Whenever you make repairs to a desktop computer or install upgrade components, you should configure the computer's Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) settings. Whether you are installing a new motherboard or simply adding a hard drive, you might have to configure settings not automatically detected by the BIOS. Furthermore, when installing a new motherboard, you must configure time and date settings, as well as load system default values for hardware detection and boot sequence priority. Configuring the settings and BIOS values on a motherboard with the Phoenix/Award Modular BIOS takes only minutes.
Instructions
1. Turn on the computer. As soon as you see the motherboard's initial boot or post screen, begin tapping the "Delete" key repeatedly until you see the BIOS menu screen on the display. Enter the BIOS system password if prompted.
2. Press the arrow keys on the keyboard to move the cursor to the "Standard CMOS Features" menu option. Press the "Enter" key.
3. Verify that the system time and date settings in the BIOS are correct. If you need to adjust the time and date settings, press the arrow key to go to the value that needs changed. Press the "+" and "-" keys to adjust the settings for the time or date. Press the "Esc" key after you finish changing the time and date values.
4. Scroll to the "IDE Primary Master" option field, then press the "Enter" key. Navigate to the "IDE Primary Slave," "IDE Secondary Master" and "IDE Secondary Slave" fields in sequence and press the "Enter" key for each. This action allows the system BIOS to detect IDE hard drives and optical drives installed in the computer.
5. Verify that the "Drive A" option is set to "1.44M, 3.5 in" if you have a floppy drive in the computer. Alternatively, set the value to "None" if the PC does not have a floppy drive installed.
6. Press the "Esc" key on the keyboard to return to the main BIOS setup screen.
7. Press the "F7" key to configure "Optimized Default Settings" for the motherboard automatically.
8. Press the "F10" key to save the BIOS settings and exit the configuration utility. When prompted to confirm changes to the BIOS settings, press the "Enter" key. The computer will restart automatically. Allow the computer to boot into Windows or install a new operating system.
Tags: time date, BIOS settings, date settings, press Enter, time date settings, Award Modular, floppy drive