Understand and configure your computer's BIOS

[Andrew]

BIOS, for Basic Input Output System, is this little piece of program that allows your computer to provide functions such as booting the machine or the detection of various components connected to your motherboard, as the graphics card, your keyboard or mouse.

But it may contain a range of options and features much more complex, turning around the overclocking or setting up a RAID stack, among other things. That is why we decided to develop this guide you will learn more about this aspect of your computer.

Summary:

System Information
Devices
Processor and memory
Some other commands

There are three major manufacturers, American Megatrends, Award and Phoenix, first two are less present on your motherboard that the . Free projects are also being renovated as Coreboot and we are not talking about the two historical BIOS for PowerPC as PREP and CHRP. In addition, each manufacturer of the motherboard can also change the BIOS. Finally, some options are highly dependent on the material used, particularly CPU and RAM. All this implies the existence of a large number of different versions and we could therefore not giving every detail. That's why you may find this guide features which do not always cover your motherboard.

Navigating a BIOS :

Ways to achieve differ depending on the BIOS manufacturer of your motherboard. So you will be most often use the F2 or Delete. At Gigabyte, there has been little mention of a BIOS 'advanced', actually a way to hide the most sensitive options, which are activated via the shortcut CRTL + F1. Similarly, some manufacturers provide a combination of buttons dedicated to a utility to update the BIOS, but this is beyond our purpose.

Navigation in the BIOS is a much more homogeneous, the controls are practically the same from one manufacturer to another, from one motherboard to another.
To change an option: + / --
Access through: F1
Getting around in the menus: Arrows
To save the configuration and restart: F10
To load the settings without failure: F8 (Fail-Safe Defaults)
To choose the optimized parameters: F6 (Optimized Defaults)
Finally, to exit the BIOS, a menu or a sub-menu: ESC


Some precautions :

The first advice is simply to restore the factory settings in your BIOS. You can do this to remove the battery from your motherboard a few moments to restore the default settings. Some recent motherboards are also equipped with a dedicated button, available on the motherboard or on the back of it, next to the connector. For older cards, it also remains the possibility to play with the positioning of a jumper (jumper). You can find this information in the manual of your motherboard. Note that it is obviously advisable to carry out these manipulations in which previously put off the computer.

Alternatively, use the functions provided for this purpose within your BIOS. On those type of Phoenix, you should use the F9 key to restore the default constructor. Of the type Award BIOS, pressing the F5 key restores the previous settings, pressing F6 restores the default values and the F7 key allows to restore the default settings provided by the manufacturer of the motherboard.

[Andrew]

Information on the machine:

• Date or Date System: Neither more nor less than the date that your operating system. A BIOS that is not the correct date may be the source of many worries, like a virus that refuses to update, for example.
• Time and System Time: After the date, time of the system. You can change the values using keys + and -.
• IDE Channel (Access Mode, CHS, LBA, Large, Auto): This is the mode operation of an IDE hard disk; leave on Auto most of the time, but the disks are detected each time you start the computer, which extends even this step. Then everything depends on how you formatted your hard disk. These modes specify how the cylinders are used and sectors of the disk.
• Floppy 3 Mode Support (Disabled, Drive A): Keep Disabled, this option is only of interest if you live in Japan.
• Halt On (All, But Keyboard - All, But Disk / Key - All, But Diskette - No Errors - All Errors): Changes after what type (s) (s) problem (s) the boot must fail. The option "All, but Keyboard allows you to have the hand, even concern.
• System Information: This screen delivers all sorts of useful information such as BIOS version, the model of processor you use, its frequency, amount of RAM onboard ...

Temperature control :

• CPU Monitor : set to "Temp", the active probe that monitors the temperature of your processor. Indispensable if one wishes to have a view on this data in its operating system, or if one wants to benefit from automatic when the motherboard allows.
• MB Temperature : Same comment as for the processor.
• CPU Warning Temperature (Disabled, 60, 70, 80, 90 ° C): Sets from what temperature your computer will notify you of its overheating.
  
  
  Control of fans :
  
  
• CPU Fan Speed : Displays the speed of the fans connected to the motherboard to check if one is defective. Keep an eye on this value also helps to know when a good cleaning is needed, because then you will see a steady decline in performance of your fan because of the dust that accumulates.
• CPU Fan Fail Warning : On Enable, warns you that the CPU fan is not running, or not fast enough. It's a good idea to leave this option enabled unless you have a fan running voluntarily idle.
• CPU Smart Fan Control : On the motherboard that allow this option, if enabled, to adjust the fan speed of the processor depending on the temperature of the latter.
• Current System Fan Speed (value ignored): Specifies the speed of the fan connected to the connector "System Fan" on your motherboard.
• System Fan Fail Warning (Enable / Disabled): As for the CPU, can warn of rotations too weak or nonexistent fan system.
• System Smart Fan Control or Q-Fan Control : Select this option to have the motherboard automatically modulates fan speed according to system temperature.
• Power Fan Speed (Ignored, N / A, value): Give the fan speed of power supply when the latter and the motherboard are compatible.
• Chassis Fan 1 Speed : the speed of the fan connected to a connector on the motherboard other than CPU or System.
• Chassis Q-Fan Control : Allows control the fans on the case, they are connected to a compatible motherboard.
• CPU Smart Fan Mode : Manages the way the CPU fan is regulated. For the PWM mode, the connector from your fan should be 4 pins. This mode allows more flexible control to obtain the best results in terms of silent operation.

