Starting the computer
- Everything has to talk to the computer
- Keyboard language translation
- Monitor language translation
- Hard drive language translation
- CD-ROM drive language translation
- BIOS provides basic system for communicating between diverse components.
- BIOS- Basic Input Output System
- The firmware (software)
- The conductor of the PC orchestra
- Every PC has a BIOS
- Nonvolatile BIOS memory-Nonvolatile BIOS memory refers to a small memory on PC motherboards that is used to store BIOS settings. It was traditionally called CMOS RAM because it used a volatile, low-power complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) SRAM (such as the Motorola MC146818 or similar) powered by a small battery when system power was off (called the CMOS battery).
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The term remains in wide use but it has grown into a misnomer: nonvolatile storage in contemporary computers is often in EEPROM or flash memory (like the BIOS code itself); the remaining usage for the battery is then to keep the real-time clock (RTC) going. The typical NVRAM capacity is 512 bytes,
which is generally sufficient for all BIOS settings. The CMOS RAM and
the real-time clock have been integrated as a part of the southbridge chipset and it may not be a standalone chip on modern motherboards.
- Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)
- Backed up with a battery
- Stores the BIOS configuration
- Configuration of CMOS not very large
- 128-512 bytes of content
- may be integrated into the southbridge
- The "CMOS" battery
- Maintains the BIOS configuration
- A bad battery will require a BIOS configuration on every boot
- Can often reset the BIOS configuration by removing the battery.
Built- in diagnostics
Important Tips
- Have a backup of your BIOS configuration
- Make notes
- Take a picture
- Don't make a change unless you're certain of the setting
- MAKE SURE TO BACK UP, IT CAN SAVE A LOT OF TIME!
