantly longer than for memory. The default value of this parameter is 1 and should be increased only if any slow 16-bit device is installed in the computer.

Can take values ​​from 1 to 4 clock cycles.

Memory Hole At 15M-16M ("Hole" in memory inside the 15th megabyte of memory)

Enabling this parameter allows you to treat I/O devices as memory and thereby increase the speed of access to such devices. For this mechanism to function, it is necessary to exclude all normal programs from using a certain memory area (15 megabytes), which is what the BIOS does when this parameter is enabled. This option should be enabled if it is required in the documentation for the card installed in this computer.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Peer Concurrency

This parameter allows or disables the simultaneous operation of multiple devices on the PCI bus.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Chipset Special Features

This parameter enables/disables all new functions added to the HX, VX or TX sets compared to FX.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Passive Release

This parameter enables/disables the mechanism for parallel operation of the ISA and PCI buses. If this option is enabled, then processor access to the PCI bus is allowed during passive partitioning. The need to disable this parameter may arise when using ISA cards that actively use DMA channels.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

PCI Delayed Transaction

The presence of this parameter means that the motherboard has a built-in 32-bit buffer to support the extended PCI transfer cycle. If this parameter is enabled, then access to the PCI bus is allowed while accessing 8-bit devices on the ISA bus. This significantly increases performance, since a cycle of such access on ISA takes 50-60 PCI bus cycles. When installing a card into a computer that does not support the PCI 2.1 specification, this option should be disabled.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Parallel Port Mode (ECP+EPP)

The parameter allows you to set the operating modes of the parallel port. Please note that the exchange speed for some devices can be significantly increased if the printer port operating mode is correctly set, for example, for external storage devices such as Iomega ZIP Drive LPT.

Can take values:

• Normal - normal printer interface, also called SPP
• ECP - advanced port
• EPP - Extended Printer Port
• ECP+EPP - both modes can be used

ECP DMA Select

The parameter appears only when ECP or ECP+EPP mode is enabled in Parallel Port Mode (ECP+EPP). To properly support ECP mode, a DMA channel must be enabled, which can be selected from channels 1 or 3.

Can take values:

• 1 - channel 1
• 3 - channel 3
• Disabled - DMA is prohibited

There is also an item for selecting the EPP operating mode.

Can take values:

• EPP 1.9
• EPP 1.7

Onboard PCI IDE Enable

This parameter controls whether each of the two channels of the IDE controller installed on the motherboard is enabled or disabled.

Can take values:

• Primary - only the first channel is allowed to operate
• Secondary - only the second channel is allowed to work
• Both - both channels are allowed to operate
• Disable - operation of both channels is prohibited

IDE PIO Mode (Select the operating mode of each drive)

Four options allow you to set the operating modes of each drive individually or allow the BIOS to automatically set the fastest mode for the drive. The valid parameters are the same for each disk. For example, for IDE 0 Master Mode, valid values ​​are: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and AUTO.

The UDMA setting can be set to Auto or Disable.

PnP/PCI Configuration Setup

PNP OS Installed (Is an operating system installed that supports Plug&Play mode?)

Set to Yes if the operating system supports Plug&Play (for example, Windows 95), and No otherwise. If you selected No, the BIOS must configure the Plug&Play devices.

Resources Controlled By

If AUTO is selected, the BIOS itself will automatically assign interrupts and DMA channels to all devices connected to the PCI bus and these parameters will not appear on the screen. Otherwise, all these parameters must be set manually. In some BIOS versions, this parameter can be set individually for each PCI slot and look like this:

• Slot 1 IRQ
• Slot 2 IRQ
• etc.

Reset Configuration Data

It is recommended to set it to Disabled. When installing Enabled, the BIOS will clear the Extended System Configuration Data (ESCD) area, which stores data about the system BIOS configuration, so hardware conflicts are possible for devices “abandoned” in this way.

IRQ n Assigned to (Interrupt number n is assigned to...)

Each system interrupt can be assigned one of the following device types: Legacy ISA (classic ISA cards) - Regular ISA cards, such as modems or sound cards without Plug&Play support. These cards require interrupt assignments in accordance with their PCI/ISA PnP documentation (PCI bus devices or ISA bus devices with Plug&Play support) - this parameter is set only for devices on the PCI bus or ISA cards with Plug&Play support.

DMA n Assigned to (DMA channel number n is assigned to...)

Each DMA channel of the system can be assigned one of the following device types: Legacy ISA (classic ISA cards) - Regular ISA cards, such as modems or sound cards without Plug&Play support. These cards require DMA channel assignments in accordance with their PCI/ISA PnP documentation (PCI bus devices or Plug&Play ISA bus devices) - this parameter is set only for PCI bus devices or ISA Plug&Play cards.

PCI IRQ Activated by

The parameter can take the following values: Level (level) - the interrupt controller responds only to the signal level Edge (edge) - the interrupt controller responds only to the signal level difference.

PCI IDE IRQ Map to (IDE controller interrupts on PCI are mapped to...)

Allows you to release interrupts occupied by the IDE controller on the PCI bus if it is absent (or disabled) on the motherboard and give them to devices on the ISA bus. The standard interrupts for ISA are IRQ 14 for the first channel and IRQ 15 for the second channel.

Can take values:

• PCI IDE IRQ mapping (used for PCI IDE)
• PC AT (ISA) (used for ISA)

IRQ n Used By ISA

The parameter coincides with IRQ n Assigned to and can take the following values:

• No/ICU (no/configuration utility for ISA) - if this value is set, the BIOS can manage this interrupt at its discretion. For DOS, setting parameters in this case can also be done using the ISA Configuration Utility program from Intel
• Yes - means forced interrupt release for any card on the ISA bus that does not support Plug&Play mode. It is recommended to always specify Yes for such cards and the interrupts they require, since otherwise the BIOS may assign an interrupt that is hard-coded by some card on the ISA to another card, which may even cause the computer to stop working normally.

