Nowadays, manufacturers of laptops, nettops, all-in-ones and stationary PCs are increasingly releasing them as part of systems that do not have an optical drive. This is not surprising, because the digital industry has almost supplanted the distribution of various content on optical drives.
Due to the fact that the computer does not have an optical drive, users began to have difficulty installing the operating system on it. Often, when installing the OS via a DVD drive, the user did not make any settings in the BIOS, since the first boot device in it is the DVD-ROM by default. The only option for systems that do not have a DVD-ROM is to install from a flash drive.
To install the OS from a USB flash drive or from a portable USB HDD, you need set options for bootable USB devices in BIOS. In order for our readers to be able to boot from a USB drive on their own, we have prepared a material in which, using examples, we will describe the process of setting up a BIOS to boot from a USB flash drive for various systems.
Let's prepare our USB drive
The first step in booting a flash drive using the BIOS is to make it bootable. For example, let's take a licensed disk with Windows 7 and make an iso image from it. The image can be made using DAEMON Tools or Alcohol 120% programs. Also, the original disk image with a licensed seven can be downloaded from the official website of Microsoft, while having a license key.
Having received the image file, we proceed to the second step. This step involves creating a bootable USB flash drive using the utility Rufus. This utility was chosen for a reason. A distinctive feature of the utility Rufus is that it can write bootable USB flash drives, both for regular BIOS and for UEFI BIOS. Downloading the utility Rufus from its official page and immediately launch it, since it does not require installation.
In the program window that opens, you can see that in the first combo box " Devices” shows a 16 GB flash drive. After selecting the USB device, you must specify the program Rufus the path to the iso image of Windows 7. To do this, press the button with the laser disc icon and select the image. After that, click the Start button and wait for the creation of our bootable USB drive to complete.
In the same way, bootable USB flash drives are created for Windows 8, 10 and XP, as well as for other operating systems. It is especially convenient to create with Rufus bootable flash drive with Windows XP. This is due to the fact that most of the ways to create a bootable flash drive with Windows XP are very difficult for the average PC user. WITH Rufus on the contrary, creating a drive with Windows XP is simple and fast.
After the bootable USB flash drive has been created, you can proceed to install or reinstall the seven using it. Therefore, in the following example, we will describe the process of booting the flash drive we created on a computer with a UEFI BIOS.
Booting from a USB drive on a computer with a UEFI BIOS
In computers with UEFI BIOS support, you can use the Windows operating system, both with support for the new BIOS and without it. For example, let's take a computer that does not have an optical drive and is assembled on the basis of a motherboard MSI A58M-E33 with the support UEFI BIOS. Now we need to put the USB flash drive created earlier into this computer. To quickly boot from a specific drive in motherboards running UEFI BIOS, there is a special boot menu. This menu allows you to select a specific drive without loading the main BIOS menu. On different computers boot menu can be called with F12 and F11 . In our case, on the MSI A58M-E33 motherboard boot menu invoked via the F11 key.
From this menu, you can see the item " UEFI: KingstonDataTraveler 2.0PMAM" And " KingstonDataTraveler 2.0PMAM". If we select the first item, then the Windows 7 operating system will be installed with support UEFI BIOS, and if the second, then with support for the usual BIOS. After selecting the first or second item, the download of installation files will begin.
Note that if we created a bootable USB drive using Microsoft's proprietary USB / DVD Download Tool, then we would not be able to install an OS that supports UEFI BIOS, since it creates a bootable USB flash drive that does not have UEFI support.
We move on. Now let's try to set up booting from USB devices from the BIOS of the MSI A58M-E33 motherboard. To do this, when starting the computer, press the Del key. This action will load the BIOS of the motherboard.
In the main BIOS window, go to the " Settings”, which will open the settings menu. In this menu, we need to select the item "". After selecting it, the download settings will open.
In these settings, you can see that the first boot device is the hard drive.
Having done these steps, our bootable USB flash drive will be loaded first when the system starts. In the same way, you can install and run a flash drive on most PCs running Phoenix BIOS.
Setting up booting from a USB drive on an old AMIBIOS computer
Consider launching a flash drive on a PC running AMI BIOS. developed by the American company American Megatrends Incorporated, from which follows the abbreviation in its name AMI. This BIOS is known to many PC users because of the start logo at system startup.
Let's turn on the computer and go to the settings using the Del key. In the BIOS window, we need to go to the settings item "".
After the done actions, settings will open that allow you to set the priority of drives at system startup, including flash drives.
In the same way, you can install and run a flash drive on most computers running AMIBIOS.
Problems in solving the task on AMIBIOS and Phoenix BIOS
Users of very ancient laptops and desktops may have trouble starting a bootable USB device.
This problem is related to the fact that on very old computers running AMIBIOS and Phoenix BIOS there is no support for starting USB devices at system startup. Therefore, the only bootable device in this case will be an optical drive.
Another nuance in solving our problem may be different versions of AMIBIOS and Phoenix BIOS, which differ from those discussed above. The main difference may be the interface and a different arrangement of settings. In this case, you should not be upset, since the developers do not hide the boot configuration settings far and they can always be found and configured by analogy with the examples described above.
Set up booting from a USB drive to a mini PC
New mini pc Compute Stick from Intel quickly gained popularity among users, as it is a computer with Windows on board, which is only several times larger than a conventional flash drive in size. Due to such dimensions, it does not have most of the interfaces that desktop PCs and laptops have. For example, there is no RJ45 interface and no interface for DisplayPort digital monitors.
Since Intel Compute Stick comes preinstalled with Windows 8 or 10 operating system, then most users have no problems installing the OS on it. But what about the situation when the OS has suffered as a result of viruses or deletion of system files.
In this situation, a bootable USB flash drive will help and boot menu BIOS. For example, take an analogue of Intel Compute Stick called Meegopad T02. To reinstall Windows on this computer, you need to download the OS image on the official website of the manufacturer Meegopad T02 www.x86pad.com. After downloading and creating a bootable flash drive, put it in Meegopad T02. Then turn on Meegopad T02, after booting into boot menu BIOS using the F10 key.
