FIRMWARE

 BIOS programs are codes - BASIC INPUT /OUTPUT SERVICES 

*on way before O.S. or "driver" installed

FIRMWARE is burned onto this chip. 

SOFTWARE is merely copied (electronically or magnetically)

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Modern motherboards tend to have 2 BIOS chips -incase one goes bad.

YOU CANNOT OPEN a BIOS CHIP

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BIOS chips have P.O.S.T. (power on self test) built in 

aka A TYPE OF SELF "SERVICE" DIAGNOSTIC

*SERVICES make sure drives and monitors can talk to each other


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BIOS has CMOS (system setup) also built in

When CPU first gets turned on it tells BIOS to send out "POST" 

to wake everything up

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Tiny beep sound means PC is booting up

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If POST signal finds something wrong it will do a beep code. 
Error code.
Or - visual error code on plain black error screen

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WHAT IF NOTHING HAPPENS WHEN YOU TURN ON PC? 
No error beeps/screens?
In this scenario use a POST-CARD!
Tiny hexadecimal 2 digit read out (looks like flux capacitor) 
blinks out visual alpha/numeric codes to be interpreted

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New and improved BIOS are all "UEFI":
Unified extensible firmware interface

+That means+

SYSTEM SETUP/STARTUP black screen can make changes to BIOS

(Similar to error screen. You get to this- usually by holding down at button during boot up. Enter a user password to protect boot up from strangers. Not admin password)

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Bios utility advanced mode lets you tinker with BIOS

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Troubleshooting FIRMWARE/BIOS
Old PCs had *CMOS = complementary metal oxide conductor
Nowadays they're SINGLE FLASH ROM CHIPS (FLASH MEMORY)
RTC real time clock (contained within CMOS or FLASH MEMORY)

Every motherboard has tiny CMOS battery 
or battery for FLASH MEMORY (looks like tiny coin) CR2032

Low battery will make RTC slow down or stop entirely

*SYSTEM INFO can get wiped if battery goes dead*



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Set clock tuner to normal if SYSTEM SETUP/STARTUP BIOS 

is all messed up from someone customizing too much

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"FLASHING" the ROM means you're going to update all the firmware 
on motherboard "flash chip" (and is potentially scary)
 
MAKE SURE GOOD POWER/ELECTRICITY SOURCE IS HOOKED UP
BEFORE YOU DO THIS!! 
**UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY** 
(you could toast your entire motherboard)
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BIOS flash image
Make sure you have a copy downloaded from the motherboard manufacturer or thumb drive




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