DMA n Used By ISA

The parameter is the same as DMA n Assigned to and can take the following values:

• No/ICU (No/ISA Configuration Utility) - If set to this value, the BIOS can manage this DMA channel as it sees fit. For DOS, setting parameters in this case can also be done using the ISA Configuration Utility program from Intel
• Yes - Forces the release of a DMA channel for any card on the ISA bus that does not support Plug&Play. It is recommended to always specify Yes for such cards and the DMA channels they require, since otherwise the BIOS may assign a channel that is hardcoded to one card in the ISA to another card, which may even cause the computer to stop working normally.

ISA MEM Block BASE

Some ISA bus cards require access to memory located on the card at certain addresses. Therefore, there was a need for this BIOS parameter.

Can take values:

• No/ICU - leaves control of this parameter to the discretion of the BIOS or ICU program
• C800, CC00, D000, D400, D800 and DC00 - the address of the memory block is indicated.

In addition, an additional parameter ISA MEM Block Size (memory block size) appears, which is needed if there are several such ISA cards and this parameter can take values ​​8K, 16K, 32K, 64K

Onboard AHA BIOS (Adaptec SCSI controller BIOS)

The parameter allows/disables the BIOS execution of the built-in SCSI controller and thereby enables/disables the operation of the built-in SCSI controller.

Can take values:

• AUTO (automatically) - Allowed to search for an Adaptec SCSI controller and launch the BIOS for it
• Disabled - Set to this value when there is no SCSI card.

ONB AHA BIOS First (Launch Adaptec controller BIOS first)

The parameter allows/prohibits starting the BIOS of the built-in Adaptec controller before starting any other SCSI controller.

Can take values:

• Yes - allowed
• No - prohibited

ONB SCSI SE Term. (Embedded SCSI Controller Terminators)

The parameter allows/prohibits the connection of load resistors (terminators) on the built-in SCSI controller.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

ONB SCSI LVD Term. (Embedded SCSI LVD Controller Terminators)

The parameter allows/prohibits the connection of load resistors (terminators) on the built-in SCSI LVD controller. Controlling this parameter allows you to increase the length of the SCSI connecting cable up to 25 meters.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

SYMBIOS SCSI BIOS or NCR SCSI BIOS

Permission to search for a SCSI controller based on the NCR 810 chip, used, for example, in the ASUS SC-200 card.

Can take values:

• AUTO (automatically) - Allowed to search for a SCSI controller and launch the BIOS for it
• Disabled - Set to this value when there is no SCSI card

PCI Latency Timer

Sets the maximum time (in bus clock cycles) that a device on the PCI bus can hold the bus if another device requires access to the bus. The permissible range for changing this parameter is from 0 to 255 in steps of multiples of 8. The value of the parameter should be changed carefully, since it depends on the specific implementation of the motherboard.

USB IRQ (USB Interrupt)

The parameter enables or disables interrupt assignment for the USB bus controller. Because computers often lack interrupts, you should only enable this option if there is a USB device on the system.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Power Management Setup

Power Management

Allows you to either allow the BIOS to reduce the computer's power consumption if it is not being used, or prohibit it.

Can take values:

• User Define (user defined) - when setting this parameter, you can independently set the time for switching to low power mode
• Min Saving - when this option is selected, the computer will enter low power mode after a period of 40 minutes to 2 hours (depending on the specific BIOS of the motherboard)
• Max Saving (maximum energy saving) - the computer will go into low power mode 10-30 s after the user stops working with it
• Disable - disables power saving mode

Video Off Option (In what mode to turn off the monitor)

Allows you to set at what stage the computer is “falling asleep” to switch the monitor to low power consumption mode.

Can take values:

• Susp, Stby -> Off (turns off in Suspend and Standby modes) - the monitor will go into low power mode when either Suspend or Standby mode occurs
• All modes -> Off (turn off in all modes) - the monitor will be switched to low power mode in any mode
• Always On - The monitor will never be put into low power mode
• Suspend -> Off (turn off in Suspend mode) - the monitor will go into low power mode when Suspend mode occurs.

Video Off Method

Sets how the monitor enters low power mode.

Can take values:

• DPMS OFF - reduces monitor power consumption to a minimum
• DPMS Reduce ON - monitor is turned on and can be used
• DPMS Standby - monitor in low power mode
• DPMS Suspend - monitor in ultra-low power mode
• Blank Screen - the screen is blank, but the monitor consumes full power
• V/H SYNC + Blank - scan signals are removed - the monitor goes into the lowest power consumption mode.

Suspend Switch

The parameter allows or prohibits switching to suspend mode (temporary stop) using a button on the system unit. To do this, you need to connect the SMI jumper on the motherboard to the button on the front panel. As a rule, either a special Sleep button or a Turbo button is used for this. Suspend mode is a mode for maximum reduction of computer power consumption.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Doze Speed ​​(CPU frequency in Doze mode)

Determines the clock division factor in Doze mode.

Stby Speed ​​(CPU frequency in Standby mode)

Determines the clock frequency division factor in Standby mode.

HDD Power Down

Sets either the time after which, if unused, the hard drive will be turned off, or prohibits such shutdown at all. The setting has no effect on SCSI drives.

Can take values:

• From 1 to 15 minutes
• Disabled - prohibited

Doze Mode

Sets the transition time or disables the transition to the first stage of power reduction.

Can take values:

• 30 Sec, 1 Min, 2 Min, 4 Min, 8 Min, 20 Min, 30 Min, 40 Min, 1 Hour - transition time (Sec - seconds, Min - minutes, Hour - hour)
• Disabled - prohibited

Standby Mode

Sets the transition time or prohibits the transition to the second stage of power reduction.

Can take values:

• Disabled - prohibited

Suspend Mode

Sets the transition time or prohibits the transition to the third stage of power reduction.

Can take values:

• 30 Sec, 1 Min, 2 Min, 4 Min, 8 Min, 20 Min, 30 Min, 40 Min, 1 Hour - transition time (Sec - seconds, Min - minutes, Hour - hour)
• Disabled - prohibited

PM Events

This section specifies those interrupts from which the computer should “wake up” if accessed to devices that use these interrupts.

