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Using the System Setup Program: Dell™ PowerEdge™
2500 and 2500SC Systems Service Manual
This section describes the System Setup program, which is used to
change the system configuration information stored in NVRAM on the system board. If the
system detects a discrepancy, an error message may appear on the screen that identifies
the incorrect configuration settings. Many of these settings are established using the
System Setup program. The system then prompts you to enter the System Setup program to
correct the setting.
You can use the System Setup program as follows:
- To change the system configuration information default settings
- To set or change user-selectable options
- To restore system configuration settings following a service action
- To enable or disable integrated devices in your system
After you set up your system, run the System Setup program 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 write down the information for future reference.
Before you use the System Setup program, you need to know the kind of
diskette drives(s) and hard-disk drive(s) that are installed in you system. If
you are unsure of any of this information, see the Manufacturing Test Report
that was shipped with your system. You can access the Manufacturing Test Report
in the Dell Accessories folder.
Enter the System Setup program by performing the following steps:
- Turn on your system.
If your system is already on, shut it down and then turn it on again.
- Press <F2> immediately after you see the following message:
Press <F2> for System Setup
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. |
You can also enter the System Setup program by responding to certain error messages.
See "Responding to Error Messages."
The main System Setup screen displays the current setup and configuration information and optional settings for your system. (Typical examples are illustrated in Figure 1.) Information on the System Setup screen is organized in five boxed areas:
- Title box — The shaded box at the top of the screen lists the system name, page number,
and the revision number of the BIOS.
- Configuration options — The remainder of the screen lists the options that define the installed hardware in your computer.
Fields beside the options contain settings or values; those that
appear bright on the screen can be changed. Settings or values that you cannot change
(because they are determined by the system) appear less bright.
Some options have multiple fields, which may show settings or values
as bright or less bright depending upon what settings or values you entered in other
fields.
- Arrow key select functions: Prompts the user to select options using the up-arrow or down-arrow key.
- F1 Help: Displays help information for the option with a currently
highlighted field.
- Space bar, plus (+), and minus (-) keys: Changes the values for the selected option.
Figure 1. System Setup
Main Screen
The following options or information fields appear on the main System Setup screen:
- System Time Resets the time on the system's internal clock.
- System Date Resets the date on the system's internal
calendar.
- Diskette Drive A: Identifies the type of diskette drive
installed in your system.
- System Memory Displays the amount of system memory. This
option has no user-selectable settings.
- Video Memory Displays the amount of video memory. This option
has no user-selectable settings.
- CPU Information Displays information related to the system
bus and microprocessors. This screen has no user-selectable settings.
- Boot Sequence Displays the Boot Sequence screen,
discussed later in this section.
- Hard-Disk Drive Sequence Displays the Hard Disk Drive
Sequence screen, discussed later in this section.
- Integrated Devices Displays the Integrated Devices
screen, discussed later in this section.
- PCI IRQ Assignment Displays a screen that allows you to change the
IRQ allocated to each of the three integrated devices on the PCI bus, as well as any installed
expansion cards that require an IRQ.
- System Security Displays a screen which allows you to
configure the system password and setup password features. See Using the System Password Feature
and Using the Setup
Password Feature.
- OS Install Mode Determines the maximum amount of memory
available to the operating system; On sets the maximum memory
available to the operating system to 256 MB; Off (the default)
makes all of the system memory available to the operating system.
- Keyboard Numlock Determines whether your system boots with
the Num Lock mode activated on 101- or 102-key keyboards (it does
not apply to 84-key keyboards).
- Report Keyboard Error Enables or disables reporting of
keyboard errors during the POST.
This option is useful when applied to self-starting servers or host
systems that have no permanently attached keyboard. In these situations,
selecting Do Not Report suppresses all error messages relating to
the keyboard or to the keyboard controller during POST. This setting does
not affect the operation of the keyboard itself if a keyboard is attached
to the system.
- Asset Tag Displays the customer-programmable asset tag number
for the system if an asset tag number has been assigned. To enter an asset
tag number of up to ten characters into NVRAM, follow the procedure in
"Asset Tag Utility" in the system User's Guide.
