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BIOS

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This is a non-FreeBSD specific term. It features in this wiki for reference.

The BIOS, short for Basic Input/Output System, is a program stored in a special chip on almost all motherboards especially i386 based systems. It is the first thing the CPU executes when powered on and sets the computer into a stable state with which to begin loading an operating system.

Some BIOS programs permit the user to change the settings affecting the way the system will boot, typically in which order to boot the physical drives. A typical example would be to set the CD-ROM (or DVD-ROM) drive to boot before the hard drive in order to setup an operating system, and then change it back following the installation.

Early IBM compatible PC-based operating systems, such as DOS and initial versions of Windows, used the BIOS to access the physical hardware on the computer such as reading and writing to hard drives, accessing the serial ports and putting text onto the screen. Modern operating systems, FreeBSD included, now utilise drivers to access the hardware and the BIOS simply exists to start the operating system's boot loader.

Contents

5 Great Lessons You Can Learn From Life

Life isnt meant to be easy, its meant to be lived..sometimes happy, other times rough. But with every up and down you learn lessons that make you strong.Can you step back from your own mind for a little while and realize that life is not as bad as you think it is?

[5 Great Lessons You Can Learn From Life]

[GoodvilleNews.com - good, positive news, inspirational stories, articles]

Not Your Usual Panhandler

Doug Eaton wanted to celebrate his birthday on June 11 in a big way, so he turned to his friends for ideas -- ended up marking the day with random acts of kindness, including handing out free money to people passing by.

[Not Your Usual Panhandler]

[GoodvilleNews.com - good, positive news, inspirational stories, articles]

Why Creative Thinking is Inclusive Thinking

"Albert Einstein was once asked what the difference was between him and the average person. He said that if you asked the average person to find a needle in the haystack, the person would stop when he or she found a needle. He, on the other hand, would tear through the entire haystack looking for all the possible needles. 
[Why Creative Thinking is Inclusive Thinking]

[GoodvilleNews.com - good, positive news, inspirational stories, articles]

Top Five Regrets of the Dying

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives.

[Top Five Regrets of the Dying]

[GoodvilleNews.com - good, positive news, inspirational stories, articles]

9-yr-old Helps Disabled Brother Finish Triathlons

Over the weekend, brothers Cayden and Connor Long joined hundreds of other children as they competed in the first annual New England Kids Triathlon in Cambridge. The boys did not win the event -- they didnt even come close. But that didnt stop them from winning hearts across the Internet. The Long brothers are not your typical triathletes. Six-year-old Cayden has cerebral palsy and can neither walk nor talk. But thanks to the dedication of his older brother, Connor, the young boy has participated in several triathlons. A touching video

[9-yr-old Helps Disabled Brother Finish Triathlons]

[GoodvilleNews.com - good, positive news, inspirational stories, articles]

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