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Jtdoom brought up a good point. If you ever HAVE to make adjustments to the BIOS, better take good notes. A quick and convenient method is to use the Print Screen key and print out a copy of the screen you are making the changes on. (Some BIOS's have a Print function built-in). If your particular screen has more settings on a scroll-down menu, then print the screen, scroll down and print again (or just add notes to the original printout. You'll be glad you did.
Bistro, Ok I'll make a copy of that. But makes me think. Is there anything elso that should be hard copied in case the computer went down?
Here's a question I asked earlier that got sandwiched in between a couple of long posts. Some of these simple things can end up confusing someone that is just starting to try and get a handle on how and what. In this case "jumpers". We talk about them a lot on the forums.
"You have talked about jumpers. Is this a wire that you connect two pins together? Please explain what they look like and their function in general. Then what specifically they do in BIOS."
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A jumper is a tiny removable plastic plug that fits over equally tiny pins. Used to close a circuit and to configure a motherboard, hard drive, etc..
Looks like this:
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/99...idg/photo3.gif
The jumper associated with the BIOS is the CMOS (BIOS chip) jumper. It sits on two of three pins. It's used to configure the BIOS to HOLD the settings or to CLEAR itself. Usually the "HOLD" setting is on Pin #1 and 2; but may be 2 and 3 on some mobos--consult the motherboard manual. If the jumper is removed (unplug the system first please...) and placed on Pin #2 and 3 for anywhere from a minute to 10 minutes, the CMOS chip will lose all settings("clearing the BIOS"). (Note it loses the settings, not the BIOS program itself). Why do this? (Glad you asked...). You have to clear the BIOS when you need to do a BIOS flash upgrade or say, you put in a password to enter the BIOS and forgot it. And that's why it's good to have a copy of all those settings you put in the BIOS; to be able to redo those settings quickly--you'll never remember all of them when you get as old as me.
[This message has been edited by bistro (edited 06-29-2001).]
At first I thought to let this ride, since no-one is goin to re-invent warm water...
you see, a jumper is described in the manual
when you have a jumper, the cap is meant to close the circuit between two pins.
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but hey, This is VDr, and someone asked a Question...
so, here goes..
for a description, I took a few lines from here; http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/step/4/
EXCERPT >>
Second, you need to know how to manipulate a jumper. First understand that a motherboard is very configurable. This is done so that it can work with a variety of different hardware configurations. The settings the board uses are governed by which circuits are carrying electricity. Now, we have the jumper, which is nothing more than a pair of pins, each carrying an electric current. When these pins are left in a non-connected state, then the small plastic cap is not placed over them and the circuit is broken. Thus, whatever setting that particular jumper controls is off. This state is called "uncapped" or simply "off". Now, if you place the cap over the two pins, then the circuit is complete, and the configuration of the board changes accordingly. That is the theory behind a jumper.
Now, in the real world, jumpers can be more than two pins. Sometimes a particular jumper, labeled JP1 or something similar, can consist of three or more pins. In this case, the manual will tell you which pins to uncap and which to cap in order to set a particular setting. As long as you understand the manual, you're in good shape.
<<EXCERPT
and this link has a picture http://www.pcguide.com/intro/fun/jump.htm
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I will add my own observation.
there are jumpers and there are pin headers
(the case pin connectors are a good example)
you should always find the location of pin 1 marked as such.
on pin-headers where one connects cabling to, you may see a tiny triangle rather than a 1
that's the live or +
it gets real easy when it simply has a + next to it.
Fortunately, in the newer cases I saw lately, all the cabling was very clearly marked. so you know which one is for speaker, for power led etc...
And equally important, the POLARITY of the connectors on them wires was marked too.
a little triangle on the connector is meant to go onto what pin?
yes, the little triangle, or 1, or +
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/mobo/comp.htm
I hope you see why you should get that manual (aka Technical Product Specification).
btw, you may find a TPS UPDATE on the manufactor site...
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Isn't There Always "something entirely different" we'll need to reconsider?