IRQ 3 (Wake-up)

Enabling this setting will cause the computer to "wake up" from the modem or mouse connected to COM2.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 4 (Wake-up)

Enabling this setting will cause the computer to "wake up" from the modem or mouse connected to COM1.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 8 (Wake-up)

Enabling this setting will cause the computer to "wake up" from the real time clock. It is recommended to leave it disabled, as some programs may use the alarm function of the computer clock for their own purposes.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 12 (Wake-up)

Enabling this option will cause the computer to "wake up" from a mouse connected to the PS/2 port.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

The next section indicates those devices whose activity should not make the computer go to sleep.

IRQ 3 (COM2)

When this setting is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep if a device connected to the COM2 port is in use.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 4 (COM1)

When this setting is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep if a device connected to the COM1 port is in use.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 5 (LPT2)

When this parameter is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep if a device (usually a printer) connected to the LPT2 port is in use.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 6 (Floppy Disk)

When this setting is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep when the floppy drive is accessed.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 7 (LPT1)

When this parameter is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep if a device (usually a printer) connected to the LPT1 port is in use.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 8 (RTC Alarm)

By enabling this setting, the computer does not go to sleep when the RTC (real time clock) is used as a timer. It is recommended to leave it disabled, as some programs may use the alarm function of the computer clock for their own purposes.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 9 (IRQ2 Redir)

When this parameter is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep if the device occupying the 9th (2) interrupt is in use.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 10 (Reserved)

When this setting is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep if the device occupying interrupt 10 is in use.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 11 (Reserved)

When this parameter is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep if the device occupying interrupt 11 is in use.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 12 (PS/2 Mouse)

When this setting is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep if the device occupying interrupt 12 (a mouse connected to the PS/2 port) is in use.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 13 (Coprocessor)

When this setting is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep when the coprocessor is in use.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 14 (Hard Disk)

When this parameter is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep if the hard drive on the first IDE channel is accessed.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

IRQ 15 (Reserved)

When this setting is enabled, the computer does not go to sleep if the hard drive or CD-ROM on the second IDE channel is being accessed.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Power Up Control

The parameters in this section define the types of power supply control and apply to ATX power supplies and motherboards that can be connected to such a source.

PWR Button

Controls the functions of the Power button on the computer system unit.

Can take values:

• Soft Off (software shutdown) - the button works like a regular computer power on/off button, but it allows software shutdown of the computer (for example, when exiting Windows95)
• Suspend (temporary stop) - when you press the power button for less than 4 seconds, the computer enters the Suspend stage to reduce power consumption
• No Function - The Power button becomes a normal power on/off button.

PWR Up On Modem Act

Enabling this option allows you to turn on the computer when making a call to the modem.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Wake On LAN

When this parameter is enabled, the computer turns on based on a signal from the local network. This activation is only possible if a network card that supports this mode is installed in the computer.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

AC PWR Loss Restart (Turn on the computer after a power failure)

Enabling this setting allows you to turn on the computer after a power loss. Otherwise, when power is restored, the computer will not turn on and you will need to press the Power button again.

Can take values:

• Enabled - allowed
• Disabled - prohibited

Automatic Power Up

Using this setting, you can turn on the computer at a specified time every day, or turn on the computer at a specified day and time.

Can take values:

• Everyday - When you enter the time, the computer will turn on every day at the designated time. The time is entered in the Time (hh: mm: ss) Alarm field in the order hours: minutes: seconds either by using the PgUp, PgDn keys, or by directly entering numbers.
• By Date - the computer will turn on on the specified day and at the specified time. When you select this option, a field appears for entering the time (the same as for Everyday) and a field for entering the day of the month Date of Month Alarm - day of the month - in this field you enter the day in the month. This automatically means that you can program the computer to turn on only within one month.
• Disabled - prohibited

In the following sections, the BIOS only reports the characteristics of some computer devices. Enabling parameters in these sections allows the BIOS to monitor these parameters and report if they are out of bounds.

Fan Monitor Section

Chassis Fan Speed ​​(xxxxRPM) (Control the rotation speed of an additional fan in the computer case)

If Ignore is selected, the rotation speed of this fan will not be monitored. This parameter will be displayed only when using a special fan with an additional output connected to a special connector on the motherboard. Otherwise, when the rotation speed stops or critically decreases, the BIOS will display a message on the screen before loading the operating system.

CPU Fan Speed ​​(xxxxRPM)

If Ignore is selected, the rotation speed of this fan will not be monitored. This parameter will be displayed only when using a special fan with an additional output connected to a special connector on the motherboard. Otherwise, when the rotation speed stops or critically decreases, the BIOS will display a message on the screen before loading the operating system.

Power Fan Speed ​​(xxxxRPM)

If Ignore is selected, the rotation speed of this fan will not be monitored. Otherwise, when the rotation speed stops or critically decreases, the BIOS will display a message on the screen before loading the operating system. Using this option is possible if you have an appropriate power supply.

Thermal Monitor Section

CPU Temperature

Shows the processor temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit. If you select Ignore, the temperature will not be monitored. Otherwise, if the temperature rises critically, the BIOS will display a message on the screen before loading the operating system.

MB Temperature (Motherboard Temperature)

Shows the processor temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit. If you select Ignore, the temperature will not be monitored. Otherwise, if the temperature rises critically, the BIOS will display a message on the screen before loading the operating system.

Voltage Monitor section (monitoring supply voltages)

This section displays both the supply voltages supplied to the motherboard by the power supply and those generated on the motherboard. These parameters do not require explanation, except VCORE - this is the supply voltage of the processor core. This voltage is usually generated on the motherboard.

Do you have bootable CD-DVD disc and you want to install an operating system on your computer, in order to do this you will need tune accordingly BIOS and boot from disk. We can also use the device selection in the boot menu, but this function is not always present, for example. on old motherboards. There is also no universal button for logging in. BIOS or boot menu. Many motherboard manufacturers assign different keys.

