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Using System Setup: Dell™ OptiPlex™ GC System User's Guide

	Overview		System Setup Navigation Keys
	Entering System Setup		Clearing NVRAM
	System Setup Screens

Overview

Each time you turn on your computer system or press the reset button, the system compares the hardware installed in the system to the hardware listed in the system configuration information stored in nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM) on the system board. If the system detects a discrepancy, it generates error messages that identify the incorrect configuration settings. The system then prompts you to enter System Setup to correct the setting.

You can use System Setup as follows:

• To change the system configuration information after you add, change, or remove any hardware in your system

• To set or change user-selectable options—for example, the time or date on your system

You can view the current settings at any time. When you change a setting, in many cases you must reboot the system before the change takes effect.

After you set up your system, run System Setup to familiarize yourself with your system configuration information and optional settings. Dell recommends that you print the System Setup screens (by pressing the <Print Screen> key) or record the information for future reference.

Before you use System Setup, you need to know the kind of diskette drive(s) and hard-disk drive(s) installed in your computer. If you are unsure of this information, see the Manufacturing Test Report that was shipped with your system and is located in the Dell Accessories folder.

Entering System Setup

To enter System Setup, perform the following steps:  

1. Turn on your system.
   
   If your system is already on, shut it down and then turn it on again.

2. When the blue Dell logo screen appears, press <Del>.

If you wait too long and your operating system begins to load into memory, let the system complete the load operation; then shut down the system and try again.

NOTE: To ensure an orderly system shutdown, consult the documentation that accompanied your operating system.

System Setup Screens

System Setup has a main screen that provides options to access the following screens that contain information or setup options:

• System Information screen — Displays a compilation of the present settings of the basic system configuration

• Product Information screen — Displays system product version numbers and identification codes

• Disk Drives screen — Provides settings for the system drives

• Onboard Peripherals screen — Provides settings for the integrated system board ports and controllers
  
  
• Boot Options screen — Provides information about which device boots the system and options for boot type
  
  
• Date and Time screen — Provides selections for setting the system date and time
  
  
• System Security screen — Provides selections for setting the system's security level

Each of these screens is organized as follows:

• The left side of the screen lists options that define the installed hardware in your system.
  
  
• The right side of the screen displays options that contain settings or values that you can change. Values that are grayed out contain status information reported by the system.
  
  
• The bottom of the screen displays help information if System Setup is not in full-screen mode.

While viewing any of the screens, you can also press <Alt><h> to view the Key Help Guide, which lists keys and their functions for the currently displayed screen.

System Setup Navigation Keys

Table 1 lists the keys you use to view or change information on the System Setup screen and to exit the program.

Table 1. System Setup Navigation Keys

Keys	Action
or	Moves the highlight bar up or down to select an item.
	Selects the submenu for the current option. When viewing the Key Help Guide, returns to the previous screen.
	Switches to full-screen mode.
	Returns to the previous menu. From the main screen, prompts you to exit System Setup with or without saving any changes.
or	Moves the cursor to the previous or next menu option.
or	Pages up or pages down.
	Moves the cursor to the beginning of the page.
	Moves the cursor to the end of the page.
	Displays the Key Help Guide.

Clearing NVRAM

To clear NVRAM for all devices and restart the system, perform the following steps:

1. Turn off the computer and unplug it from the electrical outlet.

CAUTION: Before you remove the computer cover, see "Safety First—For You and Your Computer."

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