Computer Setup (BIOS), MultiBoot, and System Diagnostics. HP ProBook 455 G2 Notebook PC, ProBook 445 G1 Notebook PC, ProBook 455 G1 Notebook PC

12 Computer Setup (BIOS), MultiBoot, and

System Diagnostics

Using Computer Setup

Computer Setup, or Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), controls communication between all the input and output devices on the system (such as disk drives, display, keyboard, mouse, and printer).

Computer Setup includes settings for the types of devices installed, the startup sequence of the computer, and the amount of system and extended memory.

NOTE: Use extreme care when making changes in Computer Setup. Errors can prevent the computer from operating properly.

Starting Computer Setup

NOTE: An external keyboard or mouse connected to a USB port can be used with Computer Setup only if USB legacy support is enabled.

To start Computer Setup, follow these steps:

1.

Turn on or restart the computer, and then press esc while the “Press the ESC key for Startup

Menu” message is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

2.

Press f10 to enter Computer Setup.

Navigating and selecting in Computer Setup

To navigate and select in Computer Setup, follow these steps:

1.

Turn on or restart the computer, and then press esc while the “Press the ESC key for Startup

Menu” message is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

2.

Press f10 to enter Computer Setup.

NOTE: You can use either a pointing device (TouchPad, pointing stick, or USB mouse) or the keyboard to navigate and make selections in Computer Setup.

● To select a menu or a menu item, use the tab key and the keyboard arrow keys and then press enter , or use a pointing device to click the item.

● To scroll up and down, click the up arrow or the down arrow in the upper-right corner of the screen, or use the up arrow key or the down arrow key on the keyboard.

● To close open dialog boxes and return to the main Computer Setup screen, press esc , and then follow the on-screen instructions.

To exit Computer Setup menus, choose one of the following methods:

● To exit Computer Setup menus without saving your changes:

Click the Exit icon in the lower-right corner of the screen, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

– or –

80 Chapter 12 Computer Setup (BIOS), MultiBoot, and System Diagnostics

Use the tab key and the arrow keys to select File > Ignore Changes and Exit, and then press enter .

● To save your changes and exit Computer Setup menus:

Click the Save icon in the lower-right corner of the screen, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

– or –

Use the tab key and the arrow keys to select File > Save Changes and Exit, and then press enter .

Your changes go into effect when the computer restarts.

Restoring factory settings in Computer Setup

NOTE: Restoring defaults will not change the hard drive mode.

To return all settings in Computer Setup to the values that were set at the factory, follow these steps:

1.

Turn on or restart the computer, and then press esc while the “Press the ESC key for Startup

Menu” message is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

2.

Press f10 to enter Computer Setup.

3.

Use a pointing device or the arrow keys to select File > Restore Defaults.

4.

Follow the on-screen instructions.

5.

To save your changes and exit, click the Save icon in the lower-right corner of the screen, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

– or –

Use the arrow keys to select File > Save Changes and Exit, and then press enter .

Your changes go into effect when the computer restarts.

NOTE: Your password settings and security settings are not changed when you restore the factory settings.

Using Computer Setup 81

Updating the BIOS

Updated versions of the BIOS may be available on the HP website.

Most BIOS updates on the HP website are packaged in compressed files called SoftPaqs.

Some download packages contain a file named Readme.txt, which contains information regarding installing and troubleshooting the file.

Determining the BIOS version

To determine whether available BIOS updates contain later BIOS versions than those currently installed on the computer, you need to know the version of the system BIOS currently installed.

BIOS version information (also known as ROM date and System BIOS) can be displayed by pressing fn + esc (if you are already in Windows) or by using Computer Setup.

1.

Start Computer Setup.

2.

Use a pointing device or the arrow keys to select File > System Information.

3.

To exit Computer Setup without saving your changes, click the Exit icon in the lower-right corner of the screen, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

– or –

Use the tab key and the arrow keys to select File > Ignore Changes and Exit, and then press enter .

Downloading a BIOS update

CAUTION: To reduce the risk of damage to the computer or an unsuccessful installation, download and install a BIOS update only when the computer is connected to reliable external power using the

AC adapter. Do not download or install a BIOS update while the computer is running on battery power, docked in an optional docking device, or connected to an optional power source. During the download and installation, follow these instructions:

Do not disconnect power on the computer by unplugging the power cord from the AC outlet.

Do not shut down the computer or initiate Sleep.

Do not insert, remove, connect, or disconnect any device, cable, or cord.

1.

From the Start screen, select the HP Support Assistant app.

2.

Select Updates and tune-ups, and then select Check for HP updates now.

3.

At the download area, follow these steps: a.

Identify the most recent BIOS update and compare it to the BIOS version currently installed on your computer. Make a note of the date, name, or other identifier. You may need this information to locate the update later, after it has been downloaded to your hard drive.

b.

Follow the on-screen instructions to download your selection to the hard drive.

If the update is more recent than your BIOS, make a note of the path to the location on your hard drive where the BIOS update is downloaded. You will need to access this path when you are ready to install the update.

NOTE: If you connect your computer to a network, consult the network administrator before installing any software updates, especially system BIOS updates.

82 Chapter 12 Computer Setup (BIOS), MultiBoot, and System Diagnostics

BIOS installation procedures vary. Follow any instructions that are displayed on the screen after the download is complete. If no instructions are displayed, follow these steps:

1.

From the Start screen, type e , and then click File Explorer.

2.

Click your hard drive designation. The hard drive designation is typically Local Disk (C:).

3.

Using the hard drive path you recorded earlier, open the folder on your hard drive that contains the update.

4.

Double-click the file that has an .exe extension (for example, filename.exe).

The BIOS installation begins.