The surest way to identify such keys is to read the documentation for this laptop or computer, but no matter what key it is, you must always press it at the very beginning of loading. As soon as you turn on your computer, the program located in the BIOS automatically starts BOOT-ROUTINE, which in turn calls the subroutine POST(English) Power-On Self Test), it checks the processor, random access memory (RAM), hard drive (HDD), motherboard elements and other main peripherals. One short the signal indicates that such a self-test completed successfully. This is what the passage might look like POST:

The most common key to enter the BIOS is DEL, we will give other options below. On the screen you see the following invitation: " Press DEL to run Setup", i.e. press the key DEL to log in BIOS. Also during the passage POST A graphical splash screen may be displayed that indicates the name of the computer or motherboard manufacturer.

List of the most common keys to enter the boot menu:

Acer- Esc or F12 or F9; Asrock- F11; Asus- Esc or F8; Compaq- Esc or F9; Dell- F12; ECS - F11; Fujitsu Siemens- F12; Gigabyte- F12; HP- Esc or F9; Intel- F10; Lenovo- F12; MSI(Micro-Star) - F11; Packard Bell- F8; Samsung- Esc; Sony Vaio- F11; Toshiba- F12

The menu for selecting boot devices looks something like this:

You just need to select the desired device from the list and click Enter.

List of the most common keys to enter BIOS Setup : ABIT-Del; Acer(Aspire, Altos, Extensa, Ferrari, Power, Veriton, TravelMate) - F2 or Del; Acer(old models) - F1 or Ctrl+Alt+Esc; ASRock- F2 or Del; ASUS-Del; BIOSTAR-Del; Chaintech-Del; Compaq(Deskpro, Portable, Presario, Prolinea, Systempro) - F10; Compaq(old models) - F1, F2, F10 or Del; Dell(Dimension, Inspiron, Latitude, OptiPlex, Precision, Vostro, XPS) - F2; Dell(old models) - Ctrl+Alt+, or Fn+Esc, or Fn+F1, or Del, or Reset twice; ECS (Elitegroup)- Del or F1; eMachines(eMonster, eTower, eOne, S-Series, T-Series) - Tab or Del; eMachines(some older models) - F2; Foxconn-Del; Fujitsu(Amilo, DeskPower, Esprimo, LifeBook, Tablet) - F2; GIGABYTE-Del; Hewlett-Parkard(HP Alternative, Tablet PC) - F2 or Esc, or F10, or F12; Hewlett-Parkard(OmniBook, Pavilion, Tablet, TouchSmart, Vectra) - F1; Intel- F2; Lenovo(3000 Series, IdeaPad, ThinkCentre, ThinkPad, ThinkStation) - F1 or F2; Lenovo(old models) - Ctrl+Alt+F3, Ctrl+Alt+Ins or Fn+F1; MSI(Micro-Star) - Del; Pegatron- F2, F10 or Del; Samsung- F2; Sony(VAIO, PCG-Series, VGN-Series) - F1, F2 or F3; Toshiba(Portege, Satellite, Tecra) - F1 or Esc.

AMI BIOS - changing device boot priority.

When changing settings and navigating the BIOS menu, use the Enter, +/-, and arrow keys on your keyboard. Use the arrows to move to the tab Boot and select Boot Device Priority:

Here we will see boot sequence: floppy drive first ( Floppy Drive), then hard drive ( Hard Drive), and the third device is turned off ( Disabled). If you want to boot from a disk, then you need the first device in this list to be a CD-DVD drive. Use the arrows to switch to the first device ( 1st Boot Device), press the key Enter and in the menu that appears, select CDROM. Booting from a flash drive is done in the same way.

To exit the BIOS while saving the settings you made ( Save and Exit), press the key F10 and confirm ( Ok) key Enter.

Phoenix-Award BIOS - changing device boot priority

Select from the menu Advanced BIOS Features and enter ( Enter).

Here, if we want to boot from the drive, we need to make sure that this device came first on the list. Use the arrows to switch to the first boot device ( First Boot Device) and change to CDROM. Then exit, saving the settings you made ( Save and Exit), by pressing F10.

Error sounds when passing Post

During the initial self-test of the system (pass Post) errors may occur. If they are not critical, then after a certain message is displayed, the computer will continue to boot. If serious errors are detected, the computer system will try to inform the user about them, but often it is impossible to display such information on the screen.

In this case, you will need to be guided sound signals(they are supplied by the system speaker, speaker, upon completion of the procedure Post). Using them, the system reports the results of self-testing. Below is list of such signals for different BIOS versions ( BIOS). Therefore, if your computer beeps, then you can easily determine if your PC is faulty.

AWARD BIOS signals:

No signals

Continuous beep- the power supply is faulty.

1 short- no errors found.

2 short- minor errors found.

3 long

1 long and 1 short- problems with RAM.

1 long and 2 short- problem with the video card.

1 long and 3 short- an error occurred while initializing the keyboard.

1 long and 9 short- an error occurred when reading data from the permanent memory chip.

1 long repeating- memory modules are installed incorrectly.

1 short repeating- problems with the power supply.

AMI BIOS signals:

No signals- the power supply is faulty or not connected to the motherboard.

1 short- no errors found.

2 short- RAM parity error.

3 short- an error occurred during the operation of the first 64 KB of main memory.

4 short- the system timer is faulty.

5 short- the central processor is faulty.

6 short- the keyboard controller is faulty.

7 short

8 short- video memory is faulty.

9 short

10 short- it is impossible to write to CMOS memory.

11 short- external cache memory (installed in slots on the motherboard) is faulty.

1 long and 2 short- the video card is faulty.

1 long and 3 short- the video card is faulty.

1 long and 8 short- problems with the video card or the monitor is not connected.

PHOENIX BIOS signals:

1-1-3 - error in writing/reading CMOS data.

