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Monday, December 10, 2001		Article

BIOS contains codes to control PC
Vipul Verma

IN the jargon of computer words, BIOS is one such term, which is commonly used but hardly ever discussed. However it is that basic component of the computer system without which a PC cannot start. Thus it is as important as any other hardware component like motherboard, RAM, hard disk and CPU though all hardware components mentioned above are very important and also critical for the computer.

BIOS comes into picture as soon as your system is turned on. Here your PC flashes the information like AWARD Modular BIOS version 4.51pg Energy Star Alliance PnP BIOS Version 1.0a Release 06/06/1996/L. Well! This is the critical information about the BIOS installed on your system. BIOS is created by the motherboard or hardware manufacturer and comes built in the motherboard. BIOS is actually the program, which the CPU uses to get the computer system started soon after you turn it on and is made accessible to the CPU on an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) chip. Thus, it forms the first and the basic function of your computer that provides the ground for other operating systems to load on your computer. However, the functions of the BIOS does not end here as it also manages the data flow between software and hardware, i.e. from the operating system to the hardware like hard disk, keyboard, display adapter, mouse, scanner and printer.

BIOS at the time of booting also sense all these hardware gadgets to determine whether they are operational and are working fine before loading the operating system, hence avoiding any conflicts with the operating system. The functions of BIOS are important and are not limited to being the intermediary between the CPU and the hardware devices like hard disk, mouse, printer etc. but it can also flow memory from memory based devices like the GAP card, sound card etc. to facilitate more smooth data flow. It is worth mentioning here that normally this is the task of the CPU to transfer memory, but even the BIOS performs such an important task.

Location

Talking about the location of BIOS in your machine to know more about BIOS installed on your PC, you need to have more information about the manufacturer of the motherboard. Normally this information is available on the manual and other documentation related to the motherboard. However, if you do not have the motherboard's manual then you can find this information from the Website of the motherboard manufacturer. Otherwise, you can find information on BIOS on the screen when you start your computer during the Power On Self Test (POST). This information may not prove to be very detailed but can serve the purpose of understanding the BIOS and its future upgradability. The position of this information may vary from motherboard to motherboard as there is no standard as to where or when the information is displayed. Generally, this information is displayed at the top right corner while the memory is being tested. But it may vary. For example, American Megatrends Inc. almost always displays BIOS information at the bottom of the screen in the form of a long string of numbers whereas Award, BIOS manufacturer, usually displays BIOS information near the top of the screen with the Award logo.

UpgradingNow comes the important aspect of upgrading the BIOS. Normally, the upgradation of BIOS does not happen in the average life of the computer as it is quite forward looking and is also compatible with most of the future technology protocols. However, if there is a need for upgradation of the BIOS for any reason such as faulty or corrupt BIOS, then you should upgrade it. But before you attempt to upgrade the BIOS, you must be doubly sure about the need and also clearly understand that unless it is essential to upgrade the BIOS, you should not attempt it. Simply the fact that your system has outdated BIOS may not help you much by updating as far as the software problems are concerned, though it may enhance the capabilities of your existing computer. So, the best way to determine whether your system needs BIOS upgrade is to consult a professional if you are not an expert on hardware. However, if you must upgrade your BIOS, then you may need the documentations and motherboard manual for information about the same. If you do not possess them, then you can find the information about the BIOS on www.ping.be/bios, and www.motherboards.org. These are two good sites on BIOS. Once, you find the correct upgrade for the BIOS, you can update it. Remember any failures to properly upgrade may lead to serious trouble in your computer. Therefore in the given situations it is always better to get it done by professionals.

PRONOUNCED "bye-ose," an acronym for basic input/output system. The BIOS is built-in software that determines what a computer can do without accessing programs from a disk. On PCs, the BIOS contains all code required to control the keyboard, display screen, disk drives, serial communications, and a number of miscellaneous functions.

The BIOS is typically placed in a ROM chip that comes with the computer (it is often called a ROM BIOS). This ensures that the BIOS will always be available and will not be damaged by disk failures. It also makes it possible for a computer to boot itself. Because RAM is faster than ROM, though, many computer manufacturers design systems so that the BIOS is copied from ROM to RAM each time the computer is booted. This is known as shadowing.

Many modern PCs have flash BIOS, which means that the BIOS has been recorded on a flash memory chip, which can be updated if necessary.

The PC BIOS is fairly standardised, so all PCs are similar at this level (although there are different BIOS versions). Additional DOS functions are usually added through software modules. This means you can upgrade to a newer version of DOS without changing the BIOS.

PC BIOSes that can handle Plug-and-Play (PnP) devices are known as PnP BIOSes, or PnP-aware BIOSes. These BIOSes are always implemented with flash memory rather than ROM.