40 PCM-6898 User ManualStarting setupThe Award BIOS is immediately activated when you first turn onthe computer. The BIOS reads system configuration information inCMOS RAM and begins the process of checking out the systemand configuring it through the power-on self test (POST).When these preliminaries are finished, the BIOS seeks an operatingsystem on one of the data storage devices (hard drive, floppy drive,etc.). The BIOS launches the operating system and hands control ofsystem operations to it.During POST, you can start the Setup program in one of two ways:1.By pressing Del immediately after switching the system on, or2.By pressing Del or pressing Ctrl-Alt-Esc when the followingmessage appears briefly at the bottom of the screen during POST:TO ENTER SETUP BEFORE BOOT PRESS DEL KEYIf the message disappears before you respond and you still wish toenter Setup, restart the system to try again by turning it OFF thenON or pressing the RESET button on the system case. You mayalso restart by simultaneously pressing Ctr-Alt-Del. If you do notpress the keys at the correct time and the system does not boot, anerror message appears and you are again asked toPRESS F1 TO CONTINUE, DEL TO ENTER SETUP