Dell R 420 Manual

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Using The System Setup And Boot Manager
System Setup enables you to manage your system hardware and specify BIOS-level options.
The following keystrokes provide access to system features during startup:
KeystrokeDescriptionEnters the System Setup.Enters System Services, which opens the Dell Lifecycle 
Controller 2 (LC2). The Dell LC2 supports systems 
management features such as operating system  deployment, hardware diagnostics, firmware updates, and 
platform configuration, using a graphical user interface. 
The exact LC2 feature set is determined by the iDRAC 
license purchased. For more information, see the Dell LC2 
documentation.Enters the BIOS Boot Manager or the Unified Extensible  Firmware Interface (UEFI) Boot Manager, depending on 
the system's boot configuration
.
Starts Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) boot.
From the System Setup, you can:
•Change the NVRAM settings after you add or remove hardware
•View the system hardware configuration
•Enable or disable integrated devices
•Set performance and power management thresholds
•Manage system security
You can access the System Setup using the:
•Standard graphical browser, which is enabled by default
•Text browser, which is enabled using Console Redirection
To enable Console Redirection, in System Setup, select System BIOS → Serial Communication screen → Serial 
Communication
, select On with Console Redirection.
NOTE: By default, help text for the selected field is displayed in the graphical browser. To view the help text in the 
text browser, press 
.
Choosing The System Boot Mode
System Setup enables you to specify the boot mode for installing your operating system:
•BIOS boot mode (the default) is the standard BIOS-level boot interface.
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							•UEFI boot mode is an enhanced 64-bit boot interface based on Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) specifications that overlays the system BIOS.
You must select the boot mode in the Boot Mode field of the Boot Settings screen of System Setup. Once you specify the 
boot mode, the system boots in the specified boot mode and you then proceed to install your operating system from that  mode. Thereafter, you must boot the system in the same boot mode (BIOS or UEFI) to access the installed operating 
system. Trying to boot the operating system from the other boot mode will cause the system to halt at startup.
NOTE: Operating systems must be UEFI-compatible to be installed from the UEFI boot mode. DOS and 32-bit 
operating systems do not support UEFI and can only be installed from the BIOS boot mode.
NOTE: For the latest information on supported operating systems, go to dell.com/ossupport.
Entering System Setup
1.Turn on or restart your system.
2.Press  immediately after you see the following message:
 = System Setup
If your operating system begins to load before you press , allow the system to finish booting, and then restart 
your system and try again.
Responding To Error Messages
If an error message is displayed while the system is booting, make a note of the message. For more information, see 
System Error Messages.
NOTE: After installing a memory upgrade, it is normal for your system to display a message the first time you start 
your system.
Using The System Setup Navigation Keys
KeysActionUp arrowMoves to the previous field.Down arrow Moves to the next field.Allows you to type in a value in the selected field (if applicable) or follow the link in the field.SpacebarExpands or collapses a drop-down menu, if applicable.Moves to the next focus area.
NOTE: For the standard graphics browser only.
Moves to the previous page till you view the main screen. Pressing  in the main screen 
displays a message that prompts you to save any unsaved changes and restarts the system.Displays the System Setup help file.
NOTE: For most of the options, any changes that you make are recorded but do not take 
effect until you restart the system.
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							System Setup Options
System Setup Main Screen
NOTE: Press  to reset the BIOS or UEFI settings to their default settings.
Menu ItemDescriptionSystem BIOSThis option is used to view and configure BIOS settings.iDRAC SettingsThis option is used to view and configure iDRAC settings.Device SettingsThis option is used to view and configure device settings.
System BIOS Screen
NOTE: The options for System Setup change based on the system configuration.
NOTE: System Setup defaults are listed under their respective options in the following sections, where applicable.
Menu ItemDescriptionSystem InformationDisplays information about the system such as the system model name, BIOS version, Service Tag, and so on.Memory SettingsDisplays information and options related to installed memory.Processor SettingsDisplays information and options related to the processor such as speed, cache size, and so on.SATA SettingsDisplays options to enable or disable the integrated SATA controller and ports.Boot SettingsDisplays options to specify the boot mode (BIOS or UEFI). Enables you to modify UEFI and BIOS boot settings.Integrated DevicesDisplays options to enable or disable integrated device controllers and ports, and to specify related features and options.Serial CommunicationDisplays options to enable or disable the serial ports and specify related features and options.System Profile 
SettingsDisplays options to change the processor power management settings, memory frequency,  and so on.System SecurityDisplays options to configure the system security settings like, system password, setup password, TPM security, and so on. It also enables or disables the power and NMI buttons on 
the system.Miscellaneous 
SettingsDisplays options to change the system date, time, and so on.
