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 is displayed, you must watch for the F2 prompt to appear.
Once this F2 prompt appears, press <F2> immediately.
NOTE: The F2 prompt indicates that the keyboard has initialized. This prompt can appear very quickly, so you must watch for it to display, and then press <F2>. If you press <F2> before you are prompted, this keystroke will be lost.
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 with 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. By pressing <Enter> or the left and right arrow keys, you can toggle between a primary topic (collapsed) and subtopics (expanded).
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
System Info
Lists system information such as the computer name, the BIOS version number and date, system tags, and other system-specific information.
NOTE: The system name listed in the BIOS may not appear exactly as the name that appears on the computer or in the computer's documentation.
Processor 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 2 through 1
Identifies the drives attached to the drives connectors (one SATA and one PATA) on the system board, and lists the capacity for hard drives.
Drives 0 through 3
Enables or disables an ATA device (such as a CD or DVD drive).
Onboard Devices
Integrated 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 you 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.
Integrated Audio Controller
Enables or disables the onboard audio controller.
USB Controller
Set to On (default) so that USB devices will be detected and supported in the operating system.
Card Reader
This field enables and disables the Media Card Reader. Off = Media Card Reader is disabled. On = Media Card Reader is enabled. The factory default setting is On.
This option appears only if a Media Card Reader is installed.
Video
Primary Video
This setting specifies which video controller is primary when two video controllers are present on the computer.
Video Memory Size
Offering selectable options of 1MB and 8MB, this field configures the system memory allocation reserved for the integrated video controller.
Performance
HyperThreading
If your computer's processor supports Hyper-Threading, this option appears in the Options List.
HDD Acoustic Mode
Bypass (default) — Your computer does not test or change the current acoustics mode setting.
Quiet — 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 will cause the drive heads to move faster, causing the hard drive to be noisier. However, some drives may not see an increase in data transfer rates.
NOTE: Changing the acoustics setting does not alter your hard drive image.
Security
This section displays available system security options.
Admin Password
This option 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
This option locks the system password field with the setup password. When the field is locked, you can no longer disable password security by pressing <Ctrl><Enter> when the computer starts.
Execute Disable
This field specifies whether Execute Disable Memory Protection Technology will be on or off.
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 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 the standard 12-hour format (hours:minutes). Change the startup 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.
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
SERR DMI Message
This field controls the SERR DMI message mechanism. Some graphics cards require that the SERR DMI message mechanism be disabled.
Asset Tag
The Asset Tag is used for customer information.
Owner Tag
The Owner Tag is used for Owner information.
Load Defaults
This option allows you to reset every option back to the way it was when the system left the factory.
Event Log
Displays the system event log.
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.
POST Hotkeys
This option allows you to specify the function keys to display on the screen when the computer starts.
Keyboard Errors
This option 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/ DVD Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the CD/DVD drive. If no disc is in the drive, or if the disc 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 that 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 exterma; 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 (see "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 your device is bootable, check the device documentation.