IN boot menu you can select a USB flash drive and install Windows using it. To constantly boot the USB flash drive at system startup, you can open the BIOS and set the boot priority for different USB drives in it.
Summing up
After reading the above examples, an ordinary PC user can easily set the priority of bootable flash drives in systems with different BIOS versions. By learning how to put the USB flash drive first when booting, you will understand how quickly and conveniently you can install various operating systems on your PC.
We hope our article will help you boot from a USB flash drive and install the operating system, as well as help you install it on computers that do not have an optical drive.
Related videos
Hello. This article is about the BIOS setup program that allows the user to change basic system settings. The settings are stored in non-volatile CMOS memory and are retained when the computer's power is turned off.
ENTERING THE SETUP PROGRAM
To enter the BIOS setup utility, turn on the computer and immediately press the . To change advanced BIOS settings, press the combination "Ctrl + F1" in the BIOS menu. The advanced BIOS settings menu will open.
CONTROL KEYS
<
?>
Move to the previous menu item
<
?>
Go to next item
<
?>
Move to item on the left
<
?>
Move to item on the right
<+/PgUp>
Increase the numerical value of the setting or select a different value from the list
<-/PgDn>
Decrease the numerical value of the setting or select a different value from the list
REFERENCE INFORMATION
Main menu
A description of the selected setting is displayed at the bottom of the screen.
Settings Summary Page / Settings Pages
When you press the F1 key, a window appears with a brief hint about the possible settings and the assignment of the corresponding keys. To close the window, click
Main menu (on the example of BIOS version E2)
When you enter the BIOS setup menu (Award BIOS CMOS Setup Utility), the main menu opens (Fig. 1), in which you can select any of the eight settings pages and two options for exiting the menu. Use the arrow keys to select the desired item. To enter the submenu, press
Fig.1: Main menu
If you can't find the setting you want, press Ctrl+F1 and look for it in the advanced BIOS settings menu.
Standard CMOS Features (Standard BIOS settings)
This page contains all the standard BIOS settings.
Advanced BIOS Features
This page contains additional settings for the Award BIOS.
Integrated Peripherals (Embedded Peripherals)
This page configures all built-in peripherals.
Power Management Setup
On this page, you can configure power saving modes.
PnP/PCI Configurations
This page configures resources for devices
PCI and PnP ISA PC Health Status
This page displays measured values for temperature, voltage and fan speed.
Frequency/Voltage Control
On this page, you can change the clock frequency and frequency multiplier of the processor.
For maximum performance, set the "Top Performance" item to "Enabled".
Load Fail-Safe Defaults (Set safe defaults)
The secure default settings ensure system health.
Load Optimized Defaults (Set optimized defaults)
Optimized default settings for optimal system performance.
Set Supervisor password
On this page you can set, change or remove your password. This option allows you to restrict access to the system and BIOS settings, or only BIOS settings.
Set User password
On this page you can set, change or remove a password that allows you to restrict access to the system.
Save & Exit Setup
Save settings in CMOS and exit the program.
Exit Without Saving
Cancels all changes made and exits the setup program.
Standard CMOS Features (Standard BIOS settings)
Figure 2: Default BIOS settings
Date (Date)
Date format:<день недели>, <месяц>, <число>, <год>.
Day of the week - the day of the week is determined by the BIOS according to the entered date; it cannot be changed directly.
Month - the name of the month, from January to December.
Day - the day of the month, from 1 to 31 (or the maximum number of days in a month).
Year - year, from 1999 to 2098.
Time
Time Format:<часы> <минуты> <секунды>. The time is entered in 24-hour format, for example, 1 p.m. is written as 13:00:00.
IDE Primary Master, Slave / IDE Secondary Master, Slave (IDE Disk Drives)
This section defines the parameters of the disk drives installed in the computer (from C to F). There are two options for setting parameters: automatically and manually. When defining manually, the drive parameters are set by the user, and in automatic mode, the parameters are determined by the system. Please note that the information entered must match the type of disc you have.
If you provide incorrect information, the drive will not work properly. If you select the User Type option, you will need to fill in the items below. Enter data from the keyboard and press
CYLS - Number of cylinders
HEADS - Number of heads
PRECOMP - Write pre-compensation
LANDZONE - head parking zone
SECTORS - Number of sectors
If one of the hard drives is not installed, select NONE and press
Drive A / Drive B (floppy drives)
This section specifies the types of floppy drives A and B installed in the computer. -
None - No floppy drive installed
360K, 5.25in. Standard 5.25" 360 KB PC type floppy drive
1.2M, 5.25 in. 1.2 MB 5.25" high density AT floppy drive
(3.5-inch drive if mode 3 support is enabled).
720K, 3.5in. 3.5" double-sided drive; capacity 720 KB
1.44M, 3.5 in. 3.5" double-sided drive; capacity 1.44 MB
2.88M, 3.5 in. 3.5" double-sided drive; capacity 2.88 MB.
Floppy 3 Mode Support (for Japan Area)
Disabled Normal floppy drive. (Default setting)
Drive A Floppy drive A supports mode 3.
Drive B Floppy drive B supports mode 3.
Both Floppy drives A and B support mode 3.
Halt on (Interrupt download)
This setting determines which errors will cause the system to stop booting.
NO Errors System boot will continue despite any errors. Error messages are displayed on the screen.
All Errors The download will be aborted if the BIOS detects any error.
All, But Keyboard The download will abort on any error except for a keyboard failure. (Default setting)
Ail, But Diskette The download will abort on any error except for a floppy drive failure.
All, But Disk/Key The download will abort on any error except for keyboard or disk failure.
memory
This item displays the memory sizes determined by the BIOS during the system self-test. You cannot change these values manually.
Base Memory
During the automatic self-test, the BIOS determines the amount of basic (or conventional) memory installed in the system.
If the system board has 512 KB of memory installed, 512 K is displayed, while if the system board has 640 KB or more memory, 640 K is displayed.
Extended Memory
During the automatic self-test, the BIOS determines the amount of extended memory installed in the system. Extended memory is RAM with addresses greater than 1 MB in the CPU's addressing system.
Advanced BIOS Features
Figure 3: Advanced BIOS settings
First / Second / Third Boot Device
(First/second/third boot device)
Floppy Loading from a floppy disk.