System Information Screen
Menu ItemDescriptionSystem Model NameDisplays the system model name.23 
						

							Menu ItemDescriptionSystem BIOS VersionDisplays the BIOS version installed on the system.System Service TagDisplays the system Service Tag.System ManufacturerDisplays the name of system manufacturer.System Manufacturer 
Contact InformationDisplays the contact information of the system manufacturer.
Memory Settings Screen
Menu ItemDescriptionSystem Memory SizeDisplays the amount of memory installed in the system.System Memory TypeDisplays the type of memory installed in the system.System Memory 
SpeedDisplays the system memory speed.System Memory 
VoltageDisplays the system memory voltage.Video MemoryDisplays the amount of video memory.System Memory 
TestingSpecifies whether system memory tests are run during system boot. Options are Enabled and 
Disabled. By default, the System Memory Testing option is set to Disabled.
Memory Operating 
ModeSpecifies the memory operating mode. The options available depending on the memory  configuration of your system are 
Optimizer Mode, Advanced ECC Mode, Mirror Mode, Spare 
Mode
, Spare with Advanced ECC Mode, and Dell Fault Resilient Mode. By default, the Memory 
Operating Mode
 option is set to Optimizer Mode.
NOTE: The Memory Operating Mode can have different defaults and available options 
based on the memory configuration.
NOTE: The Dell Fault Resilient Mode establishes an area of memory that is fault resilient. 
This mode can be used by an operating system that supports the feature to load critical 
applications or enables the operating system kernel to maximize system availability.
Node InterleavingIf this field is Enabled, memory interleaving is supported if a symmetric memory configuration is 
installed. If 
Disabled, the system supports Non-Uniform Memory architecture (NUMA) 
(asymmetric) memory configurations. By default, 
Node Interleaving option is set to Disabled.
Processor Settings Screen
Menu ItemDescriptionLogical ProcessorAllows you to enable or disable logical processors and display the number of logical  processors. If the 
Logical Processor option is set to Enabled, the BIOS displays all the logical 
processors. If this option is set to 
Disabled, the BIOS only displays one logical processor per 
core. By default, the 
Logical Processor option is set to Enabled.
QPI SpeedAllows you to set the QuickPath Interconnect data rate settings. By default, the QPI Speed 
option is set to Maximum data rate.
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							Menu ItemDescriptionNOTE: The QPI speed option displays only when both the processors are installed.Alternate RTID 
(Requestor 
Transaction ID) 
SettingAllows you to allocate more RTIDs to the remote socket increasing cache performance  between the sockets or work in normal mode for NUMA. By default, the 
Alternate RTID 
(Requestor Transaction ID) Setting
 is set to Disabled.
Virtualization 
TechnologyAllows you to enable or disable the additional hardware capabilities provided for virtualization.  By default, the 
Virtualization Technology option is set to Enabled.
Adjacent Cache Line 
PrefetchAllows you to optimize the system for applications that require high utilization of sequential  memory access. By default, the 
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch option is set to Enabled. You can 
disable this option for applications that require high utilization of random memory access.
Hardware PrefetcherAllows you to enable or disable hardware prefetcher. By default, the Hardware Prefetcher 
option is set to Enabled.
DCU Streamer 
PrefetcherAllows you to enable or disable Data Cache Unit streamer prefetcher. By default, the DCU 
Streamer Prefetcher
 option is set to Enabled.
DCU IP PrefetcherAllows you to enable or disable Data Cache Unit IP prefetcher. By default, the DCU IP 
Prefetcher
 option is set to Enabled.
Execute DisableAllows you enable or disable execute disable memory protection technology. By default, the 
Execute Disable option is set to Enabled.
Logical Processor 
IdlingAllows you to enable or disable the OS capability to put logical processors in the idling state in  order to reduce power consumption. By default, the option is set to 
Disabled.
