Is it possible to batch inputs on BIOS setup?
TK
setting, say resetting BIOS setting to the default setting. Then
exit. Is this possible?
I can't think of a way to enter BIOS setup other than pressing F1 or
DEL at boot time, which is even before the a: drive or hard drive is
read.
Ted Davis
There have been executable programs over the years that could
read/change the setup data for specific classes of motherboards, but
they only worked from real-mode DOS, and have largely disappeared.
It may not be impossible for a program running in real mode to invoke
the BIOS setup program, but it would be tricky and risky: operating
systems don't like having their assumptions about the underlying
system disrupted by changes to the low-level configuration while they
are running.
In any case, you aren't going to do this with batch commands alone.
T.E.D. (tda...@gearbox.maem.umr.edu)
SPAM filter: Messages to this address *must* contain "T.E.D."
somewhere in the body or they will be automatically rejected.
Proprclr
<tda...@gearbox.maem.umr.edu>sayeth::
>On Fri, 12 Jul 2002 06:22:23 GMT, TK <T...@marketplace.com> wrote:
>
>>I want to write a batch file that starts BIOS setup, adjust a BIOS
>>setting, say resetting BIOS setting to the default setting. Then
>>exit. Is this possible?
>>
>>I can't think of a way to enter BIOS setup other than pressing F1 or
>>DEL at boot time, which is even before the a: drive or hard drive is
>>read.
>
>There have been executable programs over the years that could
>read/change the setup data for specific classes of motherboards, but
>they only worked from real-mode DOS, and have largely disappeared.
>
>It may not be impossible for a program running in real mode to invoke
>the BIOS setup program, but it would be tricky and risky: operating
>systems don't like having their assumptions about the underlying
>system disrupted by changes to the low-level configuration while they
>are running.
>
>In any case, you aren't going to do this with batch commands alone.
>
I guess this can theoreticly be done with debug, that is if
you know exactly what values to change, and at what address
in memory the values can be accesssed? Scince the values
are stored in a battery backup (CMOS) ram chip, I don't
know if it's even possible with this method.
>
>
>T.E.D. (tda...@gearbox.maem.umr.edu)
>SPAM filter: Messages to this address *must* contain "T.E.D."
>somewhere in the body or they will be automatically rejected.
c ## ________________________________________________
m ###### l Proprclr - batch file writer, non conformist l alt.prog:
d ######## l and command line maniac. Window to my life: l
l ######## l______________________________________________l
n ########## started usenet reader at: 7:55:51.75a _Sat_07-13-2002 signame:
e # Remove the obvious from my address to e-mail me. sig.txt
started with cmds sigdir:c:\_lgdr:-c:\_pmpt: C:\USENET1.BAT cmd_usenet # . bell_left men_and_women need equal rights
DONALD G. DAVIS
>On Fri, 12 Jul 2002 08:10:14 -0500, Ted Davis
><tda...@gearbox.maem.umr.edu>sayeth::
>>On Fri, 12 Jul 2002 06:22:23 GMT, TK <T...@marketplace.com> wrote:
>>
>>>I want to write a batch file that starts BIOS setup, adjust a BIOS
>>>setting, say resetting BIOS setting to the default setting. Then
>>>exit. Is this possible?
>>>
>>>I can't think of a way to enter BIOS setup other than pressing F1 or
>>>DEL at boot time, which is even before the a: drive or hard drive is
>>>read.
>>
>>There have been executable programs over the years that could
>>read/change the setup data for specific classes of motherboards, but
>>they only worked from real-mode DOS, and have largely disappeared.
>>
>>It may not be impossible for a program running in real mode to invoke
>>the BIOS setup program, but it would be tricky and risky: operating
>>systems don't like having their assumptions about the underlying
>>system disrupted by changes to the low-level configuration while they
>>are running.
>>
>>In any case, you aren't going to do this with batch commands alone.
>>
> I guess this can theoreticly be done with debug, that is if
>you know exactly what values to change, and at what address
>in memory the values can be accesssed? Scince the values
>are stored in a battery backup (CMOS) ram chip, I don't
>know if it's even possible with this method.
It is certainly possible to change setup parameters from a program
running on the operating system. Many Compaq computers have standalone
setup diskettes for doing this, and the same programs can be run from the
hard drive. The changed setup won't normally be read by the OS until the
machine reboots, so no conflict should arise in the same session.
But it's not necessary to run a computer's official setup program
to change values in the setup parameters. It's not difficult to read and
write to CMOS memory using OUT and IN assembly commands to Port 71h; I can
send on request little programs illustrating the code. This is definitely
possible from DEBUG. But, as stated by Proprclr above, you need to know
which CMOS byte(s) to address. Some of these are standard in most or all
CMOS chips; others are specific to the computer make and model.
There are also tiny programs written to save the entire CMOS
contents to a file and restore them on command (for an example, do a
Web/ftp search for CMOSSAVE). These could be used to restore defaults
from a batch file, simply by saving a copy when the CMOS is in the default
state, and running the restore program from the batch file.
--Donald Davis
Proprclr
DAVIS)sayeth::
<snip>
>
> But it's not necessary to run a computer's official setup program
>to change values in the setup parameters. It's not difficult to read and
>write to CMOS memory using OUT and IN assembly commands to Port 71h; I can
>send on request little programs illustrating the code. This is definitely
>possible from DEBUG. But, as stated by Proprclr above, you need to know
>which CMOS byte(s) to address. Some of these are standard in most or all
>CMOS chips; others are specific to the computer make and model.
I'm interested in these program. If you decide to email them to me,
send them to balanco01 {at} yahoo {dot} com
>
> There are also tiny programs written to save the entire CMOS
>contents to a file and restore them on command (for an example, do a
>Web/ftp search for CMOSSAVE). These could be used to restore defaults
>from a batch file, simply by saving a copy when the CMOS is in the default
>state, and running the restore program from the batch file.
>
I have some old utilties for reading/writing CMOS as well
as a generic AT setup program which gives nonsense values
on my HP Pentium 166 :).
Now that I think about this, using one of theseprogtams to save
CMOS settings to disk, making a bakcup, making change to the
original file and coping the changed settings back to CMOS would be
a better idea than editing CMOS direcxtly. Unfortunatly, this does
reduce the portability of the batch file, unless the batch file uses
DEBUG to write such a program on the fly.
> --Donald Davis
c ## ________________________________________________
m ###### l Proprclr - batch file writer, non conformist l alt.prog:
d ######## l and command line maniac. Window to my life: l
l ######## l______________________________________________l
n ########## started usenet reader at: 8:45:16.52a _Sun_07-14-2002 signame:
Ted Davis
balanco01@no$pam@yah_nothanks@oo.c@o.m (Proprclr) wrote:
> I have some old utilties for reading/writing CMOS as well
>as a generic AT setup program which gives nonsense values
>on my HP Pentium 166 :).
Keep in mind that modern BIOSes use a larger amount of CMOS RAM than
the ones the old programs were written for: a save/modify/restore
cycle is likely to miss some of the data.
T.E.D. (tda...@gearbox.maem.umr.edu - e-mail must contain "batch" in the subject or my .sig in the body)