Without the basic input/output system, a GIGABYTE motherboard is about as useful as a paperweight. The BIOS confirms at startup that essential hardware devices are functional; initializes these devices and configures their settings; is responsible for initiating the boot process; and after all is said and done, enables the OS to talk to the driver programs that send task instructions to connected hardware. Addressing BIOS-related problems is required to restore a GIGABYTE motherboard to working order.
Basics
On the GIGABYTE motherboard is a flash, or read-only, memory chip that contains the BIOS software. A flash ROM is a non-volatile storage device, meaning that even if the computer is powered off, the device won't lose the data stored to it. The BIOS is coupled with a sister component, called the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor. The CMOS sometimes resides on the same chip as the BIOS, and retains the hardware parameters configured in the BIOS.
Configuration
The GIGABYTE motherboard features a setup program, called the BIOS Setup Utility, that you can use to change the hardware settings. Some changes, however, can have negative affects on computer performance. For example, overclocking or overvolting the central processing unit, while it can sometimes improve performance, can also render the motherboard unstable. To revert the hardware to its default state, turn on the PC, then press "Del" on the boot screen to go to the BIOS Setup Utility. Look for the option Fail-Safe Defaults. Press the associated key to restore the original settings.
Battery
A lithium, coin-cell battery is used to configure the date and time settings in the BIOS. Batteries tend to last about a decade, so it's unusual for the component to cause motherboard errors, but in rare cases it can occur. If the battery fails, messages like BIOS Checksum Error or CMOS Checksum Error may appear on the screen after you turn on the PC. Although the computer should still function, you'll need to reenter the date and time whenever you turn on the PC. You can replace the battery with an identical model to resolve the problem.
Corrupt BIOS
GIGABYTE regularly provides updates to the BIOS. The BIOS is similar to an operating system in that initial versions sometimes contain bugs that cause errors to occur. Updating the BIOS isn't recommended because it can "brick," or damage, the motherboard if not done correctly. Nevertheless, if all other troubleshooting methods have failed to resolve your problem, upgrading the BIOS might be just the thing. Depending on your motherboard, you can use either Q-Flash or @BIOS to upgrade the BIOS software. Q-Flash is accessible from the BIOS Setup Utility, while @BIOS performs the upgrade from within the Windows OS. You can access @BIOS on the GIGABYTE website.
Tags: GIGABYTE motherboard, BIOS Setup, BIOS Setup Utility, Setup Utility, BIOS software