LS120 Boot from LS120 drive.
HDD-0-3 Boot from HDD 0 to 3.
SCSI Booting from a SCSI device. Booting from a ZIP drive.
USB-FDD Boot from a USB floppy drive.
USB-ZIP Download from a USB ZIP device.
USB-CDROM Boot from USB CD-ROM.
USB-HDD Boot from a USB hard drive.
LAN Download via local network.
Boot Up Floppy Seek (Detecting the type of floppy drive at boot)
During the system self-test, the BIOS determines whether the floppy drive is 40-track or 80-track. The 360 KB drive is 40 tracks, while the 720 KB, 1.2 MB, and 1.44 MB drives are 80 tracks.
The Enabled BIOS determines whether the drive is 40-track or 80-track. Be aware that the BIOS does not distinguish between 720 KB, 1.2 MB, and 1.44 MB drives because they are all 80-track drives.
Disabled BIOS will not detect the drive type. When a 360 KB drive is installed, no message is displayed on the screen. (Default setting)
Password Check
System If you do not enter the correct password when prompted by the system, the computer will not boot and access to the setup pages will be denied.
Setup If you do not enter the correct password when prompted by the system, the computer will boot, but access to the setup pages will be denied. (Default setting)
CPU Hyper-Threading
Disabled Hyper Threading mode is disabled.
Enabled Hyper Threading mode is enabled. Note that this feature is implemented only if the operating system supports multiprocessor configuration. (Default setting)
DRAM Data Integrity Mode
This option allows you to set the error control mode in RAM if you use ECC memory.
ECC ECC mode is on.
Non-ECC ECC mode is not used. (Default setting)
Init Display First
AGP Activate the AGP video adapter first. (Default setting)
PCI Activate PCI video adapter first.
Integrated Peripherals (Embedded Peripherals)
Figure 4: Embedded Peripherals
On-Chip Primary PCI IDE (Integrated 1 Channel IDE Controller)
Enabled Built-in IDE controller 1 is enabled. (Default setting)
Disabled The built-in IDE 1 controller is disabled.
On-Chip Secondary PCI IDE (Integrated controller 2 channels IDE)
Enabled Built-in 2 channel IDE controller enabled. (Default setting)
Disabled The built-in 2 channel IDE controller is disabled.
IDE1 Conductor Cable (Type of cable connected to IDE1)
ATA66/100 An ATA66/100 cable is connected to IDE1. (Make sure your IDE device and cable support ATA66/100 mode.)
ATAZZ An ATAZZ type loop is connected to IDE1. (Make sure your IDE device and loopback support ATA3 mode.)
IDE2 Conductor Cable (Type of cable connected to SHE2)
Auto Automatically detected by the BIOS. (Default setting)
ATA66/100/133 An ATA66/100 cable is connected to IDE2. (Make sure your IDE device and cable support ATA66/100 mode.)
ATAZZ An ATAZZ cable is connected to IDE2. (Make sure your IDE device and loopback support ATA3 mode.)
USB Controller
If you are not using the built-in USB controller, disable this option here.
Enabled The USB controller is enabled. (Default setting)
Disabled The USB controller is disabled.
USB Keyboard Support
When connecting a USB keyboard, set this item to “Enabled”.
Enabled USB keyboard support is enabled.
Disabled USB keyboard support is disabled. (Default setting)
USB Mouse Support
When connecting a USB mouse, set this item to “Enabled”.
Enabled USB mouse support is enabled.
Disabled USB mouse support is disabled. (Default setting)
AC97 Audio (AC'97 audio controller)
Auto The built-in AC'97 audio controller is enabled. (Default setting)
Disabled The built-in AC'97 audio controller is disabled.
Onboard H/W LAN (Built-in network controller)
Enable Embedded network controller is enabled. (Default setting)
Disable The built-in network controller is disabled.
Onboard LAN Boot ROM (Onboard Network Controller Boot ROM)
Using the embedded network controller ROM to boot the system.
Enable The function is enabled.
Disable The function is disabled. (Default setting)
Onboard Serial Port 1 (Built-in Serial Port 1)
Auto BIOS sets port address 1 automatically.
3F8/IRQ4 Enable built-in serial port 1 by setting it to 3F8. (Default setting)
2F8/IRQ3 Enable built-in serial port 1 by assigning it the address 2F8.
3E8/IRQ4 Enable built-in serial port 1 by assigning address 3E8 to it.
2E8/IRQ3 Enable built-in serial port 1 by assigning it address 2E8.
Disabled Disable built-in serial port 1.
Onboard Serial Port 2 (Built-in Serial Port 2)
Auto BIOS sets port address 2 automatically.
3F8/IRQ4 Enable built-in serial port 2 by assigning it the address 3F8.
2F8/IRQ3 Enable built-in serial port 2 by assigning it the address 2F8. (Default setting)
3E8/IRQ4 Enable built-in serial port 2 by assigning address 3E8 to it.
2E8/IRQ3 Enable built-in serial port 2 by assigning it address 2E8.
Disabled Disable the built-in serial port 2.
Onboard Parallel port (Built-in parallel port)
378/IRQ7 Enable the built-in LPT port by assigning address 378 to it and assigning an IRQ7 interrupt. (Default setting)
278/IRQ5 Enable the built-in LPT port by assigning address 278 to it and assigning an IRQ5 interrupt.
Disabled Disable the built-in LPT port.
3BC/IRQ7 Enable the built-in LPT port by assigning the ZVS address to it and assigning the IRQ7 interrupt.
Parallel Port Mode
SPP The parallel port is operating normally. (Default setting)
EPP The parallel port operates in Enhanced Parallel Port mode.
ECP The parallel port operates in Extended Capabilities Port mode.
ECP+EPP The parallel port operates in ECP and EPP modes.
ECP Mode Use DMA (DMA channel used in ECP mode)
3 ECP mode uses DMA channel 3. (Default setting)
1 ECP mode uses DMA channel 1.
Game Port Address
201 Set game port address to 201. (Default setting)
209 Set game port address to 209.
Disabled Disable the feature.
