The 08/08/93 core AMIBIOS and later AMIBIOS support ECP (Enhanced Communications Port) and EPP (Extended Parallel Port) in the INT 17h Parallel Port Service if the appropriate hardware is present in the computer and the appropriate I/O support is provided in the BIOS.

Flash EPROM Support

The 08/08/93 core AMIBIOS and later AMIBIOS provide additional INT 16h functions to support the hardware-independent American Megatrends Flash Utility.

IDE Block Mode Transfer Support

IDE Standby Mode Support

The 08/08/93 core AMIBIOS and later AMIBIOS provides IDE Standby mode. IDE Standby Mode spins down the IDE hard disk drive after a prespecified timeout period of hard disk inactivity expires. IDE Standby mode is not supported by some IDE drives. The timeout period can be specified by the end user in AMIBIOS Setup if the specific AMIBIOS has been customized in AMIBCP to add such support.

Printer I/O Delay

The printer I/O delay has been decreased in the 08/08/93 core AMIBIOS.

Green PC Support

The 08/08/93 core AMIBIOS and later AMIBIOS support Green PC functions when used in a system with the American Megatrends MegaKey keyboard controller. See the American Megatrends MegaKey Reference for additional information. The OEM must also use the GreenBCP BIOS Configuration Program as well as AMIBCP when configuring Green PC options. The Green PC device timeout feature uses extended CMOS RAM.

Green PC features include:

AMIBIOS Setup options permit the end user to control the timeout values for each individual power-controlled peripheral device. The OEM must rename the generic timeout option names provided in AMIBCP to relate to the specific peripheral device under power management. The OEM should change the option names in the AMIBCP Advanced Setup Options Power Management Setup screen to Hard Disk Drive Timeout, Floppy Timeout, LCD Timeout, etc.).

The Green PC functions cannot be used with the AutoKeyLock feature. For additional information about Green PC support in AMIBIOS, see the American Megatrends GreenBCP User's Guide.

The 08/08/93 core AMIBIOS and later AMIBIOS support AutoKeyLock. AutoKeyLock can only be used in desktop systems with an AMIBIOS desktop BIOS that also have an American Megatrends MegaKey keyboard controller. An AMIBIOS Setup option is used by the end user to set the AutoKeyLock timeout period. When AutoKeyLock and the Password feature are enabled and no system activity has occurred for the specified time period, the system locks and the end user must enter the correct password.

AutoKeyLock cannot be used in conjunction with the Green PC functions.

PS/2 Keyboard Error Detection

The 08/08/93 core AMIBIOS and later AMIBIOS display a keyboard error if a PS/2 mouse is inserted in a PS/2 keyboard port.

Keyboard Speed Switching

You can increase processor speeds at any time by pressing <Ctrl> <Alt> <+>. Processor speed can be decreased by pressing <Ctrl> <Alt> <-> (except in 80486-based systems). You can modify these keystroke combinations through AMIBCP. The above values are merely the default settings.

Both external and internal (if the CPU is an 80486) cache memory can be enabled by pressing <Ctrl> <Alt> <Shift> <+> or disabled by pressing <Ctrl> <Alt> <Shift> <->. You can modify these keystroke combinations through AMIBCP. The above values are merely the default settings.

AMIBIOS provides password support can be selected from ADVANCED CMOS SETUP. The password prompt can occur every time AMIBIOS Setup is run or every time the system boots.

Password Deletion

The system designer can permit the end user to easily delete a system password, in case the user forgets the password.

Should the user forget the password and not be able to use the computer, AMIBIOS allows you to implement a circumvention to this problem in the system hardware design that will not require removal and reinstallation of the CMOS RAM power supply.

In the system hardware design, connect P15 of the keyboard controller (Pin 32 on the DIP type of keyboard controller) to GND and turn the system on. This forces POST Diagnostics to run. After completing one Diagnostics test, the password is deleted from CMOS RAM and the user can reboot and run the system. The system must be designed so the P15 signal can be immediately disconnected from Ground after the above procedure has been completed to permit normal operations to resume.

