CMOS

CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semi-Conductor)

You can amendment hardware configurations that are keep within the CMOS, or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor.

CMOS Setting


To perform its tasks, the BIOS got to grasp varied parameters (hardware configuration). These are for good saved in an exceedingly very little piece (64 bytes) of CMOS RAM (short: CMOS). The CMOS power is equipped by a bit battery, thus its contents won't be lost once the laptop is turned off. Therefore, there's A battery and a tiny low RAM memory on board, that ne'er (should...) lose its data. The memory was in earlier times a locality of the clock chip, currently it’s a part of such a extremely Integrated Circuit (IC). CMOS is that the name of a technology that wants terribly low power that the computer’s battery isn't an excessive amount of in use.

Your PC’s performance are often extremely stricken by the CMOS settings. the rationale for this can be that the CMOS setup permits you to specify how briskly your laptop reads from memory, whether or not or not your cache is enabled or disabled, whether or not or not your CPU’s cache is enabled or disabled, how briskly your PCI bus communicates with its device cards, and loads a lot of. For a lot of data on optimizing these performance settings, in addition, the CMOS setup permits you to specify disc drive and memory configuration. so as for your disk drive to figure together with your system, it should be organized within the CMOS setup. The exception to it rule is SCSI drives with device cards, as most have their own inbuilt BIOS. Floppy drives are often setup within the CMOS as well; a: are often created to be b: in several systems, and different configuration choices are often modified similarly.

Getting Into CMOS setup

Before you'll be able to begin BIOS configuration, it's necessary to induce into the BIOS Setup Utility. As computers become a lot of powerful and quicker, that the boot up has become quicker. In fact, Microsoft currently has what's referred to as fast Booting during which their systems boot up at intervals seven seconds.

The BIOS Setup Utility is entered throughout the booting-up of the system. You enter by pressing the right key. which means you have got to act terribly quickly so as to enter BIOS. Luckily, the employment of the Pause button (upper right-hand corner of the keyboard) will facilitate. the primary issue you want to do is to get what letter or key on the keyboard you want to press (at precisely the right time) so as to induce into BIOS. Wouldn’t you recognize, every manufacturer uses a distinct key. The one you would like to use may be F1, F2, Alt, Ctrl, or the other key. throughout boot up, the BIOS entrance page can flash on the screen for a second or 2. you will have to be compelled to boot up once or double simply to possess enough time to appear around that page and see that key they require you to use to enter BIOS. it'll be declared terribly clearly on the screen and is commonly (not always) within the lower left corner. once you recognize the key, then you’ll be able to press the key at simply the proper time to enter BIOS.

Design Variations :

Each manufacturer additionally contains a totally different style and arrangement to its BIOS Setup Utility. Therefore, use the subsequent list of BIOS settings solely as a rough guide.

General Rule :

There are many approaches to Bios settings. Some prefer to use BIOS settings to form their system run precisely the method they like. there's actually benefit to it approach. However, this can be associate degree initial configuration of BIOS, thus it's knowing take a conservative approach.

For the aim of this configuration, solely use default settings once potential. several BIOS Utilities have a Default Section wherever you'll be able to set all default settings mechanically while not the requirement to attend to individual settings. It’s a decent plan to use it. you'll be able to use your mouse or use the keyboard for picks, exploitation the Enter key, Escape key, and arrow directions. BIOS assistance is sometimes at Alt+H.

Standard CMOS Setup -

Make sure that:
  • The date and time are correct.
  • The disk Drive is about to one.44MB, 3.5 inches.
  • Video is about to VGA/EGA.
  • In HALT choose ON to prevent the laptop from repeatedly rebooting.
  • Set IDE for Auto-Detection. IDE can either get on the setup menu or on its own menu.(Only some BIOS have this.) Perform associate degree IDE Auto-Detection currently.

Advanced BIOS Settings -

The following are often enabled or disabled.
  • The Virus Program - modify or disable as you would like.
  • Cache - Enable; and additionally, if on the market, modify error correction code Error Checking.
  • Quick POST - If you allow your laptop on most of the time, disable. If you switch your laptop off daily, enable.
  • Boot Sequence -In some versions you will choose choices. In different versions you have got separate settings for “First Boot Device”, “Second Boot Device”, and so on. If your System Boot is on the O/S Installation CD, then for 1st|this primary} boot-up set CDROM as first, disk drive as second, and A: Drive as third. However, if your System Boot is on disk, then set A: Drive as initial, disk drive as second, and fixed storage as third.
  • Swap Floppy Drives - this can be sometimes disabled. solely modify if you have got 2 floppy drives and you would like to assign the A and B drive letters interchangeably.
  • Fast A20 Gate - Leave at default.
  • Typematic Rate Settings - Disable. This deals with the speed by that holding a keyboard character down produces recurrent characters on the screen.
  • Boot Numlock - modify.
  • CPU Serial variety - Privacy buffs disable it. This identifies the electronic equipment serial variety in Intel CPUs.
  • Video BIOS Shadow - Disable or default.