Number of Cores per 
ProcessorAllows you to control the number of enabled cores in each processor. By default, the Number 
of Cores per Processor
 option is set to All.
Processor 64-bit 
SupportSpecifies if the processor(s) support 64-bit extensions.Processor Core 
SpeedDisplays the maximum core frequency of the processor.Processor Bus SpeedDisplays the bus speed of the processors.
NOTE: The processor bus speed option displays only when both the processors are 
installed.
Processor 1NOTE: The following settings are displayed for each processor installed in the system.Family-Model-
SteppingDisplays the family, model and stepping of the processor as defined by Intel.BrandDisplays the brand name reported by the processor.Level 2 CacheDisplays the total L2 cache.Level 3 CacheDisplays the total L3 cache.Number of CoresDisplays the number of cores per processor.25 
						

							SATA Settings ScreenMenu ItemDescriptionEmbedded SATAAllows the embedded SATA to be set to Off, ATA, AHCI, or RAID mode. By default, Embedded SATA is set to 
AHCI Mode.
Port AAuto enables BIOS support for the device attached to SATA port A. By default, Port A is set to 
Auto.
Port BAuto enables BIOS support for the device attached to SATA port B. By default, Port B is set to 
Auto.
Port CAuto enables BIOS support for the device attached to SATA port C. By default, Port C is set to 
Auto.
Port DAuto enables BIOS support for the device attached to SATA port D. By default, Port D is set to 
Auto.
Port EAuto enables BIOS support for the device attached to SATA port E. By default, Port E is set to 
Auto.
NOTE: Ports A, B, C, and D are used for the backplane drives, and port E for the optical drive (CD/DVD).
Boot Settings Screen
Menu ItemDescriptionBoot ModeAllows you to set the boot mode of the system.
CAUTION: Switching the boot mode may prevent the system from booting if the operating 
system is not installed in the same boot mode.
If the operating system supports UEFI, you can set this option to UEFI. Setting this field to BIOS 
allows compatibility with non-UEFI operating systems. By default, the 
Boot Mode option is set 
to 
BIOS.
NOTE: Setting this field to UEFI disables BIOS Boot Settings menu. Setting this field to 
BIOS disables the UEFI Boot Settings menu.
Boot Sequence RetryAllows you to enable or disable the boot sequence retry feature. If this field is enabled and the  system fails to boot, the system reattempts the boot sequence after 30 seconds. By default, the 
Boot Sequence Retry option is set to Disabled.
BIOS Boot SettingsAllows you to enable or disable BIOS Boot options.
NOTE: This option is enabled only if the boot mode is BIOS.
UEFI Boot SettingsAllows you to enable or disable UEFI Boot options. The Boot options include IPv4 PXE and IPv6 
PXE
. By default, the UEFI PXE boot protocol is set to IPv4.
NOTE: This option is enabled only if the boot mode is UEFI.
One-Time BootAllows you to enable or disable a one-time boot from a selected device.26 
						

							Integrated Devices ScreenMenu ItemDescriptionIntegrated RAID 
ControllerAllows you to enable or disable the integrated RAID controller. By default, the Integrated RAID 
Controller
 option is set to Enabled.
User Accessible USB 
PortsAllows you enable or disable the user accessible USB ports. Selecting Only Back Ports On 
disables the front USB ports and selecting All Ports Off disables both front and back USB ports. 
By default, the 
User Accessible USB Ports option is set to All Ports On.
Internal USB PortAllows you to enable or disable the internal USB port. By default, the Internal USB Port option 
is set to 
On.
Internal SD Card PortEnables or disables the system’s internal SD card port. By default, Internal SD Card Port option 
is set to 
On.
NOTE: This option is displayed only if IDSDM is installed on the system board.
Internal SD Card 
RedundancyIf set to Mirror mode, data is written on both SD cards. If any one of the SD card fails, data is 
written to the active SD card. Data from this card is copied to the replacement SD card at the 
next boot. By default, 
Internal SD Card Redundancy option is set to Mirror.
NOTE: This option is displayed only if IDSDM is installed on the system board.
Integrated Network 
Card 1Allows you to enable or disable the integrated network card 1. By default, the Integrated 
Network Card 1
 option is set to Enabled.