1-1-4 - checksum error on the contents of the BIOS chip.

1-2-1 - the motherboard is faulty.

1-2-2 - DMA controller initialization error.

1-2-3 - error when trying to read/write to one of the DMA channels.

1-3-1 - RAM regeneration error.

1-3-3

1-3-4 - error when testing the first 64 KB of RAM.

1-4-1 - the motherboard is faulty.

1-4-2 - RAM testing error.

1-4-3 - system timer error.

1-4-4 - error accessing the I/O port.

3-1-1 - error in initializing the second DMA channel.

3-1-2 - error initializing the first DMA channel.

3-1-4 - the motherboard is faulty.

3-2-4 - keyboard controller error.

3-3-4 - video memory testing error.

4-2-1 - system timer error.

4-2-3 - line error A20. The keyboard controller is faulty.

4-2-4 - error when working in protected mode. The CPU may be faulty.

4-3-1 - error when testing RAM.

4-3-4 - real time clock error.

4-4-1 - Serial port testing error. The error may be caused by a device using this port.

4-4-2 - error when testing the parallel port. The error may be caused by a device using this port.

After publishing a series of materials on overclocking computer components, we began to receive questions from readers revealing ignorance of basic things related to setting up the BIOS of motherboards. We mentioned that you should approach overclocking already having initial theoretical knowledge in this area. However, apparently, many PC users are interested in getting a free performance boost (and more).

This material is intended to help beginners navigate basic system setup.

This article will talk about fairly simple concepts related to working with the configuration of motherboard firmware. To begin with, let's decipher the abbreviation BIOS - Basic Input/Output System (basic input/output system). This is a kind of software recorded in a chip with non-volatile memory, which allows for initial initialization of PC components and configuration of their operating modes. The BIOS contains the microcode needed to control the keyboard, video card, drives, ports, and other devices. For the average user, BIOS is identified with a visual shell that allows you to change computer settings if necessary.

We also note that the answers to most of the questions raised in this material can be found in the motherboard manuals. Alas, few users who want to know everything at once pay attention to the brochures supplied with these products. Sometimes the manuals are quite sparse, but nothing prevents you from familiarizing yourself with those devoted to other lines of boards from the same (or another) manufacturer - the basic BIOS options are standard, and what is applicable to one firmware is often suitable when working with another. Mastering this material is also facilitated by knowledge of the English language - a banal translation of terms will help you navigate the search for the necessary parameters.

The differences in firmware come down not only to the abundance of settings and adjustment ranges of individual parameters. First of all, this is the microcode of a certain developer, which ultimately determines the visual shell. For example, the BIOS of ASUS motherboards is based on code from AMI (menu with blue symbols on a gray background), most manufacturers use Award/Phoenix (blue background, yellow letters). Recently, extensible firmware interfaces EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface), distinguished by an extraordinary graphical interface, have become widespread. They allow navigation using not only the keyboard, but also the mouse, and menu items have become even more intuitive.

How to get into BIOS

To enter the BIOS, you must press the corresponding button on the keyboard while initializing PC devices (going through the POST procedure). If the motherboard firmware is based on microcode from AMI, it will be F2, Award - Del. In order to get into the BIOS of some laptops, you will need to activate the F8 key. However, even if you don’t know what microcode the board’s firmware is based on, during the device initialization process, a hint message will definitely appear on the screen (for example, Press F2 to Enter Setup - “Press F2 to get to the settings section”). If the monitor does not light up in time, after turning on the PC, regularly and often press the required button or, if you are not sure which one, try Del, then F2.

Selecting and changing firmware settings

BIOS settings are controlled exclusively from the keyboard. To move the cursor, use the arrow block (Up, Down, Right, Left). To change the desired parameter, highlight it with the cursor, press Enter and select one of the available modes. If the board's BIOS is based on microcode from AMI, you will have to use the “+” and “-” buttons for the same purposes. Setting certain values ​​can be done directly from the numeric keypad (for example, if you need to change the system bus frequency from 266 to 320 MHz, hover the cursor over the appropriate position, enter 3, 2, 0, then Enter). To go up one menu level, press the Esc key, exit the BIOS - perform a similar operation in the root directory. Often it also provides explanations of options for managing firmware settings. When exiting the BIOS using the Esc key (without saving the settings) or F10 (with saving the settings), a window will definitely appear asking Do you want to exit/save the settings? To confirm, press the Y (Yes) button, to cancel - N (No).

BIOS Basics in Pictures

The system is undergoing initialization procedure (POST). To get into the BIOS, at the moment you need to press the Del key (this is indicated by the inscription in the lower left part of the screen)

The main BIOS menu of one of the motherboards manufactured by Gigabyte. Below are brief tips - descriptions of the purpose of individual keys

The section devoted to fine-tuning the operating modes of the main system components (processor, RAM) can be called differently. In this case it is MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)

Standard CMOS Features- a menu item available in the BIOS of any board. Allows you to set the date and time, as well as view a list of FDD, IDE and SATA devices connected to the system

Advanced BIOS Features, or Options, is one of the most important sections related to system configuration. In our case, it is possible to control boot priority, individual CPU technologies and the visual design of the splash screen

In the section Integrated Peripherals functional blocks implemented on the motherboard are activated (network card, audio codec, IEEE 1394, USB ports, IDE and SATA controllers), their operating modes are set

Power Management Setup- control computer power, turn on/off without using a button Power system unit

In subcategory PnP/PCI Configurations has nothing interesting for the average user. System addressing settings are hidden there

System monitoring section - PC Health Status. Allows you to monitor the operating temperature of PC components, main supply voltages, and control the number of revolutions of system fans

In this BIOS, control of parameters important for overclocking a PC is concentrated in one section. Things may be different with the settings of boards using firmware from AMI - similar options are sometimes located in different subcategories of the main menu

BIOS updates - is it worth doing?

