BIOS Settings

At this point the computer is sitting at the BIOS main menu, the "CMOS Utility menu". We're ready to setup the rest of the BIOS parameters. By now you're somewhat familiar with navigating around the CMOS Utility Menu with the arrow keys and using the keypad plus "+" and minus "-" keys to change values, so I'll simply list the values I use.

The table below shows the BIOS settings I am using on the MSI K8N Neo Platinum motherboard in My Super PC. Italics indicate values that are not updateable, although they might be under different BIOS settings.

For more information about BIOS settings, the BIOS optimization guide available from Adrian's Rojak Pot is excellent. Actually the manual for the MSI K8N Neo Platinum is quite good in regards to the BIOS settings, which is something I can't say about very many motherboard manuals.

Standard CMOS Features

Parameter	Setting	Comments
IDE Primary Master	None
IDE Primary Slave	None
IDE Secondary Master	_NEC DVD_RW ND-3540A	This is the NEC dual format DVD RW.
IDE Secondary Slave	None
IDE Third Master	WDC WD2500JD-19HBC0	This is the Western Digital Caviar SE 250GB SATA hard drive. It's weird how the BIOS still labels these settings "IDE", but there you have it. The SATA hard drive will not appear here unless it is enabled in other places in the BIOS. The SATA interface needs to be enabled under Integrated Peripherals sub-menu under Onboard Device, and the SATA DMA needs to be enabled under the Integrated Peripherals sub-menu.
IDE Fourth Master	None
Drive A	1.44M, 3.5 in	This is the floppy drive.
Video	EGA/VGA
Halt On	All, But Keyboard	Halt on all errors except Keyboard Absent error. This enables the computer to boot without the keyboard plugged in.
CPU Type	AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3400+
BIOS version	W7030NMS V1.4 082604 20:56:50
Total Memory	1048576K	There is a total of 1 GB (gigabyte) of RAM in My Super PC.

Advanced BIOS Features

Parameter	Setting	Comments
Full Screen LOGO Show	Disabled
Small Logo(EPA) Show	Disabled
Hard Disk Boot Priority		Selecting this option by hitting the Enter key allows you to change the boot order of the hard drive devices, including a hard drive configured via an add-on card. If you have only one hard drive like me then there's really not that much to do here.
Virus warning	Disabled	Symantec Norton Antivirus protects My Super PC.
CPU Internal Cache	Enabled	Of course.
External Cache	Enabled	Of course.
Quick Boot	Enabled	Skip Power On Self-Tests (POST) for faster boot.
1st Boot Device	Flopppy Drive	Normally this is set to "Hard Drive", but for now I have it set to "Floppy Drive" since the next thing I'll be doing is to boot from a floppy disk containing a diagnostic utility for the hard drive. When it's set to Hard Drive the computer does not look to see if there's a floppy disk in the floppy drive from which it should boot. This should also be set to Floppy Drive for disaster recovery procedures.
2nd Boot Device	Flopppy Drive	I always have all of the boot devices set to the same thing since I always have only one boot device. Normally this is set to Hard Drive.
3rd Boot Device	Flopppy Drive	Ditto.
Boot Other Device	Disabled	Gives the "ok" for the BIOS to try the Second Boot Device and Third Boot Device if the First Boot Device is a "no-go", but My Super PC just boots from the First Boot Device, which is the hard drive so - Disabled.
Seek Floppy	Disabled	Skipping this check makes the boot go a bit faster.
Boot Up NumLock LED	Off	This item is a matter of personal taste.
Gate A20 Option	Fast	For best performance.
Typematic Rate Setting	Enabled
Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec)	30	6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 24, 30
Typematic Delay (Msec)	250	250, 500, 750, 1000. This is the delay, in milliseconds, before the keyboard automatically repeats the keystroke that you have pressed continuously.
Security Option	Setup	If you have set a password, select whether the password is required every time the System boots, or only when you enter Setup. I don't even have a password set, so it's a moot point.
APIC Function	Disabled	Setting to Enabled can cause instabilities. Once the operating system is installed, such as Windows XP in my case, this setting cannot be changed without reinstalling the operating system, regardless of whether the initial setting is Disabled or Enabled. The purpose of setting it to Enabled is to extend the number of IRQ's, which sounds like a real risky proposition. The number of IRQ's should be fine without being extended.
MPS Version Control For OS	1.4	Not changeable with APIC Mode set to Disabled.
Boot OS/2 for DRAM > 64MB	No	IBM's relic.

