BIOS system and its settings. What is Bios? Description of BIOS, BIOS functions What the BIOS is responsible for in a computer

Hi all. It often happens that we need to find out what BIOS is on the computer. You have definitely asked yourself this question at least once, or even more. You may have read on the Internet that in order to do this, you need to go into the BIOS, but you don’t know how to go into the BIOS. But to enter different versions of BIOS you need to press different keys when booting the system. But most often these keys are written somewhere at the bottom of the computer boot screen. But it may last so short that you do not have time to read what is written there. So today I will tell you how to find out what is the BIOS on the computer and how to enter it. This may make your life a little easier.

But let's understand everything in order. There is no such thing as too much information. That is why we will expand the topic a little, and I will answer some questions that indirectly relate to it.

What is BIOS?

Let's start with the fact that if you want to call yourself an advanced PC user, then you simply must know what a BIOS is. Of course, you can use a computer and play games without this knowledge, but still... let's get started.

So, what is a BIOS? Let me try to explain to you its “nature” in simple and understandable human language. In English, BIOS stands for Base Input-Output System. In other words BIOS is a powerful tool for configuring and managing computer components. BIOS contains the necessary minimum of functions (base), which allows all parts and devices of your computer to work together as a single organism.

Call bios the “soul” of the computer if you want.

”, perhaps the most important question of today’s topic. And, if you don’t know how to enter the BIOS, then you are most likely new to computers. Therefore, I will try to explain as clearly as possible. Write it down.

To enter the BIOS you need to restart your computer (or just turn it on if you have it turned off). Have you ever noticed that when you turn on your computer, a screen (usually black) appears for a few seconds with a logo at the top and a lot of information about the computer (processor frequency, amount of RAM, etc.)? This is it! The same portal to the BIOS!

Whatever BIOS you have on your computer, this black screen at the bottom should contain information about which key you need to press to enter the BIOS. The inscription next to it may be SETUP or BIOS or settings or something else. And most often this button will be F2, F8 or Del, but other options are also possible.

And most importantly - to enter the BIOS settings, you must have time to press this treasured key before it starts to bootWindows from hard drive.

If you did everything correctly, then congratulations, you are now in the right place, you are in the BIOS. Most BIOS do not have a graphical shell, so do not be alarmed by the blue (or gray) screen and the clutter of menus in English, this is the BIOS interface. By the way, more modern bios ( UEFI) still have a graphical shell and know Russian.

Keys to enter BIOS!

I present to your attention the keys for entering the BIOS on all currently popular devices (laptops and motherboards of desktop computers). I hope there won't be any problems. It was not possible to check all the models, but the ones I checked, I was able to enter the BIOS. Plus, I took information from different sources and weeded out potentially incorrect information.

But if suddenly you were unable to enter the BIOS using these keys, then be sure to let me know in the comments. We will solve your problem and update the information. Thank you!

What kind of bios are there?

In fact, to answer the question “What kind of BIOS are there?” not so difficult, because the modern generation of BIOSes is represented mainly by 3 representatives. I wouldn’t even say that they are all modern. Oh yes, they also have several versions, which depend on how ancient (or modern) your motherboard is. But in order to know how to enter the BIOS, it is enough to know the BIOS brand, but the version is not necessary.

The three types of bios I talked about are AwardBIOS, AMIBIOS And UEFIBIOS. Actually, here's some information about them.

American Megatrends Incorporated (AMI BIOS)

AMI BIOS- this is probably the oldest BIOS that can now be found in everyday life. Or as they say – not old, but experienced! American Megatrends Incorporated was founded back in 1985 (well, at least AD). Now this type of BIOS is common on laptops from ASUS, MSI, Lenovo and some others.

Award BIOS (Phoenix BIOS)

Once upon a time, in the good old days, Award BIOS and Phoenix BIOS were different, competing companies. Moreover, Phoenix was noticeably inferior in position to Award. But at some point the unthinkable happened - Phoenix bought Award. Since then it has been one company that still operates under several brands.

UEFI BIOS

UEFIBIOS- This is the youngest and most modern of all BIOSes. It has a graphical interface and also supports many languages ​​(including Russian). UEFI BIOS is not even exactly a BIOS, but rather a successor to BIOS. Through it you can even access the Internet without starting Windows.

How to find out what BIOS is?

In order to find out what the BIOS costs, there are quite a few ways. For example, the simplest of them is to pay attention to the BIOS logo on the computer boot screen and compare it with those presented a little higher.

