Chapter 4 Award BIOS This chapter tells how to configure the system parameters. You may update your BIOS via AWARD Flash Utility. Important: Because the BIOS code is the most often changed part of the mainboard design, the BIOS information contained in this chapter (especially the Chipset Setup parameters) may be a little different compared to the actual BIOS that came with your mainboard.
AWARD BIOS 4.1 Entering the Award BIOS Setup Menu The BIOS setup utility is a segment of codes/routines residing in the BIOS Flash ROM. This routine allows you to configure the system parameters and save the configuration into the 128 byte CMOS area, (normally in the RTC chip or directly in the main chipset). To enter the BIOS Setup, press during POST (Power-On Self Test). The BIOS Setup Main Menu appears as follows. Tip: Choose "Load Setup Defaults" for recommended optimal performance.
AWARD BIOS 4.2 Standard CMOS Setup The "Standard CMOS Setup" sets the basic system parameters such as the date, time, and the hard disk type. Use the arrow keys to highlight an item and or to select the value for each item. Standard CMOS à Date To set the date, highlight the Date parameter. Press current date. The date format is month, date, and year. or to set the Standard CMOS à Time To set the time, highlight the Time parameter. Press or to set the current time in hour, minute, and second format.
AWARD BIOS Tip: For an IDE hard disk, we recommend that you use the "IDE HDD Auto Detection" to enter the drive specifications automatically. See the section "IDE HDD Auto Detection". Standard CMOS à Drive A Standard CMOS à Drive B Drive A None 360KB 5.25" 1.2MB 5.25" 720KB 3.5" 1.44MB 3.5" 2.88MB 3.5" These items select floppy drive type. The available settings and types supported by the mainboard are listed on the left.
AWARD BIOS 4.3 Advanced BIOS Features This screen appears when you select the option "BIOS Features Setup" from the main menu. Advanced BIOS Features à Virus Warning Virus Warning Enabled Disabled Set this parameter to Enabled to activate the warning message. This feature protects the boot sector and partition table of your hard disk from virus intrusion.
AWARD BIOS Advanced BIOS Features à CPU L2 Cache ECC CPU L2 Cache ECC Enabled Disabled This item lets you enable or disable L2 Cache ECC checking. Advanced BIOS Features à Quick Power On Self Test Quick Power on Self test Enable Disabled This parameter speeds up POST by skipping some items that are normally checked. Advanced BIOS Features à First Boot Device First Boot Device A: LS/ZIP C: SCSI CDROM D: E: F: LAN Disabled This parameter allows you to specify the system boot up search sequence.
AWARD BIOS Advanced BIOS Features à Third Boot Device Third Boot Device A: LS/ZIP C: SCSI CDROM D: E: F: LAN Disabled This parameter allows you to specify the system boot up search sequence. The hard disk ID are listed below: C: Primary master D: Primary slave E: Secondary master F: Secondary slave LS: LS120 Zip: IOMEGA ZIP Drive Advanced BIOS Features à Boot Other Device Boot Other Device Enabled Disabled This parameter allows you to specify the system boot up search sequence.
AWARD BIOS Advanced BIOS Features à Typematic Rate (Chars/Sec) Typematic Rate 6 8 10 12 15 20 24 30 This item allows you to control the speed of repeated keystrokes. The default is 30 characters/sec. Advanced BIOS Features à Typematic Delay (Msec) Typematic Delay 250 500 750 1000 This parameter allows you to control the delay time between the first and the second keystroke (where the repeated keystrokes begin). The typematic delay settings are 250, 500, 750, and 1000 msec.
AWARD BIOS 4.4 Advanced Chipset Features The "Chipset Features Setup" includes settings for the chipset dependent features. These features are related to system performance. Caution: Make sure you fully understand the items contained in this menu before you try to change anything. You may change the parameter settings to improve system performance. However, it may cause system unstable if the setting is not correct for your system configuration.
AWARD BIOS Advanced Chipset Features à SDRAM RAS Precharge Time SDRAM RAS Precharge Time 3 2 The RAS Precharge means the timing to inactive RAS and the timing for DRAM to do precharge before next RAS can be issued. RAS is the address latch control signal of DRAM row address. The default setting is 3 clocks. Advanced Chipset Features à Video BIOS Cacheable Video BIOS Cacheable Enabled Disabled Allows the video BIOS to be cached to allow faster video performance.