Midi Port Address (MIDI Port Address)
290 Set the MIDI port address to 290.
300 Set the MIDI port address to 300.
330 Set the MIDI port address to 330. (Default setting)
Disabled Disable the feature.
Midi Port IRQ (MIDI Port Interrupt)
5 Assign IRQ 5 to the MIDI port.
10 Assign IRQ 10 to MIDI port. (Default setting)
Power Management Setup
Figure 5: Power management settings
ACPI Suspend Type (ACPI Suspend Type)
S1(POS) Set standby mode S1. (Default setting)
S3(STR) Set standby mode to S3.
Power LED in SI state
Blinking In standby mode (S1), the power indicator blinks. (Default setting)
Dual/OFF Standby (S1):
a. If a single color indicator is used, it will turn off in S1 mode.
b. If a two-color indicator is used, it changes color in S1 mode.
Soft-offby PWR BTTN (Software shutdown of the computer)
Instant-off When you press the power button, the computer turns off immediately. (Default setting)
Delay 4 Sec. To turn off the computer, hold down the power button for 4 seconds. When the button is pressed briefly, the system enters standby mode.
PME Event Wake Up
Disabled The PME wake-up function is disabled.
ModemRingOn (Wake on Modem Ring)
Disabled Wake on modem/LAN disabled.
Enabled The function is enabled. (Default setting)
Resume by Alarm
In the Resume by Alarm item, you can set the date and time the computer is turned on.
Enabled The function to turn on the computer at a specified time is enabled.
If the feature is enabled, set the following values:
Date (of Month) Alarm: Day of the month, 1-31
Time (hh: mm: ss) Alarm: Time (hh: mm: cc): (0-23): (0-59): (0-59)
Power On By Mouse
Disabled The function is disabled. (Default setting)
Double Click Wake up the computer when the mouse is double-clicked.
Power On By Keyboard
Password To turn on the computer, you must enter a password of 1 to 5 characters.
Disabled The function is disabled. (Default setting)
Keyboard 98 If your keyboard has a power button, pressing it will turn on your computer.
KB Power ON Password (Setting a password to turn on the computer from the keyboard)
Enter Enter the password (1 to 5 alphanumeric characters) and press Enter.
AC Back Function (Computer behavior after a temporary power outage)
Memory When power is restored, the computer returns to the state it was in before the power was turned off.
Soft-Off After power is applied, the computer remains in the off state. (Default setting)
Full-On After power is restored, the computer turns on.
PnP/PCI Configurations
Fig.6: Configuring PnP/PCI devices
PCI l/PCI5 IRQ Assignment
Auto Automatic interrupt assignment for PCI 1/5 devices. (Default setting)
3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15 Assign PCI 1/5 devices to IRQ 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15.
PCI2 IRQ Assignment
Auto Automatic interrupt assignment for PCI device 2. (Default setting)
3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15 Assign PCI device 2 to IRQ 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15.
ROZ IRQ Assignment (Interrupt Assignment for PCI 3)
Auto Automatic interrupt assignment for PCI device 3. (Default setting)
3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15 Assign PCI 3 device IRQ 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15.
PCI 4 IRQ Assignment
Auto Automatic interrupt assignment for PCI device 4. (Default setting)
3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15 Assign PCI device 4 to IRQ 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15.
PC Health Status
Figure 7: Monitoring the status of the computer
Reset Case Open Status
Case Opened
If the computer case has not been opened, "Case Opened" displays "No". If the case has been opened, "Case Opened" displays "Yes".
To reset the sensor readings, set the "Reset Case Open Status" item to "Enabled" and exit the BIOS with saving the settings. The computer will restart.
Current Voltage (V) Vcore / VCC18 / +3.3 V / +5V / +12V
This item displays the automatically measured fundamental voltages in the system.
Current CPU Temperature
This item displays the measured CPU temperature.
Current CPU/SYSTEM FAN Speed (RPM)
This item displays the measured CPU and chassis fan speeds.
CPU Warning Temperature
Disabled Processor temperature is not monitored. (Default setting)
60°C / 140°F A warning is issued when the temperature exceeds 60°C.
70°C / 158°F A warning is issued when the temperature exceeds 70°C.
80°C / 176°F A warning is issued when the temperature exceeds 80°C.
90°C / 194°F A warning is issued when the temperature exceeds 90°C.
CPU FAN Fail Warning
Disabled The function is disabled. (Default setting)
SYSTEM FAN Fail Warning
Disabled The function is disabled. (Default setting)
Enabled A warning is issued when the fan stops.
Frequency/Voltage Control
Fig.8: Frequency/voltage adjustment
CPU Clock Ratio
If the processor frequency multiplier is fixed, this menu option is not available. - 10X- 24X The value is set depending on the processor clock frequency.
CPU Host Clock Control
Note: If the system hangs before loading the BIOS setup utility, please wait 20 seconds. After this time, the system will reboot. Upon reboot, the base frequency of the processor will be set to the default value.
Disabled Disable the feature. (Default setting)
Enabled Enable the processor base frequency control function.
CPU Host Frequency
100MHz - 355MHz Set the value of the base frequency of the processor in the range from 100 to 355 MHz.
PCI/AGP Fixed (Fixed frequencies PCI/AGP)
To adjust AGP/PCI clock rates, select 33/66, 38/76, 43/86, or Disabled in this item.
Host/DRAM Clock Ratio
Attention! If the value in this item is set incorrectly, the computer will not be able to boot. In this case, reset the BIOS settings.
2.0 Memory Clock = Base Clock X 2.0.
2.66 Memory frequency = Base frequency X 2.66.
Auto The frequency is set according to the memory module's SPD. (Default value)
Memory Frequency (Mhz)
The value is determined by the base frequency of the processor.
PCI/AGP Frequency (Mhz)
The frequencies are set depending on the value of the CPU Host Frequency or PCI/AGP Divider option.
CPU Voltage Control
The processor voltage can be increased by 5.0% to 10.0%. (Default value: nominal)
DIMM OverVoltage Control
Normal The memory supply voltage is equal to the nominal voltage. (Default value)
+0.1V The memory supply voltage is increased by 0.1 V.
+0.2V The memory supply voltage is increased by 0.2 V.
