Dell D600 Using the System Setup Program, Overview, Viewing the System Setup Screens

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Using the System Setup Program

Dell™ Latitude™ D600 Systems User's Guide

Overview

Viewing the System Setup Screens

System Setup Screens

Commonly Used Options

Overview

NOTE: Your operating system may automatically configure most of the options available in the system setup program, thus overriding options that you set through the system setup program. (An 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 your operating system, see your Microsoft® Windows® Help or the Windows Help and Support Center.

You can use the system setup program as follows:

•To set or change user-selectable features—for example, your password

•To verify information about the computer's current configuration, such as the amount of system memory

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

NOTICE: Unless you are an expert computer user or are directed to do so by Dell technical support, do not change the settings for this program. Certain changes might make your computer work incorrectly.

Viewing the System Setup Screens

1.Turn on (or restart) your computer.

2.When the DELL™ logo appears, press <F2> immediately. If you wait too long and the Windows logo appears, continue to wait until you see the Windows desktop. Then shut down your computer and try again.

System Setup Screens

The system setup screens display the current setup information and settings for your computer. On each screen, the system setup options are listed at the left of the screen. To the right of each option is the setting or value for that option. You can change settings that appear as white type on the screen. Options or values that you cannot change (because they are determined by the computer) appear less bright.

The upper-right corner of the screen displays help information for the currently highlighted option; the lower-right corner displays information about the computer. System setup key functions are listed across the bottom of the screen.

The screens display such information as:

•System configuration

•Boot order

•Boot (start-up) configuration and docking-device configuration settings

•Basic device configuration settings

•Battery charge status

•System security and hard-drive password settings

Commonly Used Options

Certain options require that you reboot the computer for new settings to take effect.

Changing the Boot Sequence

The boot sequence, or boot order, tells the computer where to look to find the software needed to start the operating system. You can control the boot sequence using the Boot Order page of the system setup program.