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Chapter 2 WINBIOS Setup 41
2 WINBIOS
®
Setup
In ISA and EISA computers, the system parameters (such as amount of
memory, type of disk drives and video displays, and many other elements) are
stored in CMOS RAM. Unlike the DRAM (dynamic random access memory)
that is used for standard system memory, CMOS RAM requires very little
power. When the computer is turned off, a back-up battery provides power to
CMOS RAM, which retains the system parameters. Every time the computer
is powered-on, the computer is configured with the values stored in CMOS
RAM by the system BIOS, which gains control when the computer is powered
on.
The system parameters are configured by a system BIOS Setup utility.
Historically, BIOS Setup utilities have been character-based, required
keyboard input, and have had user interfaces that were not very intuitive.
Graphical Interface American Megatrends has a new type of system BIOS Setup utility.
WINBIOS Setup has a graphical user interface the end user can access using
a mouse. The WINBIOS Setup code is so compact that it can reside on the
same ROM as the system BIOS. The system configuration parameters are set
by WINBIOS Setup.
Since WINBIOS Setup resides in the ROM BIOS, it is available each time the
computer is turned on.
Starting WINBIOS Setup As POST executes, the following appears:
Hit <DEL> if you want to run SETUP
Press <Del> to run WINBIOS Setup.