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Author Topic: Which is correct, BIOS setup or CMOS setup?  (Read 4493 times)

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SHENGTON

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Which is correct, BIOS setup or CMOS setup?
« on: February 09, 2012, 08:44:03 PM »
Hello guys, I just wanna know what is the correct term about the firmware called BIOS. Should I say CMOS setup or BIOS setup? Thanks!

patio

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Re: Which is correct, BIOS setup or CMOS setup?
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2012, 09:52:01 PM »
They are both technically correct...
" Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

SHENGTON

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Re: Which is correct, BIOS setup or CMOS setup?
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2012, 10:15:37 PM »
Thanks patio, but can you elaborate more why they are both correct?

Salmon Trout

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Re: Which is correct, BIOS setup or CMOS setup?
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2012, 12:32:27 AM »
BIOS

Basic Input-Output System: software program, usually written in assembly language, which starts a computer when power is turned on or when computer is reset. I will do tasks such as POST (Power-On Self-Test), which initializes and identifies system devices such as the video display card, keyboard and mouse, hard disk drive, optical disc drive and other hardware. The BIOS then locates boot loader software held on a device (designated as a 'boot device'), such as a hard disk or a CD/DVD, and loads and executes that software, giving it control of the PC. BIOS software is stored on a non-volatile ROM (Read-ONly memory) chip (the "BIOS CHIP") on the motherboard. It has a menu type user interface where some settings can be changed. These settings are stored in....

CMOS

Historically the first PCs in the 1980s used special NVRAM (Non-Volatile RAM) made with CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) technology to store BIOS settings. It needed a battery to retain its contents when the power was off. This term is still widely used but nowadays the job is often done by EEPROM or flash memory. The remaining usage for the battery is then to keep the real-time clock going. Typical NVRAM capacity is 512 bytes. The CMOS RAM and the real-time clock are usually part of the motherboard chipset on modern motherboards.

So the BIOS is software ("firmware") and the CMOS is the memory it uses. They are not the same thing but many non-technical people use the words interchangeably.



SHENGTON

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Re: Which is correct, BIOS setup or CMOS setup?
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2012, 01:37:26 AM »
Thanks Salmon Trout! So the correct term to call it is BIOS setup? Am I right?

Salmon Trout

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Re: Which is correct, BIOS setup or CMOS setup?
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2012, 01:46:37 AM »
You can choose...








SHENGTON

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Re: Which is correct, BIOS setup or CMOS setup?
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2012, 03:28:41 AM »
So you mean both are just the same? That makes me confuse.

You said both are not the same because CMOS is a hardware (memory) and BIOS is a software. My only point is what is the "correct term" if we access the settings or setup, is it CMOS setup or BIOS setup? Thanks!

Salmon Trout

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Re: Which is correct, BIOS setup or CMOS setup?
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2012, 03:43:41 AM »
Sometimes in English (and many other languages) there is more than one "right" way to say something. Example 1: trains run on rails. If you travel somewhere in a train, it is equally correct to say you made a train journey or a rail journey. Example 2:  Cars mostly run on roads. If you travel somewhere in a car, you could equally well say you made a car journey or a road journey. Example 3: Ships float on the sea. You could say you travelled by ship or by sea. Both are correct. When you access the BIOS settings, it gets them from the CMOS memory. Google suggests that more people probably write "BIOS setup", but many people write "CMOS setup". There is no single correct term. Both are appropriate usages. If English is not your first language, and you are at an early stage in learning the language, you may find this confusing. Just choose the one you like best. If you really have a mental need to be told an answer, perhaps you should choose the term which has more Google hits.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2012, 03:55:57 AM by Salmon Trout »

SHENGTON

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Re: Which is correct, BIOS setup or CMOS setup?
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2012, 04:45:14 AM »
Google only gives what you type. Typing the CMOS setup and BIOS setup in Google didn't really help me. But anyway, thanks!

Salmon Trout

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Re: Which is correct, BIOS setup or CMOS setup?
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2012, 05:30:29 AM »
Google only gives what you type. Typing the CMOS setup and BIOS setup in Google didn't really help me. But anyway, thanks!

You didn't understand me, did you? Did you actually read my post above? For each search Google shows the number of results found. Did you see my screen shots? They showed that "BIOS Setup" was found over 3 million times but "CMOS setup" only 760,000 times. Both terms are commonly used, one more than the other.

I'll say it again:

Quote
Sometimes in English (and many other languages) there is more than one "right" way to say something.