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M440LX Server System Product Guide
51
When to Use the System Configuration Utility
The SCU lets you do the following:
• Add and remove boards
• Change the system configuration settings
• Save the system configuration
• View switch and jumper settings on the boards in the system
To install or remove an ISA add-in board in the system, you must run the
SCU to reconfigure the system. Running the SCU is optional for a PCI
add-in board.
The SCU is PCI-aware and complies with the ISA Plug and Play
specifications. The SCU works with any compliant configuration (.CFG) or
overlay (.OVL) files supplied by peripheral device manufacturer.
The system board comes with .CFG and .OVL files. The .CFG file describes
the board’s characteristics and the system resources that the board requires.
The configuration registers on PCI and ISA Plug and Play add-in boards
contain the same type of information that is in a .CFG file. However, some
ISA add-in boards do come with a .CFG file.
The SCU uses the information provided by the .OVL and .CFG files,
configuration registers, NVRAM, and the information that you enter, to
specify a system configuration. It configures the system by writing the
configuration information to flash memory.
The SCU stores most of the configuration values in the battery-maintained
memory (NVRAM) of the real-time clock (RTC), and it stores the rest of the
values in flash memory. These values take effect when you boot the system.
The POST checks the values against the actual hardware configuration; if
they do not agree, it generates an error message. You must then run the
SCU to specify the correct configuration before the system boots.
The SCU always updates a checksum for both areas so that the BIOS can
detect any potential data corruption before the actual hardware
configuration takes place. If the data is corrupted, the BIOS requests that
the user configure the system before it can boot.
Pressing <F1> on the keyboard, in response to the BIOS prompt during the
POST, activates the BIOS Setup Utility.