bios

[cornflake]

I have worked with computers for a while but there are some basic sometimes even simplistic things here and there that have escaped me along the way. I have never had an OEM computer; I always built my own so I've only updated the bios from whatever board company I had. Now I have this used board that comes from a Dell computer and would certainly like to remove all traces of Delldom from it. My question: Do you have to use the origional bios or can I put in another? Do you need to pull the chip??? Reading around, I haven't quite picked up on those basics.

I'd appreciate some insights! Thanks...

Ps. anything else that can be expunged from the world of Dell, I'd like to know about.

[bgavin]

Re: bios

Use the BIOS that came with the machine. Get the latest version.

I find it interesting how much you dislike Dell, when Sony, Lenovo, and HP offer so many more compelling reasons to hate them.

A fresh installation of WinXP without the bloatware will perk up your machine considerably. You will most likely need a current copy of the Intel Matrix Storage manager for disk drivers. Dell provides all these drivers by referencing to the Service Tag. They are by far the easiest machine to support compared to the other major names.

Be sure to install drivers only, and not the Dell additional software. This will keep your installation lean and clean.

[cornflake]

Re: bios

Thanks for the reply...

I really don't have anything against Dell in particular. This is just a used strip down computer that I happen to have and I'm scavenging the Motherboard that has a bunch of bad caps which I've replaced. It's 3 years old and a P4 so it's worth trying to fix up. Funny thing about it... From what I've read, it seems there are several caps on it that are not quite right... they're KZE's... kinda general usage... mostly for P2's and 3's but not P4's. I wonder why they put those on there? Anyway, they're gone.

As far as the bios is concerned, I'm basically trying to learn a few things about the process. That's all. No gripe against Dell or anyone else's favorite things.

also, there's no support on this thing... except yours truly

[gdement]

Re: bios

It's 3 years old and a P4 so it's worth trying to fix up. Funny thing about it... From what I've read, it seems there are several caps on it that are not quite right... they're KZE's... kinda general usage... mostly for P2's and 3's but not P4's. I wonder why they put those on there? Anyway, they're gone.

KZE's aren't as sexy as the Rubycon MBZ's or other ultra-low esr caps, but they can handle beyond a P3. Many 1-2GHz Athlon boards (comparable to a P4) have original Vcore caps with specs which are inferior to the KZE series. I've verified that in Epox's case. When a board like that blows it's caps, the KZE's are a fine replacement.

The requirements also vary depending where the caps are being used on the board. Rubycon ZL's are still being used as input caps even on current boards being sold today. As far as I know those are comparable to a KZE, but I don't have a ZL datasheet to check with.

Do you have to use the origional bios or can I put in another? Do you need to pull the chip?

Is the chip removable? I've never seen an OEM board with a socketed BIOS, which has always confused me but that's the way it is. If you can actually remove it, and have the means to externally flash an alternate, then you might try finding a more tweakable BIOS from whoever actually manufactured the board. But a non-Dell BIOS might not work so it's a pretty foolish gamble if you can't pull the chip.

[starfury1]

Re: bios

Humm yeah BIOS used to be in removable chip (eproms) but those days are long gone.

Basic input output system

These days flashing the bios (electrically, erase and reprogram) is whats done, usually with software written for the purpose for each MB
(I would say that virtually all chips these days are soldered to the PCB, so the old hack the bios and reburn the chip is long gone)

As to "hacking" a bios I wouldn't have clue these days how they do it.
Most likely a high level language written to create Bios for the specific MB in question then complied down I guess, all proprietary I suppose so too

So yeah if you understand what you doing and got the proggies then its doable.
(if you have ever looked at a Hex dump you'll know why I think they use a high level tailored proggies)

Basically the chain of command is

The program you use talks to the operating system the operating system talks to the bios the bios talks to the Hardware

So its the last piece of software designed to interface to hardware for the specific MB.

Some chips could be connected to with a connector to write them
what type of chips, when and how often they may have been used on MB, sorry idea.


You would probably have to search out Hacking a bios to get a better idea of what they get up too cause bios and firmware for DVD burnes is hacked so someone out there knows how to do it

You will probably find on the net hacked bioses too but as the saying goes
"let the buyer beware"
Flash a wrong bios and basically it can be bin time for the MB.
(it would probably be fixable if you could unsolder the old chip and resolder a working one..provided the MB didn't get smoked from some wrong instruction...possible I suppose)

anyway that was my understanding in the XT AT days...haven't look much into it since.

HTH

Cheers

[bgavin]

Re: bios

There are several tools out there to let you change the various internal settings of the BIOS. These MUST be done booted under pure DOS, i.e. 6.2. They don't work under Win9x or a command window under 32-bit windows.

I do custom settings in BIOS for machines that I build for clients. I put in my business name string, and make the optimal settings that I want if the client chooses either Safe or Optimal settings.

Using a BIOS other than that designed for the machine is a recipe for trouble. Yes, you want to know how it works. One can learn about trains and train tracks without actually standing in front of a moving train.

If the KZE are bulged out, this tells me to look at dumping the power supply immediately. Those are good caps, and if they blew, something blew them.

[Per Hansson]

Re: bios

You can always use a BIOS Saviour if the BIOS is removable, makes it much easier to play around with the BIOS...

And hacking BIOS'es is fun, you can fool the ACPI table into thinking your PC is a ASUS Laptop and use the ASUS volume cd-key used by thousands of other systems to install Vista, no activation ever required

And if MS wanted to kill that license key all other genuine users with Asus Laptops would become rather pissed me thinks :P

http://www.techspot.com/reviews/hardware/bios_saviour/

[willawake]

Re: bios

thats naughty i would never do anything like that no no no

[Per Hansson]

Re: bios

Haha, no, I'm kinda done with Windows ME 2, I was just trying it out

Well, I guess I'll have to use the crap for the games developed by stupid people (hint, game dev companies making games for DirectX10 when there is OpenGL which would give them both the Linux and MacOS markets "for free")

[willawake]

Re: bios

i was reading a computer magazine they said that there are not too many dx10 games out yet.

[Maxxarcade]

Re: bios

There are several tools out there to let you change the various internal settings of the BIOS. These MUST be done booted under pure DOS, i.e. 6.2. They don't work under Win9x or a command window under 32-bit windows.

I do custom settings in BIOS for machines that I build for clients. I put in my business name string, and make the optimal settings that I want if the client chooses either Safe or Optimal settings.

Using a BIOS other than that designed for the machine is a recipe for trouble. Yes, you want to know how it works. One can learn about trains and train tracks without actually standing in front of a moving train.

If the KZE are bulged out, this tells me to look at dumping the power supply immediately. Those are good caps, and if they blew, something blew them.

What tools do you use to do this? Are they something that is freely available, or for OEM's only?

[gastorgrab]

Re: bios

BIOSMods.com - http://www.biosmods.com/download.php
.

[bgavin]

Re: bios

That is the place. I use MODBIN

[Per Hansson]

Re: bios

i was reading a computer magazine they said that there are not too many dx10 games out yet.

None worth a damn right now, I haven't even bought a DX10 GFX card yet...

But when Crysis comes out...