5.

Complete the installation by following the on-screen instructions.

NOTE: After a message on the screen reports a successful installation, you can delete the downloaded file from your hard drive.

Using MultiBoot

About the boot device order

As the computer starts, the system attempts to boot from enabled devices. The MultiBoot utility, which is enabled at the factory, controls the order in which the system selects a boot device. Boot devices can include optical drives, diskette drives, a network interface card (NIC), hard drives, and

USB devices. Boot devices contain bootable media or files that the computer needs to start and operate properly.

NOTE: Some boot devices must be enabled in Computer Setup before they can be included in the boot order.

You can change the order in which the computer searches for a boot device by changing the boot order in Computer Setup. You can also press esc while the “Press the ESC key for Startup Menu” message is displayed at the bottom of the screen, and then press f9 . Pressing f9 displays a menu that shows the current boot devices and allows you to select a boot device. Or, you can use MultiBoot

Express to set the computer to prompt you for a boot location each time the computer turns on or restarts.

Choosing Multi Boot preferences

You can use MultiBoot in the following ways:

● To set a new boot order that the computer uses each time it is turned on, by changing the boot order in Computer Setup.

● To dynamically choose the boot device, by pressing esc while the “Press the ESC key for

Startup Menu” message is displayed at the bottom of the screen, and then pressing f9 to enter the Boot Device Options menu.

● To use MultiBoot Express to set variable boot orders. This feature prompts you for a boot device each time the computer is turned on or restarted.

Setting a new boot order in Computer Setup

To start Computer Setup and set a boot device order that the computer uses each time it is turned on or restarted, follow these steps:

Using MultiBoot 83

1.

Turn on or restart the computer, and then press esc while the “Press the ESC key for Startup

Menu” message is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

2.

Press f10 to enter Computer Setup.

3.

Use a pointing device or the arrow keys to select the Legacy Boot Order list, and then press enter .

4.

To move the device up in the boot order, use a pointing device to click the up arrow, or press the

+ key.

– or –

To move the device down in the boot order, use a pointing device to click the down arrow, or press the key.

5.

To save your changes and exit Computer Setup, click the Save icon in the lower-left corner of the screen, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

– or –

Use the arrow keys to select File > Save Changes and Exit, and then press enter .

Dynamically choosing a boot device using the f9 prompt

To dynamically choose a boot device for the current startup sequence, follow these steps:

1.

Open the Select Boot Device menu by turning on or restarting the computer, and then pressing esc while the “Press the ESC key for Startup Menu” message is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

2.

Press f9 .

3.

Use a pointing device or the arrow keys to select a boot device, and then press enter .

Setting a MultiBoot Express prompt

To start Computer Setup and set the computer to display the MultiBoot startup location menu each time the computer is started or restarted, follow these steps:

1.

Turn on or restart the computer, and then press esc while the “Press the ESC key for Startup

Menu” message is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

2.

Press f10 to enter Computer Setup.

3.

Use a pointing device or the arrow keys to select System Configuration > Boot Options, and then press enter .

4.

In the MultiBoot Express Popup Delay (Sec) field, enter the length of time in seconds that you want the computer to display the startup location menu before it defaults to the current MultiBoot setting. (When 0 is selected, the Express Boot startup location menu is not displayed.)

5.

To save your changes and exit Computer Setup, click the Save icon in the lower-left corner of the screen, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

– or –

Use the arrow keys to select File > Save Changes and Exit, and then press enter .

Your changes go into effect when the computer restarts.

84 Chapter 12 Computer Setup (BIOS), MultiBoot, and System Diagnostics

Entering MultiBoot Express preferences

When the Express Boot menu is displayed during startup, you have the following choices:

● To specify a boot device from the Express Boot menu, select your preference within the allotted time, and then press enter .

● To prevent the computer from defaulting to the current MultiBoot setting, press any key before the allotted time expires. The computer will not start until you select a boot device and press enter .

● To allow the computer to start according to the current MultiBoot settings, wait for the allotted time to expire

Using System Diagnostics

System Diagnostics allows you to run diagnostic tests to determine if the computer hardware is functioning properly. The following diagnostic tests may be available in System Diagnostics:

● System Tune-Up—This group of additional tests checks your computer to make sure that the main components are functioning correctly. System Tune-Up runs longer and more comprehensive tests on memory modules, hard drive SMART attributes, the hard drive surface, the battery (and battery calibration), video memory, and the WLAN module status.

● Start-up test—This test analyzes the main computer components that are required to start the computer.

● Run-in test—This test repeats the start-up test and checks for intermittent problems that the start-up test does not detect.

● Hard disk test—This test analyzes the physical condition of the hard drive, and then checks all data in every sector of the hard drive. If the test detects a damaged sector, it attempts to move the data to a good sector.

● Memory test—This test analyzes the physical condition of the memory modules. If it reports an error, replace the memory modules immediately.

● Battery test—This test analyzes the condition of the battery and calibrates the battery if necessary. If the battery fails the test, contact HP support to report the issue and purchase a replacement battery.

● BIOS Management—You can update or rollback the version of the BIOS on the system. Do not shut down or remove external power during the process. You will be given a confirmation screen before your BIOS is modified. Select BIOS update, BIOS Rollback, or Back to main menu.

You can view system information and error logs or select languages in the System Diagnostics window.

To start System Diagnostics:

1.

Turn on or restart the computer. While the “Press the ESC key for Startup Menu” message is displayed in the lower-left corner of the screen, press esc . When the Startup Menu is displayed, press f2 .

2.

Click the diagnostic test you want to run, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

NOTE: If you need to stop a diagnostics test while it is running, press esc .

Using System Diagnostics 85