A program used to edit hardware settings in the BIOS of a PC. On earlier PCs, users had to change a setting when a new drive was added, but auto-detect features were later added. Although some settings are quite arcane and modified only by experienced technicians, users sometimes may need to make a change, such as the boot order of the PC (see
first boot sequence).
From CMOS to Flash
The BIOS setup has also been called the "CMOS setup" or "CMOS RAM," because settings were initially held in a battery-backed CMOS memory circuit. Subsequently, BIOS settings were stored in non-volatile flash memory.
Accessed at Startup
The BIOS setup is accessed at startup. Soon after a PC is turned on, a short screen message typically passes by very quickly indicating which key to press (usually Esc, F1, F12 or Del). See
BIOS,
hard disk configuration,
BIOS Upgrades and
CMOS.