The BIOS on a computer is where we can configure how the PC runs. It’s basically where we can configure our PC; we can do everything from wake on Lan to change our boot order to increase or slow down our fan speed, and you can do so much more from the BIOS.
Wake on Lan – this is where we can send a magic packet to wake up our PC from sleep or hibernation.
check out what a BIOS looks like here
How do we access the BIOS?
To access the bios, we first need to do a tiny bit of research. I’ll explain why. Every manufacturer sets their own key on the keyboard that needs to be pressed as soon as the PC loads up (the key needs to be pressed as soon as the PC is switched on).
Another way to find which key needs to be pressed is when you switch a PC on. You should see some tiny writing on the bottom of the screen (you’re looking for something that says something like press the F1/DEL key for bios). You do have to be quick to find the key this way; if you miss it, you could restart and start again.
I would say the easiest way would be to do a short bit of research, which should only take 1-2 minutes or even quicker than that.
How do I navigate in the bios?
To navigate the bios, you had to use the keyboard only. I know what you think—no mouse control, whatever. So to navigate, you would use the up and down keys, and to select an option, you would have to press the enter key.
On my first PC, when I entered the BIOS and wanted to change the boot order (to boot from a different drive or from a USB stick), I would navigate to the boot tab and use the arrow keys to select the drive I wanted to move up or down the priority list, and I think if my memory serves me correctly, I would have to press F6 to move the device up the list or F5 to move the item down the list.
We would also have to press F10 to save any changes. I know what you’re thinking; it’s not the easiest thing to navigate, but that’s where EUFI comes in.
What is EUFI, you ask?
EUFI is a graphical version of the bios, and you can also use (a drumroll, please) the MOUSE. I know how exciting. But seriously, this is a game-changer. To have a GUI (graphical user interface) and have everything visual just makes everyone’s life so much easier.
Depending on your version of EUFI, you get visuals of your CPU fan core temperatures, tuning modes (I wouldn’t mess with this option unless you know exactly what you are doing), and boot order that you can change by drag and drop.
If you do change the boot order and, for example, you want to boot from a USB (reinstall Windows or restore a recovery), please change the boot order back to how it was beforehand; otherwise, it will continually try to boot from a USB.
My conclusion
Having a BIOS on our PC and knowing how to access it correctly can help us save a lot of time. Also, being able to configure our PC from the software gives us access to a range of features, from fan speeds to changing the boot order to checking our computer’s vitals to make sure that there is no strain on the system. Also, being able to configure this all in one place makes our lives so much easier. It really is essential for use.