Advanced Chipset Features

Parameter	Setting	Comments
AGP Aperture Size (MB)	64M	The BIOS optimization guide reference from Adrian's Rojak Pot above provides a great description of how this should be set and why. A value of 64MB is best for most configurations.
AGP 3.0 Speed	Auto	Other values are 4x and 4x8x. A value of Auto should be fine for the BIOS to use the proper speed of the video card.
AGP 2.0 Speed	Auto	This parameter should appear low-lighted if you're using an AGP 8x video card and probably if you're using an AGP 4x video card. This parameter will be configurable and the one above low-lighted for AGP 1x and AGP 2x video cards.
AGP Fast Write Capability	Auto	For best performance, but set to Disabled if any PCI cards stop working.
System BIOS Cacheable	Disabled	This feature is only valid when the system BIOS (F0000-FFFFF) is shadowed. It greatly speeds up accesses to the system BIOS. However, this does not translate into much better system performance because the OS does not need to access the system BIOS much. As such, it would be a waste of L2 cache bandwidth to cache the system BIOS instead of data that are more critical to the system's performance. In addition, if any program writes into this memory area, it will result in a system crash.

Integrated Peripherals

Parameter	Setting	Comments
IDE Function Setup		Hitting Enter brings up this sub-menu
		Parameter Setting Comments OnChip IDE Channel0 Disabled Since there's no IDE hard drive in My Super PC, this channel needs to be disabled. Otherwise, if it's enabled then Windows XP will fail to install saying that setup could not find the hard drive. Primary Master PIO Auto Not used since I'm using the SATA interface. Primary Slave PIO Auto Ditto. Primary Master UDMA Auto Ditto. Primary Slave UDMA Auto Ditto. OnChip IDE Channel1 Enabled For the second IDE interface, which for My Super PC has the DVD RW on the primary. Secondary Master PIO Auto When the IDE interface does have a drive then set all of these to Auto and let the BIOS determine if each drive is capable of DMA support, and its respective PIO mode. Secondary Slave PIO Auto Ditto. Secondary Master UDMA Auto Ditto. Secondary Slave UDMA Auto Ditto. IDE Prefetch mode Enabled For best performance. SATA1/SATA2 DMA Transfer Enabled I'm using this SATA interface. SATA3/SATA4 DMA Transfer Disabled But not this one. IDE DMA transfer access Enabled
Onboard Device		Hitting Enter brings up this sub-menu
		Parameter Setting Comments RAID Config This item is a sub-menu. I won't list the handful of options in this sub-menu since My Super PC is not configured with RAID. The one setting under this sub-menu for my configuration is IDE RAID with a value of Disabled. This leaves the remaining BIOS settings under the sub-menu low-lighted since they don't apply. OnChip USB V1.1+V2.0 The MSI K8N Neo Platinum supports both USB V1.1 and the newer, faster USB V2.0. USB KB/Storage Support Disabled I'm not using a USB keyboard. USB Mouse Support Disabled Ditto the mouse. SATA1/SATA2 Enabled I'm using a SATA hard drive. SATA3/SATA4 Disabled   AC97 Audio Enabled It can be set to a value of Disabled if you decide to use an add-on sound card. MAC Lan(nVIDIA) Disabled I'm not using the on-board LAN to connect to the internet. Looks like some kind of Apple Computer thing though, doesn't it? VIA OnBoard 1394 Enabled Enables the built-in support for FireWire (IEEE 1394).
Primary Graphic's Adapter	AGP	Causes the AGP display device to be initialized before any other display device, thus making it the primary display device.
Onboard I/O Chip Setup		Hitting Enter brings up this sub-menu
		Parameter Setting Comments Onboard FDC Controller Enabled Enables the Floppy Disk Controller. Onboard Serial Port 1 3F8/IRQ4 Standard IR Function Select Disabled I'm not using an infra-red device. RxD , TxD Active Hi,Lo   IR Transmission Delay Enabled   UR2 Duplex Mode Half   Use IR Pins IR-Rx2Tx2   Onboard Parallel Port 378/IRQ7 Standard. Parallel Port Mode SPP Set this to SPP unless you have a device or printer that specifically requires use of ECP/EPP modes such as a parallel port scanner, zip drive, etc. EPP Mode Select EPP1.7 Not changeable since Parallel Port Mode is set to SPP. EPP Mode Use DMA 3 Ditto.

