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 the system setup program, it is recommended that you write down the system setup program 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 the System Setup Program
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 Program Screens
The system setup program 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 program 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.
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 program field.
System Setup Program Options
NOTE: Depending on your computer and installed devices, the items listed in this section may not appear, or they may not appear exactly as listed.
System
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 the amount of installed memory, memory speed, channel mode (dual or single), and type of memory installed.
PCI Info
The following list displays what (if anything) is inserted into each PCI slot.
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 program menu. To boot from a USB memory device, select the USB device and move it so that 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 5
Identifies the drives attached to the SATA or PRI IDE connectors on the system board, and lists the capacity for hard drives.
SATA Operation
Identifies and defines the SATA controller settings for RAID. You can set the SATA controller to RAID Autodetect/AHCI,RAID Autodetect/ATA, or RAID On.
SMART Reporting
Turns hard drive error reporting on or off. Factory default setting is Off.
Onboard Devices
Integrated NIC
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 system attempts to boot from the next device in the boot sequence list.
USB Controller
Set to On (default)so that USB devices will be detected and supported in the operating system.
USB for FlexBay
This field enables and disables the internal USB for FlexBay.
1394 Controller
Enable or disable the internal 1394 controller. Factory default is On.
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).
PS/2 Mouse Port
Enables or disables the onboard PS/2-compatible mouse controller.
Front LED Color
Use this option to change the front panel light color on your computer.
Video
Primary Video
This setting specifies which video controller is primary when two video controllers are present on the computer.
Performance
HyperThreading
If your computer's processor supports Hyper-Threading, this option will appear in the Options List.
Multiple CPU Core
This field specifies whether the processor will have one or two cores enabled.
HDD Acoustic Mode
This field allows the user to optimize the IDE drives performance and acoustic noise level based on personal preferences.
Security
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 Changes
This field controls the interaction between the system password and the administrator password.
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 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 will no longer power up the computer when it is in either a hibernate mode or turned off.
Remote Wake Up
This option allows the system to power up when a NIC or remote wake-up-capable modem receives a wake up signal.
On is the default setting. On w/ Boot to NIC will allow 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 the suspend mode.
Suspend Mode
The options are:
S1 — A suspend mode where the computer is running in a low-power mode
S3 — A standby mode where the power is reduced or turned off for most components
NOTE: System memory remains active.
Maintenance
SERR DMI Message
This field controls the SER DMI message mechanism.
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 error messages that occur along with the date and time they occurred.
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
This setting turns the OS Install Mode either On or Off (default).
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 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 the system setup program.
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.
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