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CMP / 06BIOS |
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Chapter 6 - What is BIOS? BIOS (basic input/output system) is software stored on a motherboard that configures the board, loads an operating system and manages the data flow between the central processor and devices such as the hard disk, video adapter, keyboard and mouse. A modern BIOS is flexible and careful configuration can significantly improve audio reproduction. Optimum settings for the recommended motherboard are described. ![]() To change BIOS values, press the delete key repeatedly on power up to enter the first menu as shown. Be sure to press <Ctrl>+<F1> at the main menu to access advanced menu items. Navigate menus with the keyboard, pressing Enter to move down a menu tree and to edit parameters and Esc to move back up the menu tree. Once changes are made, go to Save & Exit Setup and hit Enter. Test after each change outlined below so that the cause of any problem can be identified. Menus even in different versions of the same BIOS may differ but the pertinent parameters are usually easy to find. The text below goes through the procedure menu by menu. It is recommended that, before starting the setup, the user performs Load Optimized Defaults. The operating system can be installed before or after making the BIOS changes but it is slightly simpler to do the BIOS setup first (except for disabling the floppy disk and IDE interfaces, used during setup). Notes
Standard CMOS Features
Advanced BIOS Features
1. HDD S.M.A.R.T. Capability
2. No-Execute Memory Protect
Advanced Chipset Features
Integrated Peripherals
Power Management Setup
PC Health Status
MB Intelligent Tweaker (M.I.T.)![]() E7200 CPU example. Host frequency at 175 (CPU=1050MHz, FSB=700MHz). Advanced Frequency Settings
this gives CPU frequency of 900MHz (BIOS should reflect max cpu frequency of 900MHz). qpi link speed of 2.4GHz. memory frequency(mhz) of 600 only use 1 RAM module as this improves stability of lower settings. Advanced CPU Core Features
only a single CPU core is used. multi-threading allows for a single core to run 2 threads concurrently. this is the most ideal settings for cMP².
![]() Advanced Memory Settings
Channel A Timing Settings
if using more than 1 module (not recommended), set channel B timings as above.
advanced users sometimes change ram timings for further improvement. faster timings in theory should yield better results but its benefits are negated due to additional power supply noise.
![]() Advanced Voltage Settings
lowest setting is 0.65000. start at 0.75000V. Vcore as low as 0.65000 can be achieved, drop it gradually until lowest cold start Vcore is achieved. some CPUs will not support the lowest setting and cold-starts would require a CMOS reset indicating instability. for safe passive CPU cooling, a voltage of 0.72500V or lower is recommended.
Miscellaneous Settings
Perform Save & Exit. After booting, confirm settings using CPU-Z. |