Using the System Setup Program

<Enter>

From the main menu, selects an option that has a submenu, such as Memory Information.

Up arrow or <Shift><Tab>

Moves to the previous field.

Down arrow or <Tab>

Moves to the next field.

Spacebar, <+>, <–>, left and right arrows

Cycles through the settings in a field. In many fields, you can also type the appropriate value.

<Esc>

From the main menu:

Exits the System Setup program and restarts the system if any changes (other than time and date) were made and you wish to save them.

If no changes are made, system boot will resume.

From a submenu, returns the program to the main menu.

<F1>

Displays the System Setup program's help text.

System Time

Sets the time on the system's internal clock.

System Date

Sets the date on the system's internal calendar.

Memory Information

Displays information related to installed memory. See Memory Information Screen.

CPU Information

Displays information related to microprocessors (speed, cache size, and so on). See CPU Information Screen.

Boot Sequence

Determines the order of devices from which the system attempts to boot during system startup. Available options can include a diskette drive, CD drive, hard drives, and network.

NOTE: System boot is not supported from an external device attached to a SAS adapter. See support.dell.com for the latest support information about booting from external devices.

Hard-Disk Drive Sequence

Determines the order in which the BIOS will attempt to boot from hard drives in the system during system startup.

USB Flash Drive Emulation Type
(Auto default)

Determines the emulation type for a USB flash drive. Hard disk allows the USB flash drive to act as a hard drive. Floppy allows the USB flash drive to act as a removable diskette drive.

Auto automatically chooses the appropriate emulation type for the device, except for devices installed in the SD card slot. A device installed in the SD card slot will automatically emulate a hard drive. If you install a device in this slot that is configured as a removable diskette drive, you must manually set the emulation type to Floppy.

Boot Sequence Retry

If this field is enabled and the system has failed to boot, the system will reattempt to boot after 30 seconds.

Integrated Devices

See Integrated Devices Screen.

PCI IRQ Assignment

Displays a screen to change the IRQ assigned to each of the integrated devices on the PCI bus, and any installed expansion card that requires an IRQ.

Serial Communication
(Off default)

See Serial Communication Screen.

Embedded Server Management

Displays a screen to configure the front-panel LCD options and to set a user-defined LCD string.

System Security

Displays a screen to configure the system password and setup password features. See System Security Screen, Using the System Password, and Using the Setup Password for more information.

Keyboard NumLock
(On default)

Determines whether your system starts up with the NumLock mode activated on 101- or 102-key keyboards (does not apply to 84-key keyboards).

Report Keyboard Errors
(Report default)

Enables or disables reporting of keyboard errors during the POST. Select Report for host systems that have keyboards attached. Select Do Not Report to suppress all error messages relating to the keyboard or keyboard controller during POST. This setting does not affect the operation of the keyboard itself if a keyboard is attached to the system.

System Memory Size

Displays the amount of system memory.

System Memory Type

Displays the type of system memory.

System Memory Speed

Displays the system memory speed.

Video Memory

Displays the amount of video memory.

System Memory Testing

This option determines whether system memory tests are run at system boot. Options are Enabled and Disabled.

Redundant Memory
(Disabled default)

Enables or disables the redundant memory feature. Redundant memory feature is disabled if the Node Interleaving field is enabled.

Node Interleaving (Disabled default)

If this field is enabled, memory interleaving is supported if a symmetric memory configuration is installed. If this field is set to Disabled, the system can support Non-Uniform Memory architecture (NUMA) (asymmetric) memory configurations.

NOTE: The Node Interleaving field must be set to Disabled when using the redundant memory feature.

Memory Optimizer Technology
(Enabled default)

Sets the behavior of the two DRAM controllers for memory optimization. When set to Enabled, the two controllers run in parallel 64-bit mode for improved memory performance (running single-bit ECC).When set to Disabled, the controllers are joined in 128-bit mode running multi-bit Advanced ECC.

Low Power Mode
(Disabled default)

Enables or disables the low power mode of the memory. When set to Disabled, the memory runs at full speed. When set to Enabled, the memory runs at a reduced speed to conserve energy.

64-bit

Specifies if the installed processor(s) support 64-bit extensions.

Core Speed

Displays the clock speed of the processor(s).

Bus Speed

Displays the bus speed of the processor(s).

Virtualization Technology
(Enabled default)

NOTE: Disable this feature if your system will not be running virtualization software.

Displays when the processors support Virtualization Technology. Enabled permits virtualization software to use Virtualization Technology incorporated in the processor design. This feature can only be used by software that supports Virtualization Technology.

Demand-Based Power Management
(Disabled default)

Enables or disables demand-based power management. When enabled, the CPU Performance State tables will be reported to the operating system; when disabled, the CPU Performance State tables will not be reported to the operating system. If any of the CPUs do not support demand-based power management, the field will become read-only and automatically set to Disabled.

