The average PC user rarely deals with fine-tuning the device using the BIOS interface. However, it is very useful to know what this option is for.
Many owners of modern PCs, despite the “untwisted” and high performance devices, are still interested in the principles of their work. They want to learn how to go into the BIOS and configure certain hardware and software components.
BIOS: what is it
BIOS (you can write in Russian: BIOS) is an abbreviation. It means basic in-out system, that is, it is the basic system that controls I / O. It prescribes the key algorithms of the PC hardware components, and also sets the basic settings that ensure the functioning of the programs.
BIOS installation is usually carried out at the facilities of the manufacturer of the motherboard. Advanced IT professionals have the skills to install an I / O system at home. In their arsenal may be software and hardware for flashing and even flashing the BIOS. Of course, they do not need a simple user. But maybe today's simple user wants to someday become advanced? Is it possible that the BIOS system will interest him so much that he wants to learn how to reinstall it on his own? Probably not. Therefore, we continue our excursion into the functional specifics of the I / O system.
BIOS exists almost independently of hardware and software installed on a PC. The algorithms of the input-output system are prescribed in a small chip that is built into the motherboard. This component is complemented by another module designed to store data. It is called CMOS and is also a chip. That is, the user can make changes to the BIOS algorithms, and they will be remembered by the system. Maintaining the health of the microcircuit is carried out using a small power source (“battery”), that is, independently from the PC power supply.
How long does the BIOS battery last?
The average life of a BIOS power supply is 5-6 years. As soon as this component fails, a CMOS-checksum error will appear on the computer screen. Further loading of the PC, as a rule, is possible at the same time, but the settings critical for the optimal operation of the computer and operating system will not be fixed. That is, the PC will work, but, most likely, slowly and with “freezes”.
There are no problems with replacing the BIOS “battery”. It is inexpensive and sold at most computer centers. The procedure for replacing a component can be completely done at home. And if you still trust the master, then he will most likely take quite a bit for his work, since the “battery” changes very simply, literally in a minute.
BIOS views
As a rule, PC manufacturers do not write BIOS control modules independently, but buy ready-made software algorithms. The main IT companies that deliver these solutions to the market are AWARD, AMI, and Phoenix. There are very few fundamental differences between different versions of BIOS. As a rule, they consist in the design of the program interface of the system and some of its functions. Different versions of BIOS have almost the same capabilities in terms of managing PC hardware components and fine-tuning them.
How to get into the BIOS interface?
We pass from theory to practice. Too many users simply don’t know how to get into BIOS. Although in theory they have a good idea of the operation of the input-output system.
How can PC users read BIOS settings and make changes to them? Very simple. You need to enter the system interface. The input algorithm is usually determined by the manufacturer of the PC or motherboard.
In most cases, to enter the BIOS interface, immediately after turning on the computer, press the DELETE key.
There are options in which a similar function is performed by the F2, Esc keys or combinations (such as, for example, pressing CTRL, ALT and INS simultaneously).
In almost all cases, a hint is displayed on the screen - what exactly needs to be pressed in order to enter the BIOS. Usually in English (for example, like this: press INS to enter BIOS). Sometimes, however, prompts appear for a very short period of time, literally a second or two. In some cases, the word BIOS in the on-screen text is replaced by the term SETUP.
How to enter the BIOS web interface, we looked. But what is the practical significance of such actions? How to get into BIOS in order to optimize PC performance?
What settings can be changed in the BIOS
The degree to which computer settings are subject to change is determined by the manufacturer. It happens that a brand opens a minimum of BIOS settings. Or, vice versa - it allows using the system interface to make a variety of changes to the configuration of hardware and software components of a PC.
Most often, the BIOS is needed to solve the following problems.
- The task of starting a PC from various media. A computer almost always boots an operating system from a hard drive. Accordingly, by default in the BIOS, the programmed start of the PC is from the hard drive. But in some cases, the user may need to start the computer not from the hard drive, but, say, from the DVD. Or, for example, from a flash drive. Then you can set the following parameter by going to the BIOS interface: booting from a DVD. In practice, such a function is most often used if the computer is infected with a virus, and downloading from the hard drive is impossible. Another option is to install an operating system other than Windows (for example, Unix) from the boot disk.
- Solving PC hardware issues. In some cases, the hardware installed on the computer starts to malfunction. Very often this is due to insufficiently optimal BIOS settings. The IT specialist or the user himself, acting according to the manual, can, using the BIOS interface, set the necessary parameters.
- Setting a password to boot the PC. This is one of the most popular features. By activating it, the user can protect the entrance to his computer with a password. Hacking it is very difficult. Reliability of protection is very high: without entering the correct password, loading the OS or at least gaining access to the computer’s disks will fail.
Is the BIOS the same on PC and laptop?
As mentioned above, there are three of the most common BIOS versions in the world. Despite the wide range of models and technical designs of computers, on each of them there will be, one way or another, only one of the three possible modifications of BIOS. Thus, if we buy a PC, and in a nearby store a laptop, then with high probability they will have the same BIOS version installed. The sequence of user actions that allows you to enter BIOS on a laptop will be similar to that applicable to desktop PCs.