Power Management Setup

Parameter	Setting	Comments
Sleep State	S1(POS)
Power Management	User Define	This is used to specify the type of power saving to be done on the hard drive. Since I have HDD Power Down set to Disabled, it doesn't matter.
Video Off Method	DPMS Support	Use this setting if you have a PnP capable monitor.
HDD Power Down	Disabled
HDD Down In Suspend	Disabled	Controls whether or not the hard drive is turned off during a Suspend mode.
Power Button Function	Power Off	The other choice is Suspend, so that if the computer is turned off via the power button it actually enters sleep/suspend mode. It can still be powered off by holding the Power Button for four seconds.
After AC Power Lost	Off
Wake-Up Event Activity		Hitting Enter brings up this sub-menu
		Parameter Setting Comments WOL(PME#) From Soft-Off Disabled I don't use soft power off, so I don't need any kind of wake-up signal. Power-On by Alarm Disabled Ditto. Day of Month Alarm 0   Time (hh:mm:ss) Alarm 0 : 0 : 0   S3 wake up by PS2/Keyboard Disabled Ditto. S3 wake up by PS2/Mouse Disabled Ditto.

PnP/PCI Configurations

Parameter	Setting	Comments
Resources Controlled By	Auto (ESCD)	Let the BIOS figure out IRQ's and DMA channels.
IRQ Resources	Press Enter	Inaccessible since I've selected a value of Auto for the previous pararmeter.
PCI/VGA Palette Snoop	Disabled	The VGA "palette" is the set of colors that are in use by the videocard when it is in 256-color mode. Since there are thousands of colors and only 256 can be used in that mode, a palette containing the current colors is used. Some special VGA cards, high-end hardware MPEG decoders, etc. need to be able to look at the video card's VGA palette to determine what colors are currently in use. Enabling this feature turns on this palette "snoop". This option is only very rarely needed. It should be left at "Disabled" unless a video device specifically requires the setting enabled upon installation.

H/W Monitor

Parameter	Setting	Comments
Chasis Intrusion Detect	Disabled	If Enabled then a warning message is displayed if the chassis has been opened.
Smart NB Fan Target	Disabled	Can be used to have the computer automatically adjust the northbridge fan speed (also called the system fan speed) up or down as the temperature changes.
Smart NB Fan Tolerance	5
Smart CPU Fan Target	Disabled	Can be used to have the computer automatically adjust the CPU fan speed up or down as the CPU temperature changes.
Smart CPU Fan Tolerance	5
PC Health Status		Hitting the Enter key will show you the current northbridge (NB) and CPU temperatures and fan speeds, as well as current system voltages. There's nothing that needs to be set.

