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 three areas: the options list, the 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 Options Field displays more information about that option and the option's current and available settings.
Options Field — This field appears on the right side of the system setup window 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 the left- and right-arrow keys to highlight an option. Press <Enter> to make that selection active and return to the Options List.
NOTE: Not all settings listed in the Options Field are changeable.
Key Functions — This field 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.
System
Processor Info
Identifies the processor type, clock speed, bus speed, L2 cache, ID, and whether the processor is multiple core capable, supports Hyper-Threading and supports 64-bit technology.
Memory Info
Identifies the memory type, speed, and channel mode (dual or single) by DIMM slot location.
PCI Info
Indicates the expansion card type by slot location.
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, for example, select the USB device and move it so that it becomes the first device in the boot sequence.
Drives
Diskette Drive
(Internal default)
Enables and disables the floppy drive attached to the DSKT connector on the system board and sets read permissions for the drive.
Off — All floppy drives are disabled.
USB — USB floppy drives are enabled
Internal — The integrated floppy drive is enabled.
Read Only — The integrated floppy drive is enabled with read-only access.
NOTE: Operating systems with USB support will recognize USB floppy drives regardless of this setting.
SATA Drives 0 through 5
(On default)
Enables or disables drives attached to the SATA connectors on the system board.
Off — A device attached to the interface is not usable.
On — A device attached to the interface is usable.
RAID On - A device attached to the interface is configured for RAID (see "About Your RAID Configuration" in your Owner's Manual).
PATA Drives 0 through 1
(On default)
Enables or disables drives attached to the ATA connectors on the system board, and lists the controller details.
Off — A device attached to the interface is not usable.
On — A device attached to the interface is usable.
SMART Reporting
(Off default)
Determines whether hard-drive errors for internal drives are reported during system startup.
Off — Errors are not reported.
On — Errors are reported.
Onboard Devices
Integrated NIC
(On default)
Enables or disables the integrated network interface controller (NIC).
Off — The integrated NIC is disabled.
On — The integrated NIC is enabled.
On w/PXE — The integrated NIC is on (with PXE enabled).
NOTE: PXE is required only if you are booting to an operating system located on another computer. If a boot routine is not available from the remote system, the computer attempts to boot from the next device listed in the boot sequence.
Integrated Audio
(On default)
Enables or disables the onboard audio controller.
Off — Integrated audio is disabled.
On — Integrated audio is enabled.
USB Controller
(On default)
Enables or disables the internal USB controller.
Off — The USB controller is disabled.
On — The USB controller is enabled.
No Boot — The USB controller is enabled; however, the BIOS will not recognize USB storage devices.
NOTE: Operating systems with USB support will recognize USB storage devices regardless of the No Boot setting.
1394 Controller
(On default)
Enables or disables the integrated IEEE 1394 controller.
Off — The 1394 controller is disabled.
On — The 1394 controller is enabled.
Serial Port #1
(Auto default)
Disables or selects the address for the integrated serial port and determines how the serial port operates.
Off — The serial port is disabled.
Auto — The BIOS selects between COM1 and COM3; if both resources are in use the port is disabled.
COM1 — The port is configured at 3F8h with IRQ 4.
COM3 — The port is configured at 3E8h with IRQ 4.
PS/2 Mouse Port
(On default)
Enables or disables the onboard PS/2-compatible mouse controller.
Specifies whether each physical processor appears as one or two logical processors.
Off — Hyper-Threading technology is disabled.
On — Hyper-Threading technology is enabled.
NOTE: If your processor does not supports Hyper-Threading, this option does not appear in the Options List.
Multiple CPU Core
(On default)
Specifies whether the processor has more than one core enabled.
Off — Multiple CPU core technology is disabled.
On — Multiple CPU core technology is enabled.
NOTE: The performance of some applications may improve with an additional core enabled.
CPU Clock Speed
Provides limited capability to adjust the CPU clock speed so that the CPU operates at a different frequency than that designated in the manufacturer's design specifications.
NOTICE: Dell does not recommend operating the CPU at a frequency that is greater than the manufacturer's design specifications (also referred to as over-clocking). Operating the CPU in this manner may cause your system to shut down unexpectedly, may result in a loss of data, and may reduce the operational life of the processor. If the system shuts down unexpectedly or is unstable, select a lower CPU operating frequency.
NOTE: Press <Alt><F> to return the processor back to the default setting.
HDD Acoustic Mode
(Bypass default)
Determines the acoustic mode at which the hard drive operates.
Bypass — Do nothing (needed for older drives).
Quiet — The hard drive operates at its most quiet setting.
Suggested — Allow the hard drive manufacturer to select the mode.