 Advanced Power Management (APM)

AMIBIOS supports the Intel/Microsoft INT 15h Advanced Power Management BIOS functions.

AMIBIOS automatically detects all system memory, the type of processor used in the system, and onboard/offboard floppy, IDE, serial, and parallel controllers. It automatically configures onboard controllers to prevent conflicts.

 Detects Non-Standard Hard Drive Parameters

If Autodetect Hard Disk Drive is selected, AMIBIOS detects all IDE drives and reports IDE drive parameters accurately.

Local Bus Support

AMIBIOS supports the VESAÔ VL-BusÔ and Intel® PCI local bus standards. AMIBIOS supports all PCI-specific BIOS calls.

Socket Services and Card Services

AMIBIOS supports the INT 1Ah Socket Services and Card Services functions.

AMIBIOS knows the processor speed and the processor type. AMIBIOS can detect and report the following processors:

AMIBIOS also can detect all other 386- and 486-compatible CPUs and executes BIOS code accordingly. AMIBIOS also automatically detects the Cyrix Cx487S or Cx487S2 math coprocessor when used in conjunction with the Cyrix Cx486S or Cx486S2 CPU in a system.

AMIBIOS checks all system and cache memory and reports them both on the initial AMIBIOS screen and the AMIBIOS System Configuration Screen that appears after POST is completed. In systems with more than 1 MB, AMIBIOS reports 384 KB less RAM than it finds, because it accounts for the address space between 640K and 1024K that is unavailable to DOS. This space is used for video RAM, video BIOS, system BIOS, and adaptor ROMs.

Through AMIBIOS Setup, you can easily configure systems that have no keyboards, monitors, or disk drives by selecting Not Installed in STANDARD CMOS SETUP, all error messages about missing devices are suppressed, resulting in a normal boot.

The AMIBIOS Configuration Program (AMIBCP) allows you to set both power-on and BIOS defaults for all BIOS options. It allows you to pick and choose ADVANCED CMOS SETUP and ADVANCED CHIPSET SETUP options displayed to the end user. You can easily customize and test a system AMIBIOS for a new system in minutes with AMIBCP.

The Hi-Flex AMIBIOS allows the end user to define hard disk types for both hard drives in a system.

The Hi-Flex AMIBIOS can bypass keyboard, floppy, and video boot errors so specialized systems (such as file servers) without keyboards, floppies, or monitors can be configured easily.

The Hi-Flex AMIBIOS supports PS/2-type mouse devices if the appropriate hardware is present.

Many chipsets used in ISA systems have features such as paged memory, memory interleaving, EMS support, Fast Gate A20 Support, and power management. AMIBIOS for specific chipsets support these types of features. Call an American Megatrends Sales Representative for more information about chipset-specific AMIBIOS.

AMIBIOS has easily added support for the Intel® 82341, VLSI 82C106 and 82C107, C&T 82C710, 82C711, 82C712, or 82C725, National Semiconductor PC87310, PC87311, and PC87312 I/O or Peripheral controllers. Support is also provided for the SMC FCD637C651 and FCD637C611 Super I/O Controllers.

 Boot Sector Virus Protection

Boot Sector Virus Protection is an option in ADVANCED CMOS SETUP. When enabled, AMIBIOS warns the user when any program attempts to write to or format the boot sector and allows the user to intervene.

AMIBIOS support for the 82C206 chip includes DMA support that can be easily added by calling American Megatrends.

AMIBIOS supports up to four serial ports and four parallel ports. The fourth parallel port is not supported if PS/2-type mouse support is enabled.

