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Using the System Setup Program: Dell Latitude L400 User's Guide
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NOTE: This section provides general
information on using the system setup program. For detailed information on options and
settings, see "Using the System Setup Program" in the computer User's Guide at
the Dell support Web site at http://support.dell.com. |
Each time you turn on your computer, it compares the installed
hardware with the system configuration information stored in nonvolatile random-access
memory (NVRAM). If the system detects a discrepancy, it generates an error message for
each incorrect configuration setting.
- To adjust the configuration settings for APM operating systems, such
as Microsoft® NT®, you can use the system setup program.
- ACPI operating systems, such as Windows® 98, Windows 2000, and Windows
Me, automatically configure most of the setup options available in
the system setup program. In such cases, the operating system overrides system setup
options entered through the system setup program. One exception is the External
Hot Key option, which you can disable or enable only through the system setup
program. For more information on configuring features for these operating systems, see
your Microsoft Windows Help.
You can use the system setup program as follows:
- To set or change user-selectable features — for example, your
password or power management features
- To verify information about your computer's current configuration,
such as the amount of system memory
After you set up your computer, run the system setup program to
familiarize yourself with your system configuration information and optional settings.
Dell recommends that you write down the information for future reference.
To enter the system setup program, turn on the computer and press
<F2> as soon as you see either the system
information screen or the Dell logo screen, and before the Microsoft Windows
logo screen appears.
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NOTE:
If the Quiet Boot option on the main screen of the system setup
program is set to Enabled (the default), the Dell
logo screen appears at system boot (to achieve a faster boot); if Quiet
Boot is set to Disabled, the system information screen appears
at system boot. To enter the system setup program, press <F2>
immediately when one of these screens appears. |
The computer reboots automatically when you exit the
system setup program.
The system setup screens display the current setup and configuration
information and optional settings for your computer. Information on the screens is
organized in four areas:
- The menu across the top of each screen lists the six top-level
screens (Main, Advanced, Security,
Power, Boot, and Exit) to aid you in moving from
screen to screen.
- The large box on the left two-thirds of each screen lists options
that define the installed hardware and the power conservation and security features of
your computer.
- The smaller box on the right third of the screen provides
item-specific help information about the currently selected option.
- The information across the bottom of all screens lists keys and their
functions within the system setup program.
To exit the system setup program, press <Esc> and select one
of the exit options.
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NOTE: To reset the default values for
each option in a menu, press <F9> and then press <Enter> to confirm. To save
the current values and exit the system setup program, press <F10> and then press
<Enter> to confirm. |
Following are brief overviews of some of the more commonly used
system setup options. For more information on using these and other options, see the
item-specific help provided on the right side of each screen.
The Boot Screen lets you define the order of the
devices from which the computer attempts to boot (see Table 1). When you turn
on the computer, it attempts to boot from the first option on the list. If no bootable
files are present on the first option, the computer tries to boot from the second option,
and so on down the list (except where noted in Table 1).
To arrange the boot sequence, use the up- or down-arrow key to
select a device, and then press <F6> to move the device
up the list or <F5> to move it down the list. For
example, if you want to boot from your CD-ROM drive, highlight ATAPI CD-ROM Drive
and use the <F6> key to move it to the top of the list.
Table 1. Boot Screen Options
| Option |
Function |
| Removable Devices |
If this option appears first
on the list, the computer attempts to boot first from a bootable diskette. If there is a
diskette present but it does not contain the required boot files, an error message
appears. |
| Hard Disk |
If this option appears first
on the list, the computer boots only from the hard-disk drive. |
| ATAPI CD-ROM Drive |
If this option appears first
on the list, the computer attempts to boot first from a bootable CD. If it does not detect
a bootable CD in the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, the computer tries to boot from the next
device on the list. If there is a CD present but it does not contain the required boot
files, an error message appears. |
| Boot to LAN |
If this option appears first
on the list, the computer to attempt to boot first from a local area network (LAN). |
To help secure
system data, you can assign different levels of passwords at the Security screen of the system setup
program. A user password prevents unauthorized access to the computer at start-up. A
supervisor password controls access to the system setup program.
A hard-disk drive password helps prevent the unauthorized access of data on the hard-disk drive, even when the device is placed
in another computer.
Set User Password
Set Supervisor Password
Set Internal HD Password
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NOTE:
Before assigning a user password, you must
set a supervisor password.
The user and supervisor passwords can be the same. |
To input, change, or disable a user,
supervisor, or HD password, highlight the password, press <Enter>,
and follow the instructions in the dialog box.
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NOTE:
To disable an existing
user, supervisor, or HD password,
press <Enter> in the Enter new password field of the dialog box.
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NOTICE: Disabling the supervisor password disables the user password.
Password Status Options
The User Password and Supervisor Password
options show the status (Clear the default or Set) of the
user and supervisor passwords.
The HD password option may display a setting of Clear,
Set, or Locked. When the HD Password option is Locked,
it cannot be changed or disabled during that computer session. You must first
turn off the computer and then reenter system setup program during the boot
routine, after providing password identification.
You can run the Battery
Auto-Learning utility to help maintain the accuracy of your battery gauge by keeping
the battery aware of its full charge capacity. Run the utility when you suspect that the
accuracy of the gauge may have diminished. However, do not run it more than once every two
months, or you risk reducing the service life of the battery.
To run the utility, go to the Power screen and
change the Run Battery Learning setting to Enabled.
Then, at the Exit screen, select Save Changes and Exit.
The learning process may take up to six hours to complete. You can stop the process at any
time by pressing <Esc>.
After learning is complete, the Run Battery Learning
option automatically reverts to its default setting of Disabled.
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