By the time a certain motherboard model is announced, manufacturers do not always have time to develop optimal firmware for it. Therefore, over time, BIOS updates are released and available for download from the manufacturers’ official websites. A list of improvements that a particular firmware version has is often given in the description. Should you constantly update your motherboard BIOS? If the PC works well, and overclocking the components is not limited to the board, then there is no need to do this. The firmware should be changed only if there are significant changes in certain parameters, expansion of functionality, and sometimes the introduction of support for new processor models.

Information on how to update the firmware is also available on the manufacturers' websites. Owners of modern products do this directly from within the OS, using specialized utilities. To update the firmware of older boards, you need to get a disk drive. When upgrading the BIOS, be extremely careful - a power failure, pressing the Reset button prematurely before the operation is completed - and the motherboard will have to be sent to a service center. There may be freezes caused by defects in utilities from manufacturers. So don’t overdo it in the pursuit of each new BIOS version, because good is not a good thing.

After changing the settings, the computer does not boot. What to do?

A typical situation that accompanies the activity of overclockers is the inability to boot a PC after setting incorrect parameters in the BIOS. Many modern motherboards implement reset technologies in such cases. However, they do not always work, and not all boards are equipped with them. But this is not a reason to get upset, panic and say that the computer is broken. Any motherboard has a special jumper to force all settings to be reset to Default mode, which is often designated as CLR_CMOS (or Clear CMOS). Its location must be indicated in the board's instruction manual. The jumper can take the form of a special button located on the rear panel (a similar solution is found on top ASUSTeK boards), or it can be soldered in the area where the battery is located. If it has three contacts, two of which are closed by a jumper (a similar circuit is used in most products), you need to move the jumper from one position to another for a few seconds while the computer is turned off (say, 1-2 → 2-3) and back. Sometimes a jumper has only two contacts (often found on Gigabyte boards), then they need to be connected with a conductive object (for example, a screwdriver).

If, after resetting, the system goes through the POST initialization procedure, but does not boot into the OS, make sure that the hard drive is displayed in the BIOS and is listed as the first number among the available boot devices. When using an HDD with an IDE connector on modern motherboards, you will probably have to configure the operating mode of the external controller (Configure SATA Interface as IDE). After carrying out the described manipulations, the system should boot successfully, except in cases where the OS fails (such complications are possible, especially when playing for a long time with memory timing settings, but they occur extremely rarely).

Basic BIOS sections - where to look for what

It is absolutely not necessary for a novice user to thoroughly study every item of the firmware in order to configure the system. Therefore, we will briefly talk about the main features available in the BIOS of all boards.

From the basic sections we highlight Standard CMOS Features, Advanced BIOS Features And Integrated Peripherals. The first of them displays the current date and time, the amount of RAM, and displays a list of IDE- and SATA-compatible system devices. You can also change the clock settings through the OS, so the value of this section lies in the initial diagnostics of the PC: here it is monitored which drives and hard drives are connected and determined at the hardware level, and which are not. In Advanced BIOS Features (or the Boot menu, if the firmware is based on code from AMI) the boot sequence priority is set. There are cases when the operating system on the HDD is not initialized only because the FDD containing the floppy disk or the CD-ROM with the boot disk is selected first in the list of devices. Until you remove the media, don't expect to see the OS. Immediately install the hard drive first - you will never go wrong. The Integrated Peripherals section is interesting because it allows you to disable controllers soldered on the motherboard, thus managing the functionality of the PC. If there is no sound in your system when the speakers are connected correctly, check whether the audio codec is activated (the submenu value should be Enabled or Auto). The situation is similar with the network controller, IEEE 1394, etc. Pay attention to the paragraphs dedicated to USB. Be sure to activate the appropriate controller and enable USB keyboard and mouse support. Depending on the positioning of the motherboard and its features, the Advanced BIOS Features and Integrated Peripherals sections may contain different system settings. You should pay attention to a brief study of the settings proposed in them.

Of the sections available in the BIOS of most boards, we will also highlight the sections for system monitoring (PC Health Status), power management (Power Management Setup) and configuring data bus addresses (PnP/PCI Configurations). The last two are of no interest to most. The most valuable thing for the average user is the monitoring section, which displays the temperatures of the main PC components (CPU, chipset) and the current voltages supplied by the power supply, and also has the ability to control the fan speed. However, you should not trust these sensors unconditionally - their readings can be inaccurate.

Settings that determine the performance of the PC and the operating modes of the main components are located in one or more adjacent subsections of the BIOS. It is possible that they may not be there at all - don’t expect to find options on a cheap motherboard for an office computer to seriously increase the supply voltage, set RAM timings, or control CPU parameters. We talked about the relevant points in more detail in the materials devoted to overclocking a PC, so we won’t dwell on them now.

Most of the parameters that can be changed through the BIOS can be installed directly in the OS using specialized utilities. However, this method is often inconvenient - every time you boot the computer you need to launch additional software and activate certain settings. When you reinstall the system, they will be lost. Therefore, if you want to be on friendly terms with your computer, you will have to study the motherboard BIOS.

Afterword

Perhaps this material does not describe all the nuances of working with the BIOS that beginners would like to know. However, do not be upset if you have not found the answer to the question you are interested in - first of all, remember where the instruction manual for the motherboard is located, and carefully study the section on firmware. If there is no brochure or the description is too sparse, you can download an extended version from the official website of the motherboard manufacturer for a specific product, or simply find a good manual from a third-party manufacturer. It is likely that the settings mentioned there will be largely similar. If you are not sure, ask again on specialized forums of thematic resources, although we do not see anything wrong with studying the BIOS on your own by trial and error. The “magic” CLR_CMOS jumper for resetting settings is available on any board, and it is almost impossible to damage any component without radically changing the power parameters (for example, increasing the voltage on the processor by 80% of the nominal value).

If, after carefully examining the BIOS of the motherboard installed in your PC, it suddenly turns out that certain settings are missing, do not be upset. On Gigabyte products, to activate the section responsible for fine-tuning the memory subsystem and CPU operating mode, after entering the BIOS you need to press the key combination Ctrl+F1. In other cases, it is quite possible that some options really are not there. A similar situation is typical for budget motherboards. In their firmware, sections on fine tuning and power management of PC components are either very scarce or completely absent. However, it is likely that the required parameters can be changed from under the operating system using specialized utilities.

