Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Flash ROM updates can also be used to add new capabilities to existing peripherals—for
example, updating a modem to support newer communications standards or updating op-
tical rewritable drives to support new media.
These days, many objects with embedded computers controlling them are using flash
ROMs; for example, I have updated the flash ROM code (often called firmware ) in hard
drives, optical drives, network routers, wireless access points, network attached storage
drives, Blu-ray players, digital cameras, and more. Installing flash ROM or firmware up-
grades is as easy as downloading a file from the device manufacturer website and running
the update program included in the file. Who knows, one day you might find yourself
downloading flash ROM upgrades for your toaster!
ROM BIOS Manufacturers
Several popular BIOS manufacturers on the market today supply the majority of mother-
board and system manufacturers with the code for their ROMs. This section discusses the
various available versions.
Several companies have specialized in the development of a compatible ROM BIOS
product.ThethreemajorcompaniesthatcometomindindiscussingROMBIOSsoftware
are American Megatrends, Inc. (AMI), Phoenix Technologies, and Award Software (now
owned by Phoenix Technologies). Each company licenses its ROM BIOS to motherboard
manufacturers so those manufacturers can worry about the hardware rather than the soft-
ware. To obtain one of these ROMs for a motherboard, the original equipment manufac-
turer (OEM) must answer many questions about the design of the system so that the prop-
er BIOS can be either developed or selected from those already designed. Combining a
ROM BIOS and a motherboard is not a haphazard task. No single, generic, compatible
ROMexists,either.AMI,Award,andPhoenixshipmanyvariations oftheirBIOScodeto
different board manufacturers, each one custom-tailored to that specific motherboard.
Overtheyears,somemajorchangeshaveoccurredintheBIOSindustry.Intel,perhapsthe
largest BIOS customer, has switched between Phoenix and AMI for most of its mother-
boards. Intel originally used a Phoenix BIOS core in its motherboards up through 1995,
when it changed to an AMI core. It then used AMI until 1997, when it switched back to
Phoenix.In1999Intelswitchedagain,thistimebacktoAMI.Ineachcasenotethatwhile
Intel gets the core BIOS from Phoenix or AMI, they are highly customized for the indi-
vidual motherboards they are installed in.
Another major development occurred in late 1998, when Phoenix bought Award. Since
thenPhoenixhassoldboththePhoenixandAwardBIOSasdifferentproducts.TheAward
BIOS is sold as its standard product, whereas the Phoenix BIOS is sold as a more feature-
rich BIOS for high-end systems. Currently, the BIOS market is mostly divided between
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