4: The System Bios & Cmos Setup Utility; The System Bios; The Cmos Setup Utility - Procom BST1M Series User Manual

What's In This
Chapter:
System BIOS
CMOS Setup Utility
Troubleshooting & Technical Summary
The System BIOS &
CMOS Setup Utility
This section explains what the system BIOS does
and has a summary of the CMOS Setup Utility.

The System BIOS

This motherboard uses the Award system BIOS. The
system BIOS (Basic Input Output System) is firm-
ware -- software stored on a chip -- that is perma-
nently stored on the motherboard's Flash ROM chip.
The BIOS is a set of routines which function as an
interface between the Operating System and the sys-
tem hardware. It supports the installed peripherals
and provides internal services such as the realtime
clock produces time and date data.
When the system is starting up, the BIOS tests the
system and prepares the computer for operation by
checking the CMOS memory where the system con-
figuration information is stored and retrieving infor-
mation on the configuration settings. When it is fin-
ished it loads the operating system and passes con-
trol of the system to it.
The system configuration information that the BIOS
retrieves from CMOS memory is recorded there by

the CMOS Setup Utility.

The CMOS Setup Utility
This section explains the CMOS Setup Utility pro-
gram. The utility is permanently stored in the Flash
ROM chip on the motherboard. It creates a record of
the motherboard and some system configuration i n -
formation and stores it in battery-supported CMOS
memory. This configuration record must be intact
and accurate in order for the motherboard to operate
correctly.
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