Another easy way to find out what the BIOS is is to use special programs. For example, programs such as AIDA64, Everest, CPU-Z or Speccy, as well as many others. In each of them you can find an item that contains a description of the BIOS. If there is no such item, then look in the description of the motherboard.

If you have already entered the BIOS and you need to find out the BIOS version, say, not for logging in, but for some other purposes, then pay attention to the very top of the page or the very bottom. There will definitely be information about the BIOS company and its current version, which, by the way, can be updated to the current one.

The fastest way to find out what BIOS you have, without even stopping to read this article, is through the Windows component " System Information" To do this, press the key combination Win +R and enter the following command there msinfo32. A window will open with information about your system, including information about the Bios.

Windows System Information component

Also, if you disassemble your computer (or laptop) and carefully examine the motherboard (maybe even with a magnifying glass), you will find a version of your BIOS written on one of the chips.

I think I answered more than enough to the question “How to find out what BIOS is worth.” And if suddenly you still have questions, then ask them in the comments under the article.

Why do you need to know what BIOS you have on your computer?

In fact, there are quite a lot of reasons why someone would need to find out what BIOS is on their computer. And they can all be purely individual.

Here's another example. You've decided to upgrade your computer a little. And with new components, some glitches began to appear on your computer from time to time. You read somewhere on the forums that this may be due to an outdated BIOS version and that you need to update it. So you will need to find out what BIOS you have and, specifically, what version is installed. Otherwise there will be no way to update.

There can be a lot of such examples. And what should I tell you? If you are interested in your BIOS, then you probably have a need for this. Right? Although perhaps you wanted to go into the BIOS purely out of your human curiosity.

Which BIOS is better?

If you carefully read the article, then you yourself understand perfectly which BIOS is better. Of course, modern bios UEFI have a number of undeniable advantages. Let's summarize these benefits:

1. Availability of Russian language;
2. Possibility of Internet access;
3. Nice graphical interface;
4. The set of tools is tailored for modern equipment.

BIOS UEFI with Russian interface

And this is without delving into the technical features, which, of course, have been improved and modified, so to speak. That's why UEFIBIOS can easily be called the best BIOS.

Exiting BIOS...

Or an exit from the matrix... Well, in general, you understand, we are completing our journey into the world of BIOSes.

We can summarize a little what you have learned today. You learned what a BIOS is, you learned what it is for, what types there are and how they differ from each other, and most importantly, you learned how to enter the BIOS of any version and on any device!

Congratulations! The lesson is over for today, come again!

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13. 05.2017

Blog of Dmitry Vassiyarov.

What is a BIOS on a computer - let's figure it out

Hello, guests of my blog.

Any modern person should know what a BIOS is in a computer. After all, without it, a computer is a simple set of pieces of hardware. It is important to be able to understand this issue in order to independently configure the system and determine which components have failed. Knowing your BIOS will help you understand your computer better. This article will be somewhat superficial.

Just about the incomprehensible

The subject of our conversation is an English abbreviation that stands for “basic input/output system”.

This translates to basic input/output system. By the way, in Russian it is correct to pronounce “bios”, but the word “bios” has already become established in the slang of IT people.

This concept means a set of firmware that implements software for working with computer components and peripheral devices connected to it (printer, modem, etc.). That is, in other words, this very BIOS determines and starts the operation of all devices on your computer - this is the main function.

If it is not there, then the hardware of your computer will simply not be detected and will not start.

This is roughly what the BIOS software part looks like:

An analogue of BIOS is faster and more modern technology, which works in 64-bit mode, while BIOS works mainly in 16 and 32-bit mode.

This is what the software part looks like:

Physical parameters

Where is the bios located? In the motherboard, which is quite logical, because it is the motherboard that is responsible for the operation of all elements of the computer. The BIOS is embedded in a special chip. Don't confuse it with the CMOS chip.

There are 2 types of BIOS chips:

• EPROM Old model. Its contents can be removed by exposure to a special device with ultraviolet radiation.

• EEPROM Modern option. Its contents can be erased with a special electrical signal. Moreover, even if the chip is not removed from the system unit. It doesn't always look like this. In this case, the chip itself is in the carriage, that is, it can be removed for replacement, for example, or for firmware. But often the BIOS chip is soldered directly to the board.

What else should you know about what a BIOS is in a computer and what it consists of? There is one more point. It has its own small battery. It looks like a lithium coin and can have different capacities (80-230 mAh). More precisely, not the BIOS, but the CMOS chip. The CMOS chip is the memory of the BIOS itself.

