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Lesson 3 : Configuring CMOS

3.1. Learning Objectives 
On completion of this lesson you will be able to describe:
 How to configuring CMOS by Plug and Play BIOS
 How to configuring CMOS by Non Plug and Play BIOS.

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3.2. Configuring CMOS 

To install a new hard disk, BIOS should be informed about the arrival of a new hard disk. BIOS is given this information by storing the configuration (size, no of heads, tracks, sectors etc.) of hard disk in the CMOS. BIOS is the operating system which works before any other operating system or program is loaded. BIOS works directly with the hardware. Operating system (DOS, Windows etc.) gets hardware information (which hardware with which configuration is installed in the computer) from the BIOS. BIOS stores this hardware information in CMOS. Different BIOS are available today for PCs. For example: AMI, Award etc. Among different BIOSes Award is a popular and easier one. In this lesson we have discussed about how to configure an Award BIOS for hard disk installation. Configuring any other BIOS is almost similar. Here two methods to configure CMOS is discussed. One for ‘plug and play’ BIOS and another for non-’plug and play’ BIOS. Plug and play BIOS means, a BIOS which can automatically detect a new hardware and get configuration information form the hardware automatically, during startup or installation of the hardware. Today most of the BIOS are plug and play. Some older BIOS (for example, BIOS of 386 and some old versions of 486 based computers) does not support plug and play.