+0.3V The memory supply voltage is increased by 0.3 V.
Only for experienced users! Incorrect installation can damage your computer!
AGP OverVoltage Control
Normal The power supply voltage of the video adapter is equal to the nominal voltage. (Default value)
+0.1V The voltage of the video adapter is increased by 0.1 V.
+0.2V The voltage of the video adapter is increased by 0.2 V.
+0.3V The voltage of the video adapter is increased by 0.3 V.
Only for experienced users! Incorrect installation can damage your computer!
Top Performance
Fig.9: Maximum performance
Top Performance
To achieve the highest system performance, set the "Top Performance" item to "Enabled".
Disabled The function is disabled. (Default setting)
Enabled Maximum performance mode.
Enabling maximum performance mode increases the speed of hardware components. The operation of the system in this mode is affected by both hardware and software configurations. For example, the same hardware configuration may work well under Windows NT but not under Windows XP. Therefore, if there are problems with the reliability or stability of the system, we recommend disabling this option.
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Figure 10: Setting secure defaults
Load Fail-Safe Defaults
Safe default settings are system settings that are most secure in terms of system health, but provide the least performance.
Load Optimized Defaults
Selecting this menu item loads the default BIOS and chipset settings automatically detected by the system.
Set Supervisor/User Password
Fig.12: Setting a password
When you select this menu item, a password prompt will appear in the center of the screen.
Enter a password up to 8 characters long and click
To cancel your password, when prompted to enter a new password, press
The BIOS setup menu allows you to set two different passwords: an administrator password (SUPERVISOR PASSWORD) and a user password (USER PASSWORD). If passwords are not set, any user can access the BIOS settings. When setting a password for access to all BIOS settings, you must enter the administrator password, and for access to only basic settings, you must enter the user password.
If you select “System” in the advanced BIOS settings menu in the “Password Check” item, the system will ask for a password every time you boot the computer or try to enter the BIOS settings menu.
If you select “Setup” in the advanced BIOS settings menu in the “Password Check” item, the system will only ask for a password when you try to enter the BIOS settings menu.
Save & Exit Setup
Fig.13: Save settings and exit
To save your changes and exit the settings menu, press "Y". To return to the settings menu, press "N".
Exit Without Saving
Fig.14: Exit without saving changes
To exit the BIOS settings menu without saving the changes made, press "Y". Press "N" to return to the BIOS setup menu.
Building a computer is fun. In addition, it saves the budget. You, as it were, hire yourself to assemble a computer and pay yourself 10-15 thousand rubles. (when assembling a gaming PC relative to the store price).
Assembling a computer yourself is not a tricky business. The only tool you need is a Phillips screwdriver. But what to do next when all the details are screwed into place? What to do after assembling the system unit? How to start the computer after assembly? How is the BIOS setup to install Windows 7 on an SSD? How is Windows installed after the computer is assembled?
At first glance, there are a lot of questions and you can get confused from surprise. But the good news is that the days when only professionals could figure it out are long gone. Today, almost all of this work is automated. And if you follow a certain sequence of actions, then any person with a technical mindset can figure it out.
Let's take a look at the first power-up of a newly built computer using a popular budget configuration for gaming (gaming PC) and RAW photo processing (photographer PC) as an example. The article will also be of interest to those who are looking for answers to the questions: “How to start the computer after replacing the motherboard?” or "How do I start my computer after replacing the hard drive?" Since the BIOS is on the motherboard, and Windows is installed on a hard drive or solid state SSD.
So, we have a system based on the following components (which I assembled):
- Processor INTEL Core i5 6500, LGA 1151 BOX;
- Motherboard MSI H110M PRO-VD LGA 1151, mATX, Ret;
- RAM Kingston HyperX FURY Black Series 16 GB;
- SSD OCZ Trion 150 TRN150-25SAT3-240G 240GB, 2.5″, SATA III;
- Hard drive 1 TB WD Caviar Blue ;
- Optical drive DVD-RW LG GH24NSD0, internal, SATA, black, OEM.
The specified configuration is sufficient for processing photos (using the integrated graphics core Intel HD Graphics 530). In order for the computer to become super gaming, you need to add a video card to your wallet. The best option would be the GeForce GTX 10 series. But the presence of a video card does not have any effect on the first power-up of the computer.
We will install the operating system on an SSD solid-state drive, and we will allocate a hard drive for storing various files. Therefore, it is very important that the hard drive is disconnected from the motherboard when you first turn it on. Then the system itself will configure many parameters to work on a solid-state SSD. We will connect the hard drive and pull it up later, using the already installed Windows. This is a standard procedure that does not cause difficulties.
In general, the first turn on of the computer after assembly consists of the following steps:
- BIOS setup and firmware update (if necessary);
- installation of the operating system;
- installing drivers for incoming components;
- software installation.
So, the computer is assembled, let's move on to setting up the BIOS.
Bios setup msi h110m pro-vd UEFI to install Windows 7
When you turn on the computer, the first thing you need to pay attention to is that the fans started spinning: on the processor and on the case of the system unit, the lights on the front panel blinked, the monitor came to life. These are the first signs that everything is going well.
The appearance and location of the BIOS menu depends on the manufacturer of the motherboard (motherboard). In this case, we are dealing with MSI UEFI. To get into this utility, you need to press the DELETE key on the keyboard when you turn on the computer.
If all wires and components are in place, you will see the first Bios tab called SYSTEM STATUS. If there is nothing on the monitor, you need to check all connectors for reliable contact or look for a faulty component. You need to delve into the electronics of the system unit when the power is off. In addition, there are 3 LEDs on the h110m pro-vd board, which light up every time the system starts if there are problems in operation: processor, RAM and video card.
System Status: Checking for Discovered Devices Setting up BIOS msi for installing Windows 7, as well as for Windows 8.1 or 10, begins with the fact that in the first line of SYSTEM LANGUAGE you need to select the Russian language. After that, the interface will become Russian. Next, you can set the system date and time. But you can leave it as it is, because the first time you access the Internet, the computer itself will set the correct date and time. Below you need to check that the computer has seen all your SATA devices. In this case, you can see two connected devices (as it should be):
- SATA Port 1: Solid State Drive: Toshiba-TR150;
- SATA port 2: None (disabled hard drive);
- SATA port 3: DVD drive: HL-DT-ST DVD-RA ATAPI;
- SATA port 4: None (free slot).