Kind regards, Jaak.
Bistro, you raise a good point here.Quote:
Originally posted by bistro:
Jtdoom brought up a good point. If you ever HAVE to make adjustments to the BIOS, better take good notes. A quick and convenient method is to use the Print Screen key and print out a copy of the screen you are making the changes on. (Some BIOS's have a Print function built-in). If your particular screen has more settings on a scroll-down menu, then print the screen, scroll down and print again (or just add notes to the original printout. You'll be glad you did.
Sadly, as you point out, not all BIOSes can do it.
And worse, even those that can, won't print to a "windows" printer, since windows isn't yet loaded. https://discussions.virtualdr.com/
when I got this ASUS A7V motherboard, it came with USER manual.
I read it about three or four times before I did anything. And found that it all the information that I needed. And section titled Starting Up the First Time. that was a great help.
Everything that has and will be post will greatly help. But, to get the particulars on motherboard, go by the motherboard manual.
I have been able to find a lot of them in the manufactors website under support.
You will probably need Acrobat reader as they are, for the most part, in .pdf format.
I located mine, saved it to my disk and changing my 19 inch monitor to 800X600, it made for easy reading and double checking dipswitches and jumpers.
Yes, it magnified the book. https://discussions.virtualdr.com/
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Bistro and JTDoom, What you showed and talked about is what I was looking for. I think it is important to make everyone understand the mechanics of this subject and that the BIOS is the scapegoat sometimes for problems and it shouldn't be.
Another thing is to stop and think before you do anything on your computer. If you do make notes, backups, so you don't cause your self more problems than you have.
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I do advise that everyone get familiar with the Bios on their PC. Like I said above just exit WITHOUT saving changes, and you'll be just fine. You should go into it to learn what needs to be done incase the time comes where you need to be in there...... Just my opinion though.
hi Dodge,
I agree. One has to at least have a look.
When you are building a PC, you will have DO a few things in it. (not many, only a FEW)
No-one picked up on Plug and Play OS setting in BIOS. You'd be surprised in how many machines it is set to OFF.
What does P&P OS setting do?
There are other rather important settings like;
auto configuration and PCI configuration.
now, most times these will be set correct.
STILL, when the machine is being built new, it will pay to look into the manual to see what the default settings are.
And, you never assume everything is as it should in a used machine (which someone may ask you to look at).
I am a tinker, and when I am asked to help out a friend, I will often look in BIOS.
You'd be surprised how many people never SAW that screen.
Current bios settings seem to have better defaults, but I saw quite a few systems in which the default settings made the system underperform.
And I mean NOTICABLY underperform.
So comes the day when battery fails on you, and you can bet your granny you wanna be in there after replacing the battery.
Yeah, you better take a look, and make notes before it comes.
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Isn't There Always "something entirely different" we'll need to reconsider?
Kind regards, Jaak.
Good Morning All. I agree with getting familiar with it. Does anyone have a list of various errors that will show up on the screen when there is a problem in BIOS? https://discussions.virtualdr.com/
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I found a good list on BIOS errors and thus answered my own question. Try this.
With what we have learned and this list, you may never go into BIOS unless you know you have to. https://discussions.virtualdr.com/
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The whole book, goose? Darn good link. https://discussions.virtualdr.com/
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[This message has been edited by Train (edited 06-30-2001).]
This list takes a lot of guesswork out of troubleshooting and someone using it will/can save themselves some grief I figure. https://discussions.virtualdr.com/
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I agree. That is a great site. Thanks Goose..
Thanks for all the good info folks. https://discussions.virtualdr.com/
Sorry if this question is a little off-topic. Why don't motherboard manufacturers make boards with easily replacable BIOS chips? I mean easy like snapping in a RAM stick. Since a wrecked BIOS is so severe a problem, wouldn't this make sense? Screw up your chip and order a new one. Is there a technical reason for this or just a business decision.
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I want my Win98 Emachine back !!!
MAXXIMILIAN'S