Boot Sequence Screen
The Boot Sequence screen options determine the order in which the system
looks for the files that it needs to load during system startup. Available
options include the diskette drive, CD-ROM drive, and hard-disk drive. You can
enable or disable a device by selecting it and pressing the spacebar. To
change the order in which devices are searched, use the <+> and
<-> keys.
Hard-Disk Drive Sequence Screen
The Boot Sequence screen options determine the order in which the system
searches hard-disk drives for the files that it needs to load during system
startup. The choices depend on the particular hard-disk drives installed in
your system. You can enable or disable a device by selecting it and pressing
the spacebar. To change the order in which devices are searched, use the
<+> and <-> keys.
Integrated Devices Screen
The following devices on the system board are configured through this screen:
- Embedded SCSI Controller Determines whether the systems integrated
small computer system interface (SCSI) controller is enabled. This field
has no user-selectable settings.
- Network Interface Controller Determines whether the systems
integrated NIC is enabled. Changes take effect after reboot.
- NIC MAC Addresses Displays the address of the media access
control (MAC) address used by the integrated NIC. This field has no user-selectable settings.
- Mouse Controller Enables or disables the system's mouse
controller. Disabling the mouse controller allows an expansion card to use
IRQ12.
- Serial Port 1, Serial Port 2 Configure the system's integrated serial
ports.
These options can be set to Auto (the default) to automatically configure
a port, to a particular designation, or to Off to disable the port.
If you set a serial port to Auto and add an expansion card containing a
port configured to the same designation, the system automatically remaps
the integrated port to the next available port designation that shares the
same IRQ setting.
- Parallel Port Configures the systems integrated parallel
port.
- Parallel Port Mode Controls whether the systems integrated
parallel port acts as an AT-compatible (unidirectional) or PS/2-compatible
(bidirectional) port. To determine the correct mode to use, see the
documentation that came with the peripheral device connected to the serial
port.
- USB Controller Enables or disables the system's USB ports. Disabling the USB ports makes system resources
available for other devices.
- IDE CD-ROM Interface Enables or disables the system's IDE CD-ROM interface.
- Diskette Controller Enables or disables the system's diskette
drive controller. With Auto (default) selected, the system turns off the
controller when necessary to accommodate a controller card installed in an
expansion slot.
- Speaker Determines whether the integrated speaker is On
(the default) or Off. A change to this option takes effect
immediately (rebooting the system is not required).
System Security Screen
You can set the following security features through the System Security screen:
- Password Status When Setup Password is set to Enabled,
allows you to prevent the system password from being changed or disabled
at system start-up.
- To lock the system password, you must first assign a setup password in
the Setup Password option and then change the Password Status
option to Locked. In this state, the system password cannot be
changed through the System Password option and cannot be disabled
at system start-up by pressing <Ctrl><Enter>.
- To unlock the system password, you must enter the setup password in the Setup
Password option and then change the Password Status option to Unlocked.
In this state, the system password can be disabled at system start-up by
pressing <Ctrl><Enter> and then changed through the System
Password option.
- System Password Displays the current status of your system's
password security feature and allows you to assign and verify a new
password.
- Setup Password Allows you to restrict access to your system's
System Setup program in the same way that you restrict access to your
system with the system password feature.
- Chassis Intrusion Allows you to enable the system chassis intrusion switch to detect if the system cover is removed. If this option is set to Enabled, activates the system chassis intrusion circuit. If this option is set to Disabled, the chassis intrusion detection circuit is off.
There are no chassis intrusion messages displayed.
- Power Button Override When Power Button Override is set to Disabled,
you can use the power button to turn the system off, or shut down the
system if running Microsoft® Windows®
2000 or another operating system compliant with the APCI specification.
When Power Button Override is set to Enabled, you cannot use the
power button to turn off the system or perform other system events.
|
NOTE: You can still turn a system on using the
power button, even if its Power Button Override option is disabled. |
Exit Screen
After you press <Esc> to exit the System Setup program, the
Exit
screen displays the following choices:
- Save Changes and Exit
- Discard Changes and Exit
- Return to Setup
NOTICE: The password features provide a basic level of
security for the data on your system. However, they are not foolproof. If your data
requires more security, it is your responsibility to obtain and use additional forms of
protection, such as data encryption programs.
Your Dell system is shipped to you without the system password feature enabled. If system security is a concern, you should operate your system only with system password protection.
