Jetway Computer NC81 - Manual (Page 17)

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Chapter 3
Introducing BIOS
The BIOS is a program located on a Flash Memory on the motherboard. This program is a
bridge between motherboard and operating system. When you start the computer, the BIOS
program will gain control. The BIOS first operates an auto-diagnostic test called POST (power
on self test) for all the necessary hardware, it detects the entire hardware device and
configures the parameters of the hardware synchronization. Only when these tasks are
completed done it gives up control of the computer to operating system (OS). Since the
BIOS is the only channel for hardware and software to communicate, it is the key factor for
system stability, and in ensuring that your system performance as its best.
In the BIOS Setup main menu of Figure 3-1, you can see several options. We will explain
these options step by step in the following pages of this chapter, but let us first see a short
description of the function keys you may use here:
• Press to quit the BIOS Setup.
• Press ↑ ↓ ← → (up, down, left, right) to choose, in the main menu, the option you want to
confirm or to modify.
• Press when you have completed the setup of BIOS parameters to save these
parameters and to exit the BIOS Setup menu.
• Press Page Up/Page Down or +/– keys when you want to modify the BIOS parameters for
the active option.