BIOS Defaults

Every setup program I've seen has a selection to Restore Factory
Defaults or something like that. Maybe even Optimum Defaults. I'm
curious about one aspect of that. When the CMOS battery goes dead and
you replace it, are the defaults still available? I would think so but
am just checking.

Thank you.



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"Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
news:42efa756$1_2@spool9-west.superfeed.net...
> Every setup program I've seen has a selection to Restore Factory Defaults
> or something like that. Maybe even Optimum Defaults. I'm curious about
> one aspect of that. When the CMOS battery goes dead and you replace it,
> are the defaults still available? I would think so but am just checking.
>
> Thank you.
Your BIOS chip is an EPROM (Electrically Programmable ROM), so it has the
basic settings for your Motherboard written to it. These are maintained when
you reset your BIOS.So the answer to your question is Yes.
bw..OJ

"old jon" <ImNotIn@ntlworld.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:ZjPHe.27520$Hd4.1163@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...
>
> "Jack Gillis" <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote in message
> news:42efa756$1_2@spool9-west.superfeed.net...
>> Every setup program I've seen has a selection to Restore Factory
>> Defaults or something like that. Maybe even Optimum Defaults. I'm
>> curious about one aspect of that. When the CMOS battery goes dead
>> and you replace it, are the defaults still available? I would think
>> so but am just checking.
>>
>> Thank you.
> Your BIOS chip is an EPROM (Electrically Programmable ROM), so it has
> the basic settings for your Motherboard written to it. These are
> maintained when you reset your BIOS.So the answer to your question is
> Yes.
> bw..OJ
>
>
>

Thank you very much. And I guess that explains how one can 'flash' a
BIOS doesn't it.

An additional question, if I may. I've heard of people, speaking very
glibly about replacing their BIOS chips. Those chips that I have seen
all been soldered in and I wouldn't want the job of replacing one. I've
replaced many transistors and three or four leads are enough. Are the
boards that have the BIOS chip in a socket?

Thanks again.



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On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 12:58:49 -0400, "Jack Gillis"
<XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote:

>Every setup program I've seen has a selection to Restore Factory
>Defaults or something like that. Maybe even Optimum Defaults. I'm
>curious about one aspect of that. When the CMOS battery goes dead and
>you replace it, are the defaults still available? I would think so but
>am just checking.
>
>Thank you.


Yes, when the CMOS battery goes dead, or when you choose
that setting, or use a jumper, it clears the volatile
memory. The BIOS EEPROM uses default values always, _until_
it finds some new settings in the volatile memory that
supercede them.

Typically an end-user will refer to replacing a socketed
BIOS chip. It's usually very cheap or OEM boards that have
the EEPROM soldered on, with exception of a few Gigabyte
boards that had dual EERPOMs (but then some Gigabyte boards
are also on the cheap side, IMO).

A soldered-on chip can be removed with a heat gun and some
practice. It is however in the technicians' favor if the
chip doesn't have to be salvaged, if there is a replacement
chip available. In that case the heat of the chip need not
be considered as much as any (heat or mechanical) stress on
the solder pads. Relatively speaking a bios chip is easier
than most on a board since they're still relatively huge
except for some of Intel's.

"kony" <spam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:b3jve19p0l1k15o3ld2vq9jc909uc3n89f@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 12:58:49 -0400, "Jack Gillis"
> <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote:
>
>>Every setup program I've seen has a selection to Restore Factory
>>Defaults or something like that. Maybe even Optimum Defaults. I'm
>>curious about one aspect of that. When the CMOS battery goes dead and
>>you replace it, are the defaults still available? I would think so
>>but
>>am just checking.
>>
>>Thank you.
>
>
> Yes, when the CMOS battery goes dead, or when you choose
> that setting, or use a jumper, it clears the volatile
> memory. The BIOS EEPROM uses default values always, _until_
> it finds some new settings in the volatile memory that
> supercede them.
>
> Typically an end-user will refer to replacing a socketed
> BIOS chip. It's usually very cheap or OEM boards that have
> the EEPROM soldered on, with exception of a few Gigabyte
> boards that had dual EERPOMs (but then some Gigabyte boards
> are also on the cheap side, IMO).
>
> A soldered-on chip can be removed with a heat gun and some
> practice. It is however in the technicians' favor if the
> chip doesn't have to be salvaged, if there is a replacement
> chip available. In that case the heat of the chip need not
> be considered as much as any (heat or mechanical) stress on
> the solder pads. Relatively speaking a bios chip is easier
> than most on a board since they're still relatively huge
> except for some of Intel's.
>

Thank you very much. Gee, I didn't know a heat gun would unsolder.
Been away from such things for too long, I guess.



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On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 15:55:33 -0400, "Jack Gillis"
<XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com> wrote:


>
>Thank you very much. Gee, I didn't know a heat gun would unsolder.
>Been away from such things for too long, I guess.

Depends on the gun, the solder. Not sure if all mobos have
moved to lead-free solder already or not. I'm surprised we
haven't even had any threads about that yet but then it is a
more generic-topic oriented group than one dealing with
electronics.

On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 16:13:09 -0300, Jack Gillis <XXXXXXXX@widomaker.com>
wrote:

> Thank you very much. And I guess that explains how one can 'flash' a
> BIOS doesn't it.
>
> An additional question, if I may. I've heard of people, speaking very
> glibly about replacing their BIOS chips. Those chips that I have seen
> all been soldered in and I wouldn't want the job of replacing one. I've
> replaced many transistors and three or four leads are enough. Are the
> boards that have the BIOS chip in a socket?

lots, you can even order new ones if you f-up, or make your own backup
copies with a rom burner(some are cheap enough to justify a one shot).

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