The BIOS: Configuring CMOS

Question 1

The BIOS uses _______ to access system settings required to start a computer.

Answer 1

The CMOS

Question 2

You can configure CMOS settings using a tool called ______.

Answer 2

The CMOS setup program or the System Setup Utility

Question 3

CMOS settings are sometimes erroneously called ______.

Answer 3

The BIOS setup settings

Question 4

The CMOS setup utility starts _________.

Answer 4

When a computer is booting up.

Question 5

Instructions for accessing the CMOS setup utility displays during ________.

Answer 5

POST

Question 6

A CMOS setup utility typically enables users to configure:

Answer 6

• Basic settings
• Diagnostics and error handling
• Memory management
• A password prompt
• Boot options
• Power management

Question 7

CMOS setup utility: basic settings

Answer 7

All CMOS utilities enable you to change basic settings, such as the types and sizes of drives and whether or not they are enabled. You can also set the system time and date.

Question 8

CMOS setup utility: Diagnostic and error handling

Answer 8

Some newer motherboards support diagnostic and error handling. If there’s a problem with the setup, the computer emits one or more beeps during the POST. Each beep has a different meaning depending on the nature of the error.

Question 9

CMOS setup utility: Memory management

Answer 9

You can view RAM settings, such as the size, frequency, and voltage of installed RAM. These settings are detected automatically.

Improper settings can result in permanent system damage. So even if your CMOS setup utility allows it, these settings should never be changed unless expressly recommended by the motherboard and memory manufacturers.

Question 10

CMOS setup utility: A password prompt

Answer 10

You can configure a password prompt to display at boot time, before the OS, to add a layer of security.

Question 11

CMOS setup utility: boot options

Answer 11

You can set boot options, such as the order in which the drives are checked for a bootable OS. You can also choose to disable booting of specific drives or devices.

Question 12

CMOS setup utility: power management

Answer 12

You can control how different devices in the system manage their power

Question 13

Most CMOS setup utilities include pages that list:

Answer 13

• Advanced BIOS features
• Advanced chipset features
• Integrated peripherals
• Plug and Play (PnP)/Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) configuration

Question 14

What are some of the characteristics of a typical CMOS setup utility?
A. It enables you to view RAM settings, such as the size and frequency of installed RAM
B. It includes options for specifying how different devices in the system should manage their power
C. It contains options for configuring screen resolution
D. It enables you to configure Windows administrator passwords

Answer 14

A and B

Question 15

Most CMOS setup utilities enable you to configure:

Answer 15

• Security settings
• The boot sequence
• Power settings
• The date and time
• Overclocking
• Virtualization options

Question 16

A CMOS setup utility enabled you to secure a computer using different methods, including the use of:

Answer 16

• Boot passwords
• Drive lock protection
• Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs)
• A CMOS password

Question 17

CMOS setup utility: boot passwords

Answer 17

You can set a boot password that prevents unauthorized users from booting the OS

Question 18

CMOS setup utility: Drive lock protection

Answer 18

You can set a password to a HDD preventing unauthorized access

Question 19

CMOS setup utility: Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs)

Answer 19

You can configure a HDD to work only on the motherboard that contains the corresponding TPM

Question 20

A TPM chip identifies specific hardware by its _____.

Answer 20

Serial number

Question 21

CMOS setup utility: CMOS passwords

Answer 21

You can password protect the CMOS setup utility on some motherboards. This password is separate from the boot time and OS passwords. This prevents unauthorized changes to the CMOS settings.

Question 22

All bootable HDDs have a ____ that’s reserved for bootup information.

Answer 22

Boot sector

Question 23

You can prevent viruses from infecting the boot sector by ___________.

Answer 23

Disabling writing to the boot sector after installing or upgrading the OS.

Question 24

When a computer boots up, it looks in the ______ of its drives for the startup settings of the OS.

Answer 24

Boot sectors

Question 25

The _____ specifies the order in which disks are queried for boot sector information.

Answer 25

Boot sequence

Question 26

The advanced configuration and power interface, or ACPI, standard identifies four power profiles:

Answer 26

S1 state, S2 state, S3 state, and S4 state

Question 27

ACPI stands for:

Answer 27

Advanced Configurations and Power Interface

Question 28

Power profiles: S1 state

Answer 28

Computer power is on but not supplied to the monitor or hard disks. You can reactivate the monitor and hard disks by moving the mouse, pressing a key on the keyboard, or pressing the power button. The computer quickly returns to its active state so you can resume working.

Question 29

Power profiles: S2

Answer 29

The computer is on except for the monitor, HDDs, and the processor. You can reactivate the computer by moving the mouse, pressing a key on the keyboard, or pressing the power button.

Question 30

Power profiles: S3

Answer 30

The computer is off except for its RAM, which maintains power to keep its contents active. This is known as sleep or suspend mode. The computer quickly returns to an active state when you move the mouse, press a keyboard button, or press the power button.

Question 31

Power profiles: S4

Answer 31

RAM contents are copied to the HDD and the computer turns off. When it is turned back on, the RAM contents are returned to the RAM chip(s) so that the computer doesn’t have to boot up. The S4 state is usually called hibernation mode. You press the power button to return the computer to an active state.

Question 32

In the CMOS utilities, you can also use the ______ to control fan behavior.

Answer 32

Power management options

Question 33

You can set the system date and time using the ______.

Answer 33

CMOS settings

Question 34

Some computers can be overclocked to _______.

Answer 34

Improve their performance

Question 35

______ improves the computers performance but it increases the power used by components and the amount of heat that they generate. This may cause system instability.

Answer 35

Overclocking

Question 36

Normally, the ______ enables the motherboard to provide the correct voltage and clock speed automatically.

Answer 36

CPUID

Question 37

To overclock a system, you need to _________.

Answer 37

Manually change the CPU multiplier and voltage for various components

Question 38

The ____ is the speed at which a pulse of electricity is generated before being sent to the CPU.

Answer 38

Clock speed

Question 39

The clock speed is measured in _______.

Answer 39

Megahertz or MHz

Question 40

The ______ is the number of CPU cycles for each pulse of electricity from the clock chip.

Answer 40

Multiplier

Question 41

Overclocking a CPU involves increasing the _____.

Answer 41

Multiplier

Question 42

A _______ is a simulation of a computer than runs all the processes you’d run on a physical computer.

Answer 42

Virtual machine or VM

Question 43

The VMs function like completely separate machines but share______.

Answer 43

The physical computer’s underlying hardware resources

Question 44

Some operating systems require that you enable VMs at the ______ using the CMOS setup utility

Answer 44

BIOS level

Question 45

Turning a computer off for 30 seconds or so before turning it back on is called ______.

Answer 45

Cold booting

Question 46

After enabling VMs, you should _______ the computer.

Answer 46

Cold boot.