9 Computer Setup (BIOS) and Advanced 
System Diagnostics in SUSE Linux
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 peripherals 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.
Using 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.
●
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.
●
To close open dialog boxes and return to the main Computer Setup screen, press esc, and then 
follow the on-screen instructions.
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.
2. Press f10 to enter Computer Setup.
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-left corner 
of the screen, and then follow the on-screen instructions.
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120 Chapter 9   Computer Setup (BIOS) and Advanced System Diagnostics in SUSE Linux