In this sample chapter from CompTIA A+ 220-901 and 220-902 Cert Guide, 4th Edition, author Mark Edward Soper covers; Introduction to BIOS/UEFI, explaining the motherboard’s firmware, known as the BIOS or UEFI. BIOS/UEFI Configuration which demonstrates how to access the BIOS and modify settings; for example, RAM, processor, and video settings. Flash Upgrade BIOS/UEFI where you’ll learn how to upgrade the BIOS through a process known as flashing and Using BIOS/UEFI Diagnostics where you’ll learn about diagnostic features built into many BIOS/UEFI chips. This chapter is from the bookThis chapter covers the following subjects:
The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is an essential component of the motherboard. This boot firmware, also known as System BIOS or, on most recent systems, unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI), is the first code run by a computer when it is booted. It prepares the machine by testing it during bootup and paves the way for the operating system to start. It tests and initializes components such as the processor, RAM, video card, hard drives, optical, and USB drives. If any errors occur, the BIOS/UEFI reports them as part of the testing stage, known as the power-on self-test (POST). The BIOS/UEFI resides on a ROM chip and stores a setup program that you can access when the computer first boots up. From this program, a user can change settings in the BIOS and upgrade the BIOS as well. In this chapter, you find out about how the BIOS/UEFI, CMOS, and batteries on the motherboard interact and learn how to configure and upgrade the BIOS. From this point on, the term BIOS refers to both traditional BIOS and UEFI firmware except when they differ in function. 220-901: Objective 1.1 Given a scenario, configure settings and use BIOS/UEFI tools on a PC. Foundation TopicsBIOS/UEFI ConfigurationThe system BIOS has default settings provided by the system or motherboard maker, but as a system is built up with storage devices, memory modules, adapter cards, and other components, it is usually necessary to alter the standard settings. To perform this task, the system assembler must use the BIOS setup program to make changes and save them to the CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) chip. Originally, the BIOS setup program was run from a bootable floppy disk, but for many years virtually all system BIOS chips have included the setup program. Accessing the BIOS Setup ProgramThe BIOS configuration program is stored in the BIOS chip itself. Just press the key or key combination displayed onscreen (or described in the manual) to get started.
Although these keystrokes vary from system to system, the most popular keys on current systems include the escape (Esc) key, the Delete (Del) key, the F1 key, the F2 key, or the F10 key. Most recent systems display the key(s) necessary to start the BIOS setup program at startup, as shown in Figure 2-1. However, if you don’t know which key to press to start your computer’s BIOS setup program, check the system or motherboard manual for the correct key(s).
Figure 2-1 A typical splash screen displays the keystrokes needed to start the BIOS setup program. Be sure to consult the manual that came with your computer or motherboard before toying with the settings you find here. Fiddling with the settings can improve performance, but it can also wreak havoc on an otherwise healthy device if you don’t know what you’re doing. Be warned! UEFI and Traditional BIOS
Most recent desktop and laptop computers (and all desktop and laptop computers from 2014 on) now use a new type of firmware called the Unified Extensible Firmware Initiative (UEFI) to display a mouse-driven GUI or text-based menu for BIOS setup. OS X computers all use UEFI firmware. Compared to a traditional Flash ROM BIOS, UEFI has the following advantages:
UEFI firmware offers similar settings to those used by a traditional BIOS (see Figure 2-2) along with additional options (refer to Figures 2-3 and beyond). Most desktop systems with UEFI firmware use a mouse-driven graphical interface. However, many laptops with UEFI firmware use a text-based interface similar to BIOS.
Figure 2-2 This computer uses a traditional BIOS. To learn more about UEFI, visit http://www.uefi.org/. BIOS Settings OverviewThe following sections review the typical setup process using various UEFI firmware versions on systems running Intel Core i3 3227U, Intel Core i5 i6600, AMD FX-8350, and AMD A10-5800K processors. Table 2-1 provides a detailed discussion of the most important CMOS/BIOS settings. Use this table as a quick reference to the settings you need to make or verify in any system. Examples of these and other settings are provided in the following sections.