Processor X ID

Displays the model number of the processor. A submenu displays the amount of level 2 cache and number of cores.

Integrated SAS/RAID Controller
(Enabled default)

Enables or disables the integrated SAS controller.

Optical Drive Controller
(On default)

Enables or disables the integrated optical drive controller.

User Accessible USB Ports
(All Ports On default)

Enables or disables the system's user accessible USB ports. Options are All Ports On, Only Back Ports On, and All Ports Off.

Internal USB Port
(On default)

Enables or disables the system's internal USB port.

SD Card Port

Enables or disables the system's internal SD card port.

NOTE: This port is dedicated to a hypervisor, if installed.

Embedded Gb NICx
(NIC1 default: Enabled with PXE;
Other NICs: Enabled)

Enables or disables the system's integrated NICs. Options are Enabled, Enabled with PXE, Enabled with iSCSI Boot, and Disabled. PXE support allows the system to boot from the network. Changes take effect after the system reboots.

MAC Address

Displays the MAC address for the integrated 10/100/1000 NIC. This field does not have user-selectable settings.

Capability Detected

Displays the NIC features provided by the NIC hardware key installed in the TOE_KEY socket on the system board.

NOTE: Some features may require the installation of an additional driver.

Serial Communication
(On without Console Redirection default)

Options are On without Console Redirection, On with Console Redirection via COM1, On with Console Redirection via COM2, and Off.

External Serial Connector
(COM1 default)

Specifies whether COM1, COM2, or Remote Access Device has access to the external serial connector for serial communications.

Failsafe Baud Rate
(115200 default)

Displays the failsafe baud rate used for console redirection when the baud rate cannot be negotiated automatically with the remote terminal. This rate should not be adjusted.

Remote Terminal Type
(VT 100/VT 220 default)

Select either VT 100/VT 220 or ANSI.

Redirection After Boot
(Enabled default)

Enables or disables BIOS console redirection after your system boots to the operating system.

System Password

Displays the current status of your system's password security feature and allows you to assign and verify a new system password.

NOTE: See Using the System Password for instructions on assigning a system password and using or changing an existing system password.

Setup Password

Restricts access to the System Setup program in the same way that you restrict access to your system using the system password feature.

NOTE: See Using the Setup Password for instructions on assigning a setup password and using or changing an existing setup password.

Password Status

Setting the Setup Password option to Enabled prevents the system password from being changed or disabled at system start-up.

To lock the system password, assign a setup password in the Setup Password option and then change the Password Status option to Locked. In this state, you cannot change the system password using the System Password option and cannot be disabled at system start-up by pressing <Ctrl><Enter>.

To unlock the system password, enter the setup password in the Setup Password field and then change the Password Status option to Unlocked. In this state, you can disable the system password at system start-up by pressing <Ctrl><Enter> and then change the password using the System Password option.

TPM Security
(Off default)

NOTE: TPM functionality is not available in China.

Sets the reporting of the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) in the system.

When set to Off, presence of the TPM is not reported to the operating system.

When set to On with Pre-boot Measurements, the system reports the TPM to the operating system and stores the pre-boot measurements (compliant with Trusted Computing Group standards) to the TPM during POST.

When set to On without Pre-boot Measurements, the system reports the TPM to the operating system and bypasses pre-boot measurements.

TPM Activation

Changes the operational state of the TPM.

When set to Activate, the TPM is enabled and activated at default settings.

When set to Deactivate, the TPM is disabled and deactivated.

The No Change state initiates no action. The operational state of the TPM remains unchanged (all user settings for the TPM are preserved).

NOTE: This field is read-only when TPM Security is set to Off.

TPM Clear
(No default)

NOTICE: Clearing the TPM will cause loss of all encryption keys in the TPM. This option will prevent booting to the operating system and will result in loss of data if the encryption keys cannot be restored. Be sure to back up the TPM keys prior to enabling this option.

When set to Yes, all the contents of the TPM are cleared.

NOTE: This field is read-only when TPM Security is set to Off.

Power Button (Enabled default)

Enables or disables the power off function of the power button. When enabled, the power button powers off the system as follows:

• If the system is running an ACPI-compliant operating system, the system performs an orderly shutdown before power is turned off.
• If the system is not running an ACPI-compliant operating system, power is turned off immediately after the power button is pressed.

When disabled, the button can only turn on system power.

NOTE: You can still turn on the system by using the power button, even if the Power Button option is set to Disabled.

NMI Button

NOTICE: Use the NMI button only if directed to do so by qualified support personnel or by the operating system's documentation. Pressing this button halts the operating system and displays a diagnostic screen.

Enables or disables the NMI feature.

AC Power Recovery
(Last default)

Determines how the system reacts when power is restored to the system. If system is set to Last, the system returns to the last power state. On turns on the system after power is restored. When set to Off, the system remains off after power is restored.