How to Access the BIOS

The method for accessing the BIOS is going to be dependent upon the manufacturer of the motherboard and the BIOS vender they have selected. The actual process to get to the BIOS is identical, just the key that is needed to be pressed will vary. It is important to have the user manual for the motherboard handy whenever changes will be made to the BIOS.

The first step is to look up what key needs to be pressed to enter the BIOS. Some of the common keys used to access the BIOS are F1, F2 and the Del key. Generally the motherboard will post this information when the computer first turns on, but it is best to look it up before hand. Next, power on the computer system and press the key to enter the BIOS after the beep for a clean POST is signaled. I will often press the key a couple times to make sure it registered. If the procedure has been done correctly, the BIOS screen should be displayed rather than the typical boot screen.