The first time I didn't have an optical drive on the list. I turned off the computer and checked the drive connector - it was not fully inserted. Having sunk the connector another 3-4 mm until it stops, I turned on the computer again. Now the optical drive was in place.
The PHYSICAL MEMORY line contains 16384 MB, which means that all the memory has been determined. The MEMORY SPEED line is 2133 MHz - the memory operates at the declared frequency.
There is nothing else of particular interest to us here. Then you can walk through all the tabs to see what's there. Find the screen with CPU temperatures. It is important that the temperature is within normal limits. For the i5-6500, the maximum temperature is 71°C. This is under load. And in idle time somewhere around 30-40°C. And then suddenly you have a bad contact between the processor and the fan. Then you will need to check the quality of the installation of the processor cooler.
Go to the second tab ADDITIONAL. We select BUILT-IN PERIPHERALS there and see that the mode in the SATA line is . This setting is needed when installing Windows on an SSD.
Checking whether AHCI mode is enabled when installing Windows on an SSD In the same ADDITIONAL tab, in the WINDOWS OS CONFIGURATION window, switch for WINDOWS 7 INSTALLATION to ENABLED. If you install Windows 8.1 or 10, select the item of the same name on this screen.
Selecting the installation option for Windows 7 or 8.1 (10) Go to the 6th tab boot (BOOT). Everything is written in English in the picture, because English is selected on the 1st tab, I did it on purpose to show what the English version of the BIOS interface looks like. Here it is important to set the boot queue options, that is, in what sequence the devices will be polled for the presence of boot files. This is setting up bios to install windows 7 (8 or 10) either from a disk, or from a flash drive, or from usb. I set up the classic scheme: first, the DVD drive is checked, then the solid-state SSD drive. We will install Windows 7 from a DVD, so the built-in DVD drive is first in line. After installing Windows, we will remove the installation disk from the drive. The computer will check the DVD drive, find no boot files there, and move on to the second device: a solid state drive, on which Windows will already be installed, so the operating system will boot. With this scheme, it is not even necessary to disable booting from DVD in BIOS after installing the OS. Everything will work like that.
If your OS will be installed from a flash drive or from an external DVD drive connected via usb, then you need to select the appropriate USB device first in the boot queue, instead of the built-in DVD drive.
Setting bios to install windows 7 from disk Next, go to the last tab SAVE & EXIT (SAVE AND EXIT), save the settings and exit the BIOS. But before you exit the BIOS, you need to open the DVD drive and insert the Windows 7 installation disc into the drive, because we won’t be able to do this when the computer is turned off, but we need the disc to get into the drive before the next time the computer is turned on. It is not necessary to retract the drive, because after turning on the computer it will retract itself.
Now everything is ready to install Windows 7 on your computer. Read about how to do this in the next, assembled with your own hands.
Article content:
This article will discuss the ways in which you can reset the BIOS settings on your computer or laptop in case of any problems in its operation.
Useful related articles
Why do I need to reset BIOS / UEFI settings?
Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, it is necessary to reset the BIOS "a settings of the computer (motherboard). These settings store most of the parameters that are responsible for the operation of the computer and all its devices. Below are several ways to reset these settings to default values :
Resetting BIOS settings through the BIOS menu
This method is suitable if it is possible to access the BIOS when the computer is turned on. To do this, when you turn on the computer, press a special button that is responsible for entering the BIOS settings "a. Most often, this button is the Del (Delete) button.
Further actions depend on the manufacturer of the motherboard, and the BIOS "a in it. It should not be difficult to distinguish which BIOS in the motherboard visually, just look at the explanatory pictures for the instructions for each type of BIOS" a.
Reset BIOS settings in Award Bios
Use the keyboard to navigate to "Load Optimized Defaults". Press the Enter key, then select "OK" with the keyboard arrows when prompted for confirmation. Press Enter.
Now go to the item "Save & Exit Setup". Press Enter, after which the computer should go into reboot, and the BIOS settings should be reset.
Reset BIOS settings in Phoenix Bios
Keyboard arrows (left, right) go to the top menu tab called "Exit".
There we find the item "Load Setup Defaults". Select it with the up and down arrows and press the Enter key. A window will appear in which you need to confirm your desire to reset the BIOS settings - select "OK", and press Enter.
Now you need to select the item "Exit & Save Changes".
We go there, press Enter, if it asks for confirmation, select "OK", and press Enter again. The computer should restart and reset the BIOS settings.
Reset BIOS settings in ASRock UEFI BIOS
In the top menu, go to the "Exit" tab.
Select "Load UEFI Defaults".
To the question "Load UEFI Defaults?" we answer "Yes".
Now select "Save Changes and Exit".
To the next question in the form of "Save configuration changes and exit setup?" we answer "Yes".
After that, the BIOS settings will be reset and the computer will restart.
Reset BIOS settings in ASUS UEFI BIOS
ASUS motherboards have two UEFI interfaces - one was used on older motherboards that were released around 2014, the second is used on all motherboards currently being produced. Therefore, if you do not visually recognize the interface of your BIOs / UEFI, do not rush to close the page with this instruction, but simply scroll on.
First option
In the lower right corner, look for the "Default (F5)" button and click on it.
A window will appear asking you to confirm the action to be performed. Select "OK".
Now the main menu will open before us again. In the upper right corner we find the button "Exit / Advanced Mode", and click on it.
Select "Save Changes & Reset".
The computer will reboot and the BIOS settings will be reset.
Second option
Press the key F5, or on the button " Default (F5)" at the bottom of the screen.
In the window that appears, select " OK", or press the Enter key.
Then select " Save&Exit(F10)" (or press the F10 key).
And press again OK", or the Enter key.
Reset BIOS settings in MSI UEFI BIOS
In the BIOS main menu, select "Mainboard settings" ("Settings").
Select "Save & Exit".
In the menu that opens, select "Restore Defaults".
A window will appear asking you to confirm the action - "Load Optimized Defaults?". We answer "YES".
