And on the flip side of the coin, Task Scheduler is
likely doing some things you don??™t want or need it to do; it??™s wise to periodically
check this tool and eliminate tasks that might be degrading performance
or compromising your PC??™s security.
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Appendix ABIOS SettingsBIOS Settings APPENDIX A
BIOS Settings
The BIOS, or Basic Input-Output System, is the software??”stored in a chip
on your motherboard??”responsible for booting your computer and starting
your operating system. It also handles the flow of data between the operating
system and your peripherals (USB devices, PCI/PCIE slots, hard disk
controller, video adapter, etc.), manages your PC??™s power management features,
and cooperates with Windows??™ plug-and-play subsystem. Incorrect
settings in your PC??™s BIOS can prevent Windows from booting, limit performance,
and cause all sorts of hardware and driver problems.
You change BIOS settings in the BIOS setup screen, which
you can usually access by pressing a key??”such as Del, F2,
or Esc??”immediately after powering on your system and
before the initial beep. The normal boot screen that appears
before the Windows logo often identifies the key you need to
press; consult your computer??™s manual if you need further
help.
The settings available in a computer??™s BIOS setup screen vary from one system
to another, but there are many settings that are common among them
all. Unfortunately, motherboard and computer manufacturers are notorious
for poorly documenting BIOS settings, so it can be difficult to determine
what the settings mean, let alone how they should be set.
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