Few PC users know that the first program that starts when the PC is turned on is the BIOS. This basic input / output system (this name is deciphered in this way) contains a number of software modules, thanks to which the computer performs self-diagnostics and initialization of the installed equipment, and then transfers control of the device to the operating system. Using a simple interface called BIOS Setup, the user can independently configure these basic program modules. But for this, he will first need to know how to enter BIOS.
If in almost all stationary computers manufacturers have reached some kind of agreement and the BIOS interface is called up with the same key (usually by pressing the Del button or much less often than F2), then in laptops the situation looks much more complicated. Each manufacturing company often develops the simplest software for its devices. Therefore, the answer to the question of how to enter BIOS in a laptop most often depends on the brand of the laptop itself. Each manufacturer provides this information to the user in a variety of ways. Most often, a hint on how to enter BIOS appears on the screen when you turn on the laptop. If this does not happen, then you can use the table below.
This hint will help the user to figure out how to enter BIOS on a laptop of one or another manufacturer:
“Esc” - almost all Toshiba laptops (to exit the menu that appears, you will need to press “F1”);
“F1” - the majority of laptops manufactured by Lenovo and IBM, as well as some models of Dell, HP, Gateway and Packard-Bell;
"F2" - the vast majority of laptops manufactured by "Asus", "Acer" and "RoverBook";
“F3” - sometimes it launches BIOS for laptops “Sony” and “Dell”;
"F8" - allows you to enter the BIOS on some laptops of the "Dell" and "iRu" brands;
“F10” - used in Compaq and Toshiba laptops, provided that a blinking cursor is pressed at the moment the display appears in the upper right corner;
"F12" - some models of "Lenovo", as well as other manufacturers;
“Ctrl + F2” - many Asus models released more than five years ago;
“Ctrl + Alt + Esc” - sometimes found in laptops of the brand “Acer”;
“Ctrl + Alt + S” - you can quite often find little-known firms on laptops.
All self-respecting manufacturers find out how to enter the BIOS of a particular laptop model can be very simple - just go to the official website and see the detailed instructions. For laptops of little-known companies (if none of the options described above helped), you can also try the combinations “Ctrl + Ins”, “Ctrl + Alt + Enter”, “Fn + F1”, “Ctrl + Alt + Ins” or “Ctrl + Alt + Del. "
Unlike a stationary PC, the BIOS of a laptop offers the user several additional options:
- management of developed password infrastructure;
- work with the touchpad TouchPad / TrackPoint;
- several options for expanding the screen - if the display resolution is lower than the physical matrix resolution, then you can stretch or reduce the picture displayed on the screen a little;
- Calibration and fine-tuning of the battery;
- from the BIOS Setup of his laptop, the user can see the serial number of the device itself, the motherboard and the hard drive.
But do not rush to change something in the settings immediately after you learn how to enter the BIOS. Despite the more modest possibilities compared to stationary PCs in terms of “fine tuning” (“overclocking” some parts of the device, applying voltage, etc.), such an intervention can lead to a permanent reboot of the laptop or even failure of some parts. First you need to pay attention to the study of each item of BIOS and its impact on the operation of the entire device.
To begin with, you can change the BIOS values ​​one at a time and watch how this affects the power. If the performance drops or the laptop freezes, it is recommended that you restore all items to default immediately.