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7
BIOS SETUP & POST
BIOS (pronounced "bye-oss") stands for 'basic input/output
system'. The BIOS mediates between the computer's hardware –
the processor, memory, and so on – and its software – the operating
system and your programs. The BIOS program is kept in
permanent, read-only memory or ROM (although if necessary it
can be upgraded by an authorised maintainer).
BIOS Setup is a helpful utility that forms part of the BIOS
program. It allows you to view and alter the computer's hardware
configuration. It is also used to configure various security and
power-saving options. Configuring the computer is necessary to
ensure that the software you use can recognise and exploit the
hardware's capabilities.
The current configuration is kept in a special area of memory, called
CMOS memory, and maintained by a battery so that the
configuration is preserved even while the computer is switched off.
Your computer arrives already configured, but may need to be
configured again after you add or remove add-on options such as
memory modules or expansion cards.
Whenever the computer is turned on, the BIOS power-on self-test
(POST) routine tests various hardware components, including
memory, and compares the actual configuration of the computer
with that recorded in permanent (CMOS) memory.
A configuration discrepancy could arise if you have just installed or
removed a hardware option (for example, if you have added or
replaced memory). In this case you may be diverted directly into the
BIOS Setup utility.
OWNER'S HANDBOOK
7/1
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