To change the system configuration information after you add, change, or remove any hardware in your computer
To set or change a user-selectable option such as the user password
To read the current amount of memory or set the type of hard drive installed
Before you use system setup, it is recommended that you write down the system setup screen information for future reference.
NOTICE: Unless you are an expert computer user, do not change the settings for this program. Certain changes can make your computer work incorrectly.
Entering System Setup
Turn on (or restart) your computer.
When the blue DELL™ logo appears, press <F2> immediately.
If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft® Windows® desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.
System Setup Screens
The system setup screen displays current or changeable configuration information for your computer. Information on the screen is divided into three areas: the options list, active options field, and key functions.
Options List — This field appears on the left side of the system setup window. The field is a scrollable list containing features that define the configuration of your computer, including installed hardware, power conservation, and security features.
Scroll up and down the list by using the up- and down-arrow keys. As an option is highlighted, the Option Field displays more information about that option and the option's current and available settings.
Press <Enter> to expand or contract each of the main option fields.
Option Field — This field contains information about each option. In this field you can view your current settings and make changes to your settings.
Use the right- and left-arrow keys to highlight an option. Press <Enter> to make that selection active.
Key Functions — This field appears below the Option Field and lists keys and their functions within the active system setup field.
System Setup Options
NOTE: Depending on your computer and installed devices, the items listed in this section may not appear, or may not appear exactly as listed.
System
CPU Info
Identifies whether the computer's processor supports Hyper-Threading and lists the processor bus speed, processor ID, clock speed, and L2 cache.
Memory Info
Indicates amount of installed memory, memory speed, channel mode (dual or single), and type of memory installed.
Date/Time
Displays current date and time settings.
Boot Sequence
The computer attempts to boot from the sequence of devices specified in this list.
NOTE: If you insert a boot device and restart the computer, this option appears in the system setup menu. To boot from a USB memory device, select the USB device and move it so it becomes the first device in the list.
Drives
Diskette Drive
Identifies and defines the floppy drive attached to the FLOPPY connector on the system board as Off, USB, Internal, or Read Only.
Drives 0 through 3
Identifies the drives attached to the PRI IDE connectors on the system board, and lists the capacity for hard drives.
Onboard Devices
NIC Controller
You can set the NIC to On (default), Off, or On w/ PXE. When the On w/ PXE setting is active(available only for the future boot process), the computer prompts the user to press <Ctrl><Alt><b>. Pressing this key combination causes a menu to display that allows you to select a method for booting from a network server. If a boot routine is not available from the network server, the computer attempts to boot from the next device in the boot sequence list.
Audio Controller
Enables or disables the onboard audio controller.
USB
Set to On (default) so thatUSB devices will be detected and supported in the operating system.
The No Boot option restricts external access to drive data. Use this option to prohibit users from booting the computer using an external USB device.
Mouse Port
Enables or disables the onboard PS/2-compatible mouse controller.
LPT Port Mode
Identifies and defines the parallel port settings. You can set the parallel port to Off,AT, PS/2, EPP, or ECP.
LTP Port Address
Identifies the address for the parallel port.
LPT Port DMA
Identifies and defines the parallel port DMA settings. You can set the parallel port DMA to Off, DMA1, or DMA3.
Serial Port #1
Identifies and defines the serial port settings. Auto, the default setting, automatically configures a connector to a particular designation (COM1 or COM3).
Video
Primary Video
Specifies which video controller is primary when two video controllers are present on the computer.
Video Memory Size
Sets the amount of system memory to be reserved for the onboard video controller.
Performance
Hyperthreading
If your computer's processor supports Hyper-Threading, these options appear in the Options List.
Performance
Bypass — Your computer does not test or change the current acoustics mode setting.
Quiet (default) — The hard drive operates at its most quiet setting.
Suggested — The hard drive operates at the level suggested by the drive manufacturer.
Performance — The hard drive operates at its maximum speed.
NOTE: Switching to performance mode may cause the drive to be noisier, but its performance may not be affected.
NOTE: Changing the acoustics setting does not alter your hard drive image.
