They are here! M$ and a new trick!

[iamaboringperson]

Now format the disk using FAT12 and put the command.com program on there... now rename the program foobar.com.

Reset the machine, and when it boots, it will promt you for the file name of the command interpreter... which can be entered and it will boot.

Hense the BIOS can read the FS...

No, I think that's false

The code that asks you for the name of the command interpreter will do the same thing regardless of the BIOS, the code to do that is written on the bootblock.

The BIOS can read the bootblock into memory and execute code from it.

Try using a QNX disk, or a Linux boot disk.

Or one interesting idea, is to use PC-TASK, to format a floppy, it has its own interesting code for the boot block!! ;-)

[Waccoon]

IF it’s obsolete why not just re-flash your BIOS with zeros? Let's see IF your system can boot up... Obsolesce means that an item can be discarded.

No, obsolete means something is outmoded, which can also mean unfashionable or infirior.  That doesn't always mean it can be discarded.  Of course, I'm thinking in terms of not needing Windows, anymore.  :-)

The majority of BIOS tweaks are to ensure legacy support, like all those PCI interrupt mappings and crap.  If your OS doesn't need that stuff because it can use drivers instead, there's no reason to have the BIOS handle it.

That's why I don't get the comment that the BIOS has FAT support.  A BIOS shouldn't handle the filesystem, it only [should] read the boot sector.

PC's BIOS shields Windows the difference between chipsets for booting, safe mode and during setup

Yes, yes.  It does that by using the oldest access modes possible.  That's what I mean by that remaining 10% of the current BIOS that's actually useful.

Hammer:  Modern PC BIOS is important since they take care most of the integrated features (i.e. activation/ deactivation) of any full featured X86 motherboards. These integrated features can range from SATA RAID, PATA RAID, AC97, 1394, USB Mouse/Keyboard, FSB settings**, voltage settings**, memory settings**, 100Mb/1Gb NICs, AGP Aperture, AGP8X activation/deactivation switch, AGP fast writes, dual BIOS and etc.

Why do you have to disable hardware if the OS can simply ignore it (no driver is initialized)?  Sounds more like bad design to me.  What companies actually standardize BIOS architecture?

[Hammer]

No, obsolete means something is outmoded, which can also mean unfashionable or infirior.

IF something is 'obsolete' it’s usually that item has been replace with something else, thus it’s non-importance i.e. one can get rid of it all together.

That doesn't always mean it can be discarded. Of course, I'm thinking in terms of not needing Windows, anymore.

Can you detail why is that the case (in regards to" I'm thinking in terms of not needing Windows, anymore")?  

Most modern OSes are mainly copies from the 1970s Unix OS.

Yes, yes. It does that by using the oldest access modes possible. That's what I mean by that remaining 10% of the current BIOS that's actually useful.

Actually the original PC BIOS is only ~64KB, while ASUS A7N8X-DLX BIOS 1007’s and GA-7N400Pro2's F5 BIOS size is at 512KB (illustrated as examples).

With a standardised ecosystem, an unsupported X86 PC OS can  run on a new X86  platform e.g. nForce II/nForce III, Intel 865/875, AMD K8 Solo and 'etc'.  

This insurance policy gives it's users the freedom to choice for any future**, current and past X86 PC operating systems. Such insurance was important for the introduction of AMD K8 based motherboards for gaining certain level of usability.

**IF MS and Phoenix didn't change the standard e.g. Windows Longhorn beta still runs on X86 PC box.

Legacy is actually the main strength of X86 PC’s dominance (i.e. it acts as a boat anchor, software investment protection and an insurance policy) while going forward via new driver support.  

Why do you have to disable hardware if the OS can simply ignore it (no driver is initialized)? Sounds more like bad design to me.

I can give a few reasons for BIOS options and these are
1. It gives the user the options i.e. a user may not have SATA drive and Firewire add-ons at this time, thus disabling the features.
2. Non-OS centric for choosing what’s on and what’s off. PS; WinXP can ignore unwanted hardware features (OS centric selection).  
3. Make the boot time faster by turning off unneeded features. For example, AC97 ALC650 (with 5.1) sound chip was turned off due to my selection for Audigy 2 ZS 7.1 card and faster boot times.
4. A Linux distro can avoid confusion when AC97 and EMU10K (connected to speakers) are present(for automated setup).
5. Why set a single way of enabling/disabling of HW features?

What companies actually standardize BIOS architecture?

In modern times, it's primary by Microsoft and Phoenix. Both has substantial market power thus creation of the “de’facto standard”. IBM was the initial standard setter.

At the moment PowerPC desktop PC clone market doesn’t really have de’facto BIOS maker.

[mikeymike]

Ok, with assistance of dictionary here:

Obsolete: not in use any more, having been replaced by something newer and better or more fashionable.

