The BIOS needs to be updated on a regular basis, as new hardware standards evolve.
When a computer boots up, the BIOS goes through a sequence of events including checking the CMOS chip for detailed information about your computer, loading device drivers and interrupt handlers, initializing registers and power management, POST testing, displaying system settings, determining bootable devices, and starting the bootstrap sequence. In addition to providing the operating system with basic information about hardware components, the BIOS has other functions including the POST test (a Power-On Self-Test that checks your hardware devices and makes sure they are working properly), activating other BIOS chips such as those found on graphics cards, managing settings for different devices, and providing basic routines for managing the input and output devices when the computer boots up. Before this can happen, the BIOS must be up and running so that it can launch the operating system because the CPU can't start loading programs from the hard drive without instructions from the BIOS. American Megatrends Creators of the World Famous AMIBIOS FACTORY. This microprocessor executes instructions from software such as the operating system or a third-party program. American Megatrends offers its own UEFI firmware implementation known as Aptio, while Insyde Software offers InsydeH2O. Authorized Sales and Service Center for TOSHIBA IBM COMPAQ Upgrade Your Notebook. The BIOS makes it possible for the processor, hardware, ports, drives, and CPU work together.įor example, the CPU starts with a microprocessor, which is a piece of hardware. It's a critical component of your computer.
BIOS stands for Basic Input Output System.