Cell Menu

Parameter	Setting	Comments
Current CPU Clock	2412	The speed of the AMD Athlon 64 3400+ "Newcastle" processor I have in My Super PC.
Current DDR Clock	200	The speed of the PC3200 (DDR 400) RAM I have in My Super PC.
DRAM Configuration		Hitting Enter brings up this sub-menu
		Parameter Setting Comments Max Memclock (Mhz) Auto Other values are 100, 133, 166 or 200. You can use this setting to limit the clock speed of the RAM. If the RAM has a default speed greater than the value set then it runs at the lower speed. This could be useful if, for example, the RAM being used has a default speed greater than that supported by the system. 1T/2T Memory Timing 2T Best for stability. CAS# latency (Tcl) Auto A memory timing parameter, the lower the value the faster the performance. It's best to use Auto as tinkering with the setting can amount to overclocking the memory and introduce instability. RAS# to CAS# delay (Trcd) Auto Ditto. Min Ras# active time (Tras) Auto Ditto. Row precharge Time (Trp) Auto Ditto.
High Performance Mode	Manual	A value of Manual causes normal parameters to be used for the CPU and FSB. A value of Optimized causes overclocked parameters to be used for the CPU and FSB. I would not recommend overclocking in this manner.
Aggressive timing	Disabled	When Enabled, the memory timing delay is shortened which increases performance. But not that you would notice. While pure RAM tests will show an improvement between 1% and 10% depending on the type of test, my 3DMark05 scores were nearly identical whether Enabled or Disabled, so it doesn't seem worth any risk that may be involved.
Dynamic Overclocking	Disabled	Other values are Private, Sergeant, Captain, Colonel, General and Commander. Each increase in "rank" is one more percent increase in CPU overclocking. Not for the feint of heart or sound of mind.
Spread Spectrum	Disabled	A value of Enabled reduces electromagnetic interference (EMI). But doing so can cause problems with system stability, so that doesn't sound like a very good trade.
HT Frequency	4x
Cool 'n' Quiet	Disabled	I don't use this feature. The idea is this: This feature has the processor run cooler and quieter when it is idle, or at least not very busy. It does this by adjusting the CPU multiplier and voltages to slow down the processor. This also reduces the amount of electricity the computer is using. Perhaps, if the computer is idle a great deal because it is generally left on even when it is not being used, this can be significant. Since the processor is running slower during these times, it runs cooler, and so the computer can automatically reduce the speed of the CPU fan. Since the CPU fan is running slower, it generates less noise, which can be noticeable since the CPU fan is a significant source of noise in the computer. When the computer gets busy, the computer automatically readjust things again. This happens very quickly, within milliseconds. Here's why I don't use it: First, this is a newish feature - it doesn't work under all configurations on all motherboards and can actually cause problems, so I'd rather see it mature a bit - but I'm not aware of any problems with the MSI K8N Neo Platinum in particular. Second, many third-party CPU coolers such as the CPU cooler I recommend run quieter than the stock retail cooler, so the benefit is not as great. Third, it doesn't really do anything, like make the computer run faster or extend the life of the parts - it just reduces noise (which may not be a concern anyway) and then only when the computer is not busy. Fourth, it gives me the heebie-jeebies to think the multipler and voltages are constantly being tinkered with. Nevertheless, this technology sounds like a step in the right direction, so I wouldn't be surprised to see it become routine in the future. For more information: Here is a Cool'n'Quiet Technology Overview. The necessary CPU Driver and Cool'n'Quiet software is available from this page. The Installation Guide is here. There are those who have used Cool'n'Quiet who say this RMClock Utility is better software.
Adjust CPU Ratio	Startup	This setting allows the CPU ratio to be automatically be detected when the computer boots.
Adjust CPU FSB Frequency	200	The value should correspond to the FSB of the processor in the system. So a value of 200 MHz for a 400 FSB processor.
Adjust AGP Frequency	66	This is the only correct value, so use this even over other allowable values such as Auto.
CPU Voltage	CPU Default	It shouldn't be necessary to change this value unless you're experimenting with overclocking.
Memory Voltage	AUTO	Ditto.
AGP Voltage	1.50 V	Ditto.

Ok, that's done. In a moment we'll be saving the changes, exiting the BIOS and re-booting the computer. But first, insert the floppy containing the Data Lifeguard Diagnostics into the floppy drive. We've changed the BIOS settings so that the computer defaults to booting from the floppy drive, so the Data Lifeguard Diagnostics utility will be executed when we get that far if all goes well.

Save all changes and exit the BIOS. This is done with the "F10" key on the MSI K8N Neo Platinum motherboard. The computer reboots after saving the changes. This time when the computer boots, the processor speed should display correctly. The computer will boot from the floppy drive, starting the Data Lifeguard Diagnostics utility.

Common Problems

A problem with the BIOS configuration can manifest itself in many ways and not always right away. That's one reason I make it a point to itemize the BIOS settings I'm using so you'll have a "known good" reference.