Advanced Chipset Settings -

You should not got to trouble with this section. However, some basic settings ar provided for your data. you will modify or disable the following:
  • Chipset Special options - (If available) Disable.
  • L2 Cache Size - (If available) Set to match size of your external cache.
  • DRAM Parity Checking - modify providing exploitation parity memory.
  • DRAM Parity/ECC Mode - choose that one you're exploitation.
  • DRAM Clock management - Set to the speed of the system bus,which ought to be the default. At a later time, some super-tweaker sorts could like fiddling with the settings during this section. grasp what you’re doing before dynamical these settings. A wrong setting will cause harm.
  • DRAM Frequency - Set to the speed of your memory (such as 166).
  • AGP Mode - Set to “uto.” If on the market. Otherwise, leave at default.
  • AGP Aperture - Sets the number of memory house on the market for graphics. Set to sixty four MB, this can be ordinarily fine.

There will presumably be more choices obtainable to you. it's best to depart these alone a minimum of for the initial boot-up, and perhaps best left alone for good.

Power Management :

This is for stylish tweaking, that we tend to don't seem to be doing currently. Your manual can best describe the various choices obtainable, if you're interested. except for currently, and perhaps forever, leave at default (disable) as obtainable.

Integrated Peripherals :

Enable the ports you propose to use, disable the ports you propose to not use:
  • IDE Ports - change if you'll use each.
    - Device choices is also available; if therefore,set to motor vehicle once potential.
    - change IDE pre-fetch providing your IDE interface supports it, that presumably it will.
    - change IDE HDD Block Mode if your disk drive supports it, most new drives do.
  • USB - Enable, if used.
  • Serial & Parallel Ports - change, if used.Set the interface mode to ECP, EPP, or both. If you don’t grasp that to choose, leave at default.
  • Motherboard Integrated Hardware - If not controlled by jumpers, you'll change or disable video, sound, or network hardware as you would like.
  • Expansion Card Hardware - If you're exploitation one or additional enlargement cards and your motherboard additionally has constant choices, you wish to disable the motherboard choices to permit the utilization of the enlargement cards.

PnP/PCI Configuration -

This section controls aspects of “Plug-n-Play” and therefore the PCI bus. Most picks ought to be left at default; however two merit your attention:
  • PnP OS put in - change or “Yes”. this enables you to run “Plug-n-Play” programs.
  • Reset Configuration information - typically set to Disabled. However, if a system reconfiguration has antecedently caused a significant error that rendered the O/S un-bootable, you'll would like to change this feature. it'll change you to reset the Extended System Configuration information (ESCD) after you exit BIOS setup. this enables you to feature hardware and package while not hassle.

PC Health :

Also well-known by different names, this section monitors some terribly basic operational settings, like voltage levels, fan speed, internal processor temperature. In some versions you'll set the temperature at that the pc would mechanically clean up.

SoftMenu / Frequency-Voltage management -

This is to be used by those with “jumperless” motherboards. This section permits you to regulate laptop settings associated with minute voltage settings, hardware multiplier factor choice, and therefore the system bus speed. Leave all settings at default or motor vehicle.

This is the section that might even be employed by those desire to overclock their ADP system

Defaults :

In several BIOS versions, a couple of clicks can set all default settings mechanically while not your ought to attend to individual settings. Some versions provide “Fail-safe” defaults additionally as “Optimized” defaults. If a Default section is out there in your BIOS version, be at liberty to use it.

Passwords :

Select amendment positive identification choice to set new positive identification. currently system prompts

Enter New positive identification : *******

Retype New positive identification : *******

New positive identification put in, press any key to continue.

To Finish :

  • Click “Save”
  • Make positive your O/S Installation Disk with System Boot is within the drive, or the floppy System Boot Disk is in Drive A:.
  • Exit BIOS Setup Utility. this can mechanically boot your machine
  • You have currently finished BIOS configuration