Abit BE6 User Manual download pdf (Page 31)

Introduction of the BIOS 3-1

User’s Manual

Chapter 3. Introduction of the BIOS

The BIOS is a program located on a Flash Memory chip on the motherboard. This program

will not be lost when you turn the computer off. This program is also referred to as the

“boot” program. It is the only channel for the hardware circuit to communicate with the

operating system. Its main function is to manage the setup of the motherboard and interface

cards parameters, including simple parameters such as time, date, hard disk drive, as well as

more complex parameters such as hardware synchronization, device operating mode,

CPU

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features and setup of CPU speed. The computer will operate normally,

or will operate at its best, only if all these parameters are correctly and optimally configured

through the BIOS.

Do not change the parameters inside the BIOS unless you fully understand

their meanings and consequences.

The parameters inside the BIOS are used to setup the hardware synchronization or a

device’s operating mode. If the parameters are not correct, they will produce errors, the

computer will crash, and sometimes you will even not be able to boot the computer after

it has crashed. We recommend that you do not change the parameters inside the BIOS

unless you are very familiar with them. If you are not able to boot your computer

anymore, please refer to the “CMOS Discharge Jumper” in Section 2-4, Chapter 2.

When you start the computer, it is controlled by the BIOS program. The BIOS first operates

an auto-diagnostic test called POST (Power On Self Test) for all the necessary hardware, it

then configures the parameters of the hardware synchronization, and detects all the

hardware. Only when these tasks are completed does it give up control of the computer to

the program of the next level, which is the operating system (OS). Since the BIOS is the only

channel for hardware and software to communicate, it is the key factor for system stability,

and in insuring that your system performs at its best. After the BIOS has achieved the

auto-diagnostic and auto-detection operations, it will display the following message:

PRESS DEL TO ENTER SETUP

The message will be displayed for three to five seconds, if you press the

Del

key, you will

access the BIOS Setup menu. At that moment, the BIOS will display the following screen:

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Abit BE6 User Manual Page 31