Using the System Setup Program: Dell Latitude C600/C500 User's Guide

Using the System Setup Program: Dell™ Latitude™ C600/C500 User's Guide

	Overview		Changing Printer Modes
	Entering and Exiting the System Setup Program		Changing COM Ports
	The System Setup Screens		Enabling the IR Port
	Changing the Boot Sequence

NOTE: This section provides general information on using the system setup program. For detailed information on options and settings, see "Using the System Setup Program" in the computer User's Guide at the Dell support Web site at http://support.dell.com.

Overview

Each time you turn on your computer, it compares the installed hardware with the system configuration information stored in nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM). If the system detects a discrepancy, it generates an error message for each incorrect configuration setting.

To adjust the configuration settings for APM operating systems, such as Microsoft® Windows® 98 or Windows NT®, you can use the system setup program.
ACPI operating systems, such as Windows 2000 and Windows XP, automatically configure most of the setup options available in the system setup program. In such cases, the operating system overrides system setup options entered through the system setup program. One exception is the External Hot Key option, which you can disable or enable only through the system setup program. For more information on configuring features for these operating systems, see your Microsoft Windows Help.

NOTE: For ACPI operating systems, the system setup program is accessible only during the system boot routine.

You can use the system setup program as follows:

To set or change user-selectable features — for example, your password or power management features
To verify information about your computer's current configuration, such as the amount of system memory

For some setup options, you must reboot the computer before any changes take effect. Changes for other options take effect immediately.

NOTE: If you change an option that is activated by rebooting, the system setup program displays the setting you selected rather than the setting currently in effect. You must reboot for the new setting to take effect.

After you set up your computer, run the system setup program to familiarize yourself with your system configuration information and optional settings. Dell recommends that you write down the information for future reference.

Entering and Exiting the System Setup Program

Action	Operating System	Key Combinations	External Keyboard Key Combinations
Enter the system setup program	Windows 98, Windows NT	<Fn><F1> any time <F2> during the system boot routine	<Scroll Lock><F1> if the External Hot Key option is enabled
Enter the system setup program	Windows 2000, Windows XP	<F2> when the F2 message appears during the system boot routine	<F2> when the F2 message appears during the system boot routine
Enter the Battery Status screen of the system setup program	Windows 98, Windows NT	<Fn><F3> any time	<Scroll Lock><F3> if the External Hot Key option is enabled
Exit the system setup program	All	<Esc> If you change the setting of an option that requires rebooting to take effect, exit the operating system before rebooting. (The Help text in the upper-right corner of system setup screens 1, 2, and 4 tells you if the computer must be rebooted.)	<Esc>

NOTE: If the system setup program is running when the computer enters suspend mode, the computer exits the system setup program and then activates suspend mode.

The System Setup Screens

The system setup screens display the current setup and configuration information and optional settings for your computer. Information on the screens is organized in five boxed areas:

Title

The box at the top of all screens lists the page number, system name, and version number of the basic input/output system (BIOS).

Options

The box on the left half of screens 1, 2, 4, and 5 lists options that define the installed hardware in your computer and the power conservation and security features for your computer.

Fields next to the options contain settings or values. You can change those values that appear bright on the screen. Options or values that you cannot change (because they are determined or calculated by the computer) appear less bright.

Help

The box on the upper-right half of screens 1, 2, 4, and 5 displays help information for the option with a currently highlighted field.

Computer data

The box in the lower-right corner of screens 1, 2, 4, and 5 displays information about your computer.

Key functions

The line of boxes across the bottom of all screens lists keys and their functions within the system setup program.

Changing the Boot Sequence

To change the computer's boot sequence, change the device settings in the Boot First device, Boot Second device, or Boot Third device options.

Boot Sequence Option	Description	Default
Boot First device	Tells the computer where to look first for the software it needs to start the operating system	Diskette Drive
Boot Second device	Tells the computer where to look if it cannot find the software it needs to start the operating system on the drive identified in Boot First device	Internal HDD
Boot Third device	Tells the computer where to look if it cannot find the software it needs to start the operating system on the drive identified in Boot First Device or Boot Second device	None

For a change in the boot sequence options to take effect, you must reboot your computer.

The term boot refers to the computer's start-up procedure. When you turn on the computer, it "bootstraps" itself into an operational state by loading into memory a small program, which in turn loads the necessary operating system. The boot sequence tells the computer where to look to find the software needed to start the operating system.

Changing Printer Modes

Set the Parallel Mode option according to the type of printer or device connected to the parallel port. The default for Parallel Mode is ECP.

To determine the correct mode to use, see the documentation that came with the device.

NOTE: The ECP setting also works for most software written for the AT and PS/2 modes. Devices that use ECP mode may come with special drivers that need to be installed in order to use these modes.

Setting Parallel Mode to Disabled disables the parallel port and its assigned LPT address, freeing its interrupt for another device to use.

For a change in the Parallel Mode option to take effect, you must reboot your computer.

Changing COM Ports

Serial Port allows you to map the address of the serial port to COM1 (the default), COM2, COM3, COM4, or to disable the serial port and its assigned COM address, freeing that interrupt for another device to use.

Enabling the IR Port

To enable the infrared (IR) port on the computer or docking device:

Set the Infrared Data Port option to COM1, COM2, COM3 (recommended), or COM4. The default for Infrared Data Port is Disabled.
Set the Infrared Mode option to either Fast IR or Slow IR.

For a change in the Infrared Data Port option to take effect, you must reboot your computer.

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