How to Build a Computer with an
AMD Socket A Athlon or Duron Processor
Part 7 - Flash the BIOS and Setup the CMOS
Last updated: 5/03/2001

Setup the CMOS.

101.  Boot-up the Computer.  You may see a CMOS checksum error.  Ignore it.  Enter the CMOS Setup by pressing the Delete key when prompted.

102.  Select Load Optimized Defaults and press the Enter key.

103.  Adjust the CPU settings again if it can be done in the CMOS setup.

It is the Softmenu III Setup for this motherboard.  All you have to do is change CPU Operating Speed to the correct value.

104.  Enter the Standard CMOS Features and set the correct date and time and Esc to the Main Menu.

I also change the settings for drives not installed to "none" and leave the others set to "Auto." 

105.  If you are not going to use the ATA100IDE RAID Controller or Onboard IDE-1 and IDE-2 channels, disable them to free-up interrupts.

106.  Enter the Integrated Peripherals Setup and disable Onboard Serial Ports 1 and 2.  This computer does not use either serial port.  Disabling both ports frees-up IRQs for other devices.

107.  You may want to change the parallel port settings to conform to your printer.  The ECP/EPP setting works with most recent printers.

108.  If you are not going to use USB, disable that as well.  If you disable it, also disable Assign IRQ for USB in the PNP/PCI Configurations Menu.

109.  Enter the PNP/PCI Configuration and change PNP OS Installed to YES.

110.  Esc to the Maine Menu, and select Save & Exit the CMOS Setup and press the Enter key.  The remaining CMOS default values are ok for this computer.

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