A few words must be said about the new interface - EFI - which will replace the classic BIOS. Undoubtedly, a pleasant graphical shell will appeal to some users, but the convenience of its implementation should be judged only by testing the corresponding products. In the meantime, experienced overclockers are quite satisfied with the available options, in which a complete setup of the motherboard BIOS to optimize the parameters of all components and overclock the PC takes from several tens of seconds to a minute. Too fast? Not at all. Learn the basics of working with firmware configuration, expand your own knowledge, and it is possible that over time you yourself will become specialists in this field.

Changing BIOS settings on a PC may be required during Windows installation, after replacing system unit components, due to battery replacement, when all settings are reset to default values, etc. Understanding the purpose of the sections and menu items, you can carry out the procedure yourself, without the involvement of a specialist. Let's figure out how to configure the BIOS on a computer.

Types of BIOS

Used on computers several types of BIOS, which differ in appearance and in the location of menu items. In this case, the settings will be identical or very similar. Older computers use AWARD or AMI BIOS, modern motherboards use UEFI. The last one is a logical continuation of the development of the basic input/output system, is distinguished by the presence of a graphical interface, mouse support, the ability to select a language, and a wider range of settings.

Despite all the benefits of UEFI, users do not often upgrade their hardware, so most computers currently in use still have AWARD or AMI installed. Using the latter as an example, we will consider the setup.

How to enter BIOS

To enter the BIOS you should restart your computer. On one of the first screens, the motherboard splash screen will appear, on which the keys will be indicated that allow you to enter the system we need. Usually required press Del or F2, although there may be other variations. The surest way is to observe the information displayed on the monitor while the PC boots.

Important to know

Using the same method, you can find out the key used to open the window in which you select priority launcher. Changing the parameter is required when installing Windows from a flash drive or disk.

Main section

Setting up BIOS on a computer begins with the Main section, which is opened by the system by default. It will work set the date and time, set hard disk parameters and view system information.

By selecting one of the presented drives and pressing the Enter key, the user will see the following settings options:

• LBA Large Mode - this parameter is more relevant to older computers, since it enabled support for drives larger than 512 MB.
• Block - allows you to deactivate the transmission of information on several simultaneously. Should be left in the "Auto" position, otherwise The speed of the hard drive will drop sharply.
• PIO Mode - switches the drive to outdated operating mode.
• DMA Mode - activates memory access via a direct channel. To achieve maximum speed of reading and writing information, set the “Auto” parameter.
• SMART Monitoring - technology monitoring the state of the memory medium. We also leave it in automatic mode.
• 32 Bit Transfer - the parameter must be activated for information to be transferred over the PCI bus in 32-bit mode.

At point "System Information" information is provided about the BIOS version and the date of firmware creation, processor (operating speed, number of cores), (volume installed and available).

Will be useful

Some users on the “Main” tab find a parameter in the BIOS Quiet Boot. Not everyone knows what this setting is. The name of the option literally translates as “silent boot”, and means starting the OS without displaying messages about equipment testing. Instead of information from the POST procedure, the motherboard splash screen or computer logo will be displayed.

By going to the “Storage Configuration” item, you can find the following settings:

• SATA Configuration - is responsible for the SATA controller soldered into the motherboard. It can be disabled (Disable), switched to Compatible mode to work with older Windows operating systems (98, 95 and earlier) or to “Enhanced” mode to work with modern versions of operating systems.
• Configure SATA as - it is recommended to select AHCI to use modern technologies (for example, Plug-in-Play).
• Hard Disk Write Protect - Write protection of disks. The parameter must be disabled if information is intended to be added to media.
• SATA Detect Time out - time spent by the system searching for connected components. If you decrease the indicator, you will be able to speed up the OS startup, but there will be a risk that one of the disks will not be detected.

Having visited the point "JumperFree Configuration", you can set the memory clock frequency, chipset voltage, and memory bus frequency. Setting these BIOS parameters on a computer should be discussed in a separate topic. Changes must be made very carefully so as not to damage the equipment.

The item of greatest interest to the user is "USB Configuration", in which you need activate all USB ports and set the maximum data transfer speed(High Speed). All other parameters must be left in the “Auto” position.

Here you can configure the computer's power supply. The following values ​​should be set:

• Suspend Mode - to the “Auto” position;
• ACPI APIC — enable the option (Enabled);
• ACPI 2.0 - disable the mode (set to Disabled);
• APM Configuration - leave all settings as default;
• Hardware Monitor - collected in the subsection information about the processor temperature, cooler rotation speed and voltage supplied by the power supply. You can activate the “CPU Q-fan Control” item to intelligently control the cooler speed.

This tab allows you to change your computer's boot settings. In the “Boot Device Priority” subsection it is set drive boot sequence. Sometimes the sequence has to be changed during Windows installation, when it is not possible to select a boot disk through a special window when starting the PC. In other cases, the parameters can be left unchanged, or set priority for the disk on which the operating system is located.

“Hard Disk Drivers” - in the subsection, select the disk from which you should first try to boot the OS. Configurable if There are several drives installed in the system unit.

The “Boot Setting Configuration” subsection contains the following settings:

• Quick Boot is an option in the BIOS that disables hardware tests during computer startup. If the parameter is activated, the system will boot faster, but the user will not be able to see a description of errors if they occur.
• Full Screen Logo - instead of information about the equipment, a logo will appear on the screen upon startup.
• Add On ROM Display Mode - parameter determines data display sequence about devices connected via boards that have their own BIOS.
• Bootup Num-Lock - if enabled, then after starting the PC the Num-Lock key will be in the active position.
• Wait For “F1” If Error - if an error is detected during startup testing, the user will be required to press the F1 key to further start the OS.
• Hit “DEL” Message Display - if disabled, then at startup the screen will not display a message indicating which button should be pressed to enter the BIOS.