Table 2-1 Major CMOS/BIOS/UEFI Settings
Automatic Configuration of BIOS/CMOS SettingsAs you can see from Table 2-1, there are many options to select when configuring BIOS settings. Many BIOS firmware versions enable you to automatically configure your system with a choice of these options from the main menu:
These options primarily deal with performance configuration settings in the BIOS firmware, such as memory timings, memory cache, and the like. The settings used by each BIOS setup option are customized by the motherboard or system manufacturer. Use BIOS defaults to troubleshoot the system because these settings are conservative in memory timings and other options. Normally, the setup defaults provide better performance. As you view the setup screens in this chapter, you’ll note these options are listed. With many recent systems, you can select Optimal or Setup defaults, save your changes, and then exit; the system will then work acceptably. However, to configure drive settings, USB settings, or to enable or disable ports, you also need to work with individual BIOS settings, such as the ones shown in the following sections. Main MenuWhen you start the BIOS configuration program for your system, you might see a GUI menu similar to the UEFI CMOS Setup Utility menus shown in Figures 2-3 and 2-4. Many laptops and corporate-oriented desktop computers with UEFI BIOS use a text-based menu such as the one shown in Figure 2-5 (later in this chapter).
Figure 2-3 A typical UEFI main setup menu for a desktop system with an Intel processor (UEFI BIOS for Gigabyte Z170XP-SLI).
Figure 2-4 A typical UEFI main setup menu for a desktop system with an AMD processor (UEFI BIOS for BIOSTAR Hi-Fi A85W).
Figure 2-5 Information dialog on a typical laptop with text-based UEFI firmware. From this menu, you can go to any menu, select default settings, save changes, or exit setup without saving any changes. Main/Standard Features/SettingsThe Main/Standard Features/Settings menus (refer to Figures 2-3 and 2-4) frequently report system features (such as the motherboard model and onboard RAM) and sometimes also configure the system’s date and time. To access other settings, use arrow keys or your mouse to highlight the appropriate icon or text menu. Discovering System InformationMost systems display system information such as processor type, clock speed, cache memory size, installed memory (RAM), and BIOS information from within the BIOS (see Figure 2-5). Use this information to help determine whether a system needs a processor, memory, or BIOS update. Boot Settings and Boot SequenceMost computers include settings that control how the system boots and the sequence in which drives are checked for bootable operating system files. Depending on the system, these settings might be part of a larger menu, such as an Advanced Settings menu, a BIOS Features menu (see Figure 2-6), or a separate Boot menu (see Figure 2-7).
Figure 2-6 Boot sequence and other boot settings in the BIOS Features menu.
Figure 2-7 A typical Boot menu configured to permit booting from a CD/DVD or USB flash drive before the hard drive. Enabling Fast Boot skips memory and drive tests to enable faster startup. Enabling Boot Up NumLock turns on the keyboard’s NumLock option. The menus shown in Figures 2-6 and 2-7 are used to adjust the order in which drives are checked for bootable media. For faster booting, set the hard drive with system files as the first boot device. However, when you want to have the option to boot from an optical (CD/DVD/Blu-ray) disk or from a USB flash or hard drive for diagnostics or operating system installations, put those drives before SATA hard drives in the boot order. Integrated Ports and PeripheralsTypical desktop systems are loaded with onboard ports and features, and the menus shown in Figures 2-8, 2-9, 2-10, and 2-11 are typical of the BIOS menus used to enable, disable, and configure storage, audio, network, and USB ports.
Figure 2-8 A UEFI configuration dialog for SATA ports.
Figure 2-9 Configuring a USB host adapter for battery charging.
Figure 2-10 Configuring onboard HD Audio.
