Intel MB440LX manual When to Use the System Configuration Utility

When to Use the System Configuration Utility

The SCU lets you do the following:

∙Add and remove boards

∙Change the system configuration settings

∙Save the system configuration

∙View switch and jumper settings on the boards in the system

To install or remove an ISA add-in board in the system, you must run the SCU to reconfigure the system. Running the SCU is optional for a PCI add-in board.

The SCU is PCI-aware and complies with the ISA Plug and Play specifications. The SCU works with any compliant configuration (.CFG) or overlay (.OVL) files supplied by peripheral device manufacturer.

The system board comes with .CFG and .OVL files. The .CFG file describes the board’s characteristics and the system resources that the board requires. The configuration registers on PCI and ISA Plug and Play add-in boards contain the same type of information that is in a .CFG file. However, some ISA add-in boards do come with a .CFG file.

The SCU uses the information provided by the .OVL and .CFG files, configuration registers, NVRAM, and the information that you enter, to specify a system configuration. It configures the system by writing the configuration information to flash memory.

The SCU stores most of the configuration values in the battery-maintained memory (NVRAM) of the real-time clock (RTC), and it stores the rest of the values in flash memory. These values take effect when you boot the system. The POST checks the values against the actual hardware configuration; if they do not agree, it generates an error message. You must then run the SCU to specify the correct configuration before the system boots.

The SCU always updates a checksum for both areas so that the BIOS can detect any potential data corruption before the actual hardware configuration takes place. If the data is corrupted, the BIOS requests that the user configure the system before it can boot.

Pressing <F1> on the keyboard, in response to the BIOS prompt during the POST, activates the BIOS Setup Utility.

M440LX Server System Product Guide 51