Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
4.
PresstheappropriatekeytoentertheBIOSSetupwhenprompted.BecausethePOST
in modern motherboards is so fast, it is easy to miss the time you are supposed to
press the key, so I usually start tapping the key repeatedly just a second or two after
powering on. In some cases this may generate a keyboard error message, which you
can ignore as the BIOS Setup screen appears. You should now be in the BIOS Setup.
If you didn't press the key in time, reset the system and try again.
5.
Check the BIOS version reported on the main Setup screen and ensure that it is the
latest version. If it isn't, now would be a good time to install the updated flash BIOS
image. The easiest method to do a BIOS upgrade on newer systems is via a bootable
CD containing the BIOS image. To do this, on another system visit the motherboard
manufacturer website and download the bootable CD image (*.ISO) file. Burn this
image to a CD, and then place the CD into the optical drive of the new system and
reset it. Follow the prompts on the screen to complete the BIOS update.
Note
Many motherboards do not support bootable CD BIOS upgrades via SATA optical drives. In
that situation, you need to temporarily install a PATA optical drive to complete the upgrade,
or perform the upgrade via one of the other available procedures, such as via a Windows-
based executable or a bootable USB flash drive.
6.
Check the various BIOS Setup screens to ensure your processor and memory are be-
ing properly recognized and supported. Check CPU type, speed, cache, total RAM,
dual channel mode, and so on.
7.
Disable any ports or devices that will not be used, such as serial ports, parallel ports,
consumer infrared ports, and so on.
8.
Check to see that all the installed drives are being detected.
9.
Check the Drive Configuration. Ensure that the system is set to AHCI at a minimum,
or even better, ensure that it is set to RAID mode. I recommend RAID mode even
if you don't plan to use RAID because it includes all AHCI functionality and allows
for a future RAID migration without having to reinstall the OS or drivers. This is
called “RAID Ready.” Set the IDE (backward compatible) mode if you are installing
anolderOSthat doesnothaveAHCIorRAIDdrivers. This will unfortunately reduce
driverperformancebecauseadvancedSATAfeaturessuchasNCQ(NativeCommand
Queuing) will be disabled. Note: you cannot use IDE mode with an SSD.
10.
Check Fan Control and Hardware Monitoring (called PC Health on some systems)
toseethatallfansarebeingrecognizedandthatthefansarereportingproperrotation-
al speeds. Also observe component temperatures. Note that some components such as
