Bios Default Settings

BIOS Questions that don't belong in the other forums. Read them!
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roconnor
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2004 11:38 pm

Hi, I am totally new to computing and have been given an old computer for me to learn Linux, my chosen operating system.
I understand that the bios settings are not correct and would like to know how or if indeed I can return the bios to it's default settings.
The bios in my computer is as follows:
Award Plug and Play BIOS Extension V1.OA
Ref : i 440BX-W977TF-2A69KC39C-00
The Motherboard is a Chaintech 6-BTM
Also I notice that the computer is difficult to turn off and emits 3 short beeps when I press the on/off button.
The only way I am able to turn it off is by the switch on the back of the tower
cabinet.
Many thanks,
roconnor
Ritchie
BIOS Guru
Posts: 761
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 5:17 am

By difficulty in turning off the computer do you mean the physical operation of the power button? On an ATX system if you want to power off the system manually instead of letting Windows power down the system when it shuts down you often need to hold down the power button for up to five seconds or so. Unless you cannot shut down normally it is better practise to avoid powering off using the power button, as depending on what the system is doing you could introduce hard disk corruption or possibly other problems.

The 3 beeps when you operate the power button do sound unusual - I don't know whether a BIOS setting could cause this. You could have a possible related problem there.

You mention an AWARD BIOS - Usually with an AWARD BIOS you access the setup by pressing the DEL key early in the boot process during POST tests (memory tests, drive detection, etc.). Once you are in the BIOS setup you will be presented with a menu and there should be one or more options allowing you to load defaults. If there is more than one defaults option I find that the option furthest down the list usually loads the defaults that offer the best settings, which I find usually work fine if there are no hardware problems with the system. I often find that further BIOS settings customisation is desirable in some areas, such as turning on PnP support and so on, but just see if you can get as far as loading the defaults to start with.

Hope this helps and hopefully I have explained things simply enough for a new computer user. Be interested to hear if you go OK with this advise and any other advise that others offer.
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