20/06/2013
BIOS
In IBM PC compatible computers, the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), also known as the system BIOS or ROM BIOS /ˈbaɪ.oʊs/, is a de facto standard defining a firmware interface.The name originated from the Basic Input Output System used in the CP/M operating system in 1975.The BIOS software is built into the PC, and is the first software run by a PC when powered on. The fundamental purposes of the BIOS are to initialize and test the system hardware components, and to load an operating system or other programs from a mass memory device. The BIOS provides a consistent way for application programs and operating systems to interact with the keyboard, display, and other input/output devices. Variations in the system hardware are hidden by the BIOS from programs that use BIOS services instead of directly accessing the hardware.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BIOS
In IBM PC compatible computers, the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), also known as the system BIOS or ROM BIOS/ˈbaɪ.oʊs/, is a de facto standard defining a firmwareinterface.[1] The name originated from the Basic Input Output System used in the CP/M operating system in 1975.[2][3] The BIOS software...