Nice to know: BIOS - useful settings

The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is the firmware of a PC – a software that’s built into the hardware and has already been extensively examined on our blog. In this article, we explain which functions and settings are useful for the BIOS and what to consider if there is uncertainty.

AC Power Loss – in case of power loss

Or also: How is the PC supposed to behave when the power is (suddenly) gone, for instance in case of a blackout or the main plug is (by mistake) removed. There are several ways to do this: 

  • The Power On function, where the device turns on automatically again. 
  • If the Power Off function is activated, the PC remains switched off. 
  • The Last State function restores the last state in which the computer was before the power was gone. 

 

Compatibility for UEFI: The CSM Support 

For backward compatibility reasons, most UEFI implementations also support booting from MBR-partitioned disks via the Compatibility Support Module (CSM), which supplies legacy BIOS compatibility. Whether or not the CSM should be enabled depends on several factors, such as UEFI compatibility of the GPU or the installation of older operating systems. Again, you can choose between activated and deactivated. 

We have described what UEFI is and how it differs from the BIOS in this article. 

 

Wake on LAN

Wake on LAN (WoL) can bring the computer back from sleep if an internet connection via LAN connection is ensured. This means that the PC can be started via the built-in network card. The process can be done with the local network, or you can start the PC online. Here you can also choose between enabled and disabled. Read more about Wake on LAN. 

 

FAN settings on actively cooled systems 

In the BIOS of an actively cooled PC, you can precisely adjust the strength of the fan. It’s possible to choose between three different settings: low, medium and high. Depending on the system, the fan can also be adjusted continuously or even according to the temperature. 

More information about the importance of the cooling in a PC can be found in the following article

 

You have questions about one or more specific BIOS settings or want to know which settings have been made on your system in the BIOS? Feel free to contact us: 

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