Performance — The hard drive operates at its maximum speed.
NOTE: Switching to performance mode may cause an increase in noise produced by the drive, but does not affect the drive's performance.
NOTE: Changing the acoustics setting does not alter your hard drive image.
Virtualization
(off default)
Specifies whether a virtual machine monitor (VMM) can utilize the additional hardware capabilities provided by Intel Virtualization technology.
Security
Admin Password
(Not Set default)
Used to prohibit an unauthorized user from changing any configuration settings in the system setup.
System Password
(Not Set default)
Used to prohibit an unauthorized user from booting to the operating system.
Password Changes
(Unlocked default)
This option locks the system password field with the administrator (admin) password.
NOTE: When the system password field is locked, you can no longer disable password security by pressing <Ctrl><Enter> when the computer starts.
Execute Disable
(On default)
Enables or disables Execute Disable Memory Protection technology.
Off — Execute Disable Memory Protection technology is disabled.
On —Execute Disable Memory Protection technology is enabled.
Power Management
AC Recovery
(Off default)
Specifies how the computer will behave when AC power is restored after an AC power loss.
Off — The system stays off after AC power is restored.
On — The system powers on after AC power is restored.
Last — The system returns to the previous state after AC power is restored.
Auto Power On
(Off default)
Disables or selects when to automatically turn on the computer.
Off — Do not use the Auto Power Time.
Everyday — Turn the computer on every day at the time set in Auto Power Time.
Weekdays — Turn the computer on Monday through Friday at the time set in Auto Power Time.
NOTE: This feature does not work if you turn off your computer using a power strip or surge protector.
Auto Power Time
Specifies the time to automatically turn on the computer.
Change the time to automatically turn on the computer by pressing the up- or down-arrow key to increase or decrease the numbers, or type the numbers in the appropriate time field.
NOTE: This feature does not work if you turn off your computer using a power strip or surge protector.
Suspend Mode
(S3 default)
Specifies the power management suspend mode.
S1 — The computer resumes more quickly from sleep mode.
S3 — The computer conserves more power when not in use (system memory remains active).
Maintenance
Service Tag
Displays the system service tag.
Load Defaults
This setting restores the computer's factory-installed default settings.
Cancel — Do not restore factory-installed default settings.
Mark all entries — Mark all event log entries as read (R).
Clear log — Clear all event log entries.
NOTE: Once an event log entry is marked as read (R) that entry cannot be marked as unread (U).
POST Behavior
Fastboot
(On default)
Enables or disables the option to speed up the boot process by skipping some compatibility tests.
Off — Do not skip any steps in the boot process.
On — Boot quickly.
Numlock Key
(On default)
Enables or disables the numerical and mathematical features of the rightmost bank of keys on the keyboard.
Off — Right keypad keys function as arrows.
On — Right keypad keys function as numbers.
POST Hotkeys
(Setup & Boot Menu default)
Specifies the function keys to display on the screen when the computer starts.
Setup & Boot Menu — Display both messages (F2=Setup and F12=Boot Menu).
Setup — Display the setup message only (F2=Setup).
Boot Menu — Display the Quickboot message only (F12=Boot Menu).
None — Neither message is displayed.
Keyboard Errors
(Report default)
Enables or disables keyboard error reporting when the computer starts.
Report — Display any keyboard errors.
Do not report — Do not display any keyboard errors.
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 make sure 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 Dell ResourceCD, 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).
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 extended periods 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 make sure that your device is bootable, check the device documentation.
Locate the 2-pin password jumper (PASSWORD) on the system board (see System Board
Components), then remove the jumper plug and set the plug aside.
Close the computer cover.
Connect your keyboard and mouse, then connect your computer and monitor to electrical outlets and
turn them on.
After the Microsoft® Windows® desktop appears on your computer, turn the computer off:
Click Start, then click Turn Off Computer.
In the Turn off computer window, click Turn off.
The computer performs a shutdown of the operating system, and then turns off.
NOTE: Ensure that the computer is off and not in a power management mode. If you cannot shut down the computer using the operating system, press and hold the power button for 4 seconds.
Disconnect the keyboard and mouse, then disconnect the computer and monitor from their electrical
outlets.
Press the power button on the computer to ground the system board.
NOTICE: To connect a network cable, first plug the cable into the network wall jack and then plug it into the computer.
Connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and then turn them on.
NOTE: In system setup (see Entering System Setup), both system and administrator password options appear as Not Set. The password feature is enabled but a password is not assigned.
Clearing CMOS Settings
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in the Product Information Guide.
NOTE: This procedure does not clear or reset system and setup passwords.
