I can only change the date and time. BIOS has a Setup utility stored in the BIOS flash memory. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. When the PC is powered back on, BIOS retrieves that same stored data. "I didn't know anything about BIOS and needed to boot from USB, and this article helped me a lot.". The BIOS depends on your computer's hardware. This is called the machine folder.. By default, this machine folder is located in a common folder called VirtualBox VMs, which Oracle VM VirtualBox creates in the current system user's home directory. In Dell you need to download new BIOS from their website and then copy it to your system restore drive and restart computer by setting booting from USB. Don't change any settings that you aren't sure about. This is … How do I change the boot drive when changing my computer's BIOS settings? Under AutoComplete, click on Settings. The BIOS is where you get the option to boot up with the logo; unfortunately, not every BIOS offers the option to eliminate that. The BIOS uses CMOS technology to save any changes made to the computer's settings. It's BIOS that's responsible for the POST and therefore makes it the very first software to run when a computer is started. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. The CMOS and Real-Time Clock (RTC) required an electric charge to maintain their settings. When you start your computer, the computers boots the BIOS, which configures your hardware before handing off to a boot device (usually your hard drive). Once you press that key, then select the drive you want to boot from. Resetting the BIOS. ( A CP/M machine usually has only a simple boot loader in its ROM.). When you enter the CMOS setup utility (as in the previous question) and make changes, where are your settings stored? Jill boots an older Pentium III system that has been the cause of several user complaints at the office. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. It's best to start pressing the setup key as soon as the computer begins to restart. Check the BIOS key legend to see which key is the "Save and Exit" key. UEFI has better compatiblity with newer hardware. Firstly, if you can’t enter the BIOS because of a password, make sure to read our article on how to reset a BIOS password.. Once you’re in BIOS, you can try to hit either the F9 or F5 keys to bring up the Load Default Options prompt. The BIOS settings are stored in the CMOS chip (which is kept powered up via the battery on the motherboard). If you see "Press [key] to enter setup" or something similar flash across the bottom of the screen and then disappear, you'll need to restart and try again. The Basic Input-Output System (BIOS) is an essential set of routines in a PC, which is stored on a chip on the motherboard. You'll typically use the "F" keys to access the BIOS. This program is not a part of your computer’s operating system (Windows). The BIOS is where all the hardware is checked and you see plain alphanumeric text zip by on the screen before the operating system starts. These settings are stored in a battery powered CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) chip, which maintains the settings when the laptop is off. Your computer's BIOS settings may be significantly more limited than another computer's BIOS settings. UEFI is meant to become the new standard for BIOS. The Basic Input Output System ... the processor on the motherboard always executes the program stored in the BIOS as its first major maneuver. Press A after pressing your default key to open bios. Maybe -- it depends on what person or website it's from. The configured data is provided with context-sensitive Help and is stored in the system's battery-backed CMOS RAM. See Chapter 3, “Motherboard Components,” for typical BIOS chip and CMOS battery locations on current systems. This article has been viewed 1,226,258 times. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,226,258 times. That might mean managing memory settings, configuring a new hard drive, changing the boot order, resetting the BIOS password, or other tasks. Supported memory modules contain two different XPM profiles which provide different levels of … If all your BIOS items are grayed out (but you can still access it), you probably have the administrator (or setup) password set. 3. Click on Manage Passwords. A useful task is to check the boot order. UEFI has better compatiblity with newer hardware. Actually, BIOS firmware is stored in the ROM on PC motherboard. The BIOS is special software that interfaces the major hardware components of your computer with the operating system. The computer will reboot but enter the BIOS at the end instead of bringing you to the login screen. Access You can access the Dell Inspiron's BIOS utility by pressing the "F2" key on the laptop keyboard as … Hard drives connected to the IDE interface Figure 3.7 A typical standard setup screen. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b5\/Change-Computer-BIOS-Settings-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Change-Computer-BIOS-Settings-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b5\/Change-Computer-BIOS-Settings-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid78437-v4-728px-Change-Computer-BIOS-Settings-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"