Acer Travelmate 8331 Service Guide

							
Chapter 233
BIOS Setup Utility
The BIOS Setup Utility is a hardware configuration program built into your computer’s BIOS (Basic Input/
Output System).
Your computer is already properly configured and optimi zed, and you do not need to run this utility. However, if 
you encounter configuration problems, you may need to run Setup.  Please also refer to Chapter 4 
Troubleshooting when problem arises.
To activate the BIOS Utility, press  m during POST (when “Press   to enter Setup” message is prompted on 
the bottom of screen).
Press  m to enter setup. The default parameter of  F12 Boot Menu is set to “ disabled”. If you want to change 
boot device without entering BIOS Setup Ut ility, please set the parameter to “enabled”. 
Press    during POST to enter multi-boot menu. In  this menu, user can change boot device without 
entering BIOS SETUP Utility.
System Utilities
Chapter  2 
						

							
34Chapter 2
Invoking BIOS Setup
The setup function can only be invoked by pressing F2 when Press   to enter Setup  message is prompted 
on the bottom of screen during POST.
The setup uses a menu driven interfac e to allow the user to configure their system. The features are divided 
into 5 parts as follows:
Information Display t he system informations.
Main allows the user to specify st andard IBM PC AT system parameters.
Security Provides security  settings of the system.
Boot Allows the user to specify the boot options.
Exit Allows the user to save CMOS setting and exit Setup.
NOTE:  You can change the value of a parameter if it is  enclosed in square brackets. Navigation keys for a 
particular menu are shown on the bottom of the scre en. Help for parameters are found in the Item 
Specific Help part of the screen. Read this  carefully when making changes to parameter values. 
Please note that system information is subject to different models .
Information
NOTE: The system information is su bject to different models.
ParameterDescription
CPU Type This field shows the CPU type of the system.
CPU Speed This field shows the CPU speed of the system.
HDD0 Mode Name This field shows the model name of HDD installed on primary 
master.
HDD0 Serial Number This filed displays the serial number of HDD installed on primary  master. 
						

							
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Main
The Main screen displays a summary of your computer hardware information, and also includes basic setup 
parameters. It allows the user to specif y standard IBM PC AT system parameters.
NOTE:  The screen above is for your reference only. Actual values may differ.
HDD1 Mode Name This field displays the 
model name of devices installed on 
secondary master. The hard disk  drive or optical drive model 
name is automatically detected by the system.
HDD1 Serial Number The field shows the serial number of devices installed on  secondary master.
System BIOS version Displays system BIOS version.
VGA BIOS Version This field displays t he VGA firmware version of the system.
Serial Number This field displays the serial number of this unit.
Asset Tag Number This field displays  the asset tag number of the system.
Product Name This field shows product name of the system.
Manufacturer Name This field displays the manufacturer of this system.
UUID Number This will be visible only when an internal LAN device is  presenting.
UUID=32bytes
ParameterDescription 
						

							
36Chapter 2
The table below describes the parameters in this screen. Settings in boldface are the default and suggested 
parameter settings.
NOTE:  The sub-items under each device will not be shown if t he device control is set to disable or auto. This is 
because the user is not allowed to  control the settings in these cases.
ParameterDescriptionFormat/Option
System Time Sets the system time. The hours are 
displayed with 24-hour format. Format: HH:MM:SS 
(hour:minute:second) 
System Time
System Date Sets the system  date. Format: MM/DD/YYYY 
(month/day/year)
System Date
System Memory This field repo rts the memory size of the 
system. 
Total Memory This field report s the memory size of total 
memory in the system.
Video Memor Shows the Video memory size.
Quiet Boot Determines if Customer Logo will be  displayed or not; shows Summary Screen 
is disabled or enabled. 
Enabled: Customer Logo is displayed, and 
Summary Screen is disabled.
Disabled: Customer Logo is not displayed, 
and Summary Screen is enabled.  Option: 
Enabled  or 
Disabled
Network Boot Enables, disabl es the system boot from 
LAN (remote server). Option: 
Enabled  or 
Disabled
F12 Boot Menu Enables, di sables Boot Menu during 
POST. Option: 
Disabled  or 
Enabled
D2D Recovery Enables, disables D2D Recovery function. The function allows the user to create a 
hidden partition on hard disc drive to store 
operation system and restore the system 
to factory defaults. Option: 
Enabled  or 
Disabled
SATA Mode Choose which mode of HDD mode. Please be careful for changing this setting 
because it might cause system fail to boot. Option: 
AHCI Mode  or IDE 
Mode 
						

							
Chapter 237
Security
The Security screen contains parameters that help safeguard and protect your computer from unauthorized 
use. 
						