Now you need to exit, saving the reset BIOS settings. To do this, go to the "Save Changes and Reboot" item.
When asked if we really want to reboot - Save configuration and reset - we answer "YES.
After that, the computer will restart and its BIOS settings will be reset to the default settings.
Reset BIOS settings by removing the battery
First you need to turn off and disconnect the computer.
To do this, you need to find the power supply on the back of the system unit, and turn it off with a special button. It will also not be superfluous to pull the power cord out of it, this is necessary if there is no power switch.
Inside you need to find a round CR2032 battery, most often it is located at the bottom of the motherboard. In order to remove the battery, you need to press a special holder.
After the battery is pulled out, you need to hold down the power button for 10-15 seconds. Since the system unit is de-energized, it will not turn on, but it will finally discharge any available accumulated electricity in the computer. At the same time, the BIOS settings will be reset.
Now you can close the system unit by replacing the cover, plug in the power cord and turn on the power supply, after which you can turn on the computer.
Reset BIOS settings via jumper
We de-energize the system unit by turning off the power supply with a special switch located near the entrance to the power wire.
Next, remove the cover of the system unit, and get inside the computer. Now we are looking for a special jumper on the motherboard. It looks like a blue (in most cases) jumper that is connected to two pins, there should be three pins in total. Typically, such a jumper is labeled "Clear CMOS", "CLR", "CLEAR", "PSSWRD".
To reset the BIOS, this jumper must be moved one pin to the side. Those. Initially, the jumper closes pins 1 and 2 - we need to plug it into pins 2 and 3.
After that, you need to hold down the computer's power button for 10-15 seconds, for the final discharge of the remaining electricity in the system unit. After that, the BIOS settings will be reset.
We return the jumper to its original place (pins 1 and 2), close the system unit, plug the power cord back in and turn on the power supply, and then the computer.
In the last article, we talked about . And now I will tell you how to configure the computer's BIOS to install Windows from a disk or flash drive.
1. What is BIOS and UEFI
Each motherboard has a special program for booting the computer and configuring the parameters of various devices. This program is flashed (programmed) into a special chip on the motherboard and is therefore called firmware.
In the past, all motherboards had a firmware called the BIOS, which had a simple graphical interface with white letters on a blue background and was limited in functionality. For example, in the BIOS it was impossible to use a mouse, select a language, and there were no graphic elements (pictures) due to the limited size of the BIOS memory chip. Also, motherboards with BIOS did not support disks larger than 2 TB due to the limitations of the old disk layout system (MBR).
Now many motherboards have a new type of firmware called UEFI, which features an improved graphical interface using a beautiful background, drawn buttons, the ability to select a language (including Russian) and some improvements. For example, support for a new type of disk partitions (GPT), which allows the use of hard drives larger than 2 TB.
You can find out what type of firmware your motherboard has in its manual, on the website of the motherboard or laptop manufacturer, and also visually when entering the Setup program. The Setup program is also programmed into the motherboard and is used to change the BIOS or UEFI settings.
2. How to enter BIOS Setup
To enter the Setup program, immediately after turning on the computer, hold down the "Delete" button on the keyboard. On some motherboards and laptops, the F2, F10, or Esc keys are used for this. Which button to press can be read in the messages that appear immediately after turning on the computer.
In text form
Graphically
If you do not have time to read, then press the "Pause" button on your keyboard to pause the download. You can continue downloading by pressing any key. If you press the key assigned to enter Setup, you will immediately be taken to the motherboard setup program.
Classic BIOS
UEFI Interface
3. Basics of work in Setup
3.1. Control keys
The Setup program is a set of various parameters grouped on separate tabs, depending on the purpose. On the right or at the bottom there will be a description of the keys with which all actions are performed.
To navigate between tabs, the right and left arrows on the keyboard are usually used. To navigate between lines within one tab, use the "down", "up" arrows.
To change the values, use the arrows to navigate to the required field, press the "Enter" key, and then use the arrows to select a new value from the drop-down menu. The "+", "-" or "Page Up", "Page Down" keys can also be used for this.
To go back one level or to the previous page, press the Esc key. The "Esc" key on one of the main tabs will mean exiting the BIOS without saving the settings, which will need to be confirmed or refused to exit.
In the UEFI Setup program, you can perform all actions using the mouse.
3.2. Saving settings
This is a very important point. After making all the necessary settings, go to the “Exit” tab, select the “Exit and Save Changes” item with the arrows (“Exit and Save Changes”, the word order may be different), press “Enter” and confirm saving the settings by selecting the “OK” arrows or "Yes" and again "Enter".
You can save the settings much easier and faster by pressing the "F10" key on the keyboard and confirming your decision. This key works in many versions of BIOS, UEFI and is often indicated in tooltips (bottom or right).
3.3. Cancel settings
If you accidentally changed something or are not sure about the correctness of the settings made, then go to the "Exit" tab and select "Exit and Discard Changes" ("Exit and Discard Changes") or press the "Esc" key until the message about exiting without change the settings and confirm the action ("OK" or "Yes").
3.4. Restore settings
To restore all settings to optimal defaults, go to the Exit tab and select Load Setup Default. After that, you can immediately change other settings or simply exit the BIOS while saving the settings ("Exit and Save Changes" or "F10").
4. Download options
Insert the boot disk or flash drive into the computer where you plan to install Windows. Now, in order to start installing Windows, you need to configure the BIOS (or UEFI) using the Setup program to boot from a disk or flash drive. You can also use the special boot menu of the motherboard (Boot Menu) for this. The latter option is simpler and more convenient, but we will consider both methods.
5. BIOS setup
5.1. Change download priority
Click the "Boot" or "Download" tab.
Install your DVD drive or flash drive first in boot device order.
If you will install Windows from a disk, then the first item is to select a device such as "ATAPI CD-ROM", a name indicating the manufacturer or model of the drive. For example, "CDROM:PM-HL-DT-STDVD-RAM GH22NP" (this is an "LG" DVD drive).
If you plan to install Windows from a flash drive, then first choose something like "Removable Dev." or the name of the flash drive with the manufacturer. For example, "USB: Patriot Memory" (this is a "PATRIOT" flash drive).