Please note

Sometimes in the subsection described above you can find the option "Fast Boot" This is a setting in the BIOS that is similar to “Quick Boot,” which allows you to speed up the loading of the OS.

Security Settings:

• Supervisor Password - makes it possible to set a password to enter the BIOS, entering which will allow you to change any parameters.
• User Password - similar, only after entering the password will be given ability to view installed settings, but not their change.

Tools and Exit Section

The “Tools” tab is necessary for updating the BIOS from a floppy disk or flash drive (the “ASUS EZ Flash” item), as well as viewing information about the connected cable to the network card (the “AI NET” item).

In the “Exit” tab, you can exit settings. The following options are possible.

Any more or less advanced computer user should know what a BIOS is, why it is needed and how to configure it correctly. In fact, BIOS is a very interesting thing; it can be used to configure almost all components of the system unit. Well, now let's talk about everything in order.

What is BIOS and what is it for?

Many newbie users ask where the BIOS is located? The BIOS is located on the motherboard and this is not without reason, since it is the motherboard that is responsible for the interaction and operation of all computer components.

In the photo above you can see what the BIOS looks like. Many will agree with us that the appearance of the BIOS is somewhat old, and to be completely honest, it is “wooden”. However, the latest models of Asus motherboards have a rather beautiful and modern design, moreover, it is Russified. In this article, we will configure the BIOS using the old version as an example, since it is more complicated, and the main thing is that you understand the essence of the BIOS. If you understand the essence of how to work in the BIOS with the old design, then it will not be difficult for you to understand the new one.

BIOS Features

• Set the system time;


• Set download priority;


• Set the power parameters of some devices;


• Enable or disable some devices, etc.

Working with BIOS

You can control the BIOS using 5 buttons:

• Arrows – help you navigate through sections and select the desired parameters in the settings;


• Enter – opens the selected section or setting;


• ESC – exit.

As for managing the BIOS in the new design of Asus motherboards, it is done using the mouse. In principle, there is nothing complicated in managing both the old and the new BIOS.

How to reset BIOS?
Sometimes advanced users reset BIOS settings. This is done in order to return the BIOS settings to factory settings if the changes they made led to problems with the operation of the entire computer or individual devices. Find contacts on the motherboard that are labeled as: CCMOS, Clear CMOS or Clear RTC. Each manufacturer, and maybe even each different motherboard model, may have its own options for resetting BIOS settings. It is important to note that any work to reset the BIOS settings must be carried out with the computer turned off, as well as with the system unit and other devices connected to it turned off from the power supply.

• The first option to reset the BIOS is using a jumper. If you find a jumper, it will close the first and second contacts. To reset the BIOS, pull out the jumper and close the second and third contacts with it for 15 seconds, then move the jumper to its original position.


• The second option is to close the contacts. There are motherboard models in which to reset the BIOS you need to close 2 contacts with a metal object. Such an object could be a small screwdriver. That is, when the computer is turned off, short-circuit both contacts for 15 seconds, then remove the shorting object and start the computer, the BIOS settings will be reset.


• The third option is using a battery. To do this, you need to find the battery that powers the motherboard. Again, with the power completely off, pry the battery latch and remove it for 15 minutes. Then reinsert the battery and start the computer.


• The fourth option is to click on the BIOS reset button. In some motherboard models, resetting BIOS settings is very simple; to do this, you need to press the corresponding button on the motherboard.

Flashing the BIOS
BIOS firmware. Oddly enough, the BIOS has its own firmware that can be updated. Updating the firmware will eliminate some problems with the operation of the BIOS, as well as with its settings. There is no particular need to update the firmware, but if you have problems with the BIOS or you have sufficient knowledge to carry out this procedure, you can update the BIOS firmware. Read about how to update the BIOS in the manuals, which describe this process specifically for your motherboard.

You can download the latest version of BIOS firmware for your motherboard from the official website of its manufacturer. As a rule, flashing the BIOS is done through a special utility, which is located on the disk with drivers and settings. This disk comes with the motherboard.

Learn more about updating the BIOS -.

How to properly configure the BIOS
So, now let's look at how to properly configure the BIOS. While in the BIOS main menu, use the arrows to move the cursor to the clock and set the correct time using the “PageUp” and “PageDown” keys. Then go to the date settings and use the same buttons to set today's date, month and year. This is very important, since both the operating system itself and most programs operate on the basis of this date and time. It is worth noting that the BIOS is set to the American date format, so the month, day and year come first. To go to the next settings section, click the right arrow.

You don’t need to configure anything special in the Advanced tab, since it is responsible for the operation of devices, so let’s move on to the next tab.

The Security tab allows you to configure security. We will not touch on it either, since this is not necessary for a home computer, as, for example, for an office one. Let's move on to the next section.

In the Boot section you can configure the operating system boot priority. The website site masters strongly recommend setting up the download in order to reduce the loading time of the operating system. If a CD-ROM is installed as the primary device for loading the OS, then before loading the system from the hard drive, the bootloader will check the CD-ROM, and after a few seconds, having found nothing, it will start loading the operating system from the hard drive. Depending on the motherboard model, the boot priority settings will have different labels. The primary boot source may be called: “1st Boot Device” or “First Boot Device”. Place the cursor next to this parameter and press “Enter”. In the menu that appears, use the arrows to select “Hard Disk” and press “Enter” again. Then go to the "2nd Boot Device" or "Second Boot Device" option and set it to "CDROM". We recommend setting the “3rd Boot Device” or “Third Boot Device” parameter to “Disabled”.

In order to save the settings made, go to the “Exit” section and select the “Exit Saving Changes” item and press “Enter”. If you only want to save the settings without leaving the BIOS, then select the “Save Changes” item. In addition, you can load default settings from the BIOS menu by selecting “Load Setup Defaults” or exit the BIOS without saving by selecting “Exit Discarding Changes”.

At this point, the necessary settings were made to the BIOS.