							
38Chapter 2
The table below describes the parameters in this screen. Settings in boldface are the default and suggested 
parameter settings.
NOTE:  When you are prompted to enter a password, you have  three tries before the system halts. Don’t forget 
your password. If you forg et your password, you may have to return your notebook computer to your 
dealer to reset it.
Setting a Password
Follow these steps as you set the  user or the supervisor password:
1. Use the  w and  y keys to highlight the Set Supervisor Password parameter and press the  e key. The Set 
Supervisor Password box appears:
2. Type a password in the “Enter New Password” field. The password length can not exceeds 8 
alphanumeric characters ( A-Z, a-z , 0-9 , not case sensitive). Retype the password in the “Confirm New 
Password” field.
IMPORTANT:  Be very careful when typing your password  because the characters do not appear on the    
screen.
3. Press  e .
                After setting the password,  the computer sets the User Password parameter to “Set”.
ParameterDescriptionOption
Supervisor Password 
isShows the setting of the Supervisor 
password. Clear 
or Set
User Password is Shows the setting of the user password. Clear or Set
HDD Password is Shows the setting of HDD password. Clear or Set
Set Supervisor 
Password Press Enter to set the supervisor password. 
When set, this password protects the BIOS 
Setup Utility from unauth
orized access. The 
user can not enter the Setup menu and 
change he value of parameters.
Set User Password Press Enter to set the user password.  When user password is set, this password 
protects the BIOS Setup Utility from 
unauthorized access.
The user can enter Setup menu only and 
does not have right to change the value of 
parameters.
Set Hdd Passwor Press Enter to set the Hdd password. When Hdd password is set, this
password protects the Hdd . Other
user can’t steal information.
Password on Boot Defines whether a password is required or  not while the events defined in this group 
happened. The following sub-options are all 
requires the Supervisor password for 
changes and should be grayed out if the 
user password was used to enter setup. Disabled
 or Enabled 
						

							
Chapter 239
4.If desired, you can opt to enable the Password on boot parameter.
5. When you are done, press  u to save the changes and ex it the BIOS Setup Utility.
Removing a Password
Follow these steps:
1. Use the  w and  y keys to highlight the Set Supervisor Password parameter and press the  e key. The Set 
Password box appears:
2. Type the current password in the Enter Current Password field and press  e.
3. Press  e twice  without  typing anything in the Enter New Password and Confirm New Password fields. The 
computer then sets the Supervisor Password parameter to “ Clear”.
4. When you have changed the settings, press  u to save the changes and exit the BIOS Setup Utility.
Changing a Password
1. Use the  w and  y keys to highlight the Set Supervisor Password parameter and press the  e key. The Set 
Password box appears:
2. Type the current password in the Enter Current Password field and press  e.
3. Type a password in the Enter New Password field. Retype the password in the Confirm New Password 
field.
4. Press  e. After setting the password, the computer sets the User Password parameter to “ Set”.
5. If desired, you can enable the Password on boot parameter.
6. When you are done, press  u to save the changes and exit the BIOS Setup Utility.
If the verification is OK, the screen will display as following. 
The password setting is complete after the user presses  u. 
						

							
40Chapter 2
If the current password entered does not match the actual current password, the screen will show you the 
Setup Warning.
If the new password and confirm new password string s do not match, the screen will display the following 
message.
Boot
This menu allows the user to deci de the order of boot devices to load the operating system. Bootable devices 
includes the distette drive in m odule bay, the onboard hard disk drive and the CD-ROM in module bay. 
						

							
Chapter 241
Exit
The Exit screen contains parameters that help safeguard and protect your computer from unauthorized use.
The table below describes the parameters in this screen.
ParameterDescription
Exit Saving Changes Exit System Setu p and save your changes to CMOS.
Exit Discarding 
Changes Exit utility without saving setup data to CMOS.
Load Setup Default Load default values for all SETUP item.
Discard Changes Load previous values from CMOS for all SETUP items.
Save Changes Save Setup Data to CMOS. 
						

							
42Chapter 2
BIOS Flash Utility
The BIOS flash memory update is required for the following conditions:
‰ New versions of system programs
‰ New features or options
‰ Restore a BIOS when it becomes corrupted. 
Use the Phlash util ity to update the system BIOS flash ROM.
NOTE:  If you do not have a crisis recovery diskette at hand, then you should create a  Crisis Recovery 
Diskette  before you use the Phlash utility.
NOTE:  Do not install memory-related drivers (XMS , EMS, DPMI) when you use the Phlash.
NOTE:  Please use the AC adaptor power supply when you run  the Phlash utility. If the battery pack does not 
contain enough power to finish BIOS flash, you ma y not boot the system because the BIOS is not 
completely loaded. 
Fellow the steps below to run the Phlash. 1. Prepare a bootable diskette.
2. Copy the flash utilities to the bootable diskette.
3. Then boot the system from  the bootable diskette. The flash ut ility has auto-execution function.