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: Do not change the settings in system setup unless you are an expert computer user. Certain changes can cause your computer to work incorrectly.
Entering System Setup
Turn on (or restart) your computer.
When the DELL logo appears, press <F2> immediately.
NOTE: Keyboard failure may result when a key on the keyboard is held down for extended periods of time. To avoid possible keyboard failure, press and release <F2> in even intervals until the system setup screen appears.
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 five areas: the menu field, the options list, the active options field, the help field, and key functions.
Menu — Appears on top of the System Setup window. This field provides a menu to access to the System Setup options. Press <\xdf >and< >keys to navigate. As a Menu option is highlighted, the Options List, lists the options that define the hardware installed on you computer.
Options List — Appears on the left side of the System Setup window. The field lists 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 Options Field displays the option's current and available settings.
Options Field — Appears on the right side of Options List and contains information about each option listed in the Options List. In this field you can view information about your computer and make changes to your current settings.
Press <Enter> to make changes to your current settings. Press <ESC> to return to the Options List.
NOTE: Not all settings listed in the Options Field are changeable.
Help — Appears on the right side of the System Setup window and contains help information about the option selected in Options List.
Key Functions — Appears below the Options 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.
Main
System Info
Displays the system model name.
BIOS Info
Display the BIOS revision.
Service Tag
Displays the system service tag.
Express Service Code
Displays the express service code.
Asset Tag
Displays the asset tag.
Date
Displays the system date.
Time
Displays the system time.
Memory Installed
Displays the total memory size.
Memory Available
Displays the memory available in the system.
Memory Speed
Displays the memory speed.
Memory Channel Mode
Displays the memory channel modes.
Single
Dual
Memory Technology
Displays the type of memory used in the system.
Processor Type
Displays the type of processor.
Processor Speed
Displays the speed of the processor.
Processor L2 cache
Displays the processor L2 cache size.
Advanced
CPU Feature
Allows you to enable or disable the CPU features that enhance the performance of the system.
Integrated Peripherals
Allows you to enable or disable the integrated devices and ports on your system.
IDE/SATA Configuration
Enables or disables a user to define or change any values related to IDE or SATA devices such as hard drives, optical drives, and so on connected to the computer.
Overclock Configuration
This option enables you to set the system clock mode.
Overvoltage configuration
This option enables you to configure the voltage of the CPU core, FSB, memory voltage, and chipset voltage.
Security
Supervisor Password Is
Specifies whether a supervisor password has been assigned.
User Password Is
Specifies whether a user password has been assigned.
Set Supervisor Password
Allows you to set a supervisor password.
Set User Password
Allows you to set a user password. You cannot use the user password to enter the BIOS setup, during POST.
Power
ACPI Suspend Type
Specifies the ACPI suspend type. The default is S3.
AC Recovery
Specifies the behaviour of the system after recovering from a power loss.
On — The computer turns on after it recovers from a power failure.
Off — The computer remains powered off.
Last — The computer returns the power state it was in before the power failure.
Remote Wake Up
This option turns on the computer when a user tries to access the computer through the LAN.
Wake-Up By Ring
This option turns on the computer when an incoming call is detected on the modem.
Auto Power On
Enables you to set an alarm to turn on the computer automatically.
Boot
Removable Device Priority
Sets the boot priority among the attached removable devices.
Hard Disk Boot Priority
Sets the hard drive boot priority. The items displayed are dynamically updated according to the hard drives detected.
1st Boot Device through 3rd Boot Device
Sets the boot device sequence. Only the bootable devices that are connected to the computer are listed as options.
Boot Other Device
This option enables you to boot from other devices such as a memory key.
Exit
Exit Options
Provides options to Exit Saving Changes, Exit Discarding Changes, Load Setup Default, and Discard Changes.
Boot Sequence
This feature allows you to change the boot sequence for the bootable devices installed on your computer.
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 attempts to boot from the next bootable device in the boot sequence.
Hard Drive — The computer attempts to boot from the primary hard drive. If no operating system is on the drive, the computer attempts to boot from the next bootable device in the boot sequence.
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 attempts to boot from the next bootable device in the boot sequence.
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 ensure that your device is bootable, check the device documentation.
NOTE: An error message is generated only after the computer attempts to boot from every device in the boot sequence and no operating system is found.
Changing Boot Sequence for the Current Boot
You can use this feature, for example, to tell the computer to boot from the CD drive so that you can run the Dell Diagnostics on the Driver and Utilities media, but you want the computer to boot from the hard drive when the diagnostic tests are complete. You can also use this feature 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 (see System Setup).
If you are booting to a USB device, connect the USB device to a USB
connector (see Back View of the Computer).
Turn on (or restart) your computer.
When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately.
NOTE: Keyboard failure may result when a key on the keyboard is held down for an extended period of time. To avoid possible keyboard failure, press and release <F12> in even intervals until the Boot Device Menu appears.
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.
At the Boot Device Menu, use the up- and down-arrow keys or press the
appropriate number on the keyboard to highlight the device that is to be
used for the current boot only, and then press <Enter>.
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 ensure that your device is bootable, check the device documentation.
