TAB for Intel PCs. What is it for AMD PCs?

[Synomenon]

Ok. I've seen numerous threads about this, but still haven't seen any answer. With my Intel PC, all I had to do was press the tab key during startup to make it show the BIOS version. That doesn't work in my AMD PC. How do we make it show the BIOS version after we power on an AMD PC?

I don't have an OS installed yet and would like to see if I have the latest BIOS so if I do have to update my BIOS, I can do it before installing my OS.

Thanks for any help.

 

[UsandThem]

Uh, it is the motherboard BIOS, not AMD or Intel.

For almost every motherboard out there, it shows the BIOS version at the BIOS screen, and you hit the delete key to enter BIOS.

 

[Budman]

Personaly I never seen a motherboard intel/amd cpu that showed the bios ver when you presses the TAB key. was this an Intel made motherboard?

 

[Synomenon]

Shuttle SB61G2V3. Usually, I think right after POST and before the OS loads, hit the tab key and it goes to this screen that shows the BIOS version. None of my Intel or AMD PC's show the BIOS versioin in the BIOS.

 

[InlineFive]

I bet your AMD system is so blistering fast that it whisks by the BIOS version screen before you see it. Right after it starts press Pause and see what happens.

 

[Synomenon]

Here's a screenshot of what I'm talking about:

http://www.ecsusa.com/images/award11.jpg

 

[Synomenon]

Ok. I've figured it out for my AMD PC. No key press will do it, but unplugging your keyboard, then powering the PC on will bring you to the screen. It looks just the picture here:

http://www.ecsusa.com/images/award11.jpg

except it shows the Energy Star logo at the top right of the screen and the Award / Phoenix logo at the top left. It also tells you that you don't have a keyboard connected at the bottom of the list.

 

[imported_Phil]

Originally posted by: IsLNdbOi
Ok. I've figured it out for my AMD PC. No key press will do it, but unplugging your keyboard, then powering the PC on will bring you to the screen. It looks just the picture here:

http://www.ecsusa.com/images/award11.jpg

except it shows the Energy Star logo at the top right of the screen and the Award / Phoenix logo at the top left. It also tells you that you don't have a keyboard connected at the bottom of the list.

Or you could just plug your keyboard back in and press the Pause key during POST... :roll:

 

[nageov3t]

you might be breezing through the boot-up too fast to get a look at it, but tab brings it up on almost every PC I've ever worked with.

it's also a setting in the bios.

 

[Synomenon]

Originally posted by: Phil

Originally posted by: IsLNdbOi
Ok. I've figured it out for my AMD PC. No key press will do it, but unplugging your keyboard, then powering the PC on will bring you to the screen. It looks just the picture here:

http://www.ecsusa.com/images/award11.jpg

except it shows the Energy Star logo at the top right of the screen and the Award / Phoenix logo at the top left. It also tells you that you don't have a keyboard connected at the bottom of the list.

Or you could just plug your keyboard back in and press the Pause key during POST... :roll:

That doesn't work for me. It never shows that screen during post on my PC (Shuttle SN25P) and if it does show that screen during post, it's waaay too fast.

 

[Synomenon]

Originally posted by: loki8481
you might be breezing through the boot-up too fast to get a look at it, but tab brings it up on almost every PC I've ever worked with.

it's also a setting in the bios.

Pressing the tab key has never worked with any AMD based PC i've worked with. On my current system (Shuttle SN25P -> NForce4), I checked the BIOS and disabled the quick post AND the splash screen for something, but it still doesn't show that screen.

Here's what I've been trying to see, but haven't seen until I unplugged my keyboard:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v637/IsLNdbOi/DSCF0050.jpg

It shows my BIOS version (FN25S001A). That's the BIOS version prior to the latest one Shuttle has available for my PC.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: IsLNdbOi

Originally posted by: loki8481
you might be breezing through the boot-up too fast to get a look at it, but tab brings it up on almost every PC I've ever worked with.

it's also a setting in the bios.

Pressing the tab key has never worked with any AMD based PC i've worked with. On my current system (Shuttle SN25P -> NForce4), I checked the BIOS and disabled the quick post AND the splash screen for something, but it still doesn't show that screen.

Here's what I've been trying to see, but haven't seen until I unplugged my keyboard:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v637/IsLNdbOi/DSCF0050.jpg

Nice lamp.

Does your manual indicate you should press a button at bootup to see it?

 

[Synomenon]

Yeah I've checked my manual, but it doesn't tell me anything about checking the BIOS version unfortunately.

I love that lamp. It's a three brightness setting touch lamp. $49.00 at Fry's.

 

[Zepper]

If you can get into the BIOS setup screens, there may be a setting for "Fast Power-On Self-test" - if you set that to Disabled, you will have time enough to see your BIOS sign-on screen...

.bh.

 

[Dennis Travis]

It's what Porblemmo said, Your AMD system is so fast that screen is screaming by and you are not seeing it. Pause will work but you have to be fast. What you did works also as it stops due to the keyboard being unplugged. No Intel Motherboard I have ever worked with whether INTEL built or something else with Intel chipset, ever needed the TAB key pressed to see that screen. AMD shows it the exact same way as Intel boards. Your Intel system must have been a lot slower at leaving the first POST screen.

 

[Synomenon]

Actually on my Intel system, I never saw anything either. I just kept hitting the tab key as soon as I powered on my PC and it would go to that screen. That's what I've been doing with my new AMD PC, hitting the tab key as soon as I power on, but it just doesn't work.

 

[imported_Phil]

You can always manually cause a keyboard fault- mash the keyboard with your hand, turn on PC. It'll beep frantically, at which point it should stop at the POST screen and prompt you to press a key to continue.

Having said that, this issue may have been fixed in later BIOS

 

[Synomenon]

Originally posted by: Phil
You can always manually cause a keyboard fault- mash the keyboard with your hand, turn on PC. It'll beep frantically, at which point it should stop at the POST screen and prompt you to press a key to continue.

Having said that, this issue may have been fixed in later BIOS

Hehe, I forgot you could do that! Definitely works.