This element feeds the CMOS memory, where user parameters and BIOS settings are stored. The battery life is several years: over time it discharges and...

If she sits down, there will be no fatal consequences. Minimum: settings will be reset, which will have to be restored manually after replacing this part. Maximum: programs will start to glitch and the computer will not start.

What does the BIOS do?

When you press the computer's power button, the processor reads the BIOS code from the read-only memory (ROM) and writes it to random access memory (RAM). Then control is transferred to the BIOS itself, which:

• Checks equipment for functionality;
• Analyzes settings from ROM and applies them;
• Looks for the bootloader code in the master record on the hard disk or on the boot disk in the CD-ROM/floppy disk/flash drive/on the network;
• Transfers the code to the RAM;
• Shifts further control to the bootloader.

Without these steps, your computer will not start. If some part is broken or there is a system failure, the BIOS will tell you about it at the initial boot stage.

Features available to you

With BIOS you can:

• Set the time;
• Set download priority;
• Set power options for hardware;
• Turn on/off this or that equipment.

How to work in BIOS?

Entering the BIOS is very simple - when rebooting or starting the computer, hold down the Delete or F2 key (depending on the type of motherboard). To control you, you will need only a few buttons: arrows to move between sections, Enter to enter them and apply settings, ESC to exit.

In addition, you can return to factory settings using the F9 key, and confirm new parameters using F10.

Let's go through some of the tabs:

The “Advanced” and “Security” tabs can be left untouched. The first is responsible for the operation of the equipment. The second is for computer security, but these settings will not be useful to you for home use.

That's it. I think I answered the question about what a BIOS is in a computer quite fully.

See you on the pages of our blog.

15.11.2016 Frank 0 Comments

You have heard about BIOS, its errors or motherboards with dual BIOS, but it is almost impossible to understand these terms on your own.

The abbreviation sounds kind of strange. Therefore, to answer what it is, what its role is, why it is needed and to obtain many other useful information, this guide has been created

What is BIOS

It represents the first level software - the first program that runs when you turn on your computer, laptop, tablet, and so on.

To better understand that this software is the first level, you should know that the programs installed on your system such as browser, media player or office suite are the last level programs.

The operating system is a middle tier because drivers interact with system resources, while the BIOS directly controls the hardware.

It provides certain services that allow users to configure settings for and obtain information from last-level programs and components.

For example, a user, through installed programs, can find out the rotation speed of fans located on the computer or the temperature of various components, including the processor and video card.

How the BIOS works and how to interact with it

Bios is a relatively small program, with a maximum size of 16 MB. Modern BIOS systems are equipped with a user interface in which the user can configure hardware settings, set the current time and other minor settings such as the boot order of storage devices.

The most modern motherboards offer several options for settings, for example, changing the frequency or voltage of the processor, shared memory between the processor and video card, RAM and others.

Setting up the BIOS is complex and can be dangerous; if the user does not know the exact impact of each parameter, he may select incorrect values ​​for components that have a number of limitations.

For example, setting the processor frequency to a very high value can cause it to overheat, thereby causing the computer to run non-stop.

To ensure that the changes you make are safe, make sure you are familiar with the hardware settings you want to change.

Another parameter that relates to BIOS is saving settings when the system (computer or laptop) is turned off.

To do this, the BIOS has a small CMOS memory capacity that is powered by a battery, as in the image below.

When it comes to computers, CMOS is what the memory chip stores the settings of your computer hardware.

If the CMOS battery runs low, the BIOS will use the default settings rather than the ones specified by the user.

Why do you need a BIOS?

The most important task that the BIOS is responsible for, when you press the power button, is to turn on the computer or laptop, start the fans, check the voltage levels in the system, run several tests to assess the condition of the system components, and then load the drivers and start the operating system boot process.

If any errors occur during this process, the BIOS will display a message informing you that something went wrong. In the picture below you can see an example of a possible error.

Before BIOS was invented in 1975, the operating system was the first program that ran when the system started.

This meant that the computer could only run one operating system, which was built-in. In addition, if the operating system crashed, the entire computer became unusable.

Using a BIOS provides additional flexibility, allowing users to install any operating system they want or restore the current one if errors occur.

What is Dual BIOS

The BIOS on the board has a memory chip. You can see this chip in the image below.

