Introduction
In other words, the BIOS is a crucial component of any computer. If its options are set incorrectly, the BIOS could slow your computer sown by as much as 40%. Unfortunately, as new processors and motherboard chip sets are released, BIOS options continue to get even more confusion. As a result, many seasoned technicians are still baffled by the jargon-laced are confusing options available in a modern computer's BIOS setup program.
Keep in mind that changing a PC's BIOS settings incorrectly can cause teh PC malfunction. If this happens, a BIOS reset will nedd to be performed to return to the default. This is usually activated by a jumper on the motherboard, which is easier said then done with many laptops!
Most PC's briefly display a message describing how you can enter "setup," the program where BIOS settings are adjusted. You're allowed only a few moments to press the required key before your operating system starts to load. To enter your BIOS, turn on the PC and hold down, or press repeatedly, the key required to enter setup. On most PCs this is the DEL key, the F1 key or the F2 key. If your PC will not enter setup using those keys and/or does not display the message described above when first turned on, you will need to refer to your documentation or contact your PC manufacturer for support.
If is recommended that you reboot after each individual BIOS settings change to ensure that your system functions normally. If you make numerous changes before rebooting, and your system will no longer boot, you won't know which change is responsible for the failure.
Main Options
Let's start with the BIOS Main Options Menu, found by clicking on the "Main" tab in the uppr left-hand corner.
Just below there you set the date and time you can define the specifies of your hard drives and other storage devices installed in the PC. Each time the PC boots, it most likely has to auto-detect and determine what storage devices are installed on the system. While this takes only a second or two on most systems, if you define these specifies rather than use auto-detection, your bottom-up will be that much quicker.
To do this, simply select the drive,usually by highlighting it and pressing Enter. Then write down the numbers currently displayed for the Cylinders, Heads, Sectors, and LBA. On some BIOS's, you'll also have options for Block Mode as well as 32-bit Transfer Mode. Change the drive type from AUTO to USER. Then key those numbers and options in exactly as they were displayed. On most modern computers, you will want LBA Mode, Block Mode, and 32-bit Transfer Mode all turned ON for your hard disk drive, even if they weren't before.
If there is no device attached to any one of the Four possible drive location combinations, select NONE. For example, if you have one hard drive configured as a Primary Master and one CD-RW configured as a Secondary Master, be sure to set both the Primary and Secondary Slave options to NONE. If you leave the AUTO setting where there is no device, the computer will always look if a device is plugged in at that location each time the computer boots. by changing this setting to NONE, the computer will boot slightly faster.
Advanced Featurees
Next select the Advanced tab on the top of the screen to show advanced options, which are broken into sub-menuss. The first branch is labeled "Advanced BIOS Features.
Boot Virus Detection : Enable. Sometimes this is located under the Standard or Main section of some BIOS. While boot sector viruses are no longer the major threat they once were, enabling this feature will protect your data should you boot from an infected floppy disk or CD-ROM.
CPU Level 1 Cache : Enabled.
CPU Level 2 Cache : Enabled.
Quick Power On Self Test : Enabled. This will skip the repetitve merory count that occurs when you turn on your PC; chances are that if you really do have bad memory, this basic test won't catch it anyway.
First, Second, or Third Boot Device : Set your boot order, and disable any boot device here that you do not want to boot from.
Boot Other Device : Disabled, unless you are booting from a network or SCSI card.
Boot Up Floppy Seek : Disabled. It's a waste of time and a noise maker.
Boot Up NumLock Status : Your choice. Some folks like the NumLock on their keyboard activated when Windows starts, while others want it disabled.
Gate A20 Option : FAST. While this feature is made more or less obsolete by Windows XP, I still recommend you leave it on. Older versions of Windows and OS/2 perform better with the parameter set to FAST. The only reason I can imagine someone would set it to normal would be if they are running DOS.
Typematic Rate Setting: Disabled. Your choice, really. This feature deremines how long the keyboard waits when holding down a key until it starts repeating it, and how fast that happens.
APIC Mode : Enabled. This is the Advanced Pragrammable Intereupt Controller, which is responsible for multi-processor support, more IRQs, and faster interrupt handling.
OS/2 Onboard Memory > 64 M : Disable. This setting only applies to users running the now defunct OS/2 operating system form IBM.
Full Screen LOGO show : Your Choice. When enabled, the memory count and Power-On Self-Tes (POST) are hidden behind a "curtain"- a graphic logo. For example, when you first turn on a Gateway computer, you migh see GATEWAY in big letters across - the way most computers look when you first turn them on before the operating systrem begins to load. Computers look when you first turn them on before the operating system begins to load. some people prefer to hide the POST screen, while others prefer to always see it.
POST Complete Report : Your choice. This setting, when enabled, will display the results of the POST.
Speech POST Reporter : Your choice. This setting, when enabled on a PC with speakers, will "talk" over your speakers at boot time to tell you the status of the POST. The voice quality is a far cry from that of the computers on Star Trek, but some people think it's cool.