After pressing "F10" to save the BIOS parameter values, the computer should reset and re-boot just as when it was first turned on. If it instead powers itself off then you know there's a problem with the BIOS configuration. Or if on re-booting you get a strange message that says something like "Overclocking attempt failed" then you know there's a problem with the BIOS configuration.

In such cases when the problem is immediate and obvious the solution is to undo the offending BIOS setting. If it's not clear which setting is (or might be) causing the problem then you can load the Failsafe Defaults. If the computer no longer boots to the BIOS then you can clear the CMOS manually using the jumper or by removing the battery on the motherboard.

But BIOS settings can cause problems later, too, and these can be more difficult to trace to the BIOS. Fortunately as you'll see on the Windows installation page, installing Windows XP is actually a good stress test for the BIOS settings. Diagnostics and benchmarks that are run as a final check-out of the built computer should also shake-out any instabilities in the BIOS settings. For example, if a graphics benchmarks locks up then it may be due to a BIOS setting. But with these later tests the failure may also be due to other factors, so re-running the benchmark or diagnostic with the Failsafe Defaults loaded to see if that eliminates the problem may be just the first thing you try.

Next: Computer Assembly - Test The Standard IDE Parallel ATA (PATA) Hard Drive
Or:   Computer Assembly - Test The Serial ATA (SATA) Hard Drive

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How To Build A Computer. Step By Step Instructions To Assemble. Skip To Any Assembly Step.

	Parts List [go]
	Tools [go]
	Antistatic Wrist Strap [go]
	Computer Case and Power Supply [go]
	Motherboard [go]
	Processor, CPU Cooler and Thermal Compound [go]
	RAM - System Memory [go]
	Video Card [go]
	Monitor [go]
	Keyboard and Mouse [go]
	Floppy Drive [go]
	Hard Drive [go]
	CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD RW [go]
	Sound Card and Speakers [go]
	Modem [go]
	Install the Processor onto the Motherboard [go]
	Install the CPU Cooler [go]
	Install the RAM - System Memory [go]
	Install the Motherboard into the Computer Case [go]
	Install the Video Card [go]
	Connect the Power Supply to the Motherboard [20-pin Connector  or  24-pin Connector]
	Connect the PN1 and PN2 Indicators to the Motherboard [KS-282 to EPoX 8RDA+  or  Sonata to MSI K8N Neo Platinum]
	Ready the Monitor [go]
	Ready the Keyboard and Mouse [go]
	First Boot [go]
	First Boot Common Problems [go]
	Install the CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD RW Drives [go]
	Install the Hard Drive and Floppy Drive [PATA Hard Drive  or  SATA Hard Drive]
	Connect the Speakers (if using built-in sound) [go]
	Second Boot [PATA  or  SATA]
	Configure the BIOS Parameter Settings [EPoX 8RDA+  or  MSI K8N Neo Platinum]
	Test The Hard Drive [PATA  or  SATA]
	Install a Second SATA Hard Drive For RAID (optional) [go]
	Install the Operating System - Windows XP [on PATA hard drive  or  on SATA hard drive]
	Driver Installation [go]
	How To Copy Big Files From Another Computer Using Just a Floppy Drive [go]
	Install the Modem [go]
	Install the Motherboard Chipset Drivers [EPoX 8RDA+  or  MSI K8N Neo Platinum]
	Install the Monitor Driver [go]
	Install the Video Card Drivers [EPoX 8RDA+  or  MSI K8N Neo Platinum]
	Install the Sound Card and Speakers [go]
	Install System Information Utility - EVEREST [go]
	Diagnostic Test - DirectX [go]
	Speed Test - System Memory (RAM) Performance [go]
	Speed Test - Hard Drive Performance [PATA and SATA results]
	Speed Test - CD Performance [go]
	Speed Test - Total System Performance [go]
	Stress/Torture Tests [go]
	Connect Front Panel Ports For Audio, Firewire and USB 2.0 [go]
	Install Rear Panel Ports For Firewire And USB 2.0 [go]
	Install The Computer Case Fans [go]
	Post Assembly Needs [go]
	Graduation [go]
	Video Card Driver Settings [go]
	BIOS Flash Update [go]
	BIOS Settings [go]

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