Dual technology is equipped with two microcircuits - the main one and the backup one. If the main memory chip is damaged, the BIOS will not be able to boot. Therefore, some manufacturers use dual chips.

If the main BIOS becomes damaged, reboot the computer and the backup chip will be used to boot the system.

What is UEFI

UEFI is a program that can be considered as a modern and powerful BIOS.

It plays the same role as the BIOS, but has some advantages, such as encryption, remote diagnostics and repair of the computer, even if the operating system is not installed.

UEFI became popular after the release of Windows 8 as it was the first operating system to offer native UEFI support to a large number of users.

Like any other traditional BIOS, UEFI is configured by the manufacturer of the motherboard you are using.

For tablets and laptops, UEFI will show a small number of settings. In the picture below you can see how this works on Microsoft's Surface Pro 2 tablet.

For computers, UEFI has more settings than those on the standard one.

Conclusion

As you can see by reading this article, the BIOS is a core component of any computer, and knowing how to use it can provide greater flexibility and performance.

More advanced users and IT professionals can use it to get the most reliable experience for a specific computer or device.

If you are not an expert, the default settings will satisfy general user needs and your system will work as expected.

I hope this tutorial was helpful. If you have questions or some ideas, feel free to use the comments section below. Good luck.

We all have at least the slightest idea about how a computer works. We know that when you turn on the computer, the operating system loads. But not everyone knows what happens before the operating system boots. This article will discuss what BIOS is, its functions, and how it works.

When you turn on the computer, even before loading the operating system, the BIOS comes into operation, which is responsible for starting the computer, testing computer components, setting the parameters of these components, and performing input/output functions.

Without a BIOS, the computer will not understand where to load the operating system from, how to regulate the fan speed, what parameters to start the computer components with...

The BIOS is written to a flash memory chip.

You can enter the BIOS after turning on the computer by pressing the DELETE, F2, or other key. This must be indicated in the instructions for the motherboard.

Basically, you need to enter the BIOS and configure it when installing an operating system and repairing a PC. Remember that incorrect BIOS settings can damage your computer.

What functions does the BIOS perform?

• Starting the computer and testing its components. The so-called POST procedure. This procedure starts immediately after turning on the power button. The program checks all computer components and configures them, preparing them for work. If a fault is detected, the POST procedure displays a message or beep.
• Configuring system parameters. BIOS Setup. The user in BIOS Setup can change device parameters and configure part of the system or the system as a whole. For example, increase the speed of RAM, overclock the processor. Boot from an optical disk (Required when installing the operating system).
• Support for input/output functions with interruptions for the keyboard, video card, hard drive, input/output ports... This is actually where the general definition of BIOS as a basic input/output system comes from.

The BIOS, as we have already said, is stored on a flash memory chip. Accordingly, the BIOS can be rewritten and flashed. This means that a newer version will be written in its place. Due to this, errors present in its earlier version are corrected, and new functions or support for new devices are added.

Each motherboard model generally has its own BIOS version, which takes into account all the parameters and functions of this motherboard. For example, new processors have entered the market and the older BIOS version does not support them. Flashing is done and new processors can be used. The manufacturer's website should indicate which errors have been fixed and which features have been added in the newer firmware.

To power our memory chip, on which the BIOS is stored, a 3-volt battery is used. She is also responsible for the operation of the clock. It is required to be installed on all motherboards. You can get to it by opening the side wall of the computer. When the battery is discharged and no longer performs its function, every time you turn on the PC, all BIOS settings are lost and the time is reset to zero. That is, the battery is responsible for the safety of BIOS parameters, including the BIOS parameters entered by the user. In addition, due to a dead battery, the PC often does not start, and users think that it is the power supply or the computer’s power button that is to blame. In this case, you need to buy a battery and replace it with the old one. After this, you need to set parameters, if necessary.

How do you start a computer and test its components? POST procedure.

After turning on the power button, the power supply starts up first. If all supply voltages are normal, then the central processor receives a turn-on signal. The central processor tests itself. After this, the RAM memory is tested. Next, the initial hardware test begins. At this stage, when errors are found, a sound signal appears, since the video system has not yet been initialized. The BIOS then looks for devices that may need to boot their own BIOS. Such a device is a video card. Then peripheral devices such as a mouse and hard drive are initialized and configured. Then the BIOS, in accordance with its own priority, selects the device specified in the BIOS in order to start loading the operating system from it. It finds the operating system boot sector on this device and calls the operating system loader. Then the operating system loads. That's how important the BIOS is.