Figure 2-11 Configuring the onboard network adapter. SATA ConfigurationUse the SATA configuration options (such as those shown in Figure 2-8) to enable or disable SATA and eSATA ports and to configure SATA host adapters to run in compatible (emulating PATA), native (AHCI), or RAID modes. AHCI supports Native Command Queuing (NCQ) for faster performance and permits hot-swapping of eSATA drives. To learn more about RAID configuration, see “RAID Types” in Chapter 6, “Storage Devices.” USB Host Adapters and Charging SupportMost systems have separate settings for the USB (2.0) and USB 3.0 (a.k.a. SuperSpeed) controllers (on systems that have USB 3.0 ports). If you don’t enable USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 in your system BIOS, all your system’s USB ports will run at the next lower speed. Some USB configuration utilities can also be used to enable a specified USB port to output at a higher amperage than normal to enable faster charging of smartphones. Figure 2-9 illustrates a system with USB 3.0 support enabled and battery charting support being enabled. Audio and Ethernet PortsDepending upon the system, these and other integrated ports might be configured using a common menu or on separate menus. In Figure 2-10, the HD “Azalia” onboard audio is enabled; if a separate sound card was installed, onboard audio should be disabled. SPDIF audio can be directed through the SPDIF digital audio port (default) or the HDMI AV port (optional) using this menu. In Figure 2-11, the onboard LAN option ROM is disabled on this system. Enable it when you want to boot from an operating system that is stored on a network drive. Power ManagementAlthough operating systems include power management features, the BIOS controls how any given system responds to standby or power-out conditions. Figure 2-12 illustrates a typical power management menu.
Figure 2-12 Typical power management configuration menu. ACPI is the power management function used in modern systems, replacing the older APM standard; it should be enabled. Most systems offer two ACPI standby states: S1/POS (power on standby) and S3/STR (suspend to RAM). Use S3/STR whenever possible because it uses much less power when the system is idle. You can also configure your system power button, specify how to restart your system when AC power is lost, and specify how to wake up a system from standby, sleep, or hibernation modes. Some systems display these settings in the same dialog as power management, whereas others use a separate dialog or submenu. MonitoringAs hot as a small room containing a PC can get, it’s a whole lot hotter inside the PC itself. Excessive heat is the enemy of system stability and shortens the life of your hardware. Adding fans can help, but when they fail, you have problems. See Chapter 7, “CPUs,” for more information. The Hardware Monitor BIOS dialog (sometimes referred to as PC Health) is a common feature in most recent desktop systems. It is used to display the following (refer to Figure 2-13):
Figure 2-13 Typical PC Health hardware monitoring menu. Many systems can also be configured to warn when CPU or system temperatures reach a dangerously high level or when fans stop turning or spin at too low a speed for proper cooling. Windows-based hardware monitoring programs can also be used to display this information during normal system operation. Processor and Memory ConfigurationTo monitor system clock and bus speed settings, check the processor and memory configuration dialog typically available on gaming-oriented systems or others designed for overclocking (see Figure 2-14). On these systems, you can disable the normal Auto settings and manually tweak speeds, voltages, and other timing settings.
Figure 2-14 CPU configuration dialog used for viewing and changing clock and bus speeds for overclocking. Virtualization SupportVirtualization is the capability to run multiple operating systems on a single computer at the same time. Although virtualization does not require processor support, virtualization programs such as Windows Virtual PC and Hyper-V, Oracle VM VirtualBox, and versions of VMware Workstation provide much better performance on systems that have hardware-assisted virtualization support enabled. For a system to support hardware-assisted virtualization, it must include a CPU that supports virtualization and virtualization must be enabled in the system BIOS. Intel-based systems with VT support might have two entries for virtualization. Intel Virtualization Technology (also known as VT or VT-x) must be enabled for hardware-assisted virtualization to be supported. Intel VT with Directed I/O (VT-d Tech) can also be enabled to help improve I/O performance, although processors that support VT-x vary in their levels of VT-d support. Some systems, such as the one shown in Figure 2-15, have a single entry that enables or disables virtualization. When VT-d is enabled, VT-x is also enabled.
Figure 2-15 Virtualization is not enabled on this Intel-based system. AMD-based systems that support hardware-assisted virtualization feature a single BIOS setting that might be labeled Virtualization, Secure Virtual Machine Mode, or SVM (see Figure 2-16).