Shadow RAM Support

The Hi-Flex AMIBIOS can copy 16 KB blocks of video, system, and adaptor ROMs from address C0000h through EFFFFh to RAM for faster execution. The system BIOS at F0000h is automatically shadowed to RAM. ROM shadow means that the ROM contents are copied from slower ROM (120-200 ns) to faster RAM (54-100 ns). Often ROM is 8-bits wide and RAM is 16-bits, or ROM is 16-bits wide and RAM is 32-bits wide, and shadowing increases speed by widening the data path. The contents of ROM are then executed from RAM. Shadow settings are chipset-specific and are dependent on system hardware and are displayed in ADVANCED CMOS SETUP. Each option copies a 16 KB memory segment from ROM to RAM. The video ROM segments are C0000h and C4000h. The adaptor ROM address segments that can be shadowed are C8000h through EC000h. If an option is enabled, all code in that 16 KB segment is shadowed.

Typematic Rate and Delay

AMIBIOS allows the end user to set the speed that a keystroke is repeated at and the delay before the repeating starts.

Num Lock Disable

AMIBIOS allows the end user to set the Num Lock key on or off at system boot.

Boot Sequence and Speed

AMIBIOS allows the end user to determine if the system boots from drive C: or A: and the processor boot speed (High or Low).

Fast Gate A20 Support

AMIBIOS supports the Fast Gate A20 option on many ASIC chipsets. Normally, the keyboard controller is used to switch between real and protected address modes with Gate A20. Fast Gate A20 substitutes a faster method for address mode switching, often using I/O ports.

Memory Test Tick Sound

The 08/08/93 core AMIBIOS and any later AMIBIOS permits the end user to press <Esc> or <Del> during the memory test to disable the ticking sound and bypass the memory test

AMIBIOS Utilities

AMIBIOS utilities are stored in ROM and are available when the system boots. The end user can press <Del> to select Setup or hard disk utilities. The Hi-Flex AMIBIOS utilities are:

AMIBIOS Setup pages
Hard disk format page
Auto interleave page
Media Analysis page

Additional AMIBIOS Utilities

Hi-Flex AMIBIOS provides all IBM standard Power-On Self Test (POST) routines as well as enhanced AMIBIOS POST routines. AMIBIOS POST supports CPU internal diagnostics. AMIBIOS POST checkpoint codes are accessible via the Manufacturing Test Port (I/O Port 80h). AMIBIOS checkpoint codes are documented in the ISA and EISA AMIBIOS Technical Reference.

Every time the system is powered on, the Hi-Flex AMIBIOS executes two types of POST routines:

If an error occurs after the system display has been initialized, the error message are displayed as follows:

ERROR Message Line 1

ERROR Message Line 2

and the system halts. The system does not halt if Wait for <F1> If Any Error in ADVANCED CMOS SETUP is Disabled.

may also appear. Press <F1> to run AMIBIOS Setup if this message appears.

Normally, the only visible POST routine is the memory test. The screen that appears when the system is powered on is shown below.

An AMIBIOS Identification string is displayed at the left bottom corner of the screen, below the copyright message. Press <Ins> during system boot to display two additional AMIBIOS Identification strings. The AMIBIOS Identification Strings show the options installed in the Hi-Flex AMIBIOS. You will need this information when calling for technical support.

The following is displayed after POST completes:

Press <Del> to access Hi-Flex AMIBIOS Setup.

An EISA AMIBIOS can generate additional error messages. None of these messages is fatal. The EISA AMIBIOS error messages are:

The EISA AMIBIOS can generate additional NMI messages that are specific to EISA systems.

AMIBIOS displays a screen that looks similar to the following when the POST routines complete successfully.

AMIBIOS Setup is divided into five parts. Not all of these may appear on all systems with an AMIBIOS.

Every option in AMIBIOS Setup contains two default values: a Power-On default and the BIOS Setup default value.

The Power-On default settings consist of the safest set of parameters. Use them if the system is behaving erratically. They should always work but do not provide optimal system performance characteristics.

The BIOS Setup default values provide optimum performance settings for all devices and system features.

The system parameters (such as amount of memory, disk drives, video displays, and numeric coprocessors) is stored in CMOS RAM. When the computer is turned off, a back-up battery provides power to CMOS RAM, which retains the system parameters. Every time the system is powered-on, it is configured with these values, unless CMOS RAM has been corrupted.