You can assign a system password whenever you use the System Setup program. After a system password is assigned, only those who know the password have full use of the system.
When the System Password option is set to Enabled, the computer system prompts you for the system password just after the system boots.
To change an existing system password, you must know the password (see "Deleting or Changing an Existing
System Password"). If you assign and later forget a system password, you need to
be able to remove the computer cover to change a jumper setting that disables the system
password feature (see "Disabling a
Forgotten Password"). Note that you erase the setup password at the same time.
NOTICE: If you leave your system running and unattended
without having a system password assigned, or if you leave your computer unlocked so that
someone can disable the password by changing a jumper setting, anyone can access the data
stored on your hard-disk drive.
Before you can assign a system password, you must enter the System Setup program and
check the System Password option.
When a system password is assigned, the setting shown for the System Password
option is Enabled. When the system password feature is disabled by a
jumper setting on the system board, the setting shown is Disabled by Jumper.
You cannot change or enter a new system password if either of these settings is displayed.
When no system password is assigned and the password jumper on the system board is in
the enabled position (its default setting), the setting shown for the System
Password option is Not Enabled. Only when this option is set to Not
Enabled can you assign a system password, using the following procedure:
- Verify that the Password Status option is set to Unlocked.
For instructions on changing the setting for Password Status, see "Password Status."
- Highlight the System Password option and then press
the left- or right-arrow key.
The option heading changes to Enter Password, followed by an empty
seven-character field in square brackets.
- Type your new system password.
You can use up to seven characters in your password.
As you press each character key (or the spacebar key for a blank space), a placeholder
appears in the field.
The password assignment operation recognizes keys by their location on the keyboard,
without distinguishing between lowercase and uppercase characters. For example, if you
have an M in your password, the system recognizes either M or m
as correct.
Certain key combinations are not valid. If you enter one of these combinations, the
speaker emits a beep.
To erase a character when entering your password, press the <Backspace> key or the
left-arrow key.
|
NOTE: To escape from the field without assigning a system
password, press the <Tab> key or the <Shift><Tab> key combination to
move to another field, or press the <Esc> key at any time prior to completing step
5.
|
- Press <Enter>.
If the new system password is less than seven characters, the whole field fills with
placeholders. Then the option heading changes to Verify Password,
followed by another empty seven-character field in square brackets.
- To confirm your password, type it a second time and press
<Enter>.
The password setting changes to Enabled. Your system password is now set;
you can exit the System Setup program and begin using your system. Note, however, that
password protection does not take effect until you reboot the system by turning the system off and then on again.
Whenever you turn on your system or reboot the system by
pressing the <Ctrl><Alt><Del> key combination, the following prompt
appears on the screen when the Password Status option is set to Unlocked:
Type in the password and... -- press <ENTER> to
leave password security enabled. -- press <CTRL><ENTER> to disable password
security. Enter password:
If the Password Status option is set to Locked, the
following prompt appears:
Type the password and press <Enter>.
After you type the correct system password and press <Enter>, your system boots and you can use the keyboard and/or mouse to operate your system as usual.
If a wrong or incomplete system password is entered, the following
message appears on the screen:
** Incorrect password. **
Enter password:
If an incorrect or incomplete system password is entered again, the
same message appears.
The third and subsequent times an incorrect or incomplete system
password is entered, the system displays the following message:
** Incorrect password. **
Number of unsuccessful password attempts: 3
System halted! Must power down.
The number of unsuccessful attempts made to enter the correct system
password can alert you to an unauthorized person attempting to use your system.
Even after your system is turned off and on, the previous message is displayed each
time an incorrect or incomplete system password is entered.
|
NOTE: You can use the Password Status
option in conjunction with System Password and Setup Password
to further protect your system from unauthorized changes. |
To delete or change an existing system password, perform the following steps:
-
Enter the System Setup program by pressing the <F2> key.
-
Select the
System Security screen field to verify that the Password Status
option is set to Unlocked.
- Reboot your system to force it to prompt you for a system password.
- When prompted, type the system password.
- Press the <Ctrl><Enter> key combination to disable the existing system
password, instead of pressing <Enter> to continue with the normal operation of your
system.