AWARD BIOS Advanced Chipset Features à On-Chip Video On-Chip Video Enabled Disabled This item is used to enable or disable the onchip AGP. Advanced Chipset Features à On-Chip Video Window Size On-Chip Video Window Size 64MB 32MB This item is used to select graphic display cache window size. Advanced Chipset Features à Cas# Latency Cas# Latency 2 3 Cas# Latency is an important parameter that affects SDRAM performance. If the system fails to bootup, please set this item to 3.
AWARD BIOS Advanced Chipset Features à RAS# Precharge RAS# Precharge Slow Fast 3-12 This item will affect SDRAM performance. If the system fails to bootup, please set this item to Slow.
AWARD BIOS 4.5 Integrated Peripherals The following screen appears if you select the option "Integrated Peripherals" from the main menu. This option allows you to configure the I/O features. Integrated Peripherals à On-Chip Primary PCI IDE Integrated Peripherals à On-Chip Secondary PCI IDE On-Chip Primary PCI IDE Enabled Disabled This parameter lets you enable or disable the IDE device connected to the primary IDE connector.
AWARD BIOS Integrated Peripherals à IDE Primary Master UDMA Integrated Peripherals à IDE Primary Slave UDMA Integrated Peripherals à IDE Secondary Master UDMA Integrated Peripherals à IDE Secondary Slave UDMA IDE Primary Master UDMA Auto Disabled This item allows you to set the Ultra DMA/33 mode supported by the hard disk drive connected to your primary IDE connector. Integrated Peripherals à USB Controller USB Controller Enabled Disabled This item lets you enable or disable the USB controller.
AWARD BIOS Integrated Peripherals à AC97 Modem AC97 Modem Enabled Disabled The item is used to enable or disable the AC97 modem. If disabled, an AMR modem card can’t work properly. Integrated Peripherals à IDE HDD Block Mode IDE HDD Block Mode Enabled Disabled This feature enhances disk performance by allowing multisector data transfers and eliminates the interrupt handling time for each sector. Most IDE drives, except with old designs, can support this feature.
AWARD BIOS Integrated Peripherals à KB Power On Password KB Power On Password You can specify 1-5 keys as a password. Integrated Peripherals à Hot Key Power On Hot Key Power On Ctrl-F1 Ctrl-F2 Ctrl-F3 Ctrl-F4 Ctrl-F5 Ctrl-F6 Ctrl-F7 Ctrl-F8 Ctrl-F9 Ctrl-F10 Ctrl-F11 Ctrl-F12 If you select “Hot Key” option in “Power On Function” Item, you need to specify a hot key here.
AWARD BIOS Integrated Peripherals à Onboard Serial Port 1 Integrated Peripherals à Onboard Serial Port 2 Onboard Serial Port 1 Auto 3F8/IRQ4 2F8/IRQ3 3E8/IRQ4 2E8/IRQ3 Disabled This item allow you to assign address and interrupt for the board serial port. Default is Auto. Note: If you are using a network card, make sure that the interrupt does not conflict.
AWARD BIOS Integrated Peripherals à RxD, TxD Active RxD, TxD Active Hi, Hi Hi, Lo, Lo, Hi Lo, Lo This item is used to select RxD (Receive Data) and TxD (Transmit Data) mode for UART, for instance, IR device, modem, etc. Normally, we suggest you keep the default setting. Please see the documentation that comes with your device.
AWARD BIOS Integrated Peripherals à EPP Mode Select EPP Mode Select EPP1.7 EPP1.9 This item lets you select EPP mode. Integrated Peripherals à ECP Mode Use DMA ECP Mode Use DMA 3 1 This item lets you set the DMA channel of ECP mode. Power Management à PWRON After PWR-Fail PWRON After PWRFail Former-Sts On Off A traditional ATX system should remain at power off stage when AC power resumes from power failure.
AWARD BIOS Integrated Peripherals à MIDI Port IRQ MIDI Port IRQ 5 7 3-20 This item is used to assign an IRQ for the MIDI port.