OS Watchdog TimerAllows you to enable or disable the OS watchdog timer. When this field is enabled, the  operating system initializes the timer and the OS watchdog timer helps in recovering the 
operating system. By default, the 
OS Watchdog Timer option is set to Disabled.
Embedded Video 
ControllerAllows you to enable or disable the Embedded Video Controller. By default, the embedded 
video controller is 
Enabled.
SR-IOV Global EnableAllows you to enable or disable the BIOS configuration of Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR- IOV) devices. By default, the 
SR-IOV Global Enable option is set to Disabled.
Slot DisablementAllows you to enable or disable available PCIe slots on your system. The Slot Disablement 
feature controls the configuration of PCIe cards installed in the specified slot.
CAUTION: Slot disablement must be used only when the installed peripheral card is 
preventing booting into the Operating System or causing delays in system startup. If the 
slot is disabled, both the Option ROM and UEFI driver are disabled.
Memory Mapped I/O 
above 4 GBAllows you to enable support for PCIe devices that require large amounts of memory. By  default, the option is set to 
Enabled.
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							Serial Communications ScreenMenu ItemDescriptionSerial CommunicationAllows you to select serial communication devices (Serial Device 1 and Serial Device 2) in the BIOS. BIOS console redirection can also be enabled and the port address used can be 
specified. By default, 
Serial Communication option is set to On without Console Redirection.
Serial Port AddressAllows you to set the port address for serial devices. By default, the Serial Port Address option 
is set to 
Serial Device 1=COM2, Serial Device 2=COM1.
NOTE: Only Serial Device 2 can be used for Serial Over LAN (SOL). To use console 
redirection by SOL, configure the same port address for console redirection and the serial 
device.
External Serial 
ConnectorAllows you to associate the external serial connector to serial device 1, serial device 2, or  remote access device. By default, the 
External Serial Connector option is set to Serial Device1.
NOTE: Only Serial Device 2 can be used for SOL. To use console redirection by SOL, 
configure the same port address for console redirection and the serial device.
Failsafe Baud RateDisplays the failsafe baud rate for console redirection. The BIOS attempts to determine the  baud rate automatically. This failsafe baud rate is used only if the attempt fails and the value  must not be changed. By default, the 
Failsafe Baud Rate option is set to 115200.
Remote Terminal 
TypeAllows you to set the remote console terminal type. By default, the Remote Terminal Type 
option is set to VT 100/VT 220.
Redirection After 
BootAllows you to enable or disable to the BIOS console redirection when the operating system is  loaded. By default, the 
Redirection After Boot option is set to Enabled.
System Profile Settings Screen
Menu ItemDescriptionSystem ProfileAllows you to set the system profile. If you set the System Profile option to a mode other than 
Custom, the BIOS automatically sets the rest of the options. You can only change the rest of the 
options if the mode is set to 
Custom. By default, the System Profile option is set to Performance 
Per Watt Optimized (DAPC)
. DAPC is Dell Active Power Controller.
NOTE: The following parameters are available only when the System Profile is set to 
Custom.
CPU Power 
ManagementAllows you to set the CPU power management. By default, the CPU Power Management option 
is set to 
System DBPM (DAPC). DBPM is Demand-Based Power Management.
Memory FrequencyAllows you to set the memory frequency. By default, the Memory Frequency option is set to 
Maximum Performance.
Turbo BoostAllows you to enable or disable the processor to operate in turbo boost mode. By default, the 
Turbo Boost option is set to Enabled.
C1EAllows you to enable or disable the processor to switch to a minimum performance state when  it is idle. By default, the 
C1E option is set to Enabled.
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							Menu ItemDescriptionC StatesAllows you to enable or disable the processor to operate in all available power states. By default, the 
C States option is set to Enabled.
Monitor/MwaitAllows you to enable Monitor/Mwait instructions in the processor. By default, the Monitor/Mwait option is set to 
Enabled for all system profiles, except Custom.
NOTE: This option can be disabled only if the C States option in Custom mode is disabled.
NOTE: When C States is enabled in Custom mode, changing the Monitor/Mwait setting 
does not impact system power/performance.
Memory Patrol ScrubAllows you to set the memory patrol scrub frequency. By default, the Memory Patrol Scrub 
option is set to Standard.
