What type of memory device is usually used to contain a computers motherboard bios?
|
The BIOS software has a number of different roles, but its most important role is to load the operating system. When you turn on your computer and the microprocessor tries to execute its first instruction, it has to get that instruction from somewhere. It cannot get it from the operating system because the operating system is located on a hard disk, and the microprocessor cannot get to it without some instructions that tell it how. The BIOS provides those instructions. Some of the other common tasks that the BIOS performs include: Show
The BIOS is special software that interfaces the major hardware components of your computer with the operating system. It is usually stored on a Flash memory chip on the motherboard, but sometimes the chip is another type of ROM. When you turn on your computer, the BIOS does several things. This is its usual sequence:
The first thing the BIOS does is check the information stored in a tiny (64 bytes) amount of RAM located on a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip. The CMOS Setup provides detailed information particular to your system and can be altered as your system changes. The BIOS uses this information to modify or supplement its default programming as needed. We will talk more about these settings later. Interrupt handlers are small pieces of software that act as translators between the hardware components and the operating system. For example, when you press a key on your keyboard, the signal is sent to the keyboard interrupt handler, which tells the CPU what it is and passes it on to the operating system. The device drivers are other pieces of software that identify the base hardware components such as keyboard, mouse, hard drive and floppy drive. Since the BIOS is constantly intercepting signals to and from the hardware, it is usually copied, or shadowed, into RAM to run faster. Read-only memory, or ROM, is a type of computer storage containing non-volatile, permanent data that, normally, can only be read, not written to. ROM contains the programming that allows a computer to start up or regenerate each time it is turned on. ROM also performs large input/output (I/O) tasks and protects programs or software instructions. Once data is written on a ROM chip, it cannot be removed. Almost every computer incorporates a small amount of ROM that contains the start-up firmware. This boot firmware is called the basic input/output system (BIOS). This software consists of code that instructs the boot-up processes for the computer -- such as loading the operating system (OS) into the random access memory (RAM) or running hardware diagnostics. Consequently, ROM is most often used for firmware updates. However, ROM is also utilized in video game consoles, allowing one system to run various games. Additionally, ROM is used in optical storage, including different kinds of compact discs (CD) -- such as CD-ROM and CD-RW. ROM is also used frequently in calculators and peripheral devices like laser printers, whose fonts are commonly stored in ROM. Types of ROMROM may sometimes be called maskROM (MROM). MROM is a form of read-only memory that is static and programmed into an included circuit by the manufacturer. Solid-state ROM, the oldest type of ROM, is an example of maskROM. With the original ROM, since it was truly read-only, it had to be removed and physically replaced in order to change any of its contents. However, new types of ROM have emerged that are still non-volatile, but can be reprogrammed; these types are categorized as programmable read-only memory (PROM). PROM can be used to update firmware, such as BIOS, through the utilization of installation software. Types of PROM include:
How does ROM work?ROM is sustained by a small, long-life battery in the computer. It contains two basic components: the decoder and the OR logic gates. In ROM, the decoder receives input in binary form; the output will be the decimal equivalent. The OR gates in ROM use the decoder's decimal output as their input. ROM performs like a disk array. It contains a grid of rows and columns that are used to turn the system on and off. Every element of the array correlates with a specific memory element on the ROM chip. A diode is used to connect the corresponding elements. When a request is received, the address input is used to find the specific memory location. The value that is read from the ROM chip should match the contents of the chosen array element. ROM vs. RAMUnlike a computer's RAM, the data in ROM is not lost when the computer power is turned off. While the ROM chip is commonly used in the startup operations for the computer, the RAM chip is often used in the recurrent tasks of the computer once the OS has been configured. Another difference between ROM and RAM is the amount of space they contain. ROM chips can only store several megabytes (MB) of data, usually amounting to between 4 and 8 MB per ROM chip. RAM chips can store multiple gigabytes (GB); this storage often ranges from 1 to 265 GB per RAM chip. 1 GB is considered to be the equivalent of 1000 MBs. Therefore, RAM displays more extensive memory capabilities. It is almost impossible to operate a computer using only ROM. RAM is necessary to run useful and changeable programs. Therefore, computers must incorporate both forms of memory. Advantages of ROMROM provides the necessary instructions for communication between various hardware components. As mentioned before, it is essential for the storage and operation of the BIOS, but it can also be used for basic data management, to hold software for basic processes of utilities and to read and write to peripheral devices. Other advantages of ROM include:
This was last updated in August 2019 Continue Reading About read-only memory (ROM)
What type of memory device is usually used to contain a computer's motherboard BIOS?A computer's basic input/output system (BIOS) is a program that's stored in nonvolatile memory such as read-only memory (ROM) or flash memory, making it firmware.
What type of memory device is usually used to contain a computer's motherboard BIOS Chapter 9?What type of memory device is usually used to contain a computer's motherboard BIOS? BIOS and device firmware are often stored on EEPROM chips to facilitate future firmware updates.
Which of the following is performed by the BIOS?BIOS identifies, configures, tests and connects computer hardware to the OS immediately after a computer is turned on. The combination of these steps is called the boot process.
Which type of memory chip can be erased only when it is removed from the computer and exposed to a special type of ultraviolet light?An EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory) is a special type of PROM that can be erased by exposing it to ultraviolet light.
|