Security
Displays available system security options.
Admin Password
Provides restricted access to the computer's system setup program in the same way that access to the system can be restricted with the System Password option.
System Password
Displays the current status of the system's password security feature and allows a new system password to be assigned and verified.
Password Status
Locks the system password field with the setup password. When the field is locked, the option to disable password security by pressing <Ctrl><Enter> when the computer starts is no longer available.
Power Management
AC Recovery
Determines what happens when AC power is restored to the computer.
Auto Power On
Sets the computer to automatically turn on. Choices are every day or weekdays (every Monday through Friday).
The default setting is Off.
This feature does not work if you turn off your computer using a power strip or surge protector.
Auto Power Time
Sets time to automatically turn on the computer.
Time is kept in a 24-hour format (hours:minutes). Change the start-up time by pressing the right- or left-arrow key to increase or decrease the numbers, or type numbers in both the date and time fields.
This feature does not work if you turn off your computer using a power strip or surge protector.
Low Power Mode
When Low Power Mode is selected, remote wakeup events no longer power up from Hibernate or Off.
Remote Wake Up
Allows the computer to power up when a NIC or Remote Wakeup-capable modem receives a wake up signal.
On is the default setting. On w/ Boot to NIC allows the computer to attempt to boot from a network prior to using the boot sequence.
NOTE: Normally, the computer can be powered up remotely from suspend mode, hibernate mode, or when powered off. When Low Power Mode (in the Power Management menu) is enabled, the computer can only be powered up remotely from Suspend.
Suspend Mode
The options are S1, a suspend state where the computer is running in a low-power mode, and S3, a standby state where the power is reduced or turned off for most components, however, system memory remains active.
Maintenance
CMOS Defaults
Restores the computer's factory-installed default settings.
Event Log
Displays the system event log.
BIOS Update
After downloading a new version of the BIOS, use this option to identify and define the location of the BIOS update file. The options are Diskette or Disk.
POST Behavior
Fastboot
When set to On (default), your computer starts more quickly because it skips certain configurations and tests.
Numlock Key
This option involves the rightmost bank of keys on your keyboard. When set to On (default), this option activates the numeric and mathematical features shown at the top of each key. When set to Off, this option activates the cursor-control functions labeled on the bottom of each key.
OS Install
Turns the OS Install Mode either On or Off (default).
POST Hotkeys
Allows you to specify the function keys to display on the screen when the computer starts.
Keyboard Errors
Disables or enables keyboard error reporting when the computer starts.
Boot Sequence
This feature allows you to change the boot sequence for devices.
Option Settings
Diskette Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the floppy drive. If the floppy disk in the drive is not bootable, if no floppy disk is in the drive, or if there is no floppy drive installed in the computer, the computer generates an error message.
Hard Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the primary hard drive. If no operating system is on the drive, the computer generates an error message.
CD Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the CD drive. If no CD is in the drive, or if the CD has no operating system, the computer generates an error message.
USB Flash Device — Insert the memory device into a USB port and restart the computer. When F12 = Boot Menu appears in the upper-right corner of the screen, press <F12>. The BIOS detects the device and adds the USB flash option to the boot menu.
NOTE: To boot to a USB device, the device must be bootable. To make sure your device is bootable, check the device documentation.
Changing Boot Sequence for the Current Boot
You can use this feature, for example, to restart your computer to a USB device such as a floppy drive, memory key, or CD-RW drive.
NOTE: If you are booting to a USB floppy drive, you must first set the floppy drive to OFF in system setup.
If you are booting to a USB device, connect the USB device to a USB connector.
Turn on (or restart) your computer.
When F2 = Setup, F12 = Boot Menu appears in the upper-right corner of the screen,
press <F12>.
If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Microsoft Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.
The Boot Device Menu appears, listing all available boot devices. Each device has a number next to it.
At the bottom of the menu, enter the number of the device that is to be used for the current
boot only.
For example, if you are booting to a USB memory key, highlight USB Flash Device and press <Enter>.
NOTE: To boot to a USB device, the device must be bootable. To make sure that your device is bootable, check the device documentation.