AWARD BIOS 4.6 Power Management Setup The Power Management Setup screen enables you to control the mainboard green features. See the following screen. Power Management à ACPI Function ACPI Function Enabled Disabled If your OS is ACPI enabled you have to set this item to Enabled, or there may be unexpected errors. If your OS is APM mode, you can remain the Disabled setting.
AWARD BIOS Power Management à Video Off In Suspend Video Off In Suspend No Yes The item is used to decide whether the video is off in the suspend mode. Power Management à Suspend Type Suspend Type PWRON Suspend Stop Grant You can select suspend mode by this item. If PWRON Suspend is selected, the CPU will enter into Doze mode. If Stop Grant is selected, the CPU clock will enter into Sleep mode. In both of these modes, the system activities are detected by monitoring the IRQ signals or I/O.
AWARD BIOS Power Management à HDD Power Down HDD Power Down Disabled 1 Min ..... 15 Min This option lets you specify the IDE HDD idle time before the device enters the power down state. This item is independent from the power states previously described in this section (Standby and Suspend). Power Management à Soft-Off by PWR-BTTN Soft-Off by PWRBTTN Delay 4 sec. Instant-Off This is a specification of ACPI and supported by hardware. When Delay 4 sec.
AWARD BIOS Power Management à Resume By Alarm Resume By Alarm Enabled Disabled This option lets you enable or disable the RTC Wake Up function. Power Management à Date (of Month) Date (of Month) 0 1 ..... 31 This item is displayed when you enable the Wake On RTC Timer option. Here you can specify what date you want to wake up the system. For Example, setting to 15 will wake up the system on the 15th day of every month.
AWARD BIOS 4.7 PNP/PCI Configurations The PNP/PCI Configuration Setup allows you to configure the ISA and PCI devices installed in your system. The following screen appears if you select the option "PNP/PCI Configurations" from the main menu.
AWARD BIOS PNP/PCI Configuration à PCI/VGA Palette Snoop PCI/VGA Palette Snoop Enabled Disabled 3-26 Enabling this item informs the PCI VGA card to keep silent (and to prevent conflict) when palette register is updated (i.e., accepts data without responding any communication signals). This is useful only when two display cards use the same palette address and plugged in the PCI bus at the same time (such as MPEQ or Video capture).
AWARD BIOS 4.8 PC Health Status The PNP/PCI Configuration Setup allows you to configure the ISA and PCI devices installed in your system. The following screen appears if you select the option "PNP/PCI Configurations" from the main menu. PC Health Status à CPU Warning Temperature CPU Warning Temperature Disabled 50 53 56 This item is used to specify a CPU warning temperature.
AWARD BIOS 4.9 Frequency/Voltage Control The PNP/PCI Configuration Setup allows you to configure the ISA and PCI devices installed in your system. The following screen appears if you select the option "PNP/PCI Configurations" from the main menu. Frequency/Voltage Control à Clock Spread Spectrum Clock Spread Spectrum Enabled Disabled This item is used to set clock spread spectrum for EMI testing. Normally, you don’t need to change the default setting.
AWARD BIOS 4.10 Load Setup Defaults The "Load Setup Defaults" option loads optimized settings for optimum system performance. Optimal settings are relatively safer than the Turbo settings. All the product verification, compatibility/reliability test report and manufacture quality control are based on "Load Setup Defaults". We recommend that you use this settings for normal operation. "Load Setup Defaults" is not the slowest setting for this motherboard.
AWARD BIOS 4.12 Set Password Password prevents unauthorized use of your computer. If you set a password, the system prompts for the correct password before boot or access to Setup. To set a password: 1. At the prompt, type your password. Your password can be up to 8 alphanumeric characters. When you type the characters, they appear as asterisks on the password screen box. 2. After typing the password, press Enter. 3.
AWARD BIOS 4.16 Save EEPROM Defaults You may use this item to save your own settings into EEPROM. Then, if the data in CMOS is lost or you forget the previous settings, you may use "Load EEPROM Default " to reload. 4.17 How to Upgrade the BIOS AOpen Easy Flash is more user friendly than traditional flash method. The BIOS binary file and flash routine are combined together and you simply run a single file to complete the flash process. 1. Get new BIOS upgrade program from AOpen's web site.
