BIOS/CMOS

[TiziteLayinLow]

For the 8 years that ive been into computer hardware, and few several pc repair type jobs i have thought all along that the BIOS was just the program in the CMOS.. i see several BIOS screens that say BIOS and CMOS.. can someone point out the difference.. im not a noob here folks just mislead..lol

 

[MrCodeDude]

I could explain it, but I suck at explaining.

CMOS | BIOS

 

[John]

CMOS is a type of memory chip that stores the BIOS information. The terms often are used interchangeably. The BIOS is actually low level software and the CMOS is the semiconductor technology used in transistors. Because the BIOS is stored on a CMOS chip the Setup is also referred to the CMOS Setup.

 

[MrCodeDude]

Originally posted by: John
CMOS is a type of memory chip that stores the BIOS information. The terms often are used interchangeably. The BIOS is actually low level software and the CMOS is the semiconductor technology used in transistors. Because the BIOS is stored on a CMOS chip the Setup is also referred to the CMOS Setup.

LOL, that is simple English for who? 😀

 

[us3rnotfound]

Originally posted by: MrCodeDude

Originally posted by: John
CMOS is a type of memory chip that stores the BIOS information. The terms often are used interchangeably. The BIOS is actually low level software and the CMOS is the semiconductor technology used in transistors. Because the BIOS is stored on a CMOS chip the Setup is also referred to the CMOS Setup.

LOL, that is simple English for who? 😀

it's easy to comprehend.

 

[SocrPlyr]

The BIOS is a flashROM chip that is nonvolatile (doesn't lose its info when the power is out). It stores very very simple programs that allows the main components of the computer to be detected and used. Another program that has a major job is there is one to find the OS and hand over control to the OS. The CMOS on the other hand is a volatile chip that saves information that you want so you do not have to resetup the computer every time it starts. The CMOS setup program is contained in the BIOS and is the familiar screen that you see with all the disk choices and the O/C settings etc. Any changes you make in there is actually saved in the CMOS chip, because it doesn't need a special program to write to it (flashROM does). (now there is a second definition of CMOS, Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (i think), it is just type of chip making technology to keep it simple, but that is not the use of the term that you were after)

Josh