Figure 2-16 Virtualization has been enabled on this AMD-based system. Security FeaturesSecurity features of various types are scattered around the typical system BIOS/UEFI dialogs. Features and their locations vary by system and might include:
Enable the BIOS password feature to permit access to BIOS setup dialogs only for those with the password. The power-on password option prevents anyone without the password from starting the system. Note that these options can be defeated by opening the system and clearing the CMOS memory. Intrusion detection/notification, also known as Chassis Intrusion, when enabled, displays a warning on startup that the system has been opened. Boot sector protection, found primarily on older systems, protects the default system drive’s boot sector from being changed by viruses or other unwanted programs. Depending on the implementation, this option might need to be disabled before an operating system installation or upgrade. Secure Boot is a feature that permits only software trusted by the PC manufacturer to be used to boot the system. When Secure Boot is enabled, the UEFI firmware checks for signatures on the boot software, option ROMs, and the operating system. Secure Boot support was first introduced in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows Server 2012, and is also supported in newer versions. A TPM (trusted program module) is used by Windows editions that support BitLocker full-disk encryption feature to protect the contents of the system hard drive (Vista) or any specified drive (Windows 7/8/8.1/10). Although many corporate laptops include a built-in TPM module, desktop computers and servers might include a connection for an optional TPM. For more information about using BitLocker, see Chapter 21, “Security.” LoJack for Laptops (and other mobile devices) is a popular security feature embedded in the laptop BIOSes of a number of systems and can be added to other systems. It consists of two components: a BIOS-resident component and the Computrace Agent, which is activated by LoJack when a computer is reported as stolen. To learn more about LoJack for laptops, tablets, and smartphones see www.absolute.com/en/lojackforlaptops/home.aspx. Exiting BIOS and Saving/Discarding ChangesWhen you exit the BIOS setup program, you can elect to save configuration changes or discard them. Many systems with UEFI firmware permit the user to save multiple BIOS configuration settings (see Figure 2-17).
Figure 2-17 Preparing to save the current BIOS configuration to a file. If you made changes you want to keep, choose the option to save changes (see Figure 2-18). If you were “just looking” and did not intend to make any changes, choose the option to discard changes (see Figure 2-19). When you exit the BIOS setup program with either option, the system restarts.
Figure 2-18 Preparing to save changes and exit the BIOS configuration menu.
Figure 2-19 Preparing to discard changes and exit the BIOS configuration menu. Flash Upgrade BIOSThe BIOS chip can be regarded as the “glue” that binds the hardware to the operating system. If the BIOS doesn’t recognize the operating system or the hardware it communicates with, you’re sure to have problems. Because the BIOS chip bridges hardware to the operating system, you need to update the BIOS whenever your current BIOS version is unable to properly support
BIOS updates can also be used to solve problems with power management or other hardware-related issues. A computer that is more than one year old or that is a candidate for a new processor might need a BIOS update. In the 1980s into the early 1990s, a BIOS update required a physical chip swap and, sometimes, reprogramming the chip with a device called an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) burner. If the replacement or reprogrammed BIOS chip was installed incorrectly into the socket, it could be destroyed. Fortunately, since the mid-1990s, a BIOS update can now be performed with software. The Flash BIOS chips in use on practically every recent system contain a special type of memory that can be changed through a software download from the system or motherboard maker. Although Flash BIOS updates are easier to perform than the older, replace-the-chip style, you still need to be careful. An incomplete or incorrect BIOS update will prevent your system from being accessed. No BIOS, no boot! Regardless of the method, for maximum safety, follow these initial steps:
Flash BIOS UpdateSo you’ve decided you need a Flash BIOS update. Where do you get it? Don’t ask the BIOS manufacturers (Phoenix, Insyde, AMI, and Award/Phoenix). They don’t sell BIOS updates because their basic products are modified by motherboard and system vendors. Following are the general steps to locate a Flash BIOS update and install it:
Using BIOS/UEFI DiagnosticsSome system vendors provide UEFI diagnostics programs that can be installed on a bootable USB drive or might be available to run at system startup time. These diagnostic programs can be used to test the motherboard, RAM, displays, drives, fans, and other components. Figure 2-20 illustrates the main menu of the HP Hardware Diagnostics utility.
Figure 2-20 Preparing to test a computer with HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI. |