Best setup for a quick bios?

Computergeek941 · 11-24-2008, 11:13 AM

Hi everyone!

I'm planning to build a computer, and have started with picking out a CPU and motherboard. Before I finalize my decisions, I wanted some help.

I have had/used 6 different computers in the last two years. 5 Dells, 1 HP. This is my first time building a computer. I'm very big on boot speed; in fact this determines my opinion of a computers overall capability. There have seemed to be two different BIOS types on the 6 computers I have used. 4 out of the six (all Dells) would run over the BIOS. Literally, if you blinked, you missed it. The remaining two (a Dell and an HP) would take 20 seconds each for the BIOS to complete. I have noticed that these two both use BIOSs from phoenix, CPUs from AMD, and graphics cards from ATI (one embedded on a laptop).

I will be absolutely incensed if I take the time, trouble, and cash to build my own computer, and the BIOS takes ages to load. Windows is equally fast on all these computers, so the BIOS is the determining factor in the boot speed. I want as fast a system as possible for a reasonable amount of money. I plan to use a Nvidia graphics card with at least 256 mb of memory (pref. 512mb), and a Intel CPU and northbridge.

What causes the slow BIOS speeds on these two computers? (They do have more memory than the rest, but they are pretty slow even without the extra memory.)

If anyone with a really good setup can tell me what you used and how to avoid this problem, I would really appreciate it. Also if you need any more information in order to help me, I will be glad to provide it.

dai · 11-24-2008, 11:35 AM

brand names bios are usually propriatory on propriatory m/boards
you have more available settings on a normal m/board
one being
quick boot option

**linderman** · 11-26-2008, 06:15 PM

what you are seeing in actuality is the "quick boot" feature

which is a setting that forces the bios not to check memory as well as a few other tidbits to make it faster and it hides the bios screen ...... there is still bios action happening

as far as boot times ........ how a person configures and maintains a computer has just as much to do with the boot time as any other factor

dont allow much to happen in the start-up helps drastically

and using an anti virus program thats not a resource hog also is a big plus ....... one I have been playing with lately that I really like is counterspy viper ....... its a anti virus & anti spyware all rolled into one and its the least resource hog of any I have seen thus far !

Computergeek941 · 11-27-2008, 10:45 AM

Thanks for your help so far, guys. However, quickboot is already enabled on all the computers that have it, which I believe they all do. So I don't think that's the reason some are slower than others.

11-24-2008, 11:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
Computergeek941 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 2 OS: Vista Basic SP1	Best setup for a quick bios? Hi everyone! I'm planning to build a computer, and have started with picking out a CPU and motherboard. Before I finalize my decisions, I wanted some help. I have had/used 6 different computers in the last two years. 5 Dells, 1 HP. This is my first time building a computer. I'm very big on boot speed; in fact this determines my opinion of a computers overall capability. There have seemed to be two different BIOS types on the 6 computers I have used. 4 out of the six (all Dells) would run over the BIOS. Literally, if you blinked, you missed it. The remaining two (a Dell and an HP) would take 20 seconds each for the BIOS to complete. I have noticed that these two both use BIOSs from phoenix, CPUs from AMD, and graphics cards from ATI (one embedded on a laptop). I will be absolutely incensed if I take the time, trouble, and cash to build my own computer, and the BIOS takes ages to load. Windows is equally fast on all these computers, so the BIOS is the determining factor in the boot speed. I want as fast a system as possible for a reasonable amount of money. I plan to use a Nvidia graphics card with at least 256 mb of memory (pref. 512mb), and a Intel CPU and northbridge. What causes the slow BIOS speeds on these two computers? (They do have more memory than the rest, but they are pretty slow even without the extra memory.) If anyone with a really good setup can tell me what you used and how to avoid this problem, I would really appreciate it. Also if you need any more information in order to help me, I will be glad to provide it.

11-24-2008, 11:35 AM	#2 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,539 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: Best setup for a quick bios? brand names bios are usually propriatory on propriatory m/boards you have more available settings on a normal m/board one being quick boot option __________________

11-26-2008, 06:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
linderman Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 20,433 OS: win 2000 pro / Win XP pro My System	Re: Best setup for a quick bios? what you are seeing in actuality is the "quick boot" feature which is a setting that forces the bios not to check memory as well as a few other tidbits to make it faster and it hides the bios screen ...... there is still bios action happening as far as boot times ........ how a person configures and maintains a computer has just as much to do with the boot time as any other factor dont allow much to happen in the start-up helps drastically and using an anti virus program thats not a resource hog also is a big plus ....... one I have been playing with lately that I really like is counterspy viper ....... its a anti virus & anti spyware all rolled into one and its the least resource hog of any I have seen thus far ! __________________ I still know nothing and I respect that fact, striving to improve and, along the way, help anyone that comes from the place that I used to be! Power Supply Selection LEARN TO BACK-UP YOUR DATA FREE & EASY YouTube - Runtime Software DriveImage XML tutorial

11-27-2008, 10:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
Computergeek941 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 2 OS: Vista Basic SP1	Re: Best setup for a quick bios? Thanks for your help so far, guys. However, quickboot is already enabled on all the computers that have it, which I believe they all do. So I don't think that's the reason some are slower than others.