- Confirm that Not Enabled is displayed for the System Password
option of the System Setup program.
If Not Enabled appears for the System Password option,
the system password has been deleted. If you want to assign a new password, continue to
step 6. If Not Enabled is not displayed for the System
Password option, press the <Alt><b> key combination to reboot the
system, and then repeat steps 4 through 6.
- To assign a new password, follow the procedure in "Assigning a System Password."
Your Dell system is shipped to you without the setup password feature enabled. If system security is a concern, you should operate your system with setup password protection.
You can assign a setup password whenever you
use the System Setup program. After a setup password is assigned, only those who know the
password have full use of the System Setup program.
To change an existing setup password, you must know the setup password (see "Deleting or Changing an Existing
Setup Password"). If you assign and later forget a setup password, you need to
remove the computer cover to change a jumper setting that disables the setup password feature. Note that
you erase the system password at the same time.
A setup password can be assigned (or changed) only when the Setup Password
option is set to Not Enabled. To assign a setup password, highlight the Setup
Password option and press the left- or right-arrow key. The system prompts you to enter and verify the password. If a character is illegal for password use, the system emits a beep.
|
NOTES: The setup password can be the same as the system
password. If the two passwords are different, the
setup password can be used as an alternate system password. However, the system password
cannot be used in place of the setup password. |
After you verify the password, the Setup Password setting changes to Enabled. The next time you enter the System Setup program, the system prompts you for the setup password.
A change to the Setup Password option becomes effective immediately
(rebooting the system is not required).
If Setup Password is set to Enabled, you must enter
the correct setup password before you can modify the majority of the System Setup options.
When you start the System Setup program, the program prompts you to type the
password.
If you do not enter the correct password in three tries, the system lets you view, but
not modify, the System Setup screens—with the following exceptions:
- You can still modify the Date, Time, Keyboard
Num Lock, and Speaker options.
- If System Password is not enabled and is not locked via the Password Status
option, you can assign a system password (however, you cannot disable or change an
existing system password).
|
NOTE: You can use the Password Status option
in conjunction with Setup Password to protect the system password from
unauthorized changes. |
To delete or change an existing setup password, perform the following steps:
- Enter the System Setup program and select the System Security
screen option.
- Highlight the Setup Password option, and press the left- or right-arrow
key to delete the existing setup password.
The setting changes to Not Enabled.
- If you want to assign a new setup password, follow the procedure in "Assigning a Setup Password."
If the administrator or user forgets the system or setup password, you cannot operate
the system or change settings in the System Setup program until you change the password
jumper setting to disable the passwords, and erase the existing passwords.
To disable a forgotten supervisor password or setup password,
perform the following steps.
 |
CAUTION: Read the safety instructions
in your System Information document. |
- Remove the front bezel
- Remove the system cover.
- Refer to "System Board Jumpers"
for the location of the password jumper (labeled "PASSWD") on the system
board.
- Remove the jumper plug from the PASSWD jumper.
- Replace the system cover and then
reconnect the computer to an electrical outlet and turn it on.
The existing passwords are not disabled (erased) until the system boots with the PASSWD
jumper plug removed. However, before you assign a new system and/or setup password, you
must install the jumper plug.
|
NOTE: If you assign a new system
and/or setup password with the jumper plug still removed, the system disables the new
password(s) the next time it boots.
|
- Repeat steps 1 through 5.
- Install the jumper plug on the PASSWD jumper.
- Replace the system in the rack and the system cover.
- Assign a new system and/or setup password.
To assign a new system password using the System Setup program, see "Assigning a System Password." To assign a new
setup password using the System Setup program, see "Assigning a Setup Password."
If an error message appears on your monitor screen while the system is booting, make a
note of the message. Then, before entering the System Setup program, refer to “System
Beep Codes” and “System Messages” in "Codes and Error Messages" for an explanation of the message and suggestions for correcting any errors.
|
NOTE:
It is normal to receive an error message the first time you boot your system after
installing a memory upgrade. In that situation, do not refer to “System Beep
Codes” and “System Messages.” Instead, follow the instructions for
performing a memory upgrade in “Adding Memory” in "Installing System Board
Options" in the Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.) |
If you are given an option of pressing either <F1> to continue or <F2> to
run the System Setup program, press the <F2> key.
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