Control voltages :

• Voltage or CPU vCore (Ignored, value): Gives the value of the voltage of electricity provided to the processor.
• DDR (Ignored, value): Provides an indication of the value of the voltage level of memory locations.
• 3.3 V Voltage (Ignored, value): The rail is 3.3 V to power the USB ports on your motherboard. If you have any problems with them, check this value.
• 5V Voltage (Ignored, value): Controls the output voltage of your power supply on the 5V rail, which is used for hard drives and optical drives.
• 12V Voltage (Ignored, value): The 12V is used to power the processor. The stability of this voltage is very important, especially for those who push their machine into a corner.

[Andrew]

Processor :

This is probably the most interesting part of the configuration of a BIOS that allows you to see what your equipment on the contrary to make it as stable as possible. Start with the settings specific to the processor.
CPU Ratio Setting or CPU Clock Ratio: Multiplied by the FSB, this should give you the frequency of your processor. This is not always the case, we shall see later.

• CPU Frequency: This is the frequency at which your CPU operates.
• Intel Turbo Boost Technology (Enabled, Disabled): Available for Intel processors based on Nehalem architecture, this technology allows the CPU to operate at a frequency higher than that given by calculation Multiplier X FSB. Note that the frequency reached depends on the number of cores enabled.
  
• CPU Cores Enabled: This option allows enabling or disabling hearts for Quad-Core as the latest generation AMD Phenom or Intel Core i7.
  
• CPU Multi-Threading (Enabled, Disabled): Option specific to Intel processors. The Multi-Threading is supposed to increase the processing speed of the CPU when playing on parallel instructions. Particularly effective programs.
  
• CPU Enhanced Halt or C1E Support (Enabled, Disabled): Available from Prescott Intel, this method allows to lower the CPU frequency when it is idle. Requires Windows XP SP2.
  
• C3/C6/C7 State Support (Enabled, Disabled): The support for these patterns of consumption management allows even finer than the C1E option.
  
• CPU EIST Function (Enabled, Disabled): Technology which lowers the multiplier when the processor is not requested.
  
• Bi-directional PROCHOT: Mechanism of protection of the processor off the computer if the temperature of the processor becomes too large.
  
• Intel Virtualization Tech (Enabled, Disabled): Allows you to the operation of multiple applications or operating systems so as to prevent their interaction.
  
• CPU TM Function (Enabled, Disabled): Protection of the processor in case of overheating. The voltage drops, the frequency decreases so as to let the CPU cool.
  
• Execute Disable Bit (Enabled, Disabled): If the option is enabled, the processor distinguishes between the codes to be executed who should not be. This is a protection against worms and other viruses.
  
• Intel SpeedStep Tech (Enabled, Disabled): Technology that allows the processor to adjust its frequency and the tension that runs through it depending on the user's request.
  
• AMD K8 Cool & Quiet Control (Enabled, Disabled): The equivalent of the previous technology for AMD.
  
• QPI Link Speed: QuickPath Interconnect. For processors based on Intel Nehalem architecture as the Core i7. Bus developed by Intel to replace the FSB.
  
• BCLK Frequency: For the latest Intel processors, it was no more FSB but Base Clock. This is one of the most important parameters to change when you try to overclock the processor.
  
• PCIE Frequency (100, modifiable value 1 to 1): Changes the frequency of the PCI Express bus. It is not advisable to conduct such an operation without knowing precisely what you do.
  
• FSB Strap to North Bridge (Auto, 200, 266, 333, 400 MHz): This setting own Northbridge influence the latency of memory access (and not the latency of memory). In theory, the more the value goes up, the more we can increase the FSB. But stability problems can quickly arise.

Memory:

• DRAM Frequency: The frequency with which your working memory. This value can not be changed here, because this frequency by changing the settings you have imposed, the FSB for example.
  
• DRAM Timing Control (Auto, Manual): Select Manual if you're seeking more control over the latency of your memory, ie its ability to respond quickly to requests.
  
• CAS # Latency or Tcl: (3 to 11 DRAM Clocks): This parameter lets you control the time (measured in clock cycles) it takes for the memory to read the data once it has received. Higher this value is low, the better the performance. This is particularly important in stability of the machine, especially when overclocking.
  
