How to Access Your BIOS: Boot Order, Fast Boot, and RAM Speed Made Simple

Graeme — Mon, 18 May 2026 17:15:58 +0000

If you’ve ever been told to “just go into your BIOS” and felt a wave of uncertainty wash over you, you are not alone. For many everyday computer users, the BIOS has a reputation as something mysterious and best left untouched. The good news is that for the three things most people actually need to do in there, knowing how to access your BIOS is much more straightforward than it sounds — and this video walks you through it in plain, practical language.

What Is BIOS, and Why Would You Need It?

BIOS stands for Basic Input/Output System. Think of it as your computer’s backstage manager — it wakes up all your hardware the moment you hit the power button, checks that everything is in order, and then passes the baton to your operating system (Windows, Linux, or whatever you run). Most of the time, you’ll never need to go near it. But there are three common situations where a quick trip into the BIOS makes a real difference.

The first is changing your boot order. If you want to install Linux, run a diagnostic tool, or reinstall Windows from a USB drive, your computer needs to know to look at that drive first when it starts up. That’s a boot order change, and it happens in the BIOS.

The second is managing something called Fast Boot. Fast Boot is designed to shave seconds off your startup time, but it can create headaches — especially if you’re trying to run Linux alongside Windows. Knowing how to turn it off (or on) puts you back in control.

The third is making sure your RAM is running at its proper speed. RAM ships from the factory running at a conservative default speed to ensure broad compatibility. But most modern RAM is certified by its manufacturer to run faster — and enabling that through an XMP (or AMD Expo) profile in the BIOS can meaningfully improve performance, particularly in gaming and other processor-intensive tasks.

ASRock UEFI BIOS Boot Menu

Two Reliable Ways to Get In

The traditional method is to tap a specific key — usually Delete, F2, or F12 — the moment you turn your computer on. The key varies by manufacturer, so checking your owner’s manual or doing a quick online search for your computer’s make and model is the right starting point.

The catch? If Fast Boot is already enabled, your window to press that key may be so brief it’s virtually impossible to catch. That’s where Method Two comes in. From your Windows desktop, go to Settings > System > Recovery, then select Advanced Startup and choose Restart Now. After the reboot, navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > UEFI Firmware Settings, and your computer will take you directly into the BIOS — Fast Boot or not. It takes a few more clicks, but it works every time.

Linux users have a handy shortcut as well: if you’re running a dual-boot setup, the GRUB boot menu includes a direct option to access your UEFI firmware settings right at startup.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

Every BIOS looks a little different depending on your computer or motherboard manufacturer. Some are text-only menus that feel straight out of the 1990s; others have a polished graphical interface. The terminology and layout will vary, but the core functions are generally in similar places, so take your time and don’t panic if yours doesn’t look exactly like the one in the video.

One important rule of thumb: if you see a setting you don’t recognize, leave it alone. The manufacturer has already done a solid job with the defaults. The settings covered here — boot order, Fast Boot, and RAM speed — are the ones most everyday users will ever need. Everything else is best left for a specific, well-researched reason.

Also worth knowing: if you ever perform a BIOS update, it will typically reset all your settings back to their defaults, so you’ll need to revisit your adjustments afterward. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s good to be aware of.

The BIOS is one of those things that sounds far more intimidating than it actually is. Once you know what you’re looking for and how to get there reliably, it’s really just a few straightforward menus.

Watch the video, follow along at your own pace, and you’ll wonder what you were ever worried about.

How To Deal With a Failed Power Supply

Graeme — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 06:02:50 +0000

A failed power supply can certainly ruin a gaming session! What’s worse, is to have a power supply unit (PSU) fail and take out some or all of your PC components with it! No one wants to suffer that fate, and there’s some things you can do to lessen the likelihood of future damage (HINT: don’t use a power supply you are even a LITTLE unsure of!).

In this video we look at signs that indicate your PSU may have given up for good, what you should do if you suspect a power supply problem, how to go about testing your PSU, things to think about when it comes to deciding on whether or not to replace your PSU, and finally, the FIRST thing you should do once you’ve decided to buy a new power supply.

NOTE: power supply units have built-in protection features that are designed to protect against both a failure in the PSU itself, as well as failures in your PC. If your PC shuts down, and the reason isn’t very clear, and as long as the PSU is of sufficient wattage for your PC components, sorting out the specific issue causing the fault may be much more difficult than it was in this particular case.

00:00 What a PSU Failure Looks Like and Important Considerations Before Taking Action
05:14 How to Test a Power Supply
06:50 Why You Shouldn’t Use a PSU You Don’t Fully Trust
08:28 What I Suspect Went Wrong In My Power Supply
10:27 How to Choose the Right-Sized PSU
12:36 Assessing PC Power Supply Requirements With https://pc-builds.com/

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Thermalright Assassin X120 R SE – Best Value Air Cooler On The Market Today?

Graeme — Tue, 23 May 2023 03:39:26 +0000

I’m a huge fan of building on a budget and there is nothing that excites me more than getting a deal where the product quality seems wildly disproportionate to the price.

I recently bought a Thermalright X 120 R SE air cooler for a budget office PC build and did some testing. I can only say I was shocked at the results for this $20 (CANADIAN!) CPU Cooler!

Could this be the ideal cooler for your budget build?

00:00 Background to this PC build
02:52 Discussing Stock AMD Coolers for Ryzen 5 CPUs
06:25 Reviewing the Thermalright Assassin X 120 R SE

The post Thermalright Assassin X120 R SE – Best Value Air Cooler On The Market Today? appeared first on tektoc.

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