Further computer-centric example:
As far as the average user is concerned, the 486 is obsolete.  You can't run anything remotely modern on it, you can't upgrade it, nobody (average users) uses them anymore.  Nothing is being written for it anymore.

Obsolescent: Becoming obsolete.

Further computer-centric example:
I think it's safe to say everything previous to the Pentium III is obsolescent.  Difficult to upgrade, but still possible, and usable by average modern computer standards.  New apps can still run on them.

[Hammer]

The majority of BIOS tweaks are to ensure legacy support, like all those PCI interrupt
mappings and crap.

Have you looked at a modern X86 BIOS?

Should one list the feature set from nForce2(illustrated as an example) motherboard?
E.g. In AwardBIOS's (ASUS A7N8X-DLX Ver1.0x)
0. Main
+ System Date
+ System Time
+ Legacy Diskette A
+ Legacy Diskette B
+ Half On (All Errors, No Errors, All but Keyboard,, All but Diskette, All but Disk/key)
+ Primary Master/Slave, (has it's own sub menu)
+ Secondary Master/Slave, (has it's own sub menu)

1. Advanced BIOS
+Boot Virus Detection
+ CPU Level 1 Cache (Enable/Disable)
+ CPU Level 2 Cache (Enable/Disable)
+ Quick Power On Self Test (Enable/Disable)
+ First Boot Device (FDD, LS120, HDD-0/1/2/3, SCSI, CDROM, ZIP100, LAN, Disabled)
+ Second Boot Device (FDD, LS120, HDD-0/1/2/3, SCSI, CDROM, ZIP100, LAN, Disabled)
+ Third Boot Device (FDD, LS120, HDD-0/1/2/3, SCSI, CDROM, ZIP100, LAN, Disabled)
+ Boot Other Devices //Boot other devices that was not defined in the first 3.
+ Boot-up Flooy Seek (Enable/Disable)
+ Boot-up NumLock Status(ON/OFF)
+ Gate A20 Option (FAST/Normal)
+ APIC Mode (Enable/Disable)
+ OS/2 Onboard memory > 64MB (Enable/Disable)
+ Full Screen LOGO Show (Enable/Disable)
+ POST Complete Report (Enable/Disable)
+ Speech POST Reporter (Enable/Disable) // PC communicates its POST result via audio (human Speech, Star Trek style).

2. Advanced Chipset Features
+ CPU External Frequency
+ CPU Frequency Multiple Settings
+ CPU Frequency Multiple
+ System Performace (Optimal, Aggressive, user Defined)
+ CPU Interface (Optimal, Aggressive) //for Northbridge <> CPU link.
+ Memory Frequency (By SPD, Sync, 50% .. 200 %)
+ Resulting Frequency //Memory Frequency
+ Memory Timings (Optimal, Aggressive, user defined)
+ .. To many to list in regards to Memory Timings.
+ FSB Spread Spectrum (Enable/Disable)
+ AGP Spread Spectrum (Enable/Disable)
+ CPU Vcore Settings (Auto/Menu)
+ Graphic Aperture Size (xx MB) //for AGP gfx data.
+ AGP Frequency (Auto, 50..100 Mhz)
+ System BIOS Cacheable (Enable/Disable)
+ Video RAM Cacheable (Enable/Disable)
+ DDR Reference Voltage
+ AGP VDDQ Voltage
+ AGP 8X Support (Enable/Disable)
+ AGP Fast Write Capability (Enable/Disable).

(For stability/performance/overclocking, not quite "legacy support").
 
3. Integrated Peripherals
+ 19 Items. (too many to list)

4. Power Management Setup
+ 11 Items. (too many to list)

5. Pnp/PCI Configuration
+ 3 Items. //Manual mode presents user define IRQ assignments.

6. Secuity Menu (tried of typing)

Not including the built-in BIOS Flash software and ATA RAID setup BIOS screens. GA-7N400Pro2** has a similar features (too many to list).

**Illustrated as examples.

If your OS doesn't need that stuff because it can use drivers instead, there's no reason to have the BIOS handle it.

That would be OS centric options. What about non-OS centric options?

Why restrict the user's options?    

That's why I don't get the comment that the BIOS has FAT support. A BIOS shouldn't handle the filesystem, it only [should] read the boot sector.

Flash BIOS software is now integrated within some modern BIOS. Gigabyte’s Dual BIOS features are considered better compared with ASUS's version. Downloading their online manuals will show you their usability.

In a competitive market, X86 motherboard manufactures are installing plenty of features to gain ones desire for purchasing their products. This is good for the end consumers.    

I'm sure with rest of X86 motherboard manufactures (e.g. MSI, ABIT, AOpen, Epox and etc) will try to better that attempt.