Using the BIOS setup utility

The Basic Input Output System (BIOS) is responsible for enabling the hardware system on your computer when the computer is turned on. The BIOS Setup Utility makes it possible to change and store system configuration settings such as: enabling and disabling onboard components, setting the boot sequence for the system, and adjusting power management support.

To open the BIOS Setup utility, turn on the computer and immediately press the F10 key repeatedly, about once every second, until the BIOS setup utility screen opens.

Choose menu screens by pressing the left or right arrow keys. Use the up or down arrow keys to move up or down through the list of items on a menu screen. Press the Enter key to select an item. For certain items, pressing the Enter key opens a submenu. After you have selected a menu item, use the arrow keys to modify the settings. Press the Esc key to exit from a submenu. Help is shown on the right side of the screen.

Main menu settings

Main menu screen showing first page of settings

The following table shows the values and settings for the Main screen menu:

Main menu	Settings or displayed information
System Date	Displays current date in Ddd, MM/DD/YYYY format
System Time	Displays Current time in HH:MM:SS format.
Language * This sets the language used by the BIOS Setup Utility only, not Windows.	English (US) Français Español
Floppy Diskette A	Not Installed Disabled 720KB 3.5" 1.44MB 3.5" 2.88MB 3.5"
First Channel Device 0, Device 1, etc...	If a drive is installed and recognized, the name of the drive displays. Otherwise, None is shown. Click the name of a drive, to open the drive submenu (see Drive Settings table ).
Installed Memory	Displays the total amount of RAM that the system is able to recognize.
Memory Bank 1, 2, etc...	Displays the amount of RAM installed in the corresponding DIM socket.
BIOS Core Version	Displays BIOS Core version number.
BIOS Revision	Displays the current BIOS revision number and date the BIOS was revised.

Drive Settings submenu (from main menu)	Settings
IDE HDD Auto-Detection	Press Enter to automatically detect the hard drive size, head, etc.
IDE Channel 0 Master	None Auto Manual
Access Mode	CHS LBA Large Auto
Cylinder	Displays drive cylinder.
Head	Displays drive head.
Precomp	Displays drive precomp.
Landing Zone	Displays drive landing zone.
Sector	Displays drive sector.
SMART Support	Not Supported.

Advanced menu settings

Advanced menu screen showing first page of settings

The following table shows the values and settings for the Advanced screen menu:

Advanced menu	Settings or displayed information
CPU Type	Displays the name and type of processor.
CPU Speed	Displays the speed of the processor.
CPU Cache RAM	Displays the amount of cache memory.
Plug and Play OS	No Yes
Reset Configuration Data	Disabled Enabled
Primary Video Adapter	PCI PCIEx
PS/2 Mouse	Disabled Enabled Auto Detect
Local Bus IDE Adapter	Disabled Primary Secondary Both
Onboard SATA-1 Adapter	Disabled Enabled
Onboard SATA-2 Adapter	Disabled Enabled
USB Legacy Mode Support	Disabled Enabled Auto
Onboard LAN	Disabled Enabled
Onboard 1394	Disabled Enabled
Onboard Audio	Auto Disabled (use this setting if an audio card is installed) Enabled
Supervisor Password	Disabled Enabled * To change this setting, see Change Supervisor Password.
User Password	Disabled Enabled * To change this setting, see Change User Password.
Change Supervisor Password	Select to enter a password. * Entering a password enables the Supervisor password and allows you to set a User password. Pressing Enter with no password disables the Supervisor password.
Change User Password	Select to enter a password. * This setting displays only after the Supervisor password has been set. Entering a password forces everyone to enter this password when they try to open the BIOS setup utility in the future. Entering no password disables the user password and allows anyone to enter the BIOS without a password.
I/O Device Configuration	Click to open the I/O device submenu (see I/O Device Configuration table ).
Onboard Audio	Enabled Disabled Auto
Hardware Monitor	Click to open the hardware monitor submenu (see Hardware Monitor table ).

I/O Device Configuration submenu (from advanced menu)	Settings
Onboard Parallel Port	Disabled 378/IRQ7 178/IRQ5 3BC/IRQ7
Parallel Port Mode	SPP EPP1.9+SPP ECP EPP1.9+ECP PRINTER EPP1.7+SPP EPP1.7+ECP
ECP Mode Use DMA	1 3

Hardware Monitor submenu (from advanced menu)	Settings
Fan Control	Disabled Enabled
Fan High Temp	Default is 65. Enter a temperature between 30 and 89.
Fan Med Temp	Default is 60. Enter a temperature between 30 and 89.
Fan Low Temp	Default is 55. Enter a temperature between 30 and 89.
CFan High Volt. (00-3fh)	Enter a hexidecimal number between 0000 and 003F.
CFan Med Volt. (00-3fh)	Enter a hexidecimal number between 0000 and 003F.
CFan Low Volt. (00-3fh)	Enter a hexidecimal number between 0000 and 003F.
SFan High Volt. (00-3fh)	Enter a hexidecimal number between 0000 and 003F.
SFan Med Volt. (00-3fh)	Enter a hexidecimal number between 0000 and 003F.
SFan Low Volt. (00-3fh)	Enter a hexidecimal number between 0000 and 003F.

Power menu settings

Power menu screen showing first page of settings

The following table shows the values and settings for the Power screen menu:

Power menu	Settings or displayed information
After AC Power Failure	Power On Stay Off Auto
RTC Alarm Resume	Disabled Enabled
Date (of Month)	Enter a number between 0 and 31.
Resume Time (hh:mm:ss)	Enter a number between 0 and 23.

Boot menu settings

Boot menu screen showing first page of settings

The following table shows the values and settings for the Boot screen menu:

Boot menu	Settings or displayed information
Boot-time Diagnostic Screen	Enabled Disabled * Enabling this function replaces the HP or Compaq logo screen with a boot screen that quickly displays startup status messages.
Boot Device Priority: 1st Boot Device 2nd Boot Device 3rd Boot Device 4th Boot Device	Selecting Boot Device Priority opens a submenu to select the order of the types of bootable devices checked by the system. That is, if the CD-ROM group is selected as the 1st Boot Device, then the system will check the CD/DVD drive first to see if it contains any bootable discs. A device group will display Not Installed if there are no devices of that group installed in the system. If a device is available, you can enable or disable the group. Device groups are: Floppy Group CD-ROM Group HDD Group Network Group

Exit menu settings

Exit menu screen

The following table shows the values and settings for the Exit screen menu:

Exit menu selections	Function
Exit Saving Changes	Saves all changes made in the other screens and exits the BIOS setup utility.
Exit Discarding Changes	Exits without making any changes to the BIOS.
Load Setup Defaults	Restores any changes that were made to the original default values.
Discard Changes	Removes any changes that were made to the BIOS for this session. The BIOS Setup Utility remains open.
Save Changes	Saves any changes that were made to the BIOS for this session. The BIOS Setup Utility remains open.