• DRAM RAS # to CAS # Delay tRCD : The data stored in memory are listed in tables consisting of rows and columns. This option reduces the delay between the insertion of a row and a column in these tables. More time is short, the better the performance.
  
• DRAM RAS # precharge or TRP: (3 to 18 DRAM Clocks): This option allows you to specify the number of clock cycles required to accumulate information in the columns of the "memory table" before the refresh memory.
  
• DRAM RAS # Activate to precharge or tRAS (3 to 18 DRAM Clocks): Number of clock cycles between activation of an order and preload that follows. You can find this value by the following amount tRAS = TCL + tRCD + 2.
  
• Refresh Row Cycle Time or tRFC (Auto, 20, 25 ... 85, 105, 132 DRAM Clocks): The delay between a Refresh command and the next command must be greater than or equal to this time. This setting should not be set too low.
  
• Write to Read Delay or tWTR (Auto, 1 to 15 DRAM Clocks): Number of clock cycles between the last valid write operation and the next read command within the same module.
  
• Read to Read Delay or TRTR (Auto, 1 to 15 DRAM Clocks): Laps of time between two operations of reading.
• Write to Write Delay or tWTW (Auto, 1 to 15 DRAM Clocks): Time between two read commands within the same module.
  
• All Pre to Act Delay (Auto, 1 to 15 DRAM Clocks): Time lag between a precharge command and its actual activation.
  
• DRAM Static Read Control (Auto, Disabled, Enabled): Allows you to slightly increase the performance of the memory, but solicit significantly modules. Its effects are felt more at frequencies that are not very high.
  
• Command Option (Auto, Disabled, Enabled): Option to dynamically compensate for any desynchronizing during transfers of data within the RAM.
  
• Extreme Memory Profile: Technology developed by Intel to facilitate overclocking. Predefined profiles and recognized by the motherboard to perform the operation by avoiding operations tests.

[Andrew]

Command Option

• 1st Boot Device : Allows you to choose the first element on which the machine will look for a boot sector. This can range from a removable device (a USB key ...) to a hard drive via the DVD player. You can also choose the second and third boot devices.
• Quick Boot : Activate this option to not see certain messages at startup and go use some checks.
• Full Screen Logo : Some manufacturers do not hesitate to display large logo on your screen every time you start your computer, disable this option to not display.
• AddOn ROM Display Mode : Allows Force (BIOS) or not displaying the information to start the RAID module.
• Bootup Num-Lock : Select this option for the start of the keypad locked. Wait For 'F1' If Error (Enabled, Disabled), If the system detects an error at startup, it shows or not, depending on whether or not this option, wait for a confirmation from you via the F1 key.
• Hit 'DEL' Message Display : Allows or not to display the message indicating that the BIOS is accessible via the DELETE key.

Power Options :

• Suspend Mode (Auto, S1 (POS) Only, S3 Only): Energy Management during a pause. In S1, the CPU is stopped, the memory is refreshed, the machine is in sleep state. In S3, the CPU is stopped, and the memory is refreshed as little as possible.
• ACPI 2.0 Support (Enabled, Disabled): This option is to start to enjoy the latest technologies in energy conservation (Cool n'Quiet AMD, Intel SpeedStep).
• ACPI APIC Support (Enabled, Disabled): Activate this option also energy management oldest.
• APM Configuration : Other power management that is rarely used at present. Restore on AC Power Loss or AC Back Function (Power Off, Power On, Last State), Choose the behavior of your BIOS in case of voltage drop significantly.
• Power On By RTC Alarm (Enabled, Disabled): Ability to turn on your computer to a set time (for RTC Real Time Clock).
• Power On By External Modems (Enabled, Disabled): Activate this option to be able to turn on your computer remotely via your modem and the sending of the famous "magic packet".
• Power On By PCI Devices : Starting the PC via a PCI card.
• Power On By PCIE Devices : Similarly, with a PCI-Express.
• Power On By PS / 2 Keyboard (Disabled, Space Bar, Ctrl-Esc, Power Key): Turn on your computer by simply pressing the space bar or another shortcut on your keyboard.
• USB Wake Up from S3 (Enable / Disabled): Wake up a computer into standby type S3 via USB.
• Power On By Mouse (Disabled / Double click): Turn on your computer via a double click of your mouse.

Other options

Here are some menus and submenus that fell into any category and primarily concern the registration of the BIOS settings or load existing settings.
Load Fail-Safe Defaults: Loads the default settings that ensure maximum stability at the expense of performance.
Load Setup Defaults: Loads the default settings in the BIOS. Necessary when you're not sure of the stability of your machine.
Load Optimized Defaults: Loads the settings optimized for your hardware. The risk of instability is minimal, but the performance can be improved further.
Save & Exit Setup or Exit & Save Changes: Saves your settings and restart the computer.
Exit Without Saving or Exit & Discard Changes: Do not reflect your changes and restart the machine.
Discard Changes: Deletes the changes after the last backup of your BIOS.