What is NVRAM?

Question

I have been told a couple of times to clear my NVRAM, although I have never done it.  What is NVRAM?  If I were to clear it from my computer like told would it screw up my computer, is it important?

dewmaster07 · Answer

Also do anyone of you know why my Dell Loading screen Will finish loading the bar, stop..... then 3 sec later it goes to windows xp loading screen and finish normal bootup, where as It used to just load, finish loading and the second the bar finished it immeadiatly went to XP loading screen.

dewmaster07 · Answer

So If i were to clear NVRAM I would have to reinstall every single one of my drivers to the computer?

volcano11 · Answer

The keyboard failure message can occur if you hold down one of the keys on the keyboard for too long. Is that what happened? Since hitting the escape key apparenltly worked, then you did not have a keyboard failure.

Steve

dewmaster07 · Answer

Ok I hit escape, and the black screen that said Phenoix Mother board and some other stuff, then it said at the very bottom 'Key Board Failure'  After it finished loading it wouldn't let me type or move the mouse, but when I restarted it worked fine.  This keyboard failure thing might be the reason why my dell loading splash screen loads a little slower than it should, how do I fix the keyboard failure?

dewmaster07 · Answer

I guess so, i didn't really hold down the escape key so much as repeadildly hit it.

volcano11 · Answer

NVAM = Non Volatile Random Access Memory. Basically it is where the BIOS configuration data is stored (on a chip on your motherboard, that doesn't lose its memory when your computer is shut down because it is constantly supplied with energy from a small battery on the motherboard). Clearing NVRAM forces the BIOS to redetect all attached devices and resets any other settings to their default settings. It should only be done if the computer is not properly detecting all devices. In general it does not mess up your computer.

Steve

volcano11 · Answer

No, the drivers are already installed in Windows. This BIOS feeds windows the information on the devices that it detects and when Windows gets the information it checks to see if a driver is installed. If not, then it will ask to install one. If one is already installed, it just loads like normal.

Steve

Majestic · Answer

When the Dell logo first appears try tapping the ESC key to see if the logo will minimize.  If it does then you can view the loading procedure that usually goes on in the background to see what it causing the 3 second delay.  I suspect though it maybe your anti-virus software doing a scan of the boot drives.  If you have recently upgraded the virus signatures the new file may have increase the scan time by doing a more in depth scan.

dewmaster07 · Answer

So you think it's just my virus scan?  If this is causeing the 3 second delay, then why would it be that when I restart my computer I have no problem, no delay, it's only when I shut down then turn on power.

Majestic · Answer

The anti-virus boot scan was my best guess at this point.  Have you tried tapping the ESC key to minimize the logo and see whats happening in the background?

dewmaster07 · Answer

I shut down my computer, and as it started it up i repeadidly hit the escape button.  About a little more than half way through the Dell Splash Screen Load it changed to this black screen stating the Motherboard name, bios version, some other stuff and then at the bottom 'Keyboard Failure'  that keyboard failure seems to happen everytime I hit escape to see what is behind the splash screen.  As far as if it was the virus scan I don't know how I would find out.

Majestic · Answer

Check the BIOS Setup to see if there is an option to view the diagnostic screens during the boot.  If the setting is available it might display the reason for the 3 second lag.  To eliminate the keyboard as being suspect why not use or borrow another keyboard and see if that eliminates the lag?

dewmaster07 · Answer

I plugged in a different keyboard, still got the 3 second lag, but I did find somthing interesting.  I went into the BIOS setup (nothing listed that allows me to see diagnostics) and saw this one section for hard drive.  I think it was called Acoustic Hard drive Setting or somthing, anyway My current configuration was set on 'Bypass'  I hit F1 for help and it said that any selection made other than 'Performance' will cuase a loss in performance.  Quiet, and Suggested were also listed as possible selections.  Should I change this setting to Performance, I don't make any changes in the BIOS unless instructed to by other means.  What should the Hard Drive Setting be on?

dewmaster07 · Answer

I really should have said this earlier but this is my computer setup

Dimension 8300

Win XP pro

Bio's version A05

About 3 months old.

Just to point out I never cleared my NVRAM, and in the Bios there is something listed called "Fast Boot" (It's already checked in the "Enabled" position. Should I disable it to see what would happen?

Also I changed the hard drive thing to Performance and so far I havn't really noticed the clicks and noises, but it does seem faster.

Majestic · Answer

On the 8300 the Fast Boot option is enabled by default and you should leave it that way since you are concerned about boot times. The Fast Boot eliminates some of the diagnostic testing during the boot like the memory check and so it will speed things up.

If you haven't cleared the NVRAM then by all means you should do so. Clearing the NVRAM is one of the first steps in resolving boot up issues. What the procedure will do is basically allow the BIOS to take a fresh inventory of all the installed hardware on the machine. Since the NVRAM can become corrupted or filled with old outdated hardware information the clearing process can be useful in resolving conflicts or boot delays. Here is how to clear the NVRAM on your model:

Reboot system and enter the BIOS Setup by pressing F2.
Turn on Caps Lock, Scroll Lock and Num Lock.
Press ALT+ E then ALT+ F then ALT+ B

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What is NVRAM?

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