AOpen MX3W-AWD User Manual

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.

3-1

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. Choose
"Load Turbo Defaults" for best performance
with light system loading. Refer to section 3.7.

The section at the bottom of the screen tells how to control the screen. Use the
arrow keys to move between items, F9 to change language, ESC to exit, and
F10 to save the changes before exit. Another section at the bottom of the
screen displays a brief description of the highlighted item.

After selecting an item, press Enter to select or enter a submenu.

3-2

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 or to set the
current date. The date format is month, date, and year.

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. The time is based on the 24
hour military clock.

Standard CMOS à IDE Primary Master à Type
Standard CMOS à IDE Primary Slave à Type
Standard CMOS à IDE Secondary Master à Type
Standard CMOS à IDE Secondary Slave à Type

IDE Primary
Master

Auto
Manual
None

This item lets you select the IDE hard disk parameters that
your system supports. These parameters are Size, Number of
Cylinder, Number of Head, Start Cylinder for Pre­compensation, Cylinder number of Head Landing Zone and
Number of Sector per Track. The default setting is Auto,
which enables BIOS to automatically detect the parameters of
installed HDD at POST (Power-On Self Test). If you prefer to
enter HDD parameters manually, select Manual. Select None
if no HDD is connected to the system.

The IDE CDROM is always automatically detected.

3-3

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.

Standard CMOS à Video

Video

EGA/VGA
CGA40
CGA80
Mono

This item specifies the type of video card in use. The default
setting is VGA/EGA. Since current PCs use VGA only, this
function is almost useless and may be disregarded in the
future.

Standard CMOS à Halt On

Halt On

No Errors
All Errors
All, But Keyboard
All, But Diskette
All, But Disk/Key

This parameter enables you to control the system stops in
case of Power-On Self Test (POST) error.

3-4

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

Type "Y" to accept write, or "N" to abort write

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. Any
attempt during boot up to write to the boot sector of the
hard disk drive stops the system and the following warning
message appears on the screen. Run an anti-virus
program to locate the problem.

! WARNING !

Disk Boot Sector is to be modified

Award Software, Inc.

Advanced BIOS Features à CPU Internal Cache

CPU Internal
Cache

Enabled
Disabled

Enabling this parameter activates the CPU internal
cache. Disabling the parameter slows down the
system. Therefore, we recommend that you leave it
enabled unless you are troubleshooting a problem.

Advanced BIOS Features à External Cache

External Cache

Enabled
Disabled

Enabling this parameter activates the secondary
cache (currently, PBSRAM cache). Disabling the
parameter slows down the system. Therefore, we
recommend that you leave it enabled unless you are
troubleshooting a problem.

3-5

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. 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 Second Boot Device

Second Boot Device

A:
LS/ZIP
C:
SCSI
CDROM
D:
E:
F:
LAN
Disabled

3-6

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 Third Boot Device

AWARD BIOS

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. The hard disk ID are listed below:

Advanced BIOS Features à Swap Floppy Drive

Swap Floppy Drive

Enabled
Disabled

This item allows you to swap floppy drives. For
example, if you have two floppy drives (A and B), you
can assign the first drive as drive B and the second
drive as drive A or vice-versa.

Advanced BIOS Features à Boot Up NumLock Status

Boot Up NumLock
Status

On
Off

Setting this parameter to On enables the numeric
function of the numeric keypad. Set this parameter to
Off to disregard the function. Disabling the numeric
function allows you to use the numeric keypad for
cursor control.

Advanced BIOS Features à Typematic Rate Setting

Typematic Rate
Setting

Enabled
Disabled

Set this parameter to Enable/Disable the keyboard
repeat function. When enabled, continually holding
down a key on the keyboard will generate repeatedly
keystrokes.

3-7

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.

Advanced BIOS Features à Security Option

Security Option

Setup
System

The System option limits access to both the System
boot and BIOS setup. A prompt asking you to enter
your password appears on the screen every time you
boot the system.

The Setup option limits access only to BIOS setup.
To disable the security option, select Password Setting

from the main menu, don't type anything and just press
<Enter>.

Advanced BIOS Features à OS Select for DRAM > 64MB

OS Select for
DRAM > 64MB

OS/2
Non-OS/2

3-8

Set to OS/2 if your system is utilizing an OS/2
operating system and has a memory size of more
than 64 MB.

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.

Advanced Chipset Features à SDRAM CAS Latency Time

SDRAM CAS
Latency Time

2
3

These are timing of SDRAM CAS Latency and RAS
to CAS Delay, calculated by clocks. They are
important parameters affects SDRAM performance,
default is 2 clocks. If your SDRAM has unstable
problem, change 2/2 to 3/3.

Advanced Chipset Features à SDRAM Cycle Time

SDRAM Cycle Time

5/7
6/8

This item will affect SDRAM performance. If the
system fails to bootup, please set this item to 6/8.

Advanced Chipset Features à SDRAM RAS-to-CAS Delay

SDRAM RAS-to-CAS
Delay

3
2

SDRAM RAS-to-CAS Delay is an important
parameter that affects SDRAM performance. If the
system fails to bootup, please set this item to 3.

3-9

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.

Advanced Chipset Features à Video RAM Cacheable

Video RAM
Cacheable

Enabled
Disabled

This item lets you cache Video RAM A000 and B000.

Advanced Chipset Features à Memory Hole At 15M-16M

Memory Hole At
15M-16M

Enabled
Disabled

This option lets you reserve system memory area for
special ISA cards. The chipset accesses code/data
of these areas from the ISA bus directly. Normally,
these areas are reserved for memory mapped I/O
card.

Advanced Chipset Features à Delayed Transaction

Delayed Transaction

Enabled
Disabled

3-10

This item lets you control the Delayed Transaction
function of the PIIX4 chipset (Intel PCI to ISA bridge).
This function is used to meet latency of PCI cycles to
or from ISA bus. Try to enable or disable it, if you
have ISA card compatibility problem.