Generic components of a graphics card. Note that the VGABIOS is a separate chip located on the graphics card, and not part of the GPU.Practically all processing units require basic initialization, not just GPUs.
Video BIOS is the BIOS of a graphics card in a (usually IBM PC-derived) computer. It initializes the graphics card at the computer's boot time. It also implements INT 10h interrupt and VESA BIOS Extensions (VBE)[1][2] for basic text and videomode output before a specific video driver is loaded. In UEFI 2.x systems, the INT 10h and the VBE are replaced by the UEFI GOP.[3][4]
Much the way the system BIOS provides a set of functions that are used by software programs to access the system hardware, the video BIOS provides a set of video-related functions that are used by programs to access the video hardware as well as storing vendor-specific settings such as card name, clock frequencies, VRAM types & voltages. The video BIOS interfaces software to the video chipset in the same way that the system BIOS does for the system chipset.
The ROM also contained a basic font set[5] to upload to the video adapter font RAM, if the video card did not contain a font ROM with this font set instead.
Unlike some other hardware components, the video card usually needs to be active very early during the boot process so that the user can see what is going on. This requires the card to be activated before any operating system begins loading; thus it needs to be activated by the BIOS, the only software that is present at this early stage. The system BIOS loads the video BIOS from the card's ROM into system RAM and transfers control to it early in the boot sequence.[6]
Early PCs contained functions for driving MDA and CGA cards in the system BIOS, and those cards did not have any Video BIOS built in. When the EGA card was first sold in 1984, the Video BIOS was introduced to make these cards compatible with existing PCs whose BIOS did not know how to drive an EGA card. Ever since, EGA/VGA and all enhanced VGA compatible cards have included a Video BIOS.
When the computer is started, some graphics cards (usually certain Nvidia cards) display their vendor, model, Video BIOS version and amount of video memory.
^lorihollasch. "Support for headless systems - Windows drivers". docs.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
^INT 10 - VIDEO - SET VIDEO MODE
^"What is efifb? — The Linux Kernel documentation". www.kernel.org. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
^"What is vesafb? — The Linux Kernel documentation". www.kernel.org. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
^"Project: Examining VGA BIOS from Old Graphic Cards | Gough's Tech Zone". May 2016.
^https://www.usenix.org/legacy/event/usenix05/tech/freenix/full_papers/lo/lo_html/vgabios.html "Traditionally, a VGA card is initialized by software known as the VGA BIOS, which is considered an extension of system BIOS. It is loaded by the system BIOS from an expansion ROM located on the VGA card into a specific address in system memory. Control is then transferred to the VGA BIOS, and it uses the 16-bit callback interface to communicate with the system BIOS."
VideoBIOS is the BIOS of a graphics card in a (usually IBM PC-derived) computer. It initializes the graphics card at the computer's boot time. It also...
computing, BIOS (/ˈbaɪɒs, -oʊs/, BY-oss, -ohss; Basic Input/Output System, also known as the System BIOS, ROM BIOS, BIOS ROM or PC BIOS) is firmware...
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up BIOS or bios in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Bios or BIOS may refer to: Bios (album), the third album by Costa Rican music group Gandhi Bios (novel)...
usually made of copper for the best thermal transfer.[citation needed] The videoBIOS or firmware contains a minimal program for the initial set up and control...
with the main system BIOS), which gets executed to initialize the device and (optionally) add support for the device to the BIOS. In its usual use, it...
BIOS Extensions (VBE) is a VESA standard, currently at version 3, that defines the interface that can be used by software to access compliant video boards...
system—especially game software). BIOS runs in the real address mode (Real Mode) of the x86 CPU, so programs that call BIOS either must also run in real mode...
for BIOS ROM (or CSM of some UEFI firmware), VideoBIOS, Option ROMs, video RAM, memory-mapped I/O, and obsoleted ROM BASIC. However, even with video RAM...
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer based in Edmonton, Alberta. It was founded in 1995 by Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, and Augustine Yip. They signed...
is commonly called BIOS-MBR, regardless of it being performed on UEFI or legacy BIOS-based systems. Furthermore, booting legacy BIOS-based systems from...
PCs Hard disk drive, solid-state drive or optical disc drive firmware VideoBIOS of a graphics card Open Firmware, used in SPARC-based computers from Sun...
This behavior can be changed, i.e., using BIOS interrupt 10hex, function 1003hex. By default, when using the BIOS interrupt, the highest bit controls the...
or INT 16 is shorthand for BIOS interrupt call 10hex, the 17th interrupt vector in an x86-based computer system. The BIOS typically sets up a real mode...
represent standard modes if the VGA BIOS supports those, and that modes from 0100h to 07FFh represent VESA modes if the VESA BIOS supports them. Modes from 0900h...
Nonvolatile BIOS memory refers to a small memory on PC motherboards that is used to store BIOS settings. It is traditionally called CMOS RAM because it...
"SUPER VGA BIOS EXTENSION Standard # VS891001 › Gemixtes". 2013-12-11. Archived from the original on 2013-12-11. Retrieved 2022-12-27. VESA BIOS Extension...
complex initialization of the graphics card to take place. For example, the VideoBIOS usually cannot activate a graphics card unless working RAM is present...
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer based in Edmonton, Alberta. It was founded in 1995 by newly graduated medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk...
BioShock Infinite is a first-person shooter video game in the BioShock series, developed by Irrational Games and published by 2K. Infinite was released...
term BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) refers to firmware that initialises computer hardware and has provisions to load an operating system. The BIOS also...
"eHarmony Celebrates 10 Years of Online Relationships | Fox Business Video". Video.foxbusiness.com. August 30, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2013. Clark...
from a device control register Using some higher-level interface (e.g. VideoBIOS) Using another lower-level device driver (e.g. file system drivers using...
manufacturers, AMI continued to develop BIOS firmware for major motherboard manufacturers. The company produced BIOS software for motherboards (1986), server...
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