The system configuration parameters are set via AMIBIOS Setup. AMIBIOS Setup resides in the ROM BIOS (Read Only Memory Basic Input/Output System) and is available each time the computer is turned on.

If CMOS RAM is bad, the system is configured with the default values stored in ROM. There are two sets of BIOS values stored in the ROM file: the BIOS Setup default values and the Power-On default values.

 Starting Setup

As POST executes, the following appears:

Hit <DEL> if you want to run SETUP

Press <Del> to run Hi-Flex AMIBIOS Setup.

The AMIBIOS Setup Main Menu is shown below. All options may not appear on the AMIBIOS Setup screens in your computer because OEMs can enable or disable the menu items.

AMIBIOS has default settings for many options in the five types of Setup. In STANDARD CMOS SETUP, default values are only loaded if CMOS RAM is corrupt. All STANDARD CMOS SETUP default settings are disabled (floppy, hard disk, monitor, keyboard). In all other type of Setup, both BIOS and Power-On defaults are provided for most options.

By choosing Auto Configuration With BIOS Defaults, you automatically configure the system using the BIOS default values. The BIOS default value are best-case values that should optimize system performance. If CMOS RAM is corrupted, the BIOS defaults are loaded automatically.

To use the BIOS defaults, type Y and press <Enter>. The following message appears:

Default values loaded. Press any key to continue.

By choosing Auto Configuration with Power-On Defaults, you automatically configure the system using the default Power-On values. Power-On default values are worst-case values for system performance, but are the most stable values. Use this option as a diagnostic aid if the system is behaving erratically.

Type Y and press <Enter> to use the Power-On defaults. The following message appears:

Default values loaded. Press any key to continue.

This option detects the hard disk parameters for IDE hard disk drives. It displays the parameters that it detects (see the following screen) and allows the end user to accept or reject the parameters. If accepted, these parameters are displayed in the Hard Disk Drive C: or D: fields in STANDARD CMOS SETUP as Type 47.

If an IDE drive is found and you accept the parameters, AMIBIOS places the hard disk drive parameters that it finds in the Hard Dive C: or Hard Drive D: field in STANDARD CMOS SETUP and sets Type 47. All you have to do is accept these values.

The configurations settings in Standard Setup, ADVANCED CMOS SETUP, ADVANCED CHIPSET SETUP, POWER MANAGEMENT SETUP, Peripheral SETUP Password, and Auto Detect Hard Disk are stored in CMOS RAM when this option is selected. A CMOS RAM checksum is calculated and written to CMOS RAM and control is passed to the system BIOS.

appears. Press N and <Enter> to return to the Main Menu. Press Y and <Enter> to save the system parameters and continue the boot process. AMIBIOS either reboots the system (if any new settings change the memory map) or continues the boot process.

This option passes control to the BIOS without writing any changes to CMOS RAM.

Press N and <Enter> to return to the Main Menu. Press Y and <Enter> to continue the boot process without saving any system parameters changed in Setup.

STANDARD CMOS SETUP sets basic system parameters, such as day, date, time, and hard disk type. Use ­ and ¯ to select STANDARD CMOS SETUP and press <Enter>. The following appears.

Ranges for each value are shown in the lower left corner of the screen. Move the cursor to the Date field with ® , ¬ , ­ , or ¯ and set the Date and Day by pressing <PgUp> and <PgDn>.

This option uses a 24-hour clock format (add 12 for PM numbers). Enter 4:30 P.M. as 16:30:00. Move the cursor to the Time field with the ® , ¬ , ­ , or ¯ and set the time by pressing <PgUp> and <PgDn> to change values.

If you select Auto Detect Hard Disk from the AMIBIOS Main Menu, AMIBIOS automatically finds all IDE hard disk drive parameters and places these parameters in the Hard Dive C: or Hard Drive D: field in STANDARD CMOS SETUP. All you have to do is accept these values. Otherwise, you must manually enter the parameters, described in the following table.