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Resource Cheatsheet

A+ Core 1 3.5: BIOS Settings

A+ Core 1 3.5 — entering setup, boot order, USB control, fans/temps, Secure Boot, boot vs supervisor passwords, CMOS reset, virtualisation.

Updated
Reading time
4 min read
Detail
A+ Core 1
Detail
BIOS Settings
On this page

In one line: inside UEFI setup you set boot order, enable/disable hardware (USB), tune fans and read temps, turn on Secure Boot, set boot/supervisor passwords, and enable CPU virtualisation — documenting every change first.

Companion to: Professor Messer A+ Core 1 (220-1201), Section 3, objective 3.5. The full version is the BIOS Settings class notes; the section overview is the Section 3 sheet.

Getting into setup

Situation How
Normal boot Press setup key: Del / F1 / F2, or Ctrl+S / Ctrl+Alt+S
Practice, no hardware VM firmware (Hyper-V, VMware — not VirtualBox) or an online UEFI simulator
Windows Fast Startup (no prompt) Shift+Restart; Advanced startup; msconfig; or interrupt boot 3×

Before any change: document/photograph it, understand it, keep a backup to revert.

Where the settings live

Startup   -> boot order (SATA / M.2 / network / USB)
Devices   -> USB Setup (enable/disable ports and support)
Power     -> fan / cooling profiles + temperature monitoring
Security  -> Secure Boot (+ keys), passwords
Advanced  -> CPU Setup -> virtualisation (VT-x / AMD-V / SVM)

Key settings

Setting Notes
Boot order Order devices tried; move wanted drive to top. Disabling a device hides it from the OS entirely
USB control Enable/disable ports — real DLP/malware control (2008 DoD ban after the Agent.btz worm, a SillyFDC variant)
Cooling Profiles: best performance (max cool) / best experience (quiet) / full speed
Temp monitor Read sensors (CPU, memory…) in firmware before booting an OS
Secure Boot UEFI only; verifies bootloader, OS and firmware-update signatures; disable only for old/unsigned OS, then re-enable
Boot / user password Needed to boot the machine
Supervisor / BIOS password Needed to enter setup (stops re-enabling USB, etc.)
Reset config Modern settings are in flash — battery pull won’t clear; short the CLRTC (clear-CMOS) jumper
Virtualisation Intel VT (VT-x) / AMD AMD-V (SVM)

🔐 Security notes

  • Lock the boot path: internal-only boot order + USB boot disabled stops live-USB bypass; pair with Secure Boot and full-disk encryption.
  • Firmware USB disable blocks removable-media worms and exfiltration in a way the OS user can’t undo.
  • BIOS passwords deter, they don’t protect data: anyone who can open the case clears them via the CLRTC/clear-CMOS jumper (or a vendor backdoor reset). Only FDE + physical security protect the data.
  • Disabling Secure Boot lowers posture — do it knowingly and re-enable after; track firmware settings in the baseline.

Practice drills

1. Three ways to enter firmware setup?

Press the setup key at boot — commonly Del, F1 or F2 (or Ctrl+S / Ctrl+Alt+S).

2. Why does Windows often show no BIOS prompt, and how do you fix it?

Fast Startup does a partial shutdown (no cold boot). Force a full shutdown with Shift+Restart, Advanced startup, msconfig, or by interrupting the boot three times.

3. If you disable a device in the BIOS, what does the OS see?

Nothing — the OS has no idea it exists, because the BIOS is the connection to the hardware.

4. What does Secure Boot check, and when do you disable it?

The bootloader, the OS and firmware-update signatures against trusted keys. Disable only to run old/unsigned software, then re-enable.

5. Boot password vs supervisor password?

Boot/user password is needed to boot; supervisor/BIOS password is needed to enter setup.

6. On a modern board, how do you reset the BIOS config?

Not by pulling the battery (settings are in flash) — short the clear-CMOS/CLRTC jumper with physical access.

7. Intel and AMD names for the virtualisation setting?

Intel VT (VT-x) and AMD-V (AMD Secure Virtual Machine / SVM), under Advanced > CPU Setup.

Key takeaways

  • Enter setup with a key at boot; Windows Fast Startup hides the prompt — force a full shutdown.
  • Document, understand, back up before any change.
  • Boot order + USB control are your main hardening levers; disabling a device hides it from the OS.
  • Secure Boot (UEFI) verifies boot chain and firmware; boot vs supervisor passwords do different jobs.
  • BIOS passwords are cleared by physical access (CLRTC jumper) — rely on FDE + physical security for data.

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