You should also know that entering the BIOS can be password-protected. This is done to prevent you from making changes. You can fix this either by using a BIOS clear jumper (not installed on all motherboards) by connecting the connectors with a screwdriver, or by removing the battery and inserting it back. All settings will be reset.

We hope this article gave you answers to your questions.

If you were looking for BIOS settings in pictures, then you have come to the right address.

The changes made will be protected by a lithium battery built into the motherboard and maintaining the required parameters in the event of a loss of voltage.

Thanks to the program, it is possible to establish stable interaction between the operating system (OS) and PC devices.

Attention! The present Boot network configuration section allows you to adjust parameters regarding system boot speed and keyboard and mouse settings.

After finishing work or familiarizing yourself with the Bios Setup Utility menu, you need to press the hot Exit key, which automatically saves the changes made.

Section Main - Main Menu

Let's start working with the MAIN section, which is used to modify settings and adjust timing indicators.

Here you can independently configure the time and date of your computer, as well as configure connected hard drives and other storage devices.

To reformat the operating mode of the hard drive, you need to select the hard drive (for example: “SATA 1”, as shown in the figure).

• Type - This item indicates the type of connected hard drive;
• LBA Large Mode- is responsible for supporting drives with a capacity of more than 504 MB. So the recommended value here is AUTO.
• Block (Multi-Sector Transfer) - For faster operation here, we recommend selecting the AUTO mode;
• PIO Mode - Enables the hard drive to operate in legacy data exchange mode. It would also be best to select AUTO here;
• DMA Mode - gives direct memory access. To get faster read or write speed, select AUTO;
• Smart monitoring - this technology, based on an analysis of the drive’s operation, can warn of a possible disk failure in the near future;
• 32 bit Data Transfer - The option determines whether the 32-bit data exchange mode will be used by the standard IDE/SATA controller of the chipset.

Everywhere, using the “ENTER” key and arrows, the Auto mode is set. The exception is subsection 32 Bit Transfer, which requires the Enabled setting to be fixed.

Important! It is required to refrain from changing the “Storage Configuration” option, which is located in the “System information” section and not to allow correction “SATADetectTimeout."

Advanced section - Additional settings

Now let's start setting up the basic PC components in the ADVANCED section, which consists of several sub-items.

Initially, you will need to set the necessary processor and memory parameters in the system configuration menu Jumper Free Configuration.

By selecting Jumper Free Configuration, you will be taken to the Configure System Frequency/Voltage subsection, where you can perform the following operations:

• automatic or manual overclocking of the hard drive - AI Overclocking;
• changing the clock frequency of memory modules - ;
• Memory Voltage;
• manual mode for setting chipset voltage - NB Voltage
• changing port addresses (COM,LPT) - Serial and Parallel Port;
• setting controller settings - Onboard Devices configuration.

Power Section - PC Power

The POWER item is responsible for powering the PC and contains several subsections that require the following settings:

• Suspended Mode- set automatic mode;
• ACPI APIC- set Enabled;
• ACPI 2.0- fix the Disabled mode.

BOOT section - boot management

Here you can determine the priority drive, choosing between a flash card, disk drive or hard drive.

If there are several hard drives, then in the Hard Disk sub-item the priority hard drive is selected.

The PC boot configuration is set in the Boot Setting subsection, which contains a menu consisting of several items:

Selecting a hard drive

The PC boot configuration is set in the Boot Setting subsection,

• Quick Boot– acceleration of OS loading;
• Logo Full Screen– disabling the screen saver and activating the information window containing information about the download process;
• Add On ROM- setting the order on the information screen of modules connected to the motherboard (MT) via slots;
• Wait For 'F1' If Error- activation of the function of forced pressing “F1” at the moment the system identifies an error.

The main task of the Boot section is to determine boot devices and set the required priorities.

• ASUS EZ Flash– using this option, you have the opportunity to update the BIOS from such drives as: floppy disk, Flash disk or CD.
• AINET– using this option, you can obtain information about the cable connected to the network controller.

Exit section - Exit and save

Particular attention should be paid to the EXIT item, which has 4 operating modes:

• Save Changes– save the changes made;
• Discard Changes + EXIT– leave the factory settings in effect;
• Setup Defaults– enter default parameters;
• Discard Changes– we cancel all our actions.

The following step-by-step instructions explain in detail the purpose of the main BIOS sections and the rules for making changes to improve PC performance.

Bios setup

Bios Settings - Detailed instructions in pictures