At the same time, many IT specialists note that for BIOS-interfaces installed on laptops, as a rule, fewer settings are open than for similar systems programmed in microchips on a PC. Although, according to experts, everything is determined by the policies of a particular manufacturer.
We work with BIOS: practice
Many users are concerned about the question: how to configure BIOS without affecting the parameters critical for the system? How to find the right area of the system interface? Now we will try to answer these questions.
Getting used to the BIOS interface is not difficult. Consider the basic features of the system on the example of working with Award BIOS on a desktop computer.
So, turning on the PC and pressing the DEL key (or others that are programmed by the computer manufacturer), we get into the BIOS interface. How to get into BIOS, we understood. Next, we will study the location of the controls on the I / O system interface.
Before our eyes, the BIOS settings screen opens. Choosing the right ones is very simple: the arrows on the keyboard are used for this (as a rule, you can use all four of them). In order to open one or another option, you need to press ENTER.
In the event that the user inadvertently made changes to settings that he does not understand, then you can cancel all the actions by pressing F9 (works in most interfaces).
In order to, in turn, save the changes made to the settings, press F10 (and then ENTER to confirm the action).
Now let's see how you can use functions from among those that we noted above as the most popular. How to configure BIOS with an emphasis on the practical significance of the actions taken?
In order to specify the source from which the computer will boot, we should select the BOOT option in the BIOS interface. When we select it, a column will appear on the screen, in which various storage media will be displayed from top to bottom: hard disk (HDD), DVD, Flash, etc. The computer starts loading from the component that is displayed in the very top line.
The default is HDD. If we want the download to go from DVD, then using the auxiliary keys (usually “+”, less often page up), we move the media name to the top line.
To set a password to boot the PC, select the option Set Supervisor Password.
We set a password (preferably in English, it does not matter case) and confirm it.
Having finished working with the BIOS interface, we can either record all the changes we have made using the F10 key, or cancel them by pressing F9. A similar function is performed by the Exit Saving Changes and Discard Changes options, respectively.
Using the BIOS is quick and easy. But it’s important not only how to exit to BIOS and with which keyboard shortcuts to change and save settings. The main thing is not to overdo it with experiments on making changes to critical parameters for a computer.
BIOS Successor: UEFI
BIOS has been used on computers of various configurations for more than two decades. It is being replaced by new technologies. Among those that, according to experts, have the greatest chance of success is the UEFI system.
One of the most high-tech companies in the world is ASUS. In motherboards manufactured by this brand, the standard BIOS is replaced by an innovative interface. Let's see what features are in the platform, which has become an alternative to BIOS, ASUS. PC setup - how complicated is it in UEFI? Or, conversely, easier? Is it harder to run UEFI compared to how to get into BIOS?
UEFI Features
The basic functionality of the innovative PC control system is not much different from what BIOS has. The developers put the main emphasis on the convenience of using the interface so that even beginners can easily understand the intricacies of setting up algorithms.
In particular, there are modes in the UEFI interface for ASUS motherboards , after which you can optimize your PC very quickly. They are called: Power Saving (that is, working with energy savings), Normal (normal mode) and Optimal (performance optimization).
The UEFI interface for ASUS has a tab called Ai Tweaker. In it, the user can find a large number of options that allow you to very finely configure the hardware components of the computer. In particular, you can set frequencies for the processor, change voltage levels, etc.
The Power Management section is also interesting, in which you can configure the energy saving settings of a PC.
So, an example of a company actively using an alternative to BIOS is ASUS. Setting up an innovative UEFI software interface is not much more complicated than in BIOS (and, according to a number of experts, it’s even easier). The extent to which the market will take a positively new PC component management system, the IT community will most likely understand in the coming years. It is unlikely that the only company that decided to abandon the use of traditional BIOS is ASUS. Surely, among the manufacturers of computer equipment there are other brands seeking to use the most modern technology in their work. At the same time, it is possible that such a company as, for example, the HP BIOS, will be preferred to be seen as the leading platform for managing the software and hardware components of computers.
Recommendations for working with BIOS
Since BIOS is a system that allows you to control your computer as part of low-level settings, IT specialists do not recommend newcomers to make significant changes to the corresponding BIOS parameters. There are cases when users unknowingly set values in the PC settings that turned out to be completely incompatible with the hardware capabilities of the device. Experiments with frequencies, voltage levels and other parameters that affect the performance of the hardware are not recommended by specialists.
The main types of tasks for which it makes sense to open the BIOS interface, we have listed. It is extremely rare for a situation (when using a PC at home) when there is a need to go beyond the scope of the instructions. And if this happens, it is preferable to turn to the masters who have sufficient professional qualifications and experience.
At the same time, it is possible and even necessary to study BIOS interfaces for informational purposes. By opening a different setting, the user can, by opening detailed instructions, study what this or that option is responsible for, thereby increasing its level of knowledge regarding the principles of PC operation.