PCI/VGA Palette Snoop

Options : Enabled, Disabled

This option is only useful if you use an MPEG card or an add-on card that makes use of the graphics card's Feature Connector. It corrects incorrect colour reproduction by "snooping" into the graphics card's framebuffer memory and modifying (synchronizing) the information delivered from the graphics card's Feature Connector to the MPEG or add-on card. It will also solve the problem of display inversion to a black screen after using the MPEG card.

Assign IRQ For VGA

Options : Enabled, Disabled

Many high-end graphics accelerator cards now require an IRQ to function properly. Disabling this feature with such cards will cause improper operation and/or poor performance. Thus, it's best to make sure you enable this feature if you are having problems with your graphics accelerator card.

However, some low-end cards don't need an IRQ to run normally. Check your graphics card's documentation (manual). If it states that the card does not require an IRQ, then you can disable this feature to release an IRQ for other uses. When in doubt, it's best to leave it enabled unless you really need the IRQ.

MPS Version Control For OS

Options : 1.1, 1.4

This option is only valid for multiprocessor motherboards as it specifies the version of the Multiprocessor Specification (MPS) that the motherboard will use. The MPS is a specification by which PC manufacturers design and build Intel architecture systems with two or more processors.

MPS version 1.4 added extended configuration tables to improve support for multiple PCI bus configurations and improve future expandability. It is also required for a secondary PCI bus to work without the need for a bridge. Newer versions of server operating systems will generally support MPS 1.4 and as such, you should change the BIOS Setup from the default of 1.1 to 1.4 if your operating system supports version 1.4. Leave it as 1.1 only if you are running older server OSes.

Eugene Tan informed me that the setting for WinNT should be 1.4.

According to Dan Isaacs, users of the ABIT BP6 motherboard and Windows 2000 should set the MPS version to 1.1. This is because Windows 2000 has a problem with the BP6 motherboard using MPS version 1.4. When you set the MPS version to 1.4 in the ABIT BP6, Windows 2000 will not use the second processor. So, if you are using the ABIT BP6 motherboard and Windows 2000, set the MPS Version Control For OS to 1.1. Thanks, Dan! :)

OS Select For DRAM > 64MB

Options : OS/2, Non-OS/2

When the system memory is more than 64MB in size, OS/2 differs from other operating systems (OS) in the way it manages the RAM. However, this is only true for older versions of OS/2. If you are still running an older version of IBM's OS/2 operating system, you will need to select OS/2.

Starting with OS/2 Warp v3.0 or if you have installed the FixPaks that IBM has been releasing over the years, you should select Non-OS/2 instead. Otherwise, it will cause erroneous memory detection, i.e. if you have 64MB of RAM, it may only register as 16MB or if you have more than 64MB of RAM, it may register as only 64MB of RAM.

For other operating systems, use the Non-OS/2 setting.

Many thanks to Britt Turnbull and Serenity Systems for updates on this feature! :)

HDD S.M.A.R.T. Capability

Options : Enabled, Disabled

This option enables/disables support for the hard disk's S.M.A.R.T. capability. The S.M.A.R.T. (Self Monitoring Analysis And Reporting) technology is supported by all current hard disks and it allows the early prediction and warning of impending hard disk disasters. You can enable it if you are using S.M.A.R.T. aware utilities to monitor the hard disk's condition. Enabling it also allows the monitoring of the hard disk's condition over a network.

However, there's a possibility that enabling S.M.A.R.T. may cause spontaneous reboots in networked computers. Johnathan P. Dinan mentioned such an experience with S.M.A.R.T. enabled. S.M.A.R.T. may be sending packets of data through the network even though there's nothing monitoring those data packets. This may have caused the spontaneous reboots that he had experienced (Comment #103). So, try disabling HDD S.M.A.R.T. Capability if you experience reboots or crashes while you are on a network.

For most users, the S.M.A.R.T. capability isn't really useful or necessary. In fact, all the constant S.M.A.R.T. traffic eats up some bandwidth. So, if you don't use S.M.A.R.T. aware utilities or don't need that level of real-time reporting, disable it for better system performance.

Report No FDD For Win95

Options : Enabled, Disabled

If you are using Windows 95/98 without a floppy disk drive, select Enabled to release IRQ6. This is required to pass Windows 95/98's SCT test. You should also disable the Onboard FDC Controller in the Integrated Peripherals screen when there's no floppy drive in the system. If you set this feature to Disabled, the BIOS will not report the missing floppy drive to Win95/98.

Delay IDE Initial (Sec)

Options : 0, 1, 2, 3, ..., 15

The booting process of new BIOSes is much faster these days. Thus, some IDE devices may not be able to spin up fast enough for the BIOS to detect them during the booting up process. This setting is used to delay the initialization of such IDE devices during the booting up process.

Leave it at 0 if possible for faster system booting. But if one or more of your IDE devices fail to initialize while booting, increase the value of this setting until they all initialize properly.