Transcend JetFlash 790 8Gb
The second should be a hard drive, which is designated as "Hard Drive", "HDD" or the interface to which it is connected, the manufacturer and model of the disk. For example, "SATA:3M-SAMSUNG HD502HJ" (this is a 500 GB Samsung hard drive with a SATA interface).
Please note that in the "Boot" section there may be other items responsible for boot priority, such as "Hard Disk Drives" or "Removable Device Priority".
They also need to check that the DVD drive or flash drive is in the first place.
If you have two hard drives, then the one on which you are installing the system should be higher. But in this case, I recommend disconnecting one of the disks in order to avoid confusion and possible errors in the installation of the system. It can be connected after installation.
In the Setup program with the UEFI interface, everything is done in the same way. Look for the "Boot" or "Download" section, find your DVD drive or USB flash drive there and raise it to the very top of the boot priority. Plus, you can use the mouse for this, which is easier and more convenient.
5.2. SATA controller mode
In principle, this is not so important, but many people are interested in this issue, so I decided to clarify it a bit. SATA drives can work in compatibility mode with older IDE drives and in the more modern AHCI mode. AHCI gives a small performance boost to a hard drive with multiple simultaneous accesses to it. This mode of disk operation occurs mainly on servers and is practically useless for an ordinary home computer.
When setting up the BIOS, it is possible to select the operating mode of the SATA controller.
These settings may be in different places and have slightly different names, but the principle is the same everywhere. You are offered IDE compatibility mode or the new AHCI mode.
In general, IDE compatibility mode is recommended for Windows XP, because it does not natively have SATA drivers and simply will not see the hard drive, which will not allow you to install Windows. Drivers can be built into the Windows installation distribution, but this does not make sense, since it will not affect the speed of work, but it can add problems.
There is an easier and more convenient way to boot from a DVD or flash drive for both BIOS and UEFI - boot using the "Boot Menu" ("Boot Menu").
The boot menu can be accessed using the F8, F10, F11, F12, or Esc keys. You can often see them in the tooltips on the computer's initial boot screen. You can also find this information from the instructions, on the website of the manufacturer of the motherboard or laptop, by searching the Internet or by typing.
Immediately after turning on the computer, hold down the "Boot Menu" call key until the boot device selection menu appears.
Use the up and down arrows to navigate to the DVD drive or flash drive and press Enter.
Sandisk Cruzer
The advantages of this method are obvious - you don’t need to dig into the BIOS, you don’t need to return the BIOS settings later (although this is not always necessary), and it’s enough to call this menu only once, since after starting Windows installation it will no longer be required. Also, using the "Boot Menu" does not change the BIOS or UEFI settings.
7. Download problems
Friends, due to the fact that many had problems with loading when installing Windows and some wrote about it in the comments, I decided to make a separate section where I collected the methods I knew to solve these problems.
- If the computer stops loading at the very beginning and asks you to press F1, after which it enters the BIOS, then you most likely either have a dead battery on the motherboard (time may be lost), problems with the processor cooler (it failed, was not connected there) or a hard drive (errors in SMART).
- If the message “Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key” appears when you turn on the PC, this means that the boot area on the disk or flash drive was not found or is damaged. Try to boot from the installation disk or flash drive using the Boot Menu (section 6 of the article), if it doesn’t help, make the bootable media again using the Windows USB / DVD Download Tool utility.
- If, after restarting the computer, the installation of Windows starts from the beginning, then remove the boot disk or USB flash drive and restart the computer, the installation should continue from the hard drive.
- Disconnect all unnecessary USB devices from the computer (flash drive, 3G modem, smartphone, printer). You only need to leave the mouse, keyboard, DVD or USB flash drive from which you are installing Windows.
- If you have several hard drives, then disconnect all drives from the motherboard, except for the one on which Windows will be installed.
- Reset BIOS settings to default (described in this article).
- If the installer does not see the disk or the error 0x0000007B appears at the end, change the SATA controller mode in the BIOS from AHCI to IDE or vice versa.
- If at each boot the computer or laptop itself enters the BIOS or opens the boot menu, then set the Boot Pop Menu option in the BIOS to Disable (if any).
- Disable Fast Boot in the Advanced section of the BIOS, and in the Boot section, set the Launch CSM option to Enable (if any).
- In the Boot section in the BIOS, change the boot mode from EFI (UEFI) to Legacy (if available).
- Set the Secure Boot option in the BIOS to Disable (if available).
- Select the version of Windows you are installing in the BIOS (if available).
- If you have a laptop, one version of Windows is installed, but the other is not, and the advice on setting up the BIOS did not help you, then contact the manufacturer's support or forum. A BIOS update can also help, after which additional options may appear in it (p. 8-12).
- If possible, from a DVD, as there are many different problems with flash drives.
- Make from .
- Insert the flash drive into the USB 2.0 connector on the back of the computer (motherboard) or the USB 2.0 connector of the laptop. Booting from USB 3.0 does not always work.
- Try to use the Boot Menu, as described in paragraph 6 of this article. This method is simpler, more reliable than setting the boot priority in the BIOS and you can determine whether the computer sees your USB flash drive.
- An underscore on a black screen indicates that the computer freezes when accessing a flash drive or hard drive. If the download goes further without a flash drive, then it's definitely in it.
- If the computer does not see the flash drive or does not want to boot from it, use a DVD or other flash drive to install.
- If this is not possible, then change the type of flash drive from "removable media" to "hard disk" using the "BootIt Next Generation" utility, format it with the "HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool" utility, and make it bootable again using "Windows USB / DVD Download Tool". You can download all these utilities below in the "Links" section.
- If the problem occurs after selecting the Windows installation partition, then use the advice on setting up the BIOS (p. 7-12). Remove old partitions from the disk during installation, or do it using the Acronis Disk Director boot disk.
- If the installer reports that it cannot install Windows to disk, then try to execute or vice versa.
I remind you that the F10 key is used to exit the BIOS while saving the settings.
8. Links
In the following articles, we will look at how to install , and .
Sandisk Cruzer
Transcend JetFlash 790 8Gb
Sandisk Cruzer
