6-2 IBM Personal Computer User Guide
Configuration/Setup Utility overview
The Configuration/Setup Utility lets you view and change important information
about your computer and its hardware. You might need to use Setup if you upgrade
the hardware in your computer or if you get an error message while using your
computer.
In most circumstances, when you add or replace hardware in y ou r sys tem unit, y o ur
computer’s Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) detects the hardware changes and
updates Setup parameters automatically. In some cases, however, you might need
to manually change the configuration information in Setup. If you add or remove
hardware, an online message may ask you to check Setup to verify that automatic
detection made the correct configuration changes.
You can use the Setup menus to view information about your system’s hardware
configuration. In general, the Setup menus contain information on the following:
• Processor type and speed
• System memory
• Diskette, hard disk, and CD-ROM drives
• Serial and parallel ports
• Plug and Play options
• Startup options
• Model information
• Date and time settings
• Security options
• Power management options
Note: For simplification, the Configuration/Setup Utility will be
referred to simply as “Setup” throughout this handbook.