Memory Refresh RateAllows you to set the memory refresh rate. By default, the Memory Refresh Rate option is set to 
1x.
Memory Operating 
VoltageAllows you to set the DIMM voltage selection. When set to Auto, the system automatically sets 
the system voltage to the optimal setting based on the DIMM capacity and the number of 
DIMMs installed. By default, the 
Memory Operating Voltage option is set to Auto.
Collaborative CPU 
Performance ControlWhen set to enabled, the CPU power management is controlled by the OS DBPM and the  System DBPM (DAPC). By default, the option is set to 
Disabled
System Security Screen
Menu ItemDescriptionIntel AES-NIThe Intel AES-NI option improves the speed of applications by performing encryption and 
decryption using the Advanced Encryption Standard Instruction Set and is set to 
Enabled by 
default.
System PasswordAllows you to set the system password. This option is set to Enabled by default and is read-only 
if the password jumper is not installed in the system.Setup PasswordAllows you to set the setup password. This option is read-only if the password jumper is not  installed in the system.Password StatusAllows you to lock the system password. By default, the Password Status option is set to 
Unlocked.
TPM SecurityAllows you to control the reporting mode of the Trusted Platform Module (TPM). By default, the 
TPM Security option is set to Off. You can only modify the TPM Status, TPM Activation , and 
Intel TXT fields if the 
TPM Status field is set to either On with Pre-boot Measurements or On 
without Pre-boot Measurements
.
TPM ActivationAllows you to change the operational state of the TPM. By default, the TPM Activation option is 
set to 
No Change.
TPM StatusDisplays the TPM status.TPM ClearCAUTION: Clearing the TPM results in loss of all keys in the TPM. The loss of TPM keys 
may affect booting to the operating system.
Allows you to clear all the contents of the TPM. By default, the TPM Clear option is set to No.
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							Menu ItemDescriptionIntel TXTAllows you enable or disable Intel Trusted Execution Technology. To enable Intel TXT, 
Virtualization Technology must be enabled and TPM Security must be 
Enabled with Pre-boot 
measurements. By default, the 
Intel TXT option is set to Off.
BIOS Update ControlAllows you to update the BIOS using either DOS or UEFI shell-based flash utilities. For  environments that do not require local BIOS updates, it is recommended to set this field to 
Disabled. By default, the BIOS Update Control option is set to Unlocked.
NOTE: BIOS updates using Dell Update Package are not affected by this option.
Power ButtonAllows you to enable or disable the power button on the front of the system. By default, the 
Power Button option is set to Enabled.
NMI ButtonAllows you to enable or disable the NMI button on the front of the system. By default, the NMI 
Button
 option is set to Disabled.
AC Power RecoveryAllows you to set how the system reacts after AC power is restored to the system. By default,  the 
AC Power Recovery option is set to Last.
AC Power Recovery 
DelayAllows you to set how the system supports staggering of power up after AC power is restored  to the system. By default, the 
AC Power Recovery Delay option is set to Immediate.
User Defined Delay 
(60s to 240s)Allows you to set the User Defined Delay when the User Defined option for AC Power Recovery 
Delay
 is selected.
Miscellaneous Settings
Menu ItemDescriptionSystem TimeAllows you to set the time on the system.System DateAllows you to set the date on the system.Asset TagDisplays the asset tag and allows you to modify it for security and tracking purposes.Keyboard NumLockAllows you to set whether the system boots with the NumLock enabled or disabled. By default  the 
Keyboard NumLock is set to On.
NOTE: This field does not apply to 84-key keyboards.
Report Keyboard 
ErrorsAllows you to set whether keyboard-related error messages are reported during system boot.  By default, the 
Report Keyboard Errors field is set to Report.
F1/F2 Prompt on ErrorAllows you to enable or disable the F1/F2 prompt on error. By default, F1/F2 Prompt on Error is 
set to 
Enabled.
In-System 
CharacterizationThis field enables or disables In-System Characterization. By default, In-System 
Characterization
 is set to Enabled.
System And Setup Password Features
You can create a system password and a setup password to secure your system. To enable creation of the system and 
setup password, the password jumper must be set to enabled. For more information